Jun 24, 2011

Boutique/non-BB INTENRSHIP into BB FT offer

So, any stories or advice as to how you turned your internship into a FT offer from a BB or top MM (ghl, laz, etc) FT offer?

5,802 WSO Academy Investment Banking Session Reviews: 4.82/5

Class of '28 Jul 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Interview

“The questions were amazing and genuinely challenging, which made the session extremely valuable for me. Going into the mock interview, I felt that I had memorized and understood most of the critical technical concepts, but Julius pushed me beyond the surface-level knowledge and went much deeper into the accounting side. That was especially helpful because it showed me the difference between simply knowing the main concepts and being able to confidently explain the details, connections, and reasoning behind them under pressure. The behavioral portion was just as useful. Julius gave me very detailed feedback on how I should prepare for questions related specifically to my background, experiences, and story. Rather than only practicing the standard behavioral questions, we discussed how interviewers could dig deeper into different parts of my resume and ask follow-up questions about my academic path, previous experiences, motivations for finance, and the decisions I have made along the way. This helped me understand that I need to be prepared not only with strong initial answers, but also with clear and thoughtful explanations for almost every important part of my background. One of the biggest takeaways from the session was identifying the areas where I should spend more time developing a deeper level of understanding instead of relying on memorization. Julius was very good at asking follow-up questions that tested whether I actually understood the underlying concepts, which gave me a much clearer picture of what a real interview could feel like. We also created a longer-term preparation plan together. Our goal is to work together approximately once every two to three weeks and use each session to focus deeply on a particular topic. Instead of trying to cover everything at once, we will gradually specialize in different areas and build my knowledge step by step, while continuing to work on behavioral questions and my overall interview story. I think this structure will be extremely helpful because it gives me enough time between sessions to study independently, address the weaknesses we identify, and come back better prepared for the next topic. Overall, the session gave me a much better understanding of where I currently stand, what interviewers may expect from me, and what I need to improve before recruiting begins. I left the session with very clear action items and a much more structured approach to my preparation.”

Class of '29 Oct 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Coffee Chat

“Kevin was incredibly helpful. He took the time to do a coffee chat with me and was candid about where I could improve. His main point was that I should build more knowledge of the industry before these conversations, so I can ask sharper questions and show I've done my homework. He also gave me a clear framework for the conversation itself. Start by asking about their background and how they got into their role. Then ask for advice for my field, including what they would do in my shoes. He also explained when it is and isn't appropriate to ask for a referral, which is something I hadn't thought through before. ”

See All 10,829 WSO Academy Reviews

7 Comments

OMS

15y

give me a few months and I will get back to you on this.

Quote

Report

Other

Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 1st Year AnalystCertified Private Equity Pro

Mark2010

15y

Transfer to a real target. FYI, Ivey's the only semitarget in your country.

Quote

Report

Other

Independent Gestion

15y

Mark2010Transfer to a real target. FYI, Ivey's the only semitarget in your country.

THIS

Quote

Report

Other

‎"Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns or dollars."

Anonymous Monkey

15y

Enter the recruiting pool just like everyone else. The bank I interned at is fairly reputable in its space (small deals of a particular sector that I will not identify). I was able to land an offer at a BB, where I am now.

Just impress and know your shit. You might just be perceived as someone who got interested in banking a little later than everyone and thus had to interview at lower-tier banks for an internship. Interviewers don't expect all college students to desire careers in IBD starting freshman year.

Quote

Report

Other

Maverick91

15y

Any possibility to leverage an offer -- not the experience itself -- from a boutique, to get a BB job?

Quote

Report

Other

Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 1st Year AssociateCertified Private Equity Pro

zeropower

15y

Stuff ive heard from friends who got the FT offer as well as current colleagues: Stand out, show genuine interest, dont take vacation time (i have 4 days allocated to that over 10 weeks, but i dont plan on taking any days off - ill get paid which is a bonus AND it looks good), network network network.

And no Iveys not the only target but ill leave it there as this isnt the school forum.

Quote

Report

Other

Authored by: Certified Risk Management Professional - 2nd Year AssociateCertified Risk Management Pro

missinglink

15y

Autem nostrum incidunt eum quia ipsa. Sed eos sed temporibus. Dignissimos in quibusdam ratione ullam est. Quam itaque velit animi quos pariatur sed.

Consectetur natus ut placeat aut est voluptatum. Officiis architecto natus sed aut tenetur beatae. Tempore fuga nihil pariatur molestias amet earum tempore. Voluptas corporis accusantium aut aut cumque. Rem et eius sint ipsam deserunt nobis qui voluptates.

Nobis iste voluptatem in repellat nostrum non dignissimos. Aut autem ea aut deleniti eligendi tempora.

Quote

Report

Other

+185	Piper Sandler in talks to acquire PWP	75	21h
+124	UBS Appears to be Exploring Sale	19	3d
+99	Paradise Is Paradise	8	1d
+81	Drunk VP. How to manage?	27	2d
+39	How do I take my foot off the gas? (AN1)	4	2d
+38	Lazard US Views 2026/2027	13	2d
+26	Why did EVR succeed vs GHL or PWP that ended up getting acquired?	9	16h
+22	Mandated 9:00am Arrival?	6	4d
+21	Prestige Upgrade: Incoming Piper Sandler Intern (PWP Merger)	4	5d
+21	How early is to early?	9	8h

1	redever	99.2
2	BankonBanking	99.0
3	Secyh62	99.0
4	kanon	99.0
5	GameTheory	98.9
6	DrApeman	98.9
7	Betsy Massar	98.9
8	dosk17	98.9
9	CompBanker	98.9
10	Kenny_Powers_CFA	98.8

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Boutique/non-BB INTENRSHIP into BB FT offer

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Boutique/non-BB INTENRSHIP into BB FT offer

See All Comments - 100% Free

Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum