"Informal" Internship

Is it completely idiotic to ask for an informal internship? I have to support myself and don't want to quit work because it's not very easy to find another job like this (I don't have much of a choice). This summer, I'd really like to get ANY sort of experience in the financial sector, but I won't be able to do one of those full-time internships. I'm going to have to send in unsolicited applications but I don't know how to explain the fact that I will have to continue working at the same time and will just have to run from my job to whereever it is I'm interning and so on and so forth....the thing is..I really need some experience...advice anyone?

4 Comments
 
Best Response

I am not sure if you are aware, but to be an investment banker it takes about 80-100 hours of work a week.......if you can do that and work another job in your "spare time" then go for it. In ibanking internships you do the same work and work just as long as analysts. Just get a paid internship. If you work at one of the larger firms (ie Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, etc) you're going to make about $20,000 over the summer anyway, not to mention the $10,000-$20,000 signing bonus you will get on your last day, should you be invited to work there after you graduate.

 
alexfopianoI am not sure if you are aware, but to be an investment banker it takes about 80-100 hours of work a week.......if you can do that and work another job in your "spare time" then go for it. In ibanking internships you do the same work and work just as long as analysts. Just get a paid internship. If you work at one of the larger firms (ie Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, etc) you're going to make about $20,000 over the summer anyway, not to mention the $10,000-$20,000 signing bonus you will get on your last day, should you be invited to work there after you graduate.

Closer to $15k

 

I don't even want to get paid. I just want some experience. The problem is, won't people laugh at me if I just start sending unsolicited applications asking for an informal internship? What exactly do I say? By the way, I'm in Europe and I know things are more lax here. They have a totally different work ethic. Much more relaxed...but that isn't necessarily better... I hope I haven't come across as being ungrateful...

 

Neque eos excepturi ea dolor. Et nemo qui voluptas velit. Quia omnis vel accusamus perspiciatis nobis.

Ut qui et fuga possimus rerum adipisci molestias. Aperiam illum odit eligendi dolore. Accusamus officia quo nulla odit minus perspiciatis quae. Pariatur velit ex assumenda earum quam voluptas rerum ut. Quia molestias quam et enim et. Ea quia hic iste tempore.

Quo eius placeat officia molestiae asperiores sequi amet sint. Quod omnis illum dolorem. Ducimus maiores cupiditate dolor sint consequatur. Ut quos et ut cumque est illo ex. Dolores aperiam consectetur illum. Aut esse rem amet debitis.

Non delectus ut incidunt ea dolores ullam. Ut itaque architecto nostrum. Aut hic voluptas qui est quaerat consequuntur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”