Non Target to Energy Investment Banking

Finally broke into IB after 6 years of trying. Graduated from a non-target in 2020 during the pandemic and the journey has been amazing since. I went from FA(Accounts Payable) at a F500 company. I got this job because I was working part time for them throughout college and I was able to lateral internally while there was an external hiring freeze. I spent about a year doing that before I moved to middle office for a BB. I decided I wanted to move to Texas so I packed up and came here in 2022 while Covid was still around and we were primarily WFH. I knew that wouldn’t last so I immediately hit the hunt and I was hired as a credit analyst at a smaller bank. I was formally credit trained and got sent to a 2 week modeling training last summer by the bank. Coming from that training, I tried to lateral to our Energy group but that didn’t work. It wasn’t until my manager and I got into earlier this year that I started interviewing again. After so many rejections, I finally got a yes. I think what finally broke in my favor is that I was honest about what I could and couldn’t do and also my desire to learn. I’m still young and long term I want to go out and win business/do deals so I spoke to that as well. In reality this shit has been depressing at times and I’ve called into question my own ability several times but I just kept pushing and it finally broke in my favor. I spent a lot of time on WSO throughout the years, it was the positive stories that kept me going and the paradise posts that kept me laughing when things were shitty. Hope someone reads this and keeps trying at whatever it is that they are trying to accomplish. Thanks again fellow monkeys!

Edit: the part about me speaking to wanting to do deals was really just me showcasing that I believe in the relationship aspect of the industry and that I believe I am very good in that regard.