So tired of this recruiting shit
Junior international student here at a target recruiting for summer 2021 with previous IB and PE internship experience. I couldn't remember how many first rounds I have done, but probably 15+. Had three superdays with PE and IB shops but got dinged at all of those. I felt I am gradually getting depressed and so tired of this shit. More importantly, I don't even know what I am doing wrong. The feedback I got (most don't even reply) was always the same bullshit: Your technicals were very solid, but you might not be a good fit blah blah.
Literally, I have no clue what I should be doing now. Should I prepare for GRE/GMAT to get a master's degree in UK/Europe (fuck US) or continue to recruit (not even sure where to apply)?
Any advice is appreciated.
I hear you man, it gets super frustrating just hang in there and keep applying. The industry is so competitive that some of it is just a numbers game, you'll land something. If you have good technical feedback just work on coming across as a normal likeable person. Sounds easy but you only have a few questions to basically become someome's friend
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I've heard that London and Europe in general is way more competitive. You're facing many more young people with advanced degrees, and likely speak multiple languages. Direct quote from MD who ran my former team's london desk at JPM when I asked about recruiting over there "London is much harder, I can get a russian math phd who speaks 5 languages and is willing to be paid like an analyst"
But you can also interpret this in a different way in the sense that the system is much fairer and more about meritocracy. I feel in the US, it is very subjective and depends only on who you know. I have seen so many times a guy/girl got hired because he/she is in the same fraternity/sorority as the analyst or some sort of family connection.
well in Europe that girl doesn't get in because she is in a sorority, she gets the job simply because she is a girl :-)
I mean this is also the case in US lol
Lol Maybe you're not getting offers because you say shit like "she got hired because she's a girl"
If you hang around the barber shop long enough, sooner or later, you are going to get a hair cut.
-Keep fighting homie, many of us have been in your shoes. Push harder and you'll be so grateful you did, soon enough!
I like ya cut G *slaps*
I think the feedback you were given might be the key. Clearly you are killing the technicals, which is getting you to the superday, but for the banks it came down to a lack of fit. I know for many international students its hard to thrive in a different country's social environment, but it seems like that might be the barrier. Take this with a grain of salt, as I'm an incoming SA, but I went 3/3 on superdays and I've never not moved past an interview where I've gotten to talk to a real human. Superdays are all about being likable and making your interviewer want to work 100hrs/week with you. Do your best to immerse yourself in the passions and hobbies of your interviewer. Best of luck!
+2
The fact that you got a few superdays but never moved past tells me that you did not show "social skills". People say it's a numbers game, but it's so only because you are expected to learn from your mistakes. Take a video of your mock interview and give a really hard look at whether you would hire that guy if you were an MD.
Hang in there! I just landed my 2021 SA position at a solid bank and am coming from a super non-target school, so I totally feel you. I send out over 600 emails and had 110 coffee chats / networking calls, and was super frustrated and depressed about not getting anything as well, until recently.
Since you mentioned culture, I think one thing that really changed the game for me was trying to be more personable, natural, and not super intense. At the end of the day, banking isn't rocket science and there are so many candidates to choose from that people just want chill colleagues / interns to work with. Even if you missed one technical, if you hit it off, smile, are chill, and most of all, are humble, you'll get picked over the intense kid who takes himself too seriously but nailed the one basic DCF question you didn't.
Keep trucking man, persistence is key!