SIE and general advice

I think I might have gotten myself in a sticky situation and would love some advice and perspective. 

I went through an IB recruitment but did not receive an offer. Compared to other applicants, I felt like I was just really lacking so I got involved in a program to sponsor my SIE and bolster my resume despite not having a stellar GPA (still above a 3.5) and coming from a non target college for IB and PE.

But between studying for my SIE and managing my co-op, extracurriculars, and part-time job, I’ve neglected to apply for SA 2025 roles. 

I do have a summer 2024 buyside internship lined up but I was thinking about pushing back my graduation date to a later semester so I can go into the next recruiting cycle with more networking, more technical skills preparation, and with a better overall resume.

Would that work? Or have I completely screwed up my chances for anymore IB recruiting?

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The SIE is the only FINRA exam that does not require sponsorship by a firm, so not sure if that program is worth your time tbh (if you mean “sponsor” as in paying for it, however, that’s a different story). Regarding recruitment, I wouldn’t advise pushing back graduation. Rather, I’d consider an MSF program at a target school to help you re-brand in addition to the ability to access the school’s alumni base to network — this would also allow you to pursue the buy-side internship this summer.

 

Thank you for the advice! Sorry that I didn’t realize my wording was confusing but by sponsor I mean the program took care of paying for my Kaplan materials and for the test. 

 

Why would you go for the SIE of all things to bolster your resume? I wouldn't prioritize that at all. Tbh, I'd do the buyside internship, get the return offer, then either recruit again full-time with the benefit of that return offer and experience, or if you feel like you don't have enough experience to be competitive, take a fulltime role at the buyside place and lateral from there. 

hardstuck in IB
 

Thank you for the advice! I wasn’t thinking too clearly because I thought that the SIE could compensate a little for my GPA coming from a non-target. Do you mind if I PM you? I just want to gain a little more perspective with my school and I don’t want to dox myself online lol. Thank you! 

 

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