Student from Japan applying to IB in the US
Hey guys,
I'm planning to apply for 2020 & 2021 SA positions in the States and would really appreciate it if someone could tell me whether my plan is a realistic one.
Just really in need of a reality check since everyone around me is applying for APAC offices (TYO/HK/SG) and I have very limited info regarding SA recruitment in the US.
A brief overview of my background is as follows: - Junior at University of Tokyo (25 y/o due to two gap years for internships & CFA exams) - GPA 3.3 / 4.0 - Two off-cycle IBD internships (both at BBs) - Tokyo & Singapore - Off-cycle Equity Research internship (at a well known MM) - Tokyo - Off-cycle PE internship (at a boutique PE) - Tokyo - CFA lv.3 candidate
Thanks in advance and sorry for another "chance-me" post.
Few things: (1) Univ of Tokyo from my understanding is a very prestigious school, but I don’t think that’s common knowledge in US (so they’ll only see the 3.3 GPA, and not ‘oh it’s at a very difficult to get into school’); (2) presumption that your English language skills are suspect (resume and cover letter quality may counter that, but hard to fight subconscious biases), (3) the biggest concern - proximity. It’s always difficult to recruit overseas. When I lateraled to Asia from North America, it was quite difficult; when I tried going Asia back to North America, it was even more difficult. As far along video conferencing has come, people still want to meet their potential hires where possible and get a sense of the ‘vibe’ (does he/she fit with us? Can we gel with them? Do I want to spend 12-16 hours a day with them?)
The things you have going for you are your dual citizenship and brand name, relevant internships to date. If you are dead set on recruiting for US offices, you’ll need to do a lot of extra leg work - networking with people, maybe if you’re in US for trips set up coffees in advance. You need to highlight all the things attractive about your profile, and stay on top of recruiting timing / processes, and just find your way in.
Alternatively, or simultaneously as a plan B, you can recruit for local BB offices while making connections to US offices. This is more a long play - get in the door for local offices, and transfer. This will depend on the BB’s mobility program and likely ad hoc needs.