Is LinkedIn lying about role common?
I’m currently interning in M&A, and have noticed a lot of people not interning in what you would consider investment banking claiming to be ‘investment banking summer analysts’ on their LinkedIn. There’s a corporate banking section that works closely and is technically part of the same ‘division’ but completely different in terms of jobs, operation etc. and pretty much all of them claim (and seem to believe too) that they’re interns in IB. It’s a little frustrating watching someone in payments walk out at 5pm while they’ve plastered “investment banking summer analyst” all over their Linkedin and made at least 4 posts on it
I understand this might come off a little bit as gatekeeping IB in some way - but I’m just really curious about if this happens and people get away with it - because I even see a senior analyst in CB claiming to be in IB. Does this happen everywhere? Do firms hiring for grad actually find ways to reconfirm the exact role?
In my opinion you’ll be ultimately bitten for something like that. Let’s say someone puts IB summer analyst and down the line an employer uses that to ask some questions about their experience. If the employers knows what they’re doing they’ll be able to catch on immediately.
Even worse, if they get a job where an IB skill set is required and they obv don’t have the experience for said skill set, they’ll just be bottom bucket from the get-go. Just remember that faking it till you make it only gets you so far, and typically when it doesn’t work you pay the price. So although I understand your frustration just concentrate on what you’re doing and let them do them. I guarantee you’ll be better off in the long run.
Honestly I’d like to believe this is true but the fact is only two months of experience can be covered up for through videos and courses at least to a certain extent. Yeah sure it’s a little more work but you can definitely ‘fraud’ your way into convincing a firm you had an IB internship and misrepresent yourself
At Citi it’s Corporate and Investment Banking. While not a misrepresentation, certainly a bit vague. When they reach interview process this will become very clear anyway so no you don’t get away with it.
If you don’t lie (as above) you might still get a foot in the door and who knows maybe it works out and they give you a chance, but it will be very clear you didn’t do IB. If you do lie, you will not hear back.
You will also notice nobody in IB puts the whole division name on their LinkedIn, but corporate bankers tend to :)
I knew someone who said they were an investment banker at a BB, they were doing FP&A. People frequently misrepresent themselves on LinkedIn, just like on Instagram it is nothing but permanent vacations and haute cuisine.
I know someone in coverage who put M&A in their job title..
That is a little different. I don't think it is misleading to say you were e.g. "Associate, Healthcare M&A" if you were in HC coverage assuming a lot of the work you did involved M&A as opposed to covering a bunch of logos that only raised debt or whatever. Helps the normies (recruiters) who don't understand the difference between product and coverage groups.
There is a guy I have met a few times who has M&A in his name...and works in an accounting role
The other analysts and I put "Corporate & Investment Banking Analyst" for our roles on LinkedIn because it's technically true and we are all investment banking licensed. Our group models heavily and works very closely with LevFin so it's a bit of a blurred line we can get away with. It depends on the group honestly. Putting "IB" when you are in CB is just a straight lie that I would not recommend.
Has to be the dumbest thing you can do, most people inflate what they’ve been working on but your company / title won’t go past background checks.
It's totally fine to put "corporate & investing banking" IF your group calls itself that (I think Citi does). If your CB is not a part of the IB then don't do it. No one in IB is putting that title so it's clear you're in CB anyway. But putting "IB SA" is incorrect.
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Knew a guy that used to list "Investment Banking Analyst at JPMorgan" on his LinkedIn but worked out of their Newark Delaware office (working in back-office). Quite the grift. Feel like this is somewhat common at the college level or super-junior level and to be honest never works out well. You will be called out especially if you are also exaggerating on your resume and the interview process you can easily sniff out the BS.
True, it's just an across the board thing. Happens a lot more in finance and accounting. Actually happens a lot more places across the board, people will always hype themselves up.
why do you care how someone portrays themselves on social media? LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. - all the same shit. Reality is what matters and one's career progression is the only accurate proof of what one does.
The difference between a real IB analyst and a wannabe IB analyst is that 5 years from now, the first will be in a better role (buy-side, VP, CorpDev, etc.) meanwhile the second will still jump around BO roles and hate themselves. Their fictional prestige-pursuit endeavor is their precise downfall because relevant role in a random firm > BO in a BB in terms of career progression (IMO). So whenever you came across such guy, put a cross on his head and consider his future career progression inexistent.
This is true maybe at higher levels but as an intern lying about being in IB can help a lot with FT recruitment if you get away with it
Yep I know a guy doing an operations internship at a MF who claims he's a private equity analyst
Classic Cinven interns
This is an example of what I’ve observed in my career about happiness/contentment in one’s career. I’ve mentioned this on this forum for topics about happiness.
Odog’s Axiom #100: You’ll tend to be happier if you are working in the most important group, in a role that is tip of spear for the company.
Doesn’t matter as much the industry. If you are in the leading group in an investment bank or at a janitorial company (overall compensation might differ, but I’m talking about your perception of worth for yourself and contributions). Also, as a manager or company leader, think about how you can make more of your employees feel they are in a tip of the spear role or group.
Later in your career, you have more latitude to pick your companies, industries; and you should look for this.
My favorite is when people just put "Summer Analyst" at a BB without any description as to what division they are doing said analysis for
I don't believe a thing I read on LinkedIn these days.
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