Question for non targets who landed IBSA at top firms
What did your resume look like? Did you have any sort of network at these firms? If anyone would classify their experience as such and wouldn’t mind sharing please let us know
Landed multiple top BBs and EBs from nontarget. Was definitely a networking game - just networked with 100s of people. It's definitely doable, but networking is the most important part. In terms of resume you have to have a top gpa from a nontarget IMO. Besides that, it's just how you spin your past experiences into a motivation to do IB - you don't need anything insane before (tbh even if you have zero finance experience, it is definitely possible to break in, I have friends who got top BBs without any finance experience besides a finance club). They care more about personality and motivations. The technicals I was asked were easy finance concepts (the hardest questions asked are still a complete joke IMO compared to recruiting for other industries, you can learn the technical concepts in a week at the maximum easily), it's all about the behavioral questions and networking.
On a side note, I also recruited for MBB SA, which was way harder. It seems networking didn't matter as much for them and the interviews were way harder (as well as getting the interviews). Didn't land offers at any. If you (or anyone else who reads this thread) is considering recruiting for MBB from a nontarget, you definitely have to put in a lot more work (tons of networking, months of case prep + lots of luck).
Also I had zero network at any of these firms and barely even knew what finance was, had taken zero finance classes, and was on switching majors from CS to business. All of that is irrelevant - when you get an IB person on the phone, almost none of them will have even looked at your resume beforehand (and your school), and they'll be coming off long hours. All they will judge you by is how you present yourself in terms of your motivations, personality, and story. What will make them remember you is your genuine personality, strong motivations, and someone is easy and refreshing to talk to. IMO, that's all there is to it - don't let nontarget, no prior networks, and limited prior experience be a mental roadblock, because those are just excuses. Plenty of people break in with those seeming "disadvantages" every year - a lot more than you think.
Needed to hear this congrats to u and appreciate it
Would you mind sharing a tactical approach to technical prep? Would really appreciate a step-by-step guide on how you crammed for technicals (I.e., Day 1 accounting, D2 valuation, etc) and which resources were most beneficial (paid or unpaid)
buy the M&I guide. Hands down the best. You can easily get through what you need from it in a week (95% of questions asked will be the easier ones on it).
I disagree. Landed offers at CS, WF, JPM, MS and BofA, as well as HL, PWP, Guggenheim and Lincoln.
Did not network at all. Let me reiterate, I DID NOT NETWORK AT ALL.
What I did do:
4.0 gpa
Executive board of a lot of finance student orgs ( Real Estate, Investment Club, Finance Association)
Studied technicals everyday freshman year and attended/signed up for ALL recruiting / day in the life of / Q&A / etc events.
Didn’t attend most of them, but a lot are selective. When the time came to apply to the internship, my application would show that I attended their company overview event, and their day in the life of an IB, and their Q&A fireside chat session which helped me get my foot through the door. It showed that I have been following the company for some time and been proactive with my time
Also, you gotta have a section in your resume with your interests, that’s the most important part.
And your interests really have to be genuine and unique.
Most interviews I had, half the time was spent talking about a shared hobby we had that interviewer read about on my interests section on my resume.
Bro that's great that you got offers without networking but that's an exception. There's literally dozens if not more threads on wso about how networking helps for IB, especially if you go to a nontarget. The wso guide, M&I, every IB website, and every banker you ask will say networking helps for IB recruiting. I can’t tell you how many interviews I got from people I networked forwarding my resume to the recruiting heads/HR and even got accelerated superdays from it. Also, networking helps you learn about the firm, if you like the people there and the culture and the work they do, etc.
If you go to a target networking is not necessary since they'll guarenteed look at your resume but it still helps and literally everyone seriously recruiting for IB networks (even at top targets).
For people wondering why this forum complains about diversity, this right here is why. "Selective" day in the life programs. Give me a fucking break. You got interviews because of your race/skin color.
I’m white you retarded fuck. It’s not my fault you didn’t put the hours and dedication in and landed at northwestern mutual.
Sucks for you. Also, as a white guy, I have no issue with diversity programs. If it means taking away a spot from people like you then I don’t mind my odds being a little harder
Del
MSD——>GS pipeline is real
These are offers across 2 recruiting years. Yes signed freshman year and kept on interviewing. Superdays are like a 2 day vacation haha.
Loved it.
Anyways, I think you missed my point. I obviously network when I attend events but I did not actively reach out to people asking for a coffee chat for example.
I believe that you are seriously underestimating the power of a good resume.
Do what you want with this info, everyone has differing opinions.
Guess I’m just not a hardo lmaoo
Network!! I reached out to everyone I could find on linkedin to get referrals (got referrals for 3/4). Got 4 offers from top banks all from networking my ass off.
network a shit ton and be extremely strong technically. focusing on other non target people in finance is a smart idea. i added hella people on linkedin before recruiting and messaged them all as recruiting started - higher response rate than email for me. landed at BB. not even a finance major and go to a school that has zero OCR.
Extreme Non target college athlete. Strong resume with leadership and extracurriculars, networked as much as I could’ve as recruiting was heaviest during my sports season, and was actually able to interview at many of the large / elite banks. Studied my ass off with technicals as I felt some banks (especial EBs) would like to hit me with harder questions to see what I know and I wanted to be prepared. Didn’t get many offers at all and that’s life. Grateful for the experience and I chose a solid MM bank where I genuinely connected with the employees that interviewed me. Had an incredible SA stint and accepted a FT offer. Anything can happen, some of it is luck and some of it is on you so don’t kill yourself but still work hard
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