Hey everyone - I was an Investment Banking Associate at Moelis New York for 2 years after getting my MBA from University of Michigan Ross. I had superdays from GS, MS, Evercore, Moelis, BOA, Citi, Barclays, Citi. Got offers from all of them.
During my MBA, I also coached other students in my second year to help them get full time offers. Prior to business school, I did strategy and analytics at Walmart Ecomm and Finance at Intel.
If you have any questions regarding recruiting for investment banking, feel free to ask away!
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some key insights and advice for investment banking recruiting that align with your experience and potential questions users might ask:
Networking: Networking is a critical component of the recruiting process. Engaging in informational conversations with employees at target firms can help you understand the firm's culture and values. It also allows you to reference specific conversations during interviews, which adds credibility to your responses to "Why this firm?" or "Why investment banking?" questions.
Resume Preparation: A well-crafted resume is essential. Seek feedback from mentors, friends, or connections to refine it. Highlight your analytical skills, teamwork, and leadership experiences. Even candidates with non-traditional backgrounds can secure interviews with a strong resume.
Superday Preparation: Superdays are intense, but preparation is key. Familiarize yourself with common questions like "Why banking?" and technical questions such as valuation methods. Practice behavioral questions and ensure your answers are concise and impactful.
MBA Recruiting: For MBA candidates, the process often includes public events, informational sessions, invite-only events, and interviews. Attending company presentations and networking events is crucial, as missing these can significantly hinder your chances.
Handling Rejections: If you face rejection, focus on the positives—such as gaining experience with the interview process and building connections for future opportunities. Broaden your job search to include regional boutiques or other finance roles, which can serve as stepping stones.
Multiple Offers: If you receive multiple offers, create a pros and cons list to evaluate each opportunity. Consider factors like firm culture, deal flow, and long-term career goals.
If you have specific questions about any stage of the process or need tailored advice, feel free to ask!
Sources: Guide for Investment Banking Full-Time Recruiting, Guide for Investment Banking Full-Time Recruiting, Brief Introduction to Banking Recruiting at the MBA Level, Brief Introduction to Banking Recruiting at the MBA Level
would like to know, was there a reason you chose MOE over the other boutiques?
Personally had a better connection with the people I spoke to, also thought it was unique to have both M&A and RX experience, something you don't get at other firms besides Centerview.
Does GPA matter once you're selected for superdays? What is the internal GPA cutoff at MOE if you have one?
Once you've been selected for interviews, no one cares about your resume anymore. It's about how you interview
What advice do you have for something recruiting from a non target?
You'll need to cold email... a lot. If you do get a coffee chat, make sure to leave an impression
How do you leave a good impression? Any tips
Moelis over EVR/GS, please dont listen to this guy
Moelis over Evercore? Wtf lmao
Actually know a ton of people who have done that.
Some people just go straight for whatever is most "prestigious" but at the end of the day, you need to consider the group of people you're going to be working with 24/7.
Thanks for sharing. I'm planning to do my MBA this fall and transition into banking. So far, I got into a few T15 schools with scholarships, including Ross.
How do IB recruiting outcomes at T15 schools compare to M7 or H/W? I'm still waiting, but I'm wondering if it's worth it to attend H/W if I need to pay sticker price. Compared to a full ride somewhere lower ranked.
I'm also wondering what recruiting will look like. Do you need to know what groups you want to join in advance? Or do you recruit bank by bank and get placed later?
What was your technical prep like, and if you did this again how would you approach it? Did any of the banks ask you to do a model or case study?
I would do research on the MBA programs you've been selected in. Most of the top 10 MBA programs have access to the same banks. I didn't really see HBS people recruiting for banking btw.
Would not pay sticker price to go H/S just to do banking. Can get the same outcomes at Cornell, Darden, etc.
H kids that summer in banking end up pivoting to something cooler in their second year.
Would choose the school that gives you the most money in the T-15 and don’t look back (again assuming IB is your goal).
Thanks for the help. I got a full ride to Cornell and waiting on H/W and CBS. I agree a short term IB goal would be the same. But after speaking to a few HBS students, they think I set my goals too low. Guess I should think if I want to do something more ambitious.
Most useful MBA associate
Is it common for ex consultants to go biz school > bb/eb > MF PE? Is it possible to skip banking and still end up at a MF through biz school? At an MBB so confident will be going to a target for biz school. Thanks a ton.
Not very common. Even if you want to do PE post-MBA, they usually look for people who've done PE before or were in IB. Now, it's not impossible, just less likely.
Like OP said if you’re already in MBB pre-MBA just hop over to PE now. Bschool won’t help you break in if its not working for you now.
Curious why you left and where you exited to?
Go Blue!
Noticed you said you were in IB- what motivated you to leave, and where have you decided to exit/ move on to?
bump
How did your hours and pay look + scale as you moved through associate years?
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