reality check - breaking into banking cold

hi,

If you get nothing out of this post then at least walk away with this: President John Tyler, the 10th Prez of the US (1841-1845), has two living grandchildren. Pretty cool, huh?

Ok so I am 26 years old and live in Philly. I am attempting to break into I-banking in NYC at one of the major banks. I want to, in this post, briefly lay out my game plan and ask for any and all helpful feedback from you current bankers. Thank you.

My entire game plan rests on me getting into one of the business schools I applied to in round 2 this past month (all top 10 schools). So for the sake of the plan just assume I will, obv if I come back 0 for 5 then its back to the drawing boards.

I have no finance experience. In fact, I have virtually no work experience, in the traditional sense. I just got out of the military and am transitioning right into business school. 760 gmat score and 3.8 GPA at college (econ+finance), tho.

Now:: Self-study to the point where I can smoke an interview: for this Ive subscribed to the entire "Breaking Into Wall Street" training package and have allotted time to go through it twice, all of it, in the next two months. On top of that is a reading list, and several i-banking guides (vault, wetfeet, and a few of these b-schools have provided me with their in-house guides).

Next:: As soon as I receive an acceptance letter (late March), cold-call / email the s&$% out of every finance firm (i-banking at the top of the list) in philly and leverage the acceptance into a pre-MBA summer internship.

Finally:: start school in fall 2012 and make it happen

Thoughts, comments, questions? I greatly appreciate any, thanks.

6 Comments
 

Network with military alumni. I go to a nontarget and it was virtually the only way I got a couple BB interviews.

I think that we are all clinging to a great many piano tops...
 

Hey lovepark,

I am also a vet, and now in one of the Financial Engineering programs up in NYC and going through interviews. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. PM me if you have time and we can chat more on here or offline.

 

3.8 GPA, 760 GMAT heading to a top 10 b-school hopefully, 5 years of military experience? Someone will take a chance on you. I agree to network with military alumni.

Crush it at b-school and you're set.

MM IB -> Corporate Development -> Strategic Finance
 

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