Which one would you pick for a summer internship? I like Ardea's culture but I'm scared of their conversion. Macquaire is the safest in terms of FTO, but I want to do IB more than S&T, and Greenhill i'm more scared about dealflow.
If you were in my shoes, what would you pick? (London)
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If you love commods i would go with MacQ s&t.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's how you might approach this decision:
Ardea IB: If you genuinely like the culture at Ardea, that's a significant factor. Culture fit often determines how much you enjoy your internship and how well you perform. However, if you're concerned about conversion rates, you should weigh how much risk you're willing to take. If you excel during the internship, you might still secure a full-time offer, but it's worth investigating their historical conversion rates further.
Macquarie S&T: This is the safest option in terms of full-time offers (FTO). However, since you prefer IB over S&T, this might not align with your long-term goals. If you choose this, you might need to pivot later, which could be challenging but not impossible.
Greenhill IB: Your concern about deal flow is valid. Smaller firms like Greenhill can sometimes have less consistent deal flow compared to larger players. However, if you perform well, the boutique experience can still be valuable, especially for building technical skills and getting hands-on exposure.
Recommendation:
If IB is your clear preference, Ardea might be the best choice, provided you’re confident in your ability to stand out and secure a conversion. If the risk of no FTO is too high for your comfort, Greenhill could be a good middle ground, offering IB experience with a potentially better conversion rate than Ardea. Macquarie should only be your pick if job security outweighs your preference for IB.
Ultimately, prioritize what aligns best with your long-term goals and risk tolerance. If possible, reach out to current or former interns at these firms to get more insights into culture, deal flow, and conversion rates.
Sources: What offers would you take over a BB S&T?, David and Goliath: The Boutique and The Bulge Bracket, Offer decision advice, Bain or BCG for Summer Internship??, Accepting TWO offers (one SA, one FT) during same year; date clash! Help!
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