A kid drive 4 hours to have a coffee chat with me(Pennsylvania)

Is there a real difference between being desperate and really wanting the job?

Sounds like someone I’d do business with

Appreciate the kid's hard work / grit and't think he's "desperate" / weird just because he told you the truth.

What's wrong with being desperate for a job? 

Many people that can do the job are often unlucky and need to work extra hard to land their first role. 

If he ticks all boxes then him literally going the extra mile should be seen only as a positive 

I'm sorry but OP, you sound like a pompous pr*k! This is everything that's wrong with this industry. We are not f*cking celebrities and a few years ago we were most probably in their shoes. Reduce your ego! No matter what seniority I am within my career, if any college kid is willing to travel 4 hours to meet me for a coffee chat, I am going to be seriously impressed. 

Desperation would be getting there and making a big deal of the 4 hours, & really begging for the job.

From what you've mentioned, he sounds quite the opposite - driven & committed to a chance he has been given to try land it.

It's quite shocking that you can't differentiate these two by yourself.

mate honestly if he's travelled 4hrs to meet you, he'll definitely be grinding once on the job

This is someone who would be grateful to get an offer (even if they leave after 2 years) and I bet would be a very hard worker and good employee if everything else checks out. Don't see over the top hustle too much these days and it's refreshing.

Everyone is desperate for a job when they lack any experience in their desired field. The kid clearly is desperate to break into the industry, and is willing to hustle. 

If you can't figure out whether or not you should help someone out that hustled that hard just to meet you for a coffee, it is you that is the problem, not him / her. 

This post is clearly a troll, if you look at his other topics he’s still a college kid with no IB job

I think you should hire your MD's friend's son who can't tell the difference between profit and revenue instead. He's not desparate at all.

cheers for the kid, and fuck you for the question

Sounds like he’s motivated and committed. Could indicate he’s the type to run through walls and grind.

On my first networking call, a banker told me that he broke in from our non-target school by driving three hours to attend (crash) a recruiting event at a target school. He used his friend’s student ID to get in and talk to a bunch of banks. He met some associates and VPs at the event who loved his story and he ended up getting into that bank’s SA program and starting his career there.

I do agree it would have been less awkward if he had a better reason to be in your city.

Good on this kid. All for it. Not sure how their effort could be viewed in a negative way.

Bro met himself

Bro is doing a psyop on us

I mean let's not over complicate it.

Shows he cares a lot.  Shows he's hungry.  Hard worker.  Those things are free and take no talent but not everyone has them.  A good start!

I would set aside the fact you know he drove 8 hours to see you, and judge him based on the chat. If he seemed like a smart and engaging kid, I would offer him the interview.

Have to definitely respect someone that would drive all that way for an informational interview. That kind of drive and determination can't be taught. Hope he gets a position. 

Sure he’s desperate, but isn’t everyone before breaking into the industry?

Give him some credit, Jesus.

I flew a couple hours away and spent money on a hotel just to do an “optional office visit” with an MBB firm offered to those in that interview pool pre-interview.

Really stretched my budget. But what do you know; all the kids who got the spot visited lmao.