Need to hear success stories for IB before I go crazy

Didn’t get any offers for SA27 for IB; However I am not giving up as I am still sending out many emails because Ik a few firms will open up this summer/fall like HW and DB which I am looking forward to. Curious on if anyone has stories or knows stories they can share on ppl getting an IB offer their junior fall and how that went?

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My buddy got Barclays 6 months late in the fall for his recruiting cycle. Yeah, it happens. Not the cleanest path, but every year there are kids who miss the big wave, keep networking, and land something in late summer or fall when a bank is behind on hiring, had someone renege, or just opens later. Usually it is not the super polished “I had 8 offers by April” crowd, it is the kid who stayed annoying in a good way and kept following up when everyone else mentally checked out.

Main thing is you cannot recruit in junior fall like it is still junior spring. You need to be way more targeted, way more aggressive, and have a tighter story for why banking / why now / why you missed earlier. Keep emailing, keep talking to smaller and later-moving firms, and do not act defeated on calls. Plenty of people break in late, it is just a scrappier process.

 

Really needed to hear this — came in the recruiting process so prepared and feeling confident but then boom, nothing. Lost all of my hopes and confidence but one thing I will never do is quit.

May I ask how your friend exactly got Barclays? Was it through renege spot bc I never knew Barclays open up spots in the fall like that?

 

I extended grad by a semester to fully go in on recruiting a second time in which I was polished and well-prepared many times over compared to the first go-around. You could say the targeted recruiting in the fall did further prepare me for the 2nd time around during on-cycle recruiting in the spring!

 

So many people on WSO are saying to delay grad by a semester and now I am heavily considering it atp — I can technically graduate early even if I go abroad + I am at a low semi-target since I attend a school with only like 4k kids in total :/. What r ur thoughts?

 

Honestly never quit. It took me so long to finally land IB. Not US based but still had to undergo some bad internships before that but in the end it worked out. Make sure to be 200% prepared on the technicals/motivational/behaviorals questions. Possibly always connect with someone you know who did the interview process before just to know how to approach it best and don t sound weird while talking. 

I know it sounds stupid but just don t give up and stay positive!

 

How hard did this guy network omg? was it through renege spot or purely through hard work?

 

If you are just emailing it’s not enough. Pick up the phone and call people. I was at a non target and got 6 offers at 6 banks using the same script and strategy over the phone. Selling yourself works

 
  1. How did you find their phone number
    2. Were any of them pissed off that you did this?
    3. Was it mainly analysts, associates,
    vp, or md that you cold call?
    4. What was your script because that’s scary lol
 

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