Don't know what I am doing wrong.

Dear WSO readers,

I am in the second year of a four-year degree (mathematics heavy) (I switched degrees which means I graduate in 2027). I have applied to all spring weeks currently open and seem to be able to get nowhere. I believe my CV is solid, having had it reviewed by a few bankers. However, I seem to never get to the next stage and can't even get considered for interviews at my university's societies. It's extremely demotivating. If you have any advice for me please comment. Thank you :)

Note:

My CV includes sports extracurricular activities, a finance internship, a less relevant internship, a part-time job, a society I am part of, and a bit more I will not state as to keep anonymous. 

4 Comments
 

Based on previous WSO threads, here are some actionable steps you can take to improve your chances:

  1. Networking:

    • Informational Interviews: Target people and firms you want to be associated with. Reach out to employees at these firms, even if they don't have job openings, to build connections and get advice.
    • Consistent Follow-Up: Maintain regular contact with your network. This can help you stay top-of-mind for future opportunities.
  2. CV and Application Review:

    • Unique Selling Points: Highlight unique aspects of your background, such as specific skills, languages, or hobbies. This can make you more memorable to recruiters.
    • Tailored Applications: Customize your CV and cover letter for each application to align with the specific role and company.
  3. Interview Preparation:

    • Mock Interviews: Practice with friends, mentors, or through professional services to improve your interview skills.
    • Technical Knowledge: Ensure you are well-prepared for technical questions relevant to the roles you are applying for.
  4. University Resources:

    • Career Services: Utilize your university's career services for additional CV reviews, mock interviews, and networking events.
    • Society Involvement: Engage more actively in university societies to build your network and gain relevant experience.
  5. Persistence and Resilience:

    • Stay Motivated: Rejection is part of the process. Keep applying and refining your approach based on feedback.
    • Seek Feedback: After rejections, politely ask for feedback to understand where you can improve.

If you need more specific advice or a detailed CV review, consider posting your CV on WSO for feedback from the community.

Sources: CV Review - please rip my CV apart, I'll help you with your CV (Top IB VP), Two Internships Later: What I wish I Knew While Recruiting! (Toronto), University Career Fairs: How Not To Fuck Up, Ideas for improving your coffee chat conversion rate

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

No offense, but your resume content sounds very average, at best. Most resumes coming through our group (middle market coverage) have at least 2-3 finance internships, with 1-2 of those being IB/PE related. I know you cannot share those last additional details about your resume, but assuming that those points are far less impactful than additional relevant experience, my advice to you would be to do an additional 1-2 internships (preferably at a local/smaller IB/PE shop) and potentially some volunteer work or some other additional differentiator. By doing these things, you will then be in the upper quartile of your recruiting class in terms of resume and experience, making your recruiting process a smoother ride.

Happy to answer any questions you may have. Best of luck to you!

 

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