What you got?

I just recently joined the board and have been lurking for a while taking in what information I can.

What insight can you guys give me and what is the best advice you wish you had when for first starting out?

Just to give you some background info on myself:

I'm technically a senior but will graduate in Dec of 2013 with a BA in Economics and Psychology, and a BS in Finance. I currently have a 3.6 GPA. I originally wanted to do higher education (no judgement please ha), but found that I really enjoyed this field. I added economics as a second major the summer leading into my junior year, and just recently decided to stay the extra semester to buy myself a little more time and get a third degree in finance. The problem I have is internships and experience. Because I didn't know this was what I wanted to do from the get go, I'm really behind in the internship department. I can honestly say that I have a lot of great work experience (mostly in customer service/relations and some in presentations and public speak). The problem is that the only finance related experience I have is that I'm currently working as a Member Service Representative (teller) at a local Credit Union. I'm from a non-target school in the south where there's just not very many opportunities close by.

I've been networking the best that I can and making the best connections that I can, but I don't know how to get over the internship/experience hump since I'm starting so late. I would love to land a solid internship for the summer, but because I'm a senior without previous experience, I feel a little hand-cuffed.

Anyways, if you have any valuable info or advice you could give me that would be greatly appreciated.

9 Comments
 

Save up and move to a city. Get on the ground and hustle and never stop working. I realized a long time ago that I only get down on myself when I'm not trying

 

DonVon, AR

Come on now bankerella cut me some slack. All one can do is try. I figured you would at least have a little sympathy after writing the 'How to skip straight to the final rounds' topic. You did say "I'm a sucker for giving advice." Let's hear what you have to say besides just writing me off and telling me to live my life in the south. I've read some of your posts/threads and I really would like to hear what advice you have for me. That's why I'm here.

 

I'm not making fun. I've just run these models before. I think if you do the numbers realistically, you'll see that from where you stand today, being a retail manager at a bank branch in the south gives you more utility and better net weighted average quality of life than trying to get a serious Wall Street job. I just don't think you're able to see the downside risk from where you stand now.

Ping me on PM with your real age, school, and location and I'll help you a little more.

 

I guess the misconception is I'm 100% sold at being on wall street. I can see where that perception comes from being this is wall street's forum. Mainly I came to this site because after lurking I found a lot of useful information. I would love to land on wall street, but I am realistic and like you both mentioned, it's highly unlikely.

Personally, I would love to stay in the south and have no objections to doing so. Let me get a few more bananas and I'll pm you both.

 

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