SA: Tried internal mobility to IBD from BO, failed. What do I say in future IBD interviews?

I interned at a top BB last summer in BO, but want to make the switch to IBD because it frankly interests me a lot more. I tried the internal mobility process and did pretty well, but didn't get the mobility offer (I know a lot more about finance now than I did at the end of the summer) and am now interviewing for junior year IBD SA spots at other BBs/boutiques etc. I'm sort of anticipating a question like "Why not go back to your last bank?" but I don't want my answer to be just because I didn't get a mobility offer (implying that I would've gone there over the banks I'm interviewing at currently). Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

2 Comments
 
Best Response

This is one of the easier questions to answer in an interview because an honest answer is the best answer. You say that the area I was in was not in my long term interests and I'm more interested in IB as a career path because...

Don't mention that you tried lateraling and didn't get it. If they ask that just say you're still going through the full process and evaluating your options.

 

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