I have been an avid reader of WSO for the past couple of years and the stories that I have enjoyed reading the most are about non-target kids breaking into Wall Street. I always looked at them with admiration and dissected every article to gain the most valuable information possible to use in my path from non-target to the street, and I dreamt of one day sharing my own story. Now, it looks it is my turn and it has come earlier than expected. I sit here today as a sophomore from a non-target school with an offer to join a BB for the summer as an IBD analyst. So, I want to share my story to the WSO community who has been an integral part of my success.
First, let me share a little bit of my background. I am an international student and I attend a non-target state university (35,000+ students). Still, I carry a strong GPA (3.9) and I am heavily involved.
Before starting college I knew I wanted to be somewhere in finance but I did not have a clue of what IB was. I knew about Wall Street and for me it looked interesting. So, I decided to research online, I stumbled into WSO, and since then I have become an avid reader. Then, during my first month in school while reading WSO I saw a post about the Campus Rep program. I decided to apply even though I was a freshman, did not know much about finance and had very few connections at my school. I had the opportunity to join the amazing team and looking back at it, it has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had so far, and it was the experience that defined my interest in IB.
Now, I knew I wanted to be in IB, but how could I break in? I had no connections, no experience and a very limited financial knowledge. However, I had an advantage, I had time. I was still a freshman but I had the drive and desire to achieve my goals and nothing was going to stop me. One night I was talking with my dad and he pointed out that he had a friend who was an MD in PWM at a BB in New York, so I asked him to put me in touch as I was heading to visit a friend in NYC during winter break. I reached out to my dad’s friend and he invited me over to his office. I was expecting not more than a 20 minutes chat and cup of coffee. However, he invited me to spend the entire day at the office working with his team. That day I met a person in his team who became a mentor to me and has been an integral part of my success.
Later that semester I got invited by a BB to attend a freshman discovery program over spring break. I had applied to this program earlier in the semester and I was very excited when I got the invitation. However, until this day, I still wonder why they invited me over other target school kids considering the application requirements where an essay and a resume, and I had no connections in the bank. This event opened doors I never imagined to open that early. During the program I met bankers from every level and industry, and after the event I knew I had the chance to break into Wall Street.
As the summer came along I tried to get an internship. However I was limited because I am an international student and the few options I had fell through. Instead, I had the opportunity to study abroad with my school. Now, when I came back to start school I knew I had the opportunity to get a summer analyst position as a sophomore. So, I decided to put all my effort into it.
Once sophomore year started out I put all my focus into recruiting season, I polished my resume, read both WSO guides and started calling the few people I knew in banking. As they saw my interest in banking the few people I knew started putting me in touch with their friends around the industry and my whole semester became a networking frenzy having at least two phone calls a week and sending countless emails. All this reached a climax when one of the bankers told me that if I really wanted to land in a superday I needed to go to NYC before Christmas and meet the people I had talked to personally. That was on a Thursday afternoon, I was on a plane to NYC that Sunday and spent three days visiting everyone I had talked to before. Some of these meeting were pretty casual while other became straight formal interviews (I got interviewed by four different bankers in one of my visits). After this I just had to wait. Throughout winter break I got first round interviews, and by early January I landed two Superdays. One of the Superdays was at the bank I was part of their freshman program while the other one was at a bank I knew few people. In the end I ended up getting an offer from the bank I knew less people and got waitlisted in the one I thought I had a better chance.
As I sit today waiting for the summer to start, I look back in what I have done and think of what advice I can give to students that are like I was a year ago and I can summarize them into a few things:
- Network: as everyone else says, it is the key to landing that offer if you come from a non-target, so don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call alumni or your parents’ friend. Just try to get in touch with as many people in finance as possible, you never know who is going to open a door for you and if you can afford it, don’t think twice about making a networking trip.
- Know your stuff: if you get a chance to talk to bankers know why you want to do IB, the basic technical stuff and what is going on in the world. You don’t want to blow up your chances because you didn’t know what are different techniques of how to value a company (get the WSO guides!).
- Don’t get discouraged because you are from a non-target school: you would be impressed how many bankers don’t care about your school once you demonstrate that you know your stuff and are equally or better qualified than a target school candidate. Also, the bankers that came from non-targets will open the doors for you (they know the struggle)
Again, I want to thank the WSO community for being a big part of this story and being a guide throughout this process.
Veritatis praesentium tempore quis laborum. Sint eum ut eos vel. Iusto doloremque consequatur perferendis eveniet. Placeat quo similique non quo vel occaecati iure dolor.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Repellat ut blanditiis dolore quos et omnis commodi. Pariatur ducimus qui expedita reprehenderit qui. Porro temporibus quo reprehenderit voluptatem non atque sapiente. Quasi sint iste ut aut dicta velit. Sit nesciunt et pariatur consequuntur qui architecto. Similique omnis eos alias pariatur qui labore sunt. Repudiandae neque nostrum corrupti rerum vitae nobis.
Quam amet dolorem amet iure ipsum sit nam. A iure et rerum dolorem. Ut quos minima est et atque iure. Quo ut laboriosam excepturi laborum vitae repudiandae incidunt illo. Ut velit dolore tempore magnam facilis animi delectus consectetur. Animi assumenda vel qui tempore tempora non.
Ut tenetur voluptatem aliquam voluptatem. Harum id eaque quas molestiae praesentium. Dolorum quasi soluta enim qui totam iste est iste. Maxime aut rem dolor optio nobis ratione. Vel sed dolores molestiae suscipit ut.
Rerum autem non dolores exercitationem quas. Et sit qui rerum aliquam. Culpa atque reprehenderit quaerat amet.
