How screwed am I??
I go to a really non target school.. One alumnus at Blackrock, one at Bridgewater, and one at GS.. You get the idea.. I am currently a finance student. I'm in my sophomore year and currently have a 4.0 GPA, I am a member of our financial management association, however I am not in sports or greek life. I have an internship lined up this summer with a fairly known bank in the commercial loans department.. With this internship under my belt and 4.0 GPA with honors courses is there a mild chance at landing an SA spot in NYC or am I screwed because of my school? I have been trying to network but nobody on LinkedIn ever wants to talk.
Well based off your last sentence you haven't networked enough.
Word
you should try networking on GRINDR it’s not gay if it’s for a lucrative job in the world of investment banking
extremely small chance. I would give it a shot anyway but you need to network way harder my man to even get into a boutique. I would also look at stuff like big 4 TAS where you can get some deal experience.
edit: nontargets throwing ms since they know im right that they have a miniscule chance hahaha
There will always be one person that can change things for you. I would literally email everyone (given your background and SA) and let them know your story / passion. Bankers get bored and will sometimes help a kid out.
Will do, thank you
Echo the comments above: networking is key.
Network harder but don’t do anything that sacrifices the 4.0. SA isn’t the only entry point to “the path”. You get another bite at the apple in FT recruiting, then a few more bites after graduation with lateral analyst opportunities. Not to mention the countless other career paths that can also lead to greatness. Someone at some point is going to give you a look if you keep the 4.0 and keep building your skill set.
I know this is asking a lot but do you have a template or something for cold emails? Or should I use LinkedIn messenger? I’m not sure how to word my messages without sounding like a moron
[Bankers first name],
I am a finance major at school with a 4.0 GPA and a very strong interest in pursuing an i-banking career. I’ve heavily researched the role, so I won’t bore you with questions about your day-to-day. I’d greatly appreciate any advice on how someone like me (i.e. non-target school but with the right interest level and work ethic) should attempt to get a summer or full-time role.
Sincerely,
[your first name]
Something like that. I’m cursed with the inability to be less than blunt, so be aggressive about re-wording as your instincts are much better than mine. The takeaway from my email is that brevity is crucial and people will appreciate someone who doesn’t beat around the bush.
You could look at small shops of 1-5 guys that are ex-bankers where you will be in contact with the partners. If you produce solid work for them and develop a good relationship, the power of their networks will produce opportunities. The key here is the fact that small shops like this generally won’t have a FT position available (but being a sophomore, that’s an okay risk to take), and if you kick ass there, they’ll usually be open to helping you get where you need to go. Plus the value of the work will generally be greater just due to how lean the shop is.
Thank you for advice.
Try reaching out to bankers with non-target backgrounds as well; they seem to be more open to talking, as they see a piece of themselves in you
I've been looking at as many profiles of bankers on LinkedIn at shops ranging from GS/JPM to William Blair/Lincoln/Baird keeping an eye out for non targets.
Most Chicago bankers went to Indiana Bloomington or UChicago and the closest thing to a non target I’ve seen so far for NYC banks is UMich Ross.
Lol, Ross is a target school, maybe a semi-target at the worst
Persistence is the name of the game. When I first started networking, I talked to a highschool buddy of mine who had secured a SA role at Cowen going to a mid non-target school, and he told me that he had sent about 500 cold emails during recruiting season. One part of this that he prides himself on especially, was the fact that he would constantly follow up week after week, and after 10 weeks, one of the people he had reached out to finally responded. The response related to how they admired his persistence and would now be glad to get on a call with him.
Put in the grind now man so you can enjoy your experiences later. It's worth the small time sacrifice to work towards something greater.
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