Didn't play the game well...

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a rising senior at a target where I'm from. I didn't play the "IB recruiting game" well. At all.

I was honestly completely ignorant about the process and arrogantly thought that if I just get really good grades and have solid internships, I could just figure it out for full time if I wanted to do IB. Stupid.

So, when I was a freshman, my plan was to use my summers to get as well rounded of an experience in finance as I could (so I could try out different fields to see if I like them), and I succeeded in this - I worked in MM PE for my first two summers, and am about to start a buy-side ER internship for my junior year. The only thing is, I didn't realize how hard (nearly impossible) full-time recruiting is for IB - especially for someone who didn't work in IB during his junior year. I'm kind of lost (rightfully so) and am not sure how I'm going to navigate full-time recruiting (if it's even possible).

Should I not even bother? I have really good experience, I was just completely ignorant about the process. Have any of you been able to break into IB without a junior summer gig? I understand how ignorant this post sounds and I fully expect to get roasted for it, but I'd really appreciate any insight from those of you with a lot more experience than me.

Thanks!

8 Comments
 

Insecure people who were fortunate enough to be aware of banking and got lucky to get in will put down/clown on equally if not more qualified prospects to make themselves feel better.

Tbh I’m not sure what you should do. I think you could have success FT recruiting if you can tell a good story but it will definitely be a grind and overall will be tough. Best of luck and hopefully others can be more helpful than me

 

I've heard that IBD is probably one of the best learning experiences you can get - I'll definitely consider FT with the fund I'm interning at though. 

 

You are at a target and have cash internships so far. I know plenty of people with considerably worse background that landed at MM's and a few at less compettivie groups at BB's. You will be fine so long as you network and hustle during summer/fall. Seriously, your resume is probably one of the strongest for someone with no IB internships thats interested in IB

 

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