“My mentoring session with Andre was extremely valuable and gave me the clarity and direction I needed at an important stage of my application journey. He was kind, approachable, and generous with his time, creating an atmosphere in which I felt comfortable sharing my experiences, asking questions, and discussing my doubts openly.
One of the most helpful aspects of our conversation was his guidance on how to organize and communicate my personal story. Andre helped me understand how to connect different experiences into a coherent narrative, identify the elements that matter most, and explain their significance more clearly. His perspective was fundamental in helping me see how to present my background with greater confidence, purpose, and authenticity.
I particularly appreciated his advice on what to avoid. He helped me recognize that including every detail does not necessarily make a story stronger, and that being selective can make a message much more effective. Our discussion gave me a clearer understanding of how to avoid unnecessary repetition, keep my narrative focused, and ensure that each part contributes something meaningful to the overall application.
Andre also provided valuable guidance on how to organize the application process itself. He helped me think more clearly about priorities, how to approach the different components, and how to make the work feel more manageable. Having a clearer structure has made a difference to my mindset: instead of seeing the applications as one overwhelming task, I now feel better equipped to approach them through specific, achievable steps.
Another important takeaway was his advice on how to use the coming days effectively. Our conversation helped me understand where to focus my energy, which tasks deserve immediate attention, and how to establish a realistic plan. I left the session with a stronger sense of direction and a better understanding of how to balance thoughtful preparation with consistent progress.
What made the experience positive was the combination of practical guidance and encouragement. Andre offered suggestions in a considerate and constructive way, helping me reflect on my choices while also making me feel supported. His kindness made it easier to engage honestly with the process and to see areas for improvement as opportunities to strengthen my applications.
Overall, this session was fundamental in helping me understand both what I want to communicate and how to move forward. I now have a clearer approach to telling my story, organizing my applications, avoiding common mistakes, and planning the next few days with intention.
I am very grateful for Andre’s support and for the care he brought to our conversation. His advice gave me useful tools, renewed confidence, and a more focused approach to the work ahead. I would highly recommend a session with him to anyone seeking thoughtful guidance, practical direction, and a supportive space to develop their application narrative. The session helped me turn uncertainty into a clearer plan, and I feel much more prepared to make the most of the time ahead and present my experiences in a meaningful and convincing way.”
Likely you'll have exactly the comps collation, cut-and-pasting and reformatting skills that a BB will want in a 0 - 3 year analyst.
You can talk about it in interviews and make it clear that you could handle a job of tedious pitchbook compilation and weren't under any delusion that you'd get to do anything meaningful for the first few years of your career.
You come pre-seasoned, pre-disillusioned, still wanting to work in banking. That makes you a safer bet than some ingenue who thinks they'll be creating the world's greatest model on day #1 of their analyst role.
What are the advantages of starting a career as a RFP associate? (Originally Posted: 09/05/2014)
would starting off as a RFP associate at a reputable firm like Neuberger Berman be better than working at a credit rating agency in their corporates division?
Could depend if you want to potentially do credit research or other areas of AM
which areas in AM would I have the best shot at? I hear sales would be one but how about investments as well since I would be constantly in touch with them as a RFP associate?
as for credit research, I'd rather go into equity research really...
Nobody has transitioned from drafting RFPs to making investment decisions as a career.
(I'm sure the one guy in the history of the universe who has done it will come and refute this, but, to put it mildly, that is not a well worn path)
What kind of work to expect in Requests for Proposals (RFP) division (Originally Posted: 07/08/2015)
Hi, I'll be starting my summer in the RFP (Requests for proposals) division at a big Asset Management firm in the UK. I have very limited knowledge on the field other than the basics and I have some questions: 1) What kind of work should I expect 2) What kind of financial news/literature should I read up on. Graduated from a non-finance degree but have a rough grasp of things. 3) Any tips on when applying for grad schemes because I want to work in business development in AM.
Many thanks.
Very mundane role. 90% of RFPs request the same information with some small variations regarding performance and risk metrics. Your job is to read the RFP and then fill in the blanks. Your firm probably already has all the standard responses compiled into a document. The role probably involves a lot of cutting and pasting.
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