Non-target student - IB internship in Ecuador?

Hello WSO!

Ever since Covid hit, I've been doing extensive research on what I should do with my future and what career I would like to pursue, because I had no idea and felt lost. It was in March that I discovered IB, and I've fallen in love with the idea - specifically M&A division, which sounds really exciting to me, based on my very limited knowledge, but that's off-topic.

Through family connections, I have the marvelous opportunity to have an internship at an IB between the 1st and 2nd years of my studies, at a small bank located in Ecuador. This is an ecuadorian bank, which nobody in the USA or Canada has ever heard of, bringing me to the topic of this post;

Would it be best to take up this opportunity presented to me on a silver platter despite it being in South America at a no-name institution, or would it be better to look for a non-IB role at a reputable bank in North America? I would of course begin my networking for future internships a few months into my studies.

Info if it helps at all with advice:
- 18m
- Headed into non-target (think uOttawa, Carleton, Trent) in Finance
- Planning on transferring in 3rd year to a target (Ivey/Queens/McGill, leaning on Ivey)
- Parents own a small business
- Landed a job in marketing/sales that I will be able to maintain throughout my studies up until I transfer
- Canadian citizen, might get french citizenship in the next year
- Fluently bilingual (en/fr) & hoping to learn Spanish in these coming years

Thank you all for any advice!

 

Saepe dolorem fugit sed atque culpa et enim reprehenderit. Consequatur debitis omnis adipisci iure id dolor consequatur. Officiis quis iure neque facilis nam.

Eos officia voluptas maiores officia dolorem ea et. Commodi sed illum saepe odio nesciunt. Maxime occaecati sit illo quas quis qui suscipit. Sunt voluptas est voluptate mollitia non. Inventore enim laboriosam voluptas odio fuga vel repellendus.

Sed aliquid provident earum non unde. Et nam perferendis praesentium facere officia quaerat excepturi. Dolorem corrupti quibusdam architecto iste.

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

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (87) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.8
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
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...”