Can I get a job in IB?

I often come across forums where students from non traditional backgrounds (eg attending non target schools) ask whether they have a shot at breaking into the industry etc.

My tip to all you guys, just do it. Perfect your CVs and CLs, do well in the online tests, network a lot for the purpose of learning from them and the area they work in, and at the interview stage that is your chance to prove them why you’re a good candidate. Try your best but prepare for the worst. But fundamentally keep going. I have many friends who started at “tier 3” companies but now work at top firms through lateral moves.

I think it is important that you go at your own pace and try enjoy the journey somehow. It’s tough and competitive af but there’s a few things that particularly helped me survive recruiting season. Mainly, it was having a group chat of friends from uni all going through the same recruitment process, we all helped each other with CVs, online tests and all. 4 years later we’re all working at what this forum defines to be a tier1/2 firms.

I write this post to give you guys who stress about not being competitive enough to break in the motivation to still apply and keep going. It’s easy to give up. I have a mate of mine who was rejected 3 years in a row and managed to break into the industry in his final year.

So, stop asking whether you have any chances to get into XYZ firm with your background, if you believe you can hack it, go for it. You don’t need WSO validation (not an attack to my WSO people) to tell you whether or not you’re fit to even apply.

But yeah that’s the post guys, just wanted to share some love, hope and motivation 👍