Financial due diligence senior associate (accounting firm you never heard of) looking to lateral to IB would like advice
I am trying to lateral to investment banking firms in Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, and New York City (order of preference). My current job is my third job in 3 years. Did two different big 4 stints before landing at my current role. Long story, unfortunately, some of it my fault some of it not, but it's "explainable" to recruiters and interviewers if I can get that far.
If my ultimate goal is to end up at a bulge bracket bank…is it better to stay at my current role for at least another year and get more experience under my belt and apply to mid market banks (Baird, Stephens, William Blair, HL) then try to lateral up to the bigger banks?
Or am I better off doing a year at a no name bank, moving on up to a middle market bank then try for a bulge bracket bank?
I’m just sick of job hopping and I’d rather not go the MBA route if I can help it…
Why go to a bulge bracket? Do you want to go to PE? Be a career banker? Exit to corp dev?
Oops. Messed up the response.
I guess I was just hoping for bulge bracket as it would keep my options open the most, but overall goal is that I eventually want to be in private equity.
To be frank, I don't think you have IB options right now. Even the MMs won't be interested from FDD unless you were coming directly from Big 4 FDD, and senior associate with question marks on job history is really not helping that.
3 jobs in 3 years is not good and you need to concisely be able to talk to people about that. You need to stop job hopping more than anything. I think you need to stay at least a year, probably more, at your current place and then find a very small boutique bank willing to take you, and stick that out at least 2 years as well. Maybe BB from there, but your post talking about going to this bank and then that bank and then BB is kind of concerning. If you have 6 jobs in 6 years you will not be hired anywhere. even 6 jobs in 10 years is too many switches. Get some tenure and then think very carefully about your next move, but small boutique bank should be within reason.
How old are you? MBA is your best option by far, there's a direct and well-trodden path to BB IB. But again, you need to stay in one job for at least 2-3 years for that.
“Associate 3 in IB-M&ATo be frank, I don't think you have IB options right now. Even the MMs won't be interested from FDD unless you were coming directly from Big 4 FDD, and senior associate with question marks on job history is really not helping that.3 jobs in 3 years is not good and you need to concisely be able to talk to people about that. You need to stop job hopping more than anything. I think you need to stay at least a year, probably more, at your current place and then find a very small boutique bank willing to take you, and stick that out at least 2 years as well. Maybe BB from there, but your post talking about going to this bank and then that bank and then BB is kind of concerning. If you have 6 jobs in 6 years you will not be hired anywhere. even 6 jobs in 10 years is too many switches. Get some tenure and then think very carefully about your next move, but small boutique bank should be within reason.How old are you? MBA is your best option by far, there's a direct and well-trodden path to BB IB. But again, you need to stay in one job for at least 2-3 years for that.”
Thanks, I needed that kick in the pants.
First job was really unrelated to anything, second job was audit and then the job now was before anyone was hiring in FDD so I took the opportunity as it was tough to switch internally without doing another year in audit.I'll stay another year (happy to as my company is great). There are advantages to the experience I am getting at this job (less red tape so I get a lot of cross service line experience and more opportunities to lead on engagements and we still compete with big 4 on a lot of clients in the middle market) but I understand I take the hit on the brand name. After one year from now I will reassess.
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