Location or Prestige?
Hi everyone,
I’m currently an undergraduate student aiming to break into high finance (investment banking, private equity, etc.) and I’d love to get some perspective on a dilemma I’m facing.
Let’s say I have two internship offers:
- One at a well-known international investment bank, but based in my home country (a developing North African country—not underdeveloped, but not a major financial hub either).
- Another at a small or mid-sized investment bank based in a top financial center like London or Paris, but not very prestigious or known globally.
From a pure CV perspective, which option would look stronger when applying for top-tier roles in the future (especially in London or other financial hubs)?
Would having multiple internships in the same country—regardless of the name—raise concerns, like assumptions about getting in through connections? Or does the brand name carry more weight, even if it’s not in a core location?
Would love to hear your thoughts, especially from people who’ve gone through the recruiting process. Thanks in advance!
While I'm in the US/grew up here, I had a friend in undergrad from India who had the opportunity to intern at an MBB in India their rising sophomore summer versus working at a boutique IB in NYC. They chose the former because they felt brand name beat out location, and that worked for them as they ended up at GS/MS/JPM their rising senior summer and then converted to FT.
If its not for that "final summer" (as in that internship should convert into your FT offer) I'd always say take brand name over location.
Is it okay to take location off of my cv
If the internship is in North Africa, there's a 90% chance it'll be seen as nepotism, even if it's with a well-known bank. The London/Paris boutique, though less prestigious, is more likely to be viewed as something you actually earned, which will look better for top-tier roles in major financial hubs.
Comp
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