New to WSO! I graduated from the University of Texas back in 2012. I have spent the last ~7 years in finance in some form or fashion, mostly in the Energy sector. I'm looking for the best advice I can find to shift into IB. I am more than happy to move into an analyst role and grind it out for 2 years, but I have had little to no traction. The feedback that I HAVE received has been that I am over-qualified! Thoughts?
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tj.knowles2, bummer your thread hasn't had a response yet. Sometimes bots are smarter than humans anyways:
If those topics were completely useless, don't blame me, blame my programmers...
Network and hustle, so that some banker (probably in the energy sector) appreciates your industry expertise and brings you in. Otherwise an MBA. Or join a middle-market bank and try to level up.
Depending on your experience applying for an associate position might make more sense?
This is the direction that I have started to go. My intention is to target MM and Boutique banks at this point and see how that pans out. I am not the cooker cutter bulge bracket candidate because I am 30 and did not go directly into IB.
Was in a similar position as you a few years ago - worked at a power/utilities company in their project development group and wanted to transition into transaction advisory. My solution was to get an MBA and enter IB as an Associate instead. I recognize b school has significant opportunity costs, but also provides huge optionality.
Your mileage with lateraling in as an Associate can vary dramatically, but I know lots of banks strongly prefer their lateral Associate recruiting to be poaching experienced Associates from other banks. Lateral Analyst recruiting is a lot more forgiving of a non-IB background, and even that is limited as you've seen already.
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