Using as a "stepping stone"
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Dude... you're coming off as an asshole.
What you're essentially saying is "I look at your firm as lower tier, and I wouldn't want the same job as you."
Now, of course you want to get into the best firm that you can and that's totally chill. Pretty much everyone does.
My advice would be to stop telling them that you want their firm to be a stepping stone, but you can still apply to those GS, JPM, and whatever other banks you might be looking at. You don't want these guys, who could help get you amazing junior internships or a safety FT job, to not like you.
Yea what are you even saying to these people
Just the normal networking phone calls/chats that this forum has discussed a ton. In general, they don't seem to want to give internships to rising juniors, only to rising seniors.
You absolutely had to have mentioned wanting to work for Morgan Stanley or Goldman Sachs during conversations with these people. Consider this a lesson learned, quit talking so much and listen next time you're speaking to someone who already is what you want to be in life.
What exactly was said? Did you say something autistic like, "an internship at your bank could land me a job at Goldman!"?
No, I don't mention other firms. Only one alum has actually used the word "stepping stone" but in general I am usually just told they will only hire rising seniors for SA positions.
They are accusing me of using their firm as a stepping stone. I, of course, would never say that. I was posting to ask how I should respond to the accusation.
Wait, did you actually tell them you wanted to use their firm as a stepping stone?
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