Internship before main internship -worth it?

Will be interning at a BB next summer and was trying to squeeze an internship at a regional boutique before the main stint for practice.

However I have heard that the work done in small boutique is not comparable to what I will be doing at the BB summer. Is it better off if I just invest my time in completing ppt and excel courses instead?

Want to feel confident going in the summer but I'm afraid this internship beforehand might burn me out and also leave me less time to revise for exams lol

9 Comments
 

Since you’re an intern you aren’t going to be doing modeling 24/7, so yes. Please go through the steps it is a good use of your time, and you have additional work experience to reference in the future.

Also just because you intern somewhere doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be working to better your technical skills

Always here to help!
 

Ah, the classic dilemma of quantity versus quality. It's a tough one, but let's break it down.

Firstly, it's true that the work at a regional boutique might not be exactly the same as what you'll be doing at a BB. However, it can still provide valuable experience and insights into the industry. It's a chance to get your feet wet, learn the ropes, and make some connections. Plus, having an additional internship on your resume never hurts.

On the other hand, you're right to consider the potential for burnout and the need to balance your time. The WSO Elite Modeling Package, for example, is a comprehensive program that can help you master the skills you'll need for your BB internship. It includes courses on Excel modeling, PowerPoint for finance, financial statement modeling, LBO modeling, M&A modeling, and valuation modeling. These are all crucial skills for a career in finance.

So, here's my two cents: If you feel that the boutique internship will be too much of a strain on your time and energy, it might be better to focus on the WSO courses and your exam revision. After all, you want to be at your best for your BB internship. But if you think you can handle it, the boutique internship could be a valuable experience.

Remember, it's all about balance. You don't want to burn yourself out before your main event. Good luck, and remember to have some fun along the way!

Sources: Regional Boutique vs. F15 Tech PM, What to Focus on in London BB and EB Summer Internship Applications?, Can't decide between soph internship offers (Equity Research at BB vs IB at a Boutique), Best first internship for indecisive students: Boutique M&A, Big 4 Transaction Services or something else?

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

Do the additional internship. Sure, BB work is "different" from the projects regional players work on. But after all, it's IB. So You'll be able to learn skills that'll actually matter to perform during your BB internship: How to present yourself, how to act when working with seniors, to respect the hierarchy, how to approach an empty slide, ... Most students severely underestimate how little they actually know.

 

To be honest I interned in a (top) regional boutique and BB and there was actually no difference in the tasks... At the BB, it was just more intense and stressful but it is definitely the same work so yes I will advise you to do take the opportunity to learn and it will help you to secure a ft in the end 

 

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