How to not give up?
How do you guys not give up when trying to recruit for jobs. I’m a sophomore at a non target and I just feel like giving up. I’ve applied to sophomore programs and gone to zooms for them and the kids I see on there are ridiculous. How the hell am I supposed to compete with these kids, they’re literally on a whole other level. Like seeing all these kids I just want to give up. I just don’t see the point in trying anymore. I’ve done all that I can at my school, I join clubs, I network, I have 2 internships, literally everything I can think of I’m trying. Yet theres these kids on an entirely other level, literally having their own companies or trading firms. If not that they’ve got like 30 internships are crazy places. And just to add salt in the wound they’re considered diversity too. Sorry for ranting but literally any advice or shitting on me would be appreciated.
You're a sophomore in college, you'll be fine. When I came out of a no-name school that most people would have to Google and still might not find it in a tier 3 city, I didn't even get an internship in college. After college I worked at a commercial real estate brokerage that wasn't one of the top in the country as a financial analyst, but an alumni worked there and gave me a shot. I was making 40k a year with no benefits or bonus at all. I stayed there for a while running financial models on small run-down strip malls in the middle of nowhere that were worth pennies compared to what the massive brokerages were underwriting and advising on. From there I connected with a small REPE that used us a few times and came on as an entry level analyst even though I had multiple years of experience. I was making 65k a year at this job and after several years of working there never eclipsed 85k total comp. This was all in the mid 2000's so not too long ago where I should definitely have been making more but couldn't compete with the target schools and MF shops. I applied to a LMM PE firm to start making "real money" and worked there and a MM firm for a very large chunk of my career. This was when I "made it", which was damn near a decade into my career. After a while I left for personal reasons to Corp Dev at a F500 (think one of the largest 50 companies globally) doing M&A full-time.
This wasn't just to brag about how I did in my career, but rather to show you that nearly a decade into a career did I get any kind of "success" as this site would deem it. You don't have to do IB -> PE -> retire by 45 like most people on here idolize. Everyone has their own path and you have years before you even graduate. Don't worry about a sophomore internship and enjoy life.
Much respect, I had a similar slow start background graduating into the GFC with no full-time offer. Not saying I'm at my end goal but I'm near the "finally made it" zone.
Brother, life’s about how much you can take and keep moving forwards. Read “can’t hurt me” by David goggins and apply that mentality to your career. Literally just keep going, tell yourself your not at the level you should be at, and fucking move so you can fuck all those hardos up
Giving up is not an option.
Try to differentiate yourself by showing that you don’t have Aspergers unlike most of your competition nowadays. Having social skills will get you further than most people realize in this process.
None of that stuff actually matters beyond a certain point. Just your interview skills and networking. Lots of kids at my SA had like one internship that wasn't even in IB and very few did anything entrepreneurial
Motivation is sometimes hard to find, but trust me the struggles you are going through right now are not the hardest thing in your life. It may be harder, but if you can get through these obstacles, you can make it easier. Believe in yourself, damn it!
Imagine David Goggins is reading this. What would he think?
Get back to fucking work
Don't get fooled by this bullshit. There is only one reason someone "with their own company" would be recruiting for some entry level analyst position: their "company" is comprised of them, a logo they had designed, a $50 LLC registration fee, and mayyyyyybeeee some bullshit work for "clients" who are friends of their dad. Why else would you be trying to get some $80k entry level role?!
And guess who sees through this THE CLEAREST? The recruiter. They are used to having some kid wax eloquent about how they have a trading firm and are the chief investment officer and blah blah blah- they know it's just a few $k being yolo'd on robinhood. I've been on the hiring side- after those interviews everyone kind of rolls their eyes.
Focus on being likable and thoughtful. Cast your experience in the best light, but don't try to make it sound like you are god's gift to finance, that if you don't get this role it's all good because you basically run Point72 on the side anyway.
Spinning/highlighting your experience is one thing, but the egregious bullshitters are always seen through. Always. Don't give up- one step at a time. You are a sophomore- your goal is to get another internship to set you up for your senior summer. Focus on that goal- you'll be fine.
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