Can I get a job in IB, in London, if I have a degree from another country?
Hi, everyone! I am a student from a Western European country and this year I'm graduating with a degree in Banking & Finance and another one in Computer Science. Although, my university is considered to be one of the most prestigious in the country, on the international map it's average at best.
I am very passionate about the finacial sector and I've always wanted to have a career in this industry. My plan was to relocate to London, start in IB (front office), endure the pain for 3-4 years and then look for exit opportunities on the buy side.
Now that I have a few months left before graduating, I started looking into it. The first thing that caught my attention is the recruitment strategy that these Bulge Bracket banks use. Some sources say that they only accept applications from top tier universities, others say that a strong academic background and experience in the field are the only things that matter.
I did an Internship for a local bank last summer, but I doubt that it will be of great help when applying for these international banks.
In conclusion, I have neither a degree from a top tier university nor solid experience in the field. What are my chances in securing an IB position for an international bank (front office) in London, UK? Also English is not my first language. Is this going to make it even harder for me?
Thank you in advance!
Your best bet would be to do a master's at LSE/LBS/Oxbridge - next step would be to get a good score on the GMAT
I will look into it.
Even then, do banks agree to sponsor visas? I've been told it's very difficult to convince them into employing a foreign citizen.
Thank you!
Got a master from France and did a summer internship last summer in London. Got the FT offer at the end of my summer and I am going to relocate in London in July. So yes, def possible
Thank you for your answer! How did you manage to secure the Internship? Is it at a bulge bracket bank? How did you convince them to sponsor your visa?
Hopefully you will find time to answer my follow-up questions. Thank you!
I secured an Investment Banking Summer Analyst position at an American Bulge Bracket for 2023 in London a few months ago as a foreign student with a sponsored visa and all you need to do is just to apply really.However, if you have been so keen on finance for so long, how come you have not looked into this earlier?
I started looking into moving to London and IB specifically only a few months ago, since my intial plan was to work in my home country.
After my internship, I realized that what they do here is not interesting and fast-paced enough. I did not get to use my knowledge at all. Also, as it happens in almost all industries in western Europe, nepotism is another problem. So career advancement was out of question.
Now, I am on the lookout for opportunities abroad. IB struck my interest as it is in line with what I'm looking for.
are you from the GE program and are you French? Thx!
If you’re about to graduate and are asking this type of questions, I’m sorry to say but your uni isn’t a target in london. I also graduated from a european uni and work in london. Half of the students, if not more, were applying to jobs in london, one or two years prior their graduation
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