Job Market Search - White Collar

Hi All,

Is the job market still god awful or is it just me? I have had about 50 first round interviews and only 4 final rounds and still got dinged. Not sure if I am screwing up in these interviews or struggling on the modeling tests. I have an T20 MBA and recently graduated. I've been working full-time at a job (since the beginning of the year) that I was using for just a paycheck in a role that I don't want to be in long-term. If this is happening to all of us how long will it take for the interest rate cuts to increase investment banking and real estate hires?

I am aiming for a couple of sector, which are interest rate sensitive:

- Investment Banking

- Real Estate

- Power / Infrastructure

6 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some insights regarding the job market and interest rate impacts:

  1. Job Market Conditions:

    • The job market can be challenging, especially in sectors sensitive to economic fluctuations and interest rates.
    • Many users have reported difficulties in securing positions, even with strong educational backgrounds and multiple interview rounds.
  2. Interest Rate Cuts and Hiring:

    • Interest rate cuts can potentially stimulate hiring in sectors like Investment Banking and Real Estate, but the effects are not immediate.
    • It typically takes around 6+ months for the full impact of rate changes to be felt in the economy.
  3. Sector-Specific Insights:

    • Investment Banking: Hiring may slow down during economic downturns, and layoffs can occur, especially if deal flow decreases.
    • Real Estate: This sector is highly sensitive to interest rates. Lower rates can boost activity, but the timing of recovery can vary.
    • Power/Infrastructure: These sectors can also be impacted by economic conditions, but they may have more stable long-term prospects.
  4. General Advice:

    • Stay persistent and continue to refine your interview and modeling skills.
    • Consider seeking feedback on your interview performance to identify areas for improvement.
    • Network within your target sectors to uncover potential opportunities and gain insights from industry professionals.

For more detailed discussions and advice, you might find the following WSO threads helpful: - https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/advice-for-inc…</a">Advice for incoming IB/M&A analysts in the midst of a likely recession - https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/do-investment-…</a">Do Investment Bankers get laid off during recession?

Stay resilient and keep pushing forward!

Sources: JP Morgan Officially about to Cancel Summer Internships and Freeze Hiring, Advice for incoming IB/M&A analysts in the midst of a likely recession?, how long will this hiring boom last?, Possible Recession?, Do Investment Bankers get laid off during recession ?

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 
Most Helpful

Even the 'bright spot' industries aren't doing as great as it may seem. Recruiting for healthcare as a recent MBA grad (similar rank school as your) and there are very few 'quality' jobs out there in that space especially if you don't want to work in specific environments (hospitals or large corporations for example).

I personally saw a huge uptick in outreach / interview invites in late July to now (my inbox blew up in early September with a bunch of low quality recruiters). I just haven't converted any offers yet but made it far in 3 processes so far (still in the running for 1 of them, 2 months = ~15 interviews total for 5 companies). I only had 2 interviews from mid April - mid July, it was very quiet. Interest rate cuts are good news. I did recently speak with a C-suite exec through an alum that's at a PE backed company. They're expecting to hire some manager level folk in Q1 '25. With the elections / end of the year closing in, it does seem like many MBA grads from 2024 who are stlil unemployed might not find work until January / February.

EDIT: Also want to add, it might be time to look for part-time pro-bono / contract work. I sent 2-3 cold emails this morning and plan to send out a handful early next week. Hoping to keep myself busy so I don't feel guilty holding out for the 'right' roles. Might be worth your while. I technically am working under a family business LLC right now but it's irrelevant to my career goals / target industry (not putting it on my resume).

 

Quisquam aspernatur minus nesciunt aperiam modi atque rerum. Ipsa vero ipsam corporis animi commodi occaecati voluptatem sequi. Debitis dolor fuga omnis harum.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (72) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”