“I recently had a LinkedIn audit call with Arnau as part of my WSO Academy program, and it was one of the most practical and useful sessions I've had so far. I came in thinking my profile was in decent shape. I left with a clear picture of how recruiters and bankers actually see it, and a concrete list of changes that will make it work much harder for me.
Some background: I'm moving from corporate finance into investment banking, corporate banking, and private equity. I have an MBA in Corporate Finance, a PMP, and several years of finance and project management experience. Making that kind of move depends heavily on how you present your story, and LinkedIn is often the first place a recruiter or analyst sees it. That's why this session mattered so much to me.
From the first few minutes, Arnau was well prepared, direct, and focused on what actually moves the needle. He didn't just give generic tips like "add a professional photo." He went through my profile section by section and explained why each piece matters to someone in finance who's quickly scanning candidates. His feedback was honest without being discouraging, which I really appreciated. He pointed out where my profile was underselling my experience and where it wasn't clearly showing that I'm aiming for banking and PE.
What stood out most was how he helped me think about positioning. My background covers corporate finance, project management, hospitality, and real estate, and it can be hard to make that read as one clear story. Arnau helped me connect those experiences to the skills banks look for: financial analysis, modeling, managing budgets and capital, and working with senior stakeholders. He showed me how small changes to my headline, About section, and experience bullets can make that story obvious within seconds.
The session was also very actionable. I didn't leave with vague ideas. I left with a short list of specific edits I can make right away. That matters a lot when you're job hunting and every week counts. He also shared advice on using LinkedIn more actively, such as engaging with the right people and content, so the profile supports my networking instead of just sitting there.
I also want to recognize the overall WSO Academy experience. Between the modeling bootcamp, the company research work, the mentorship, and sessions like this one, the program has given me structure and support during a career transition that can otherwise feel isolating. This call was a good example of what makes WSO different: the people coaching you understand the industry you're trying to break into and give feedback that reflects how hiring really works.
If you're a WSO member and haven't booked a LinkedIn audit yet, I'd strongly recommend it. It's a short time commitment, and the return is significant. Your LinkedIn profile is often your first impression, and having an experienced set of eyes on it is worth it.
Thank you, Arnau, for your time, honesty, and practical guidance. I'm excited to put the changes in place and keep building toward my goal of breaking into investment banking.”
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BMO Metals and Mining
LOL. In all seriousness though. At BMO Toronto, the chilliest group in is probably Tech & Business Services. The funny thing is that they sit pretty close to the mining bullpen so the mining analysts get to watch the tech analysts leave everyday by 11pm while the mining analyst slave away into the wee hours of the night
Are there any mining groups in Toronto that are chill?
Is it actually this bad in their group? What's the upside of working for BMO M&M in terms of comp/exit opps? Is it worth the 2 years of slavery?
In my opinion, it isn't. Although you get a lot of reps, you will also get plenty of reps at the other Canadian banks (and even boutiques). Unless you LOVE mining, then maybe it's worth it but even then I don't think it is. I had a buddy that worked in that group and every time I saw him, he looked horrible lol
I'm guessing the bonus is going to be really good just based on all the deals that the team does but honestly have no idea.
Mining exit opps are a bit different than other industries given there aren't as many PE options. Some will exit to mining PE, but most funds are based out of London or Aus, so more end up going to corp dev or AM/HF.
A well-regarded group like BMO would give you better odds at landing at a larger producer (ABX/AEM), with less prestigious groups feeding into intermediates/juniors/developers/explorers. Mining corp dev lifestyle can be pretty cushy (when not on a live deal) and grossly overpaid when compared to other sectors.
Some will also go to AM/HF, with many asset managers in Toronto having mining/natural resources teams.
I would think FIG would be pretty chill. Buddy was at a Big 5 FIG group and his lifestyle was pretty awesome.
I’ve seen you mention this multiple times. Which bank?
Hearsay from a friend at TD
I have heard BMO FIG is chill
Every Big 5 Sponsors group
Multiple posts saying this. I would've thought flow would be pretty robust given the amount of dry powder out there. Any insight? Is it because they all have US sponsors groups? Assume those are getting crushed.
It's certainly busy don't get me wrong but on any given mandate, sponsors is not taking the lead on the model - even if it's an LBO. It would almost always be M&A. On general coverage/pitching there can be a bit of work but no blow your brains out type analysis. Most of the value add is the seniors and their connections to the major PE players.
As a result, the workload isn't nearly as heavy and the work you're doing is mostly just industry pages/helping support the coverage team rather than anything in depth. Maybe my bank did things a bit differently, but consensus from people I know at other sponsors groups is that they aren't leading transactions even if it was brought in by that team.
Source - I used to work in a big 5 sponsors group
RBC Toronto has a few relatively chill groups. They in general have a more chill culture than they get credit for actually.
RBC VP spotting
(sweating) Nonsense, why would you say that?
What are the sweatiest groups at RBC?
I heard that RBC sponsors is chill. RBC DCM is also OK.
National was fine a couple of years ago, not sure now
Setter Capital (jk)
Vomit
Vomit at least has some residual nutritional value
Anyone know how sweaty power and utility groups are?
CIBC's is super sweaty (but also very good especially in renewables)
Sweatier than average. Complex scenario modelling, slower moving transactions.
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