Does anyone know how difficult it is to get an Investment Banking Analyst position in a South African bank as an American, and also without Investment Banking experience?
I graduated from a top tier (top 15) non-Ivy in the US and now am getting my masters at a top French university (Grandes Ecoles) in Paris. Long term, I am interested in international development, and hope to work at the IFC or World bank. The issue is that to get those positions I need work experience in a developing/emerging country, and for the IFC many come from a banking background. I've had strong prior internships from known organizations, but they've all been economic research related, not banking.
Working in IB in South Africa would therefore let me do both at once
Does anyone know if I would be in a good position to get an entry level role? How do my American/French credentials transfer over, and will it be impossible without prior banking experience? Will not being a national of an African country affect me, and will it be a problem without a Visa? (I know visas are typically an issue, but for a large bank I would assume if they hired me they would cover it - is that true?)
I'd also appreciate advice for other places to apply in developing or emerging countries. However, I only speak English and French, so Latin America is probably not an option.
