Unpaid Internship Advice Out in LA

Hi All,

I just got offered an unpaid IB internship at a top 10 boutique shop in LA. I'm wondering if it's worth pursuing, considering average offers for other non-IB roles hover around $42k? I have a math degree and graduated at the top of my class from a non-target on a full-tuition scholarship.

Cain

12 Comments
 
Best Response

Is this through a personal contact, networking, or under the table? I'm pretty sure working for free is illegal in CA. i.e. you need to earn college credits for being an unpaid intern.

If you want to work in IB & this is your only offer... You should consider it.

If you just want a paycheck then take the highest offer with the most upside? It's hard to tell you what to do.

 

It basically comes down to whether or not you want to work in IB at the analyst level. The internship could be leveraged to lateral to a larger bank after a year of working there. Your life is going to be terrible for that year, though, as you're living in an expensive city and state and working terrible hours for no pay.

On the flip side, you could take a non-IB role, do well and get promoted, and then get into a T15 MBA program and get into IB as an associate.

 

I would be wary of these 'unpaid' internship experiences, YMMV.

Los Angeles is a HCOL area, so not getting paid is not necessarily a worthwhile experience. There are other boutique firms out there.

Even with a mathematics degree, I am certain you can find some offers well over $42k. Keep searching, don't settle for less.

No pain no game.
 

Eh... while the experience would be great, 6 months unpaid already out of school is a bit of a stretch. If it was 3-4 months I'd say go for it 100%, but 6 months... that's a deal breaker honestly.

 

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