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I had no work experience beyond retail, manual labour and tutoring when I came to apply for summer internships in my penultimate year of university, but received offers from some leading places: so it's certainly not impossible. I'm sure there was some luck involved though, but you shouldn't give up.

Perhaps some more practical advice: if you're willing to wait a few years before moving into IB (as you suggest in option 2), then a good idea might be to go for a Corporate Finance program at one of the Big 4 Accountancy firms. I know a number of people who moved into elite boutiques from here at the Associate level

that was good feedback you got, but frankly it's bull shit. i had, with no name experience (but good experience), weak grades, non-target bla bla bla, interviews at elites and BBs a few years back through networking.

So network and hope for the best?

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Oh, Charles...

Are you ugly, or something? Maybe that's it.

Whoever gave you that advice is either retarded or was just saying stuff to make you go away. How can relevant work experience, even if its not at a BB, be harmful towards your application?

P.S. How many similar threads do you want to make about yourself saying how good your CV is/how well you did at interviews but still didn't manage to get anything? And not just on WSO, but on other forums too.

Cheers!