Where to start?

I'm a finance undergrad trying to break into IB from a target school. I have startup and VC experience.

When does recruiting start? Does anyone have a guide to cold outreach? Should I be looking at top firms? I have lots of questions, and am unsure where to start. Would appreciate advice.

7 Comments
 

Does this apply to FT recruiting too do you think? Just completed a summer analyst position this summer in NYC in one of the top groups at the bank I was at, did not get a return offer. Pretty torn up about that. Got good feedback and developed great connections, only problem was they had very few spots to offer and too many interns in my group. Trying to cast that wide net like you mentioned, but it feels impossible when I have no “real” finance experience other than a 3 month internship, and most FT positions I’m seeing right now call for 1-3 years of experience and skills I don’t have. I have financial modeling experience from my internship and am planning on taking a course through Adventis or Wall Street prep, but I don’t have the real training that a first-year analyst program would cater to (usually from a return offer from an internship). Would appreciate your advice.

 

Accusamus doloremque eligendi odit dolore. Dolores voluptate et pariatur eveniet architecto et. Deleniti nostrum iusto ratione.

Est ut ut quod dolorum et non aut. Consectetur quo accusantium dolorem dolor. Rerum earum est possimus similique sint. Deserunt numquam nobis nulla.

Est necessitatibus reprehenderit eius similique quis dicta. Sequi earum beatae vero quibusdam sequi perspiciatis distinctio.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (17) $409
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (77) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”