How Much Does Being A Finance Intern At A F500 Pharma Company Help For Full-Time IB Applications?

Hi all, basically the title above. I asked this in the MBB page too, but I'm also interested in IB.

I'm a junior in college, and got a Finance internship secured for next summer at a F500 pharma company (think Roche, Merck, Novartis), and I don't know whether it would help or hurt to intern there if I want to apply to IB for full-time next year. On one hand, I think the F500 brand name + finance internship will help, but I don't know how I would justify that I was in finance in pharma, and wanted to switch over to IB. Given that I would be applying to the first-year entry-level role at IB, would firms even ask me to explain why I want to go from pharma finance to IB? Also does my internship count as corporate finance? I never understood what that term meant. Thanks!

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I just finished FT recruiting and I actually was in nearly the same position as you. If you’re interested in healthcare banking, you can spin it that way and it can help your story a big as to why that group. Without any ib experience you have to be a able to explain why ib and not staying where you had your summer internship. For me, when I was interviewing I explained how the internship was relevant and argued that my non traditional background was actually a benefit. Overall, a finance internship at a reputable company isn’t a bad thing to have, just know if you’re dead set on ib it will be a bit of an uphill battle

 

I'll be starting at a MM, and got interviews at a few BB and MM. The places I was most able to get interviews were biotech focused healthcare groups, which are mostly located in SF with a few in LA

 

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