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What if I can't get an internship?
 

wannaBshark's picture
IB
(Chimp, 11
 
Points)
 on 5/31/12 at 3:00am
intern.jpg

Hi everyone,

I am going into my junior year at a semi-target school, and am still having trouble landing a finance internship. I made the mistake of putting all my eggs into one basket and ultimately got screwed out of a job last minute. I had an accounting internship after my freshman year, but seeing as I want to get into IBD in the future; what would you recommend I do at this point?

Thanks in advance.

"I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful." -- Warren Buffett
Tags:
mhurricane's picture

I am in the same-boat. I

 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 2:00pm

I am in the same-boat. I suggest cold-calling, I am sure there are boutiques that are willing to take on a sophomore summer analyst. however, i would not anticipate a paid internship. I am in the same position.

Good luck.

The difference between successful people and others is largely a habit - a controlled habit of doing every task better, faster and more efficiently.

WhiteKnightDD's picture

Not all internships have to

ST
(Baboon, 145
 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 2:04pm

Not all internships have to be Summer.

You can try to get one in the fall/spring.

Anacott_CEO's picture

Try looking at actual job

CF
(King Kong, 1,259
 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 2:26pm

Try looking at actual job postings and call those firms and offer to work unpaid, that may work

Human's picture

Have you also reached out

PE
(King Kong, 1,891
 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 2:46pm

Have you also reached out resources that you might have overlooked? Like college professors, parents, relatives, siblings, classmates, people at the fraternity, friends from business clubs, friends from high school? I would suggest combing through these immediate contacts again for new leads. Ask them for referrals.

"I am the hero of the story. I don't need to be saved."

wannaBshark's picture

Yes, I have tried to use

IB
(Chimp, 11
 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 3:19pm

Yes, I have tried to use other resources, the problem being it is rather late in the recruiting process.

"I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful."
-- Warren Buffett

fund's picture

Start your own business,

 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 4:23pm

Start your own business, you'll make way more money than in finance and you'll work less hours.

GeneralThade's picture

Keep at it...I was in the

O
(Orangutan, 275
 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 4:54pm

Keep at it...I was in the same boat. mhurricane is right about the fact that it probably won't be paid, maybe they'll give you a stipend to cover travel costs. Get a part time gig for now if you need the cash and work at getting your foot in the door

mhurricane's picture

GeneralThade: Keep at it...I

 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 5:28pm
GeneralThade:

Keep at it...I was in the same boat. mhurricane is right about the fact that it probably won't be paid, maybe they'll give you a stipend to cover travel costs. Get a part time gig for now if you need the cash and work at getting your foot in the door

What ultimately happened?

The difference between successful people and others is largely a habit - a controlled habit of doing every task better, faster and more efficiently.

GeneralThade's picture

@mhurricane I landed an

O
(Orangutan, 275
 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 5:41pm

@mhurricane I landed an internship at a boutique...OP you gotta turn over every stone you can. Human is right on the money with reaching out to everyone, never underestimate anyone you know

GetOnTop's picture

The advice so far is good,

AM
(Baboon, 132
 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 5:41pm

The advice so far is good, but if you can't get anything it's not the end of the world. Take a class over the summer and boost your GPA. Go on an interesting vacation, road trip to national parks, train for a marathon, whatever. You'll have something cool to talk to girls about when you get back to school and it'll be a hell of a lot more fun than an unpaid internship.

fund's picture

GetOnTop: You'll have

 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 5:45pm
GetOnTop:

You'll have something cool to talk to girls about when you get back to school

Why do you need to talk about cool things to girls?
Why do you need to be cool?
Why do you need to impress them?
It reads like you feel girls are superior and you are inferior.

mhurricane's picture

GeneralThade: @mhurricane I

 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 7:12pm
GeneralThade:

@mhurricane I landed an internship at a boutique...OP you gotta turn over every stone you can. Human is right on the money with reaching out to everyone, never underestimate anyone you know

How late was it, though?

The difference between successful people and others is largely a habit - a controlled habit of doing every task better, faster and more efficiently.

GeneralThade's picture

@mhurricane about 2 weeks

O
(Orangutan, 275
 
Points)
 on 5/30/12 at 7:33pm

@mhurricane about 2 weeks ago

jgx101's picture

fund: GetOnTop: You'll have

IB
(Orangutan, 356
 
Points)
 on 5/31/12 at 2:40am
fund:
GetOnTop:

You'll have something cool to talk to girls about when you get back to school

Why do you need to talk about cool things to girls?
Why do you need to be cool?
Why do you need to impress them?
It reads like you feel girls are superior and you are inferior.

Because I have a dick

orangebull's picture

I just landed one last week.

 
Points)
 on 5/31/12 at 2:42am

I just landed one last week. Thing is - it takes more than a few days, especially if you're cold calling. And it takes at least one in person visit (meetup, resume drop in person, formal interview, etc.) before somebody will take you seriously.

If you keep lookign right now you may get one by mid june - it'll almost have to be unpaid though.

Can't stress the in-person meeting enough. Hell do it as early in the networking/contacting stage you can with a new company you're cold-calling. If you're in the city this will be really easy and not awkward at all. In a more rural and laidback setting, it will be harder to do.

Value_added's picture

If you're just going into

O
 
Points)
 on 5/31/12 at 7:35am
Rambo's picture

Cold-call wealth management

(Baboon, 150
 
Points)
 on 5/31/12 at 8:04am
thunderfan118's picture

PM me -- maybe I can help.

 
Points)
 on 5/31/12 at 9:18am
wannaBshark's picture

If nothing else pans out,

IB
(Chimp, 11
 
Points)
 on 5/31/12 at 4:34pm

"I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful."
-- Warren Buffett

gf1990's picture

Start cold calling. You def

PE
(Baboon, 125
 
Points)
 on 5/31/12 at 8:43pm

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