What’s Your Best Job Search Tip?
Hey everyone!
I’ve been lurking here for a while, soaking up the amazing insights and advice from this community. Now, I figured it’s time to jump in!
Job searching in finance can be a grind—networking, applications, interviews, and everything in between. I’d love to hear from you all:
👉 What’s the best job search tip you’ve learned along the way?
👉 What’s one thing you wish you knew earlier in your career journey?
Whether it’s about networking, cold emails, resume hacks, or interview prep—drop your wisdom here! Let’s help each other out.
Looking forward to your thoughts! 🚀
It's been said in one form or another before, but it's all a numbers game. Assume response rates of 1-3% in most cases, meaning you'll need to apply to 100 places just to get a couple of replies, one of which may turn into an interview. Frankly, the best thing to do is formal applications to as many places which have them and emails / LinkedIn messages to as many boutiques as you can without formal processes. Something will end up coming through. If you're US-based and happy to recruit out of state, that's a big advantage vs. Europe (where a Brit can't recruit for Paris as most roles require fluent French).
If you have alumni or friends / family in finance, leverage them to land interviews or at least critique your CV. Additionally, if you get limited responses from IB roles do not shy away from other finance opportunities (e.g., WM, LevFin, CD etc.). They can be a good starting point and you can always pivot back to IB once you have your foot in the door.
Unrelated but is levfin not considered IB
Great insights! The numbers game is definitely a tough reality, but persistence and strategic networking can make all the difference. Leveraging alumni, friends, and family for referrals or CV feedback is an underrated yet powerful strategy.
Also, your point about being open to other finance roles is key—sometimes taking an indirect path, like starting in LevFin or Wealth Management, can be the best way to break into IB later on. Have you found certain outreach methods (LinkedIn, cold emails, etc.) to be more effective in securing responses?
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