Not sure what to do to succeed...

Hi,

I don't know what I should do and decided to ask for your guys' opinion after going through this site quite a lot. I'd like to break into IB as an analyst in a BB or an elite boutique.
I've just graduated from an Oxbridge university with a master's in management, and had previously done my undergrad in one of the best social sciences universities on the European continent, with a degree in economics. Thing is I have no work experience in finance (nor consulting). I'm about to start an off-cycle in an elite boutique in Asset Management on the sales side (Marketing/ Business dev) in Paris. However, I'd really like to be either in NYC, SF or London for IB.

Should I apply for FT analyst positions in spite of not having any relevant SA experience? Can I apply for a SA gig, in spite of having graduated? Could I bullshit my way into saying I want to do another one-year master's in 15-16 after SA. How likely is it that BB's in the US/ UK would consider someone in my situation's application for summer analyst, and what would my chances be for a straight FT analyst position?

Thanks for your help guys!

 
Best Response

Let me tell you two things 1. Your chances are 0.000000001% to get into FT straight. Unless someone gets fired and they urgently need a replacement and you happen to be on their website that moment when the job pops up and happen to have built every single model out there, learn every interview question and spoken to a million bankers - it won't happen. Not in BB/ elite boutiques. Ask yourself this: there are 1000s of fresh applicants from all over Europe who did 3-4 internships each, why hire you? 2. Cold call yourself into something. Now is the perfect time. Start with cold email - over time you will get bored and will want to speed things up. Then you will start calling banks and it just becomes a number game. Did this in the UK.

Good luck and don't give up

 

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