Is FT Recruiting Cooked?

FT recruiting has been described as challenging and, in some cases, "completely cooked" by various contributors on WSO. Many candidates report low response rates to emails and applications, with some firms providing non-committal answers or delaying decisions. Factors contributing to this include:

1. High Return Offer Rates: Due to online internship programs, many banks are retaining a higher percentage of their interns, leaving fewer FT slots available.
2. Overstaffing: Banks, including BBs, EBs, and MMs, are reportedly overstaffed, making them less inclined to hire additional candidates.
3. Opaque Timelines: FT recruiting often operates on an ad hoc basis, with some banks hiring sporadically up until May/June before their analyst classes start.
4. Networking Challenges: Success often hinges on leveraging strong connections within groups actively looking to hire. Persistence and proactive networking are key.

While the environment is tough, candidates are advised to focus on networking, preparing for technical interviews, and targeting less competitive groups or firms.

Sources: How to Navigate FT Recruiting: Learn from My Successes/Failures, FT recruiting is completely fucked, Is Full-Time/Lateral Recruiting really that hard?