Investment Banking Blues
Hey monkeys,
Anyone ever feel like they have put in so much effort into applications/preparing for investment banking interviews and so on? And it just didn't work out.
Then you tried again and this time you got through. But now you have lost that 'spark'/interest you originally had?
I'm now getting ib interviews but don't really feel like its for me anymore but I'm not sure what to switch to.
Not saying this to depress anyone... but has anyone gone through this feeling?
To speak to your first point, M&I had a good post about over-preparing for interviews. You put a ton of effort in, but the over-prep comes off as neurosis / being uptight.
To your second point, I totally hear you. My first couple years in college I was dead set on IBD. The thing that changed my mind was working at a large HF one summer and working about 70 hrs per week there, and realizing, shit, 80 to 100 hours a week is fucking brutal. I switched to corp fin, but that's just me. See if there's some way you can get your interest in IBD back again. Maybe don't interview for a week or two (assuming you already have an offer) and see if something sparks your interest again.
I just wish I were in a position to have interviews....
If you are burnt out on preparing for interviews...
To be fair, preparing for interviews happens alongside tests, school, ECs, etc. When you are working that's really the one thing you need to focus on (especially as a 22-23 year old). Plus you ARE getting paid. I was definitely worn out from preparing for interviews way before I hit a wall this summer actually working.
Fair points - important to think about burnout though. It was tough dragging myself into the city for interviews and stuff alongside school..but nothing compared to some of the weeks I've had on the job.
My non-target was pretty easy though
In my experience it doesn't even come close, neilo is correct.
As someone that had a somewhat sizeable undergrad life to balance, I can say firsthand that the toughest weeks of undergrad don't come close to the toughest weeks of banking, let alone the day-in and day-out averages.
In banking, that "one thing you need to focus on" is actually 4-6 things, all of which require your immediate attention and none of which you can successfully BS like you can in undergrad. Furthermore, when you want a rest, can't just cut a class in banking, nor can you decide your work is "sufficiently complete" when you want to stop. On top of all this, you STILL have to recruit like you did in undergrad, because if you work at a legit shop, the email from Opus or SG (or whoever) will be there in your inbox your first day back from NY. Only this time your staffer will be a lot less lenient with allowing you to travel than your liberal college professor, who believes working for more than 20 hours a week is some cardinal sin, because he knows 3-6 other people on your deal team are waiting for you to finish your damn work.
/rant
Yeah, I've gone through the same experience. My issue now is that I don't feel like doing IB anymore, but my CV is tot streamlined to really switch to consulting or so. I tried applying to several consulting firms, PEs, HFs, and even Start-Ups and it appears that, with the exception of PEs and a very small number of HFs, the heavy emphasis on banking on my CV hurts me more than it helps me.
Worst part is that I'm applying for other divisions e.g. consulting, ER etc but am being dung. Its like I'm finally ready to leave IBD but now they want me. lol Irony!
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