UBS Internship - Take or No?

All,

My roommate's younger brother is a sophomore at a semi-target. He has received an offer for an IBD summer internship with UBS and a a upper tier boutique consulting firm (Monitor / LEK / Booz)

He is very interested in investment banking and would ideally leverage the UBS internship for an upper BB or elite boutique for his junior internship, but is hesitant after news of last year's analyst layoffs and the news on Dealbreaker today about shutting down SF/LA. Basically he is worried that people will look at the consulting firm as very respectable and will lead to good opportunities for the following summer whereas UBS may not open as many doors due to the stigma associated with the name (have heard that analysts from there have next to no PE/HF placement so the name is definitely a stigma to headhunters).

Don't mean to make this another UBS bashing session but looking for honest feedback from someone who actually knows the situation over there (I have been out of banking for almost 2 years now, and didn't do my analyst stint at UBS anyway, so I have minimal info). Note that all of these opps are for NYC - understand that UBS shut SF/LA but perhaps NYC is still fine?

 
Best Response

I'm not familiar with the UBS situation, but if he's interested in IB, then it sounds like an obvious choice. Unless UBS has no deal flow whatsoever, he should take UBS IB and learn as much as he can to move onto a better firm. After all, it is just an internship. And it sounds like he's a sophomore, which means this position (regardless of the UBS stigma) would look golden for his junior summer IB recruiting.

 
BTbanker:
Let's face it UBS sucks right now, but he's only a sophomore who wants to do banking, and he doesn't need to worry about working there FT. They aren't going to layoff a sophomore kid either.

This is a great opportunity for him, and he should take the BB IBD offer.

Exactly. Not only can he leverage his internship at UBS for a FT role at a different bank, but he'll be able to leverage it next year during SA recruiting too.

 

Gekko, im assuming you opted for another bank for full-time. May i ask why? Would you have any pointers for summers? How would you compare UBS to JPM, Citi, CS, LEH, and ML?

 

Gekko, im assuming you opted for another bank for full-time. May i ask why? Would you have any pointers for summers? How would you compare UBS to JPM, Citi, CS, LEH, and ML?

 

crimson, i swithced bc i found that banking wasnt for me and i was much more into s&T.

its kinda tough to compare the banks you mentioned as they are all on similiar levels (with LEH arguably higher and CS lower) and very group dependant.

If you go to UBS, top groups are M&A, Fin Sponors/Lev Fin, Healthcare (big time sweatshop though), consumer/retail (dont know if its still as good after the group head blair left).

hope that helps...

 

I imagine it is very similiar, but likely smaller. UBS is headquartered in stamford, ct on the east coast..with main offices in nyc. Despite this, the LA program seems to have be viewed more strongly.

 

is the best UBS office by far including M&A in NYC. That's because they get most high profile deals b/c they have rainmakers in the office.

My good friend is a 2nd year associate at UBS HC and he's in the office until 1:30-2 AM regularly. He said the analysts have it worst and are miserable. Most can't wait until their 2 year stint is over with. He's had countless stories of pulling 2 all-nighters in a row. His story is not unique as all analysts and associates are doing this. Needless to say, he gets compensated very well.

 

is arguably the best place to be on wall st (even over GS TMT AND MS M&A). As said, this is bc all the big hitters for UBS work out there (Moelis, raich, etc).

As scottt stated, they work hardcore hours but they all get top placement at great p/e shops

 

Sweet, thanks. I heard that the top 3 in Houston used to be Lehman, CS, and UBS. Do you know if that's still true? Especially in context of Leh now being BarcLehs? How is energy banking doing in general?

 
PoBoy:
Sweet, thanks. I heard that the top 3 in Houston used to be Lehman, CS, and UBS. Do you know if that's still true? Especially in context of Leh now being BarcLehs? How is energy banking doing in general?

From what I've learned, the top three you mentioned are correct.

Then comes JPM, MER/BoA, GS followed by Citi/MS/DB with the MMs (Scotia/Tudor/Jefferies) sprinkled around.

As far as energy banking, for the most part it's ok. The guys I've talked to said they still have projects (mostly debt raising, however some advisory), but energy probably is in better position than other industries (Media, Telecom, industrials) for the future.

 

It seems ubs has really gone down the crapper with the kind of kids it's interviewing, such as the above 3 losers who are all of below average intelligence and from nontargets. How desperate can a bank get? I guess we'll find out.

 

not in industry, second-hand info

Call right now. The sooner the better. Don't ask how to get an interview, tell him you're really interested in investment banking and specifically UBS and that you'd like to know more about the recruiting process/if he would be willing to help you. Know your shit about the company/industry and be ready for him to ask you interview-style questions. He might not, but be prepared just in case.

You may want to wait for another person on the board to agree/disagree with me. However, since its been a month since you first contacted him I would try and get back in touch ASAP. The longer you wait, the more likely he is to not want to help.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

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