Orientation and advice for a Spanish student

Good morning to everyone. Despite I have been reading to all of you for months, this is my first thread in this forum and of course I am seaking for advice.

Firstly, I don't know if you are into Spanish or Mediterranean countries situation, but in any case I will tell you: - Unemployment is high - Wages are not as good as in northern countries - Taxes are high. You would earn half of your salary in Madrid hub or Barcelona. - Except for a small core of really good jobs, most of people look for opportunities emigrating or in the administration (talking about people with studies). - Finance industry is small and placed in Madrid - Pensions are supposed to be lower through the decades because of the politic mismanagement.

Because all of this and my passion I am willing to emigrate and I put my focus in USA although I have no vetoes.

I am coming from a middle class family (remember that salaries are lower in Spain) who has a familiar state agent business. Since I have memory I have always shown a passion for finances. I imagine this is not that rare in this forum, but I mean I spend ALL my days thinking about the best ways to invest familiar and my own money. Something in which I have succeeded, at least until this present moment. Having said that I coursed the cientific high school and headed towards a University from Barcelona to study a Double Bachelor in BA and Law. Nowadays I regret this decision: I’d better have chosen a technical degree like engineering because of the skills set I could have developed. I am on my fifth year and next year I am finishing (yes, in Spain the degrees are of this lenght) my studies in Lima, Perú where I will be doing an exchange in Universidad del Pacífico (I know it is well considered in Perú and is a kind of business school, but noway a target...). My experience has consisted in working in my parents’ business a sales agent and with inheritances and recualifications applying some law knowledges. I have also been involved in many regional congresses, having organized a Fintech event in a provincial city, that gathered minor atention; last year I worked in Banco Santander as a banking administrative/commercial and this last year I have gained a Private Banking internship in Deutsche Bank in which they pay me as much as 700€ per month.

I have gathered a rector recommendation and the Regional private banking director of DB. I know that I am really far from Ivy League, WSO salaries, credentials and so on. Because of the long hours and my part-time job I have a 7.5/10 in my curriculum. I speak fluently Portuguese and English and I am bilingual in Spanish and Catalan.

I have my interests in the AM or IB industry with no real preferences between both. Which moves would you made in my situation, have I got any oportunity? Which would be a great moment to do CFA, MSC or move to America? Would you get your first job first?

Sorry for the many mistakes I imagine I might have made while my writing and **thank you to each one who has read until here and is willing to spend his time giving advice! **

3 Comments
 

Ducimus in atque repellendus dicta et dolores temporibus. Sunt velit non nisi fugit assumenda non. Sed dolor perspiciatis et nemo voluptatibus fuga. Vero omnis quis aut tenetur officiis et non. Dolores voluptatem ducimus incidunt corporis. Et dolores illum ipsam sed dolor aperiam.

Consequatur cumque sit ea ut aut. Ad voluptatem nisi nihil quod ut est. Cum ipsum velit autem totam labore nihil.

Eveniet eum rerum accusantium molestiae. Qui est quia rerum et sit vel esse provident. Aut et et saepe rem nihil autem cum vel. Quae in saepe consequatur ut inventore. Nostrum nihil et nulla est dolores asperiores. Deleniti non veritatis et magni autem atque. Dolorum atque molestias repellat autem in.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (67) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
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...”