Using LinkedIn Followers to Gauge Firm Competitiveness?

Hey guys, currently a freshman in college looking at a couple of offers for the summer. I'm interested in going into IB and have received offers from 2 LMM IBs and 1 LMM PE firm. However, I don't know anyone that works at any of the firms and have no idea how I would be able to pick between the companies (all 3 are remote, although I can do the PE firm in-person if I wanted to). I know this might be a bit of a ludicrous metric, but the IBs have ~200 followers on their corporate LinkedIn pages while the PE firm has 1000+ followers. Should this affect my decision at all? Alternatively, would it be better to select the company with the least amount of interns (rationale is that I would be getting more support)? Really seeking advice on how you guys chose your first internship especially since freshman summer internships are so important now that recruiting is so much earlier. 

Also let me know if this is a stupid question, thanks.

3 Comments
 

Hey, I would look at the senior leaders at the three firms and see whose backgrounds are the strongest/match what you are looking for. The purpose of the internship should not only be make the resume look clean and gain some talking points for an interview, but it can also build your network for when you go through junior summer recruiting. For example, maybe some seniors at one firm once worked at a larger bank or PE firm and still have contacts that they could recommend you to assuming you have a good attitude and are a helpful intern.

 

The primary objective should be choosing what looks best on your resume and where you will get the most legitimate experience.

I would almost definitely choose one of the IBs given the experience is directly applicable with the caveat being if the banks are a lot smaller and shittier than the pe shop.

Network with kids who have interned there before because internships can be a total crapshoot

If all else fails choose that one that seems most recognized

 

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