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Lot to unpack here. Couple things, one did you ever ask for feedback after these interviews? Most of the time you will get a vague bullshit answer like "we just found someone a better fit for the role", but a good amount of the time, people will give you a straight answer. Ask for feedback if you haven't already so you know what to improve on. If its technical, grind it out, if its your story, polish it up, if its your interviewing, focus on that. If what you have listed is true, I believe it may be you are struggling with the interviews themselves and the behavioral aspect of them. Once you get passed a certain point, especially if your technical knowledge is there, its all about fit. Two, how old are you? Still in college? You mentioned a sophomore year internship, is this what you have been applying for? If so, its so early in the process, you have next year summer to sure up an internship and even after that to solidify a full time role. Three, you have to remember this process is extremely competitive, especially this early on. You could have everything needed and still not get the position because at the end of the day a lot of things are out of your control. A lot of people gunning for not a relatively small amount of spots. Lastly, do not obsess over this. No job is worth losing weight, feeling guilty about not networking, and not being able to sleep, especially when its just in the pursuit of a job. Take a step back and relax. Remember this is a long and hard game, don't get caught up in and obsess over results now. Once you take a break and reassess where you are in the process, get back out there (BUT DO NOT OBSESS) and continue networking, polishing your story, and working on your interviewing skills. Its a numbers game for everyone at the end of the day, and the law of large numbers dictates the more you keep pushing, the closer you will get to the expected value/average and eventually landing that internship/full time role you want, especially with a background like yours.
With your background and the fact you mentioned you know the technical and have a good story, 100% something isn't clicking in your interviews. Coming off as a robot is likely, at the end of the day it's all about fit and guys are going to hire people that they would want to and enjoy working with. I think a lot of people lose site of this, the importance of fit, especially in investment banking. People focus all their energy on going to that target school, getting a high gpa, nailing technicals, networking for that interview, that they don't spend enough time honing their actual interview skills. You can check all the required boxes (and by the looks of it you do), but if you don't connect with the interviewers, you aren't going to get hired. Everyone is qualified at the later stages of these interviews and as long as you don't botch your technicals, they are looking for someone that would fit in with the team and see themselves going to have a beer with, because at the end of the day, you are spending 80 hours a week plus with these people. It is extremely important they can see someone who would fit in with the team and they enjoy working with over those long hours. Skills can be taught, but fit can't. My advice would to be keep doing what you are doing and focus most of your time and effort on sharpening your interview skills. Relax, be yourself, and just come off as a human and that offer will 100% come. I dont work in IB, but I do work in finance and have a pretty solid understanding of behavioral/fit side of interviews. If you want to, please PM me. I am more than happy to get on the phone with you to see if this is the case or there is something else holding you back.
Did you graduate from high school two years early or something? That's pretty awesome that you're two years younger than the average college student your age. How do you respond when you are asked what you do for fun? Maybe your story is showing so much of your drive (like being two years ahead in college and having so many internships) that people think you're way too serious and high strung if that makes sense.
Very well said, much of what I'm going to say here mirrors your comment. My advice, first off, hang in there! You're a tenacious, smart, and hardworking guy (I assume). It sounds like you're a rule follower and have always been able to achieve success when you've applied yourself. Sadly, and you're far from alone in this, but you're smacking hard in to the harsh reality of life: it's not fucking fair and nobody cares. It's nothing personal, in fact, it's the polar opposite; it's pure un-emotional indifference. To these firms, you're just another smart hungry kid looking for a seat. You did everything right, and in your power, in these interviews. The last portion before you get that glorious call extending an offer is totally out of your control. You need to make peace with yourself about this.
That's all well and good, but you still don't have a job. The first piece of advice I have for you, is toughen the f*ck up. I don't mean that to be an asshole, but you want a career in "high finance" you'll need to grow some thicker skin. When I was a first year analyst in banking, some of my associates and VP's said shit so mean and hurtful to me I almost had a breakdown. I was being a wimp, and had to pull myself up by my bootstraps and not let it get in to my head and press forward. You need to give yourself a similar vibe check, worry only about the things you can tangibly control, identify roadblocks, and use that big brain of yours to work out a solution. Second, and this is a big one, do, not, ever, quit. Never let a "no" keep you downtrodden or defeated. Turn that rejection into fuel for success. Okay, so you didn't get that IBD offer you were so close to getting and recruiting season is wrapping up. Fine, option A is a no-go, formulate an option B. I bailed on a solid MM IBD offer last minute to go to a "better" bank when I was your age, some other kid got a out of the blue follow up call and now is probably working at a hedge fund because of it. Find those random opportunities and jump at them. Check your school career board 3 times a day and be the first one to drop your CV; scour indeed, LinkedIn, and google jobs boards for last minute analyst openings. Broaden your scope! If you don't quit, I promise something will shake loose for you. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and keep your eyes on the prize!
Hey man, I believe I can fully sympathesize what you are experiecing. I do not think I have as stellar or as good a background as you do. I'm an international student who went to a non-target, got my way into a small bank for a long-term off-cycle ER internship (that bank is really cheap and I do not want to say its name here. I was actually doing analyst work and getting paid as an intern). Then I went to an MSF program, did 40-50 interviews, including the 1st/2nd/3rd and for a few of them 4th/5th round. I have got put into the next/final round right on the spot before the phone call ended, got the "promise" from my future/potential department manager/director that s/he is pushing for me and s/he really wants me as THE candidate for this position. I have had the experience where I networked with 7-8 people in a bank's SF office --- they are not a hig bank --- but still did not pass the 1st round. I did not give up. I fought hard for almost a year to land my current gig. True, it is not IB, "only" financial services consulting, but the work I do right now is very interesting and no bs work on pitching or fixing ppt margins. It is not only a numbers game, but also a peoples game. What I mean by people is not how many people you've networked. That's only part of the story. The most important individual in this process is yourself. Make sure you stay healthy, get enough sleep, and keep a healthy mindset, practice your emotional stability and do not get upset. Or at least bounce back when you do get upset because we all do. I do not work for a BB or EB and I do not have that much prestige to show off, but I have a lot of personal experience and everything I wrote above is true. Hope this helps a little bit. Good luck.
A face to face interview brings a lot of detail. You have the person’s appearance, composure, resume content, resume formatting, resume material, resume watermark, and the way you articulate in speaking, your eloquence, manner, mood, body language - everything. Especially for a client facing role, you don’t want to bring on a fool to the team that doesn’t know how to dress or act in front of clients.
There’s a lot going on, but if you’re good, it will be easy. Natural.
You can break some rules at times. When Zuckerburg went into that one investor meeting in PJs, he was literally communicating to the person ... fuck my personal appearance.
I’ve blown it in an interview for overdressing though so a word of caution to communicate if interviewing at niche tech firms. I wore a suit but should have wore Vans and jeans. I missed the memo. Damn. I should have worn my brown Half Cabs - Yellow soles Yellow laces...
But, if you’re entry level, it is almost always suit up and then immediately from the persons type of Windsor and tie to cut of suit and shoes, all becomes part of the interview experience.
Just make sure you get a suit that is cut right and look sharp, crisp, polished. Because at that moment it’s your job to close.
You’re going to have to close someone at some point. Maybe you left a good enough impression that you’re the man/woman for the job, but in that person’s mind they made a decision at some point for some reason and an offer comes with it.
Know who can pull the strings. If you’re talking to the hiring manager, be very aware of that and the fact that closing the higher-ups makes the likelihood increase of you getting that offer.
You have value. Know your value and how it fits into their corporate strategy. Your ability to pitch that you will be a star at this role and will hit the ground running is essential.