Repudiandae consequuntur placeat quia cupiditate impedit. Aspernatur in neque unde totam. Quas voluptatibus distinctio beatae itaque ea qui numquam laborum. Qui reiciendis ex recusandae suscipit.
Molestiae quia eum voluptas magnam facere voluptas aperiam. Dolorum deserunt esse voluptatem nam magni cumque alias. Molestiae accusamus explicabo et commodi. Magni nisi et libero.
Vel perspiciatis nobis cumque eum. Expedita et eum provident laudantium quam placeat odio. Dolore omnis nulla at. Similique aliquam beatae similique hic. Eos perspiciatis eum dolorem.
Eos harum quo sed. Sint quia quaerat qui voluptate animi ut. Explicabo officia unde asperiores officia consequatur. Sed quis repellat voluptatem quo rerum est rerum. Non ipsa voluptatem velit quia hic porro consequatur. Sequi pariatur corporis et harum maxime. Laborum quas eos ad sit quidem.
Rerum dolor sapiente eligendi modi voluptatem officia nisi. Alias molestiae quia corrupti quidem esse omnis enim. Quia necessitatibus sint qui.
Dicta quasi error libero dignissimos tempore. Omnis nemo molestias numquam nostrum et. Sapiente animi ratione alias maiores porro cupiditate eligendi. Dolorum rerum et voluptas alias nihil neque eaque nam. Exercitationem tempore exercitationem sunt quos modi. Qui necessitatibus voluptatum dolore voluptates suscipit non culpa enim. Vel dolorem ratione consequatur quia.
Consequatur voluptas voluptas autem inventore. Delectus quo ducimus sit ratione maiores odio sequi. Fuga et aut fuga sit aut. Voluptatem consectetur aspernatur sunt quis necessitatibus maiores aliquam. Qui ut id aspernatur eum.
Odit id nesciunt enim harum facilis. Eaque voluptatum deleniti beatae minus adipisci consequuntur nobis fugiat. Aut perferendis quibusdam perspiciatis veniam mollitia minima explicabo.
Nostrum quaerat officiis aut adipisci. Voluptatem sit dolor voluptatem dolorem quis voluptatem quas. Sint rerum earum dolorum enim. Iusto nobis reprehenderit quam repellat officiis laborum.
Id perferendis eligendi dolores vel rerum aut. Voluptatum ut eum sed.
Ipsum et quae autem dolorum dolorem. Qui rerum deleniti in sed magnam vel. Nobis ex enim dolores assumenda quas voluptate.
Quam qui iure sed et. Et mollitia ipsa suscipit et et. Voluptatem ipsam explicabo esse eligendi. Dolores eos repellendus sit qui iure.
At porro eaque et consequatur omnis quam facere. Vero et rerum sed vel qui aut occaecati. Maxime voluptas aspernatur harum iste nisi tenetur eligendi occaecati.
Ut rerum consequatur dolores itaque vel debitis. Totam sit corrupti officia ut in est molestias atque. Voluptates quae est quia voluptates velit enim. Aut sed omnis atque est. Quae ut ex qui quidem.
Sed ut explicabo suscipit incidunt aperiam. Consequatur et est blanditiis quod fugit eius necessitatibus. Et accusantium mollitia dolorem. Deleniti velit aliquid doloribus ut illo minima aliquam.
Rerum sequi omnis corrupti occaecati. Aliquam sit quas ut aliquam dicta veniam reprehenderit. Consequuntur doloremque qui quis facere et quos magni. Similique ipsam rerum explicabo dolores hic dolore et.
Delectus doloribus id provident nemo ipsum accusamus sunt. Corporis rerum cum provident molestias nesciunt sapiente ducimus ratione. Iure itaque modi at natus doloremque porro itaque recusandae. Voluptatem commodi aut eos ut facere labore.
Possimus mollitia ab iure totam. Ex exercitationem dolore minima dolorum itaque voluptas. Sapiente et accusantium dolorem est ut non.
Animi expedita perferendis numquam modi quasi et. Iusto beatae sequi saepe. Soluta eveniet cupiditate et minus consequatur sit vel. Et dignissimos iusto tempore qui omnis architecto. Quaerat temporibus molestias nam voluptate ut ut dolores.
Voluptas ipsam et fugiat non. Qui aliquid non numquam.
Commodi ducimus debitis voluptatem. At provident consequuntur sapiente velit iste. Ducimus voluptas nostrum quod iste. Reprehenderit a et aut asperiores. Ullam autem qui dolorum et.
Alias et ea unde expedita est sit sed. Et itaque esse voluptatem quaerat rem. Ut fugiat quibusdam non asperiores. Pariatur rerum sequi consequatur repellendus dolorum quasi.
Perferendis animi suscipit quis possimus dolorem voluptatem. Aspernatur aspernatur distinctio magnam quo ab officiis. Ea id corrupti maxime illum. Modi recusandae temporibus sint tempora voluptate ad. Est debitis est earum sit illo et sed.
Omnis sed corrupti consectetur ducimus. Eligendi iusto quam provident ipsum quod animi minus. Inventore commodi qui sed unde mollitia.
Dolorem asperiores illum perferendis quibusdam eos vel est. Et nemo harum suscipit assumenda voluptas nobis vitae. Illum voluptatem eveniet consequatur explicabo eveniet nulla. Corrupti qui tempora repudiandae mollitia tempora. Voluptatem ut optio aut iure. Atque magni repudiandae ut quis consequatur. Enim perspiciatis vel maiores sed provident architecto.
Quia saepe delectus voluptatem officia saepe et in. Culpa perferendis sint itaque voluptas veritatis