What sort of experience are investment banks looking for in SW & SA CV’s?

Question

I’m a first year university student who’s currently taking a year gap in order to gain further experience within the industry as I’m lacking it. I have secured an unpaid internship at a search fund but I know I will need something more than just this. However I am struggling to figure out what kind of experience banks want to see and gives me the best chances on a CV for both SW and SA roles. I have also been looking at trying to see whether I can use my experience at the search fund to apply to other opportunities in a few months time.

Count WACCula · Accepted Answer

I think you need to take a step back and decide where you want to be (e.g. IB, Accounting, HF) and starting from there - take a breath.

Now, I think IB and Accounting are the industries with large intakes and where you might be better-positioned, although my counterparts on the more markets side should chime in.

Candidly, at such a young age, any experience which is finance-related or entrepreneurial is useful. Your search fund will help. In your CV, draw out those transferable skills like financial statement analysis, due diligence, and valuation.

Count WACCula · Answer

You don't "need" a spring week to get into IB. It helps enormously, but it isn't a mandatory pre-requisite. Neither have you missed out on Summer Analyst applications - they've opened but you still have a couple of months. On the other hand the cost in pure cash flow from taking a year out (unless you have good financial backing) and in opportunity cost from a year less of graduate working (not to mention now being a year behind your friends from first year, which for me would've been tough) seems large.

timmyhoca1 · Answer

I understand your point about spring weeks not being ‘needed’ but the issue I have is lacking any decent experience and because of the rolling nature of most SA applications I simply don’t feel very confident. The cash flow issue is one that I’m lucky enough to have the financial backing where I’m able to take a year out but I get that there is an opportunity cost of a year less of graduate working. My fear is that these summer roles are one of the last chances to get an offer, or to pad up my CV for graduate work.

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What sort of experience are investment banks looking for in SW & SA CV’s?

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What sort of experience are investment banks looking for in SW & SA CV’s?

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