IB London profile evaluation

Hi everyone,

Looking for your opinion about whether I stand a chance for IB SA positions in London next year. Also, which firms to focus on given my profile:

  • Bcs from a European semi-target (cum laude).

  • 1.5 years ft experience in a finance role at a corporation (international non-financial).

  • a few non-finance internships at no-name firms.

  • Starting my MSc (2-year) at a European target in September.

I appreciate your comments!

13 Comments
 

Bocconi is target in London, probably one of the best represented foreign uni after HEC. A lot of people have non-IB backgrounds before they start their Masters. Just make sure you apply quite early (August-September) as recruiting is in a rolling basis. I would also advise to apply for SA positions instead of FT jobs, simply because there are a lot more SA spots (FT spots are filled with former interns), but that’s your call.

 

Bocconi is pretty well represented, but considering how you're coming in with some FT experience you might have a greater edge over Italians who just go straight from undergrad to masters (as is super super common at Bocconi). My biggest recommendation is getting in basically all of your applications prior to school starting (July/August), and making sure you're ready for the psychometric tests far enough in advance. The reasoning behind this is twofold: A) Banks start opening up their applications earlier and earlier each year. You ideally want to apply as early as humanly possible, as it will give you a better chance of making it through. B) Bocconi masters in finance is a much more quantitative courseload compared to comparable masters in finance, and the first semester is considered to be the hardest. You really don't want to be stressing about putting together an application while also studying for it. Consider reaching out in advance to those who are second years in the program, and discussing with them how their first year was, as well as any questions you have about recruitment. Also, I would suggest targeting summer roles in BB/EB/MM firms.

 

Thanks a lot for your insights!

Almost every Bocconi student I talked to emphasised the quant side of the programme. However, it is also one of the reasons why I opted for it. Will absolutely start working on applications asap, thanks!

I was weighing up whether my ft experience should be considered an edge or a caveat. Perhaps they prefer to recruit unexperienced, but hardworking undergrads, so they can shape them professionaly early on?

Some internships for instance have 0-2 years of experience as a requirement. Would you know by any chance if the 2 year ceiling is including internships or only real ft positions?

Cheers!

 

Apply early and network hard when the banks visit the campus in late September. Your experience will be viewed favorably and you have, as almost anyone in your class, a solid shot for summer internships. Apply everywhere, not just BBs/EBs/MMs.
The first semester will be hard so if you apply early, network and manage to get an offer, your life will be much easier.

 

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