Motivational Advice - Got the offer

Hey monkeys, this is a new account but have been lurking for more than 3 years.

I just got an offer in this rough year and I am fkin happy, but would like to share with you what I learned and to hopefully motivate the ones still fighting.

Brief background: did undergrad at European semi target, worked two years in tier 2 consulting and now enrolled in a top target masters. Also speak many european languages. 

I had always been passionate about investing, mostly equities and derivatives, and my aim has always been to secure a role at a long only AM or HF. Consequently, if you are looking for IB/PE advice I might not be the best person for that. Honestly, I was convinced that getting into a top master's would be an easy way to transition to a top role and I was hugely mistaken (maybe because Covid? not sure). Buy side gigs and equity research roles in particular are massively competitive, much more than IB since there are fewer spots. I applied to 200+ companies, got 15 first rounds, 3 final rounds and one offer. 

My learning experience (London/Paris recruitment):

- Networking does not work in big banks for the first rounds. I knew many MDs, Directors at some of them but I did not pass the fkn numerical/verbal tests and then networking was completely useless.

- Do the tests with classmates and if one of them has already an offer ask them to apply just to get the tests. Or change VPN. Everybody does that and I was the only one not doing it, realised it later...

- HR is useless. (no need to explain).

- Video recorded interviews also suck. Just look at the camera, not the screen, and memorize typical HR bullshit answers.

- Networking and OCR are the only way to get HF/Investing roles after grad school. My two offers came from job postings in my school's job board.

- Do not get frustrated. After being rejected in two final rounds, where I had put massive effort in case studies etc, I honestly started to loose hope. At the end of the day, I realised that the difference between me and the selected candidate was so minimal and subjective that I could not control that and instead, focused on getting better. 

- Recruitment DOES NOT end in the fall. Just landed my offer in February and let me tell you that there is still a lot of buy side recruitment going on so do not get desperate if you do not have an offer during the fall structured recruitment.

- There are MANY great opportunities outside the traditional IB/PE. During this recruitment process I have been talking to many small companies that are doing amazing stuff, pay great and you actually do interesting work.

- Be confident and learn how to build long term relationships, this is one of the key important points.

- Going through all this recruitment process locked in my fkin room has almost driven me completely crazy. So if anyone feels overwhelmed, please feel free to contact me. We can have a chat that I am sure will certainly be useful.

- Finally, life is great, do not think of your life as your job. Focus on other things as well, hit the gym (house made gym now), do crazy stuff, talk to random people and chase them like a tiger!

That's all from my side. Hopefully this will be useful to some of you, have a great weekend and please, don't buy GME!