What can I do during the summer before applying to spring weeks?

I know it might be a bit early to be thinking about this, but does anyone have any advice on what to prioritise this summer ahead of spring week applications. For context, I don’t have any glitzy internships in finance on my CV, so I was thinking maybe to try to get an informal internship (although I’m aware that’s quite tricky)? Or maybe should I focus my attention on nailing the application itself eg Assessment centre practice? Any help would be great.

6,224 WSO Academy Investment Banking Session Reviews: 4.82/5

Class of '25 Nov 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Career Roadmap (optional)

“My mentor provided valuable guidance in helping me develop a clearer career roadmap, taking the time to understand my background, interests and long-term ambitions. His advice was tailored to my goals, helping me identify potential career paths and the practical steps needed to pursue them. He helped me break down my ambitions into manageable priorities, including the skills and experience I should focus on developing. I particularly appreciated his thoughtful approach, which encouraged me to consider both my immediate next steps and how they could support my longer-term progression. His support gave me greater clarity, confidence and a stronger sense of direction. I would highly recommend his mentoring to anyone looking for personalised guidance in planning their career.”

Pepperdine Graziadio Business School

Class of '26 Nov 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Short Resume Review / Recap

“My resume review experience with Julian Gropp was exceptional. Even before our session, he carefully reviewed both versions of my resume and provided detailed, personalized feedback. He identified two major areas for improvement: positioning my unique healthcare background as a competitive advantage and quantifying my accomplishments with measurable results. What impressed me most was his attention to detail. He asked 13 thoughtful questions to understand my education, career transition, financial projects, internships, and technical skills before rewriting my resumes. He then created two targeted versions—one for Investment Banking and another for Corporate Finance—while ensuring every accomplishment was accurate and defensible during interviews. One piece of advice that truly stayed with me was, "Lead with finance. Healthcare is your edge, but it does not define you." This completely changed how I think about presenting my professional background. He also helped me identify my strongest experiences, improve my financial project descriptions, and recognize the importance of building a healthcare-focused financial model to demonstrate technical competency. Julian went beyond simply editing my resume. He helped me understand how recruiters evaluate candidates, how to communicate a nontraditional career transition confidently, and how to develop a stronger professional narrative. His guidance was honest, practical, encouraging, and tailored to my goals. I genuinely appreciate the time and effort he invested in helping me become a more competitive finance candidate.”

See All 11,489 WSO Academy Reviews

1 Comments

WSO Monkey Bot

O

1y

Qui quos consequuntur minus et. Voluptatem dolor sit voluptas magnam assumenda. Rerum amet quisquam excepturi id. Dolorem quia asperiores ut perferendis nobis rerum tempora accusamus.

Eum quasi quas similique ut praesentium unde cupiditate. Cumque possimus magnam provident ipsam et est voluptatem. Aut possimus nulla quia.

Qui veritatis voluptatem vitae tempora. Occaecati laboriosam ducimus rem libero sint. Ad iusto ipsam ex modi quos eius. Aspernatur sint totam laboriosam tempore temporibus et. Doloribus id non molestiae id est in. Architecto et totam magni molestiae.

Reply

Quote

Report

Other

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Associate 2 in IB at BB

IB

1y

Voluptas aut omnis suscipit soluta itaque autem minima ad. Quidem et deleniti voluptas. Rerum neque nihil esse animi fuga laboriosam cupiditate. Nesciunt autem minus voluptas et eveniet autem incidunt.

[Comment removed by mod team]

+162	Analyst: Why is UBS IB doing worse than peers?, UBS CFO: No Comment	29	13h
+160	UBS Tech layoff	52	2d
+146	UBS’s M&A BANKERS ARE DOING TERRIBLY. $200M EXTRA IS BEING CUT	31	1d
+119	Leaked Interview Questions to Recruiting Services	56	10h
+64	How do YOU manage networking requests?	20	10h
+60	Are target prospects getting dumber?	27	1d
+34	MBB Pay Raises	26	2d
+21	Earliest you can get fired	7	9h
+20	Career Crossroads	3	15h
+20	US 2027 SA IB worried about background check	5	11h

1	redever	99.2
2	kanon	99.0
3	BankonBanking	99.0
4	Secyh62	99.0
5	CompBanker	98.9
6	DrApeman	98.9
7	dosk17	98.9
8	Betsy Massar	98.9
9	GameTheory	98.9
10	Kenny_Powers_CFA	98.8

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

What can I do during the summer before applying to spring weeks?

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

What can I do during the summer before applying to spring weeks?

See All Comments - 100% Free

Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum