Advice

Hello, I came across this site a few days ago and I've really enjoyed reading your posts and discussions. I figured I'd put my dignity aside and ask this belittling question. Here goes and I warn you its far from wall street glamorous, I just hope I dont get the boot after this is posted!

Where should I apply to get a job given these possible statistics:

3.5 GPA from a school that rounds out the bottom of top 20 universities in US by USNews
Math/Computer Engineering Major
An interesting EC with some awards to boot
intern experience at big 4 tech consulting

Where would you apply?

Can somebody explain in plain english what the equity capital markets are? I have an informational interview with an ED in equity capital markets at a BB coming up and I don't really know what that is and would like to before speaking with him. If someone could explain that and what an executive directors role within this division would be I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

I am an undergrad who just interviewed over a week ago with a PE firm and I have not heard back in 1.5 weeks. My friend had the same interview and he got an email saying they were unlikely to give him a position, standard HR.

I haven't heard anything. Should I email the person I interviewed with again (sent a thank you day of interview), saying my deadline at another company is approaching? Advice?

My questions are:

I may have an opportunity at a well known private wealth management firm soon as a Private Client Associate. Would this position degrade my resume for getting into ibanking after an MBA? Would it help? Should I try for a different position in a commercial bank (non-ibanking; something like credit analyst, etc.)? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

I would like to apply and get accepted into the best graduate school possible in 12 months. What kinds of activities would look good on a resume and grad school application that would help makeup for relatively poor grades? I realize I need to get a very strong GMAT score, and I need some extracirricular's. I'm just looking for some ideas.

So I've heard that first year analysts looking to get prominent PE jobs start interviewing around Jan of their first year (so for newly minted analysts that'd be Jan of 09)

First ? is this - obviously a lot of the PE shops hire on a set schedule much like banks do - is January really an appropriate time to start scheduling interviews?

Second? - what's the best way to start preparing for interviews/setting up interviews?

Third? - what the hell do they base hiring decisions off of in January as I've only been on the line for three/four months at that point? How imp is undergrad GPA if you're at a top bank - GS/MS/JP in a solid product group?

Fourth? - is it even worth interviewing out this year? Mightn't it be better to hold off an try for a third year analysts position and interview such that I'd leave after that? I imagine that mkt conditions will have improved/job opportunities would be more at that point?