From Backoffice to Mid

I am currently interning at a bank, as a project manager in operations. I have an interview at the end of the summer for any department i choose. I am intersted in what i do right now however i think i would like a middle office job a bit more. Should i try to interview for a department that was not mine during the summer internship?

Also, what steps should i take to switch from back office to mid, and what is the degree of difficulty of doing so?

Thank you in advance!

14 Comments
 

Thats a good point.. but do you think they will view me negatively because i did not want to work for my current department but instead tried to get a position with a more flashy department?

Thanks!

 
PnLno. most ppl in BO roles are trying to move up to the "flashier" roles

Couldn't disagree more with this statement. Different positions attract different types of people. Go with the division you are most interested in.

~~~~~~~~~~~ CompBanker

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

Are interns in the back office only considered for full-time positions within their BO division or will a bank assess an intern's interests and strengths and offer them a position within the appropriate division? I'm in BO now, but I'd love to work in Research or Finance. I guess it's up to me to show them how my interests and strengths benefit the firm.

"Give me guys that are poor, smart, and hungry. And no feelings." - Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street"
 

well, they allow you to choose an area, however i dont think front office is available (its between mid and back). They evaluate you on what you have done during the internship and your resume. I heard that moving away from ops is nearly impossible thats why i wonder how much i can grow working there and if i should try to acquire a different position within the firm (risk maybe).

 
Best Response

suitNtie

You should not interview anywhere during the internship, however, when it is over, if operations is not something that you want to do, then interview for whatever department you would like to work for.

Do not do what Jamie Dimon advises and tell the FO that you hate the BO, instead say that it is not something that you want to build a career out of and mention the important skills you learned during your stint; "managed x project, give examples of attn to detail, culture, etc, etc" being negative will get you nowhere. Leave a good impression, if you interview in FO or MO at the same firm, and they like you in interview there is a 100% chance they will contact your manager and ask about you.

As usual Compbanker is right on target with his comments. Operations offers a great lifestyle for people. For example, I enjoy working 60 hour weeks instead of 90-100. I still make a great living. I realize that I am not going to be an MD in a PE firm, but I also get to eat dinner with my family every day, not worry about work every weekend, play in several sports leagues, take vacations without spending 3 out of every 10 minutes with the blackberry, etc etc.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with 90-100 hours, eating and breathing your work, but I think a lot of people that make comments like PnL, do not understand that people have different values.

 

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