Graduating in December and trying to break into DCM

Hello WSO,

Long time listener, first time caller. I officially joined up after purchasing the interview prep course recently. I currently go to a non target in Canada, where I will be finishing up this December, 2019. I guess my main bona fides are an equity research internship, I just wrote the CFA level 1 in December, good GPA and extracurriculars, and I'm told I'm mature and not socially inept like many business school students.

For a while, I was like everyone else I meet and thought about getting that M&A internship, earning a ft offer and eventually the glorious "exit op". For me those first two years seemed like participating in the finance version of a seals training camp. Over the past little while, however, I have decided that being an M&A analyst at most banks doesn't seem that great. And as funny as it sounds I have realized I have a passion for debt. I can really picture myself on a DCM/LevFin team, or S&T, so that's what I'm going for. I don't have plans to move on to anything else, I'm just trying to figure out the best way to get there and become great at it. It's been difficult, recruiting and networking for an internship this summer, mainly because my school isn't the most desirable school for banks. And, I find there aren't nearly as many resources out there for fixed income compared to other areas.

I'm currently learning Japanese (considering trying to to work there), taking courses on fixed income and derivatives in school, and I have bought several iconic texts regarding fixed income analysis and portfolio management. I plan to move on to those after I'm finished the textbook for class (Wiley CFA Fixed Income Analysis 3ed). I would also like to start getting some practical experience. It seems difficult for a small investor to participate in debt markets, so I have been looking into a couple of simulators as well as real trading platforms.

If anyone sees this, feel free to message me or comment if you have any questions or advice for me. I would really appreciate it, especially from people in this field. I would like to hear from people on a similar path, about funds that invest in fixed income, and debt divisions at banks. Also, does anyone know of a good fixed income simulator? Possibly that also allows you to trade derivatives?

Anyways, thank you for reading this.