Flipping The Switch - When & why did you commit to the "path"?

What flipped the switch that made you want to get into high finance? How'd you find out about it? Media? Friend's parents? College classes?

Besides the obvious allures ($$$, exit opps), was there anything specific to you that drove you to this?

Background: SEC non-target. Literally went into finance because one day as a senior in HS my buddy told me that his brother went into finance and that it's "the move" (kid's brother actually went from MS -> VC). Didn't even know what high finance was until Junior year of college. Still somehow got a superday with a 3.2 at a decent regional MM with bad internship experience & a summer "project management" job at a contractor. Interview went well but I declined because I would have to have lived in a shit city away from family and I also deferred graduation an entire year (interviewed as a senior for an SA spot). Idk if I would've even got the offer, who the fuck knows. I do not regret this at all currently.

2 Comments
 

Jake Paul, shame nobody has responded. Maybe one of these topics will help:

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  • Off The Beaten Path: Commercial Banking to Private Equity (The Non-Traditional Route) be honest, I think it's probably harder to stay motivated when it seems like you're doing ... and I hope my story helps you make a change as well! Feel free to ask me questions in this thread or ... firm as an analyst, but I think now is a better time than any to tell you how I made the jump
  • Why do IB directors change shops? organization is not structured to enable you (see motivation #2) Maybe you can see your way to the next level, ... you've always wanted to read will. You may be motivated to change IBs, particularly to move down market, ... This is an ou
  • The 24 Interview Lessons I Learned on the Way to Getting My First Full Time Job your key point to the "why this position" question. 10. Never admit that you want to be doing ... answers to your prepared three questions, record yourself, and listen back to it. This way you can ... all the hard way. Here goes... 1. Interviewing i
  • More suggestions...

Hope that helps.

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