Hopefully, this is not too off-topic:
Just secured a gap-year position after some grueling interviews. London-based, central location; still on the fence about taking the role, or starting at university this year.
Do you think going straight in pre-uni and assimilating into office culture is impossible with no 'life-experience', dreading the idea of feeling like an outsider for a year?
Would appreciate any advice.
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Would you be working IBD hours? That's a bit gruelling for an 18 year old; I wasn't mature enough to do that whilst my friends were off partying at uni.
I considered going through a gap year programme with a good firm/going into uni so can provide my two cents from a few years ago now.
I wouldn’t worry too much about office culture and keeping up in that regard: people will respect the hustle of being there at your age and as long as you put in the work you’ll be respected. Analysts will only be a few years older than you and if you have older siblings for example you’ll probably know interests etc really aren’t that different between a few years.
As other commenter has said, perhaps the other thing is if you want to do it? I decided against it for exactly the reason above: I wanted to party with friends and didn’t really like the idea of losing a year of my life early on. That being said, you’ll make good money (which is nice to have during the student years that will follow) and will be a shoe in for nearly all spring weeks at BB/EBs since you clearly have the interviewing skills as well.
This is a choice of luxury: both going straight into uni with some interviewing experience and a few contacts and spending a year at a firm.
Agree with everything that was said above. Something no one else here has said and was true at least for me is that I definitely needed a few years adjusting to the office environment after I graduated, it was a maturity thing. If I were you I would 100% take an opportunity that allows you to do that with no consequences (so what if you get too drunk at the Christmas party - it’s a boutique) at a place where your reputation won’t follow you. Whatever you end up going into, whether it’s banking or something completely different, having had the ability to learn from your mistakes will put you ahead of your peers.
Update - Just signed the contract, appreciate the insights.
Good luck boss
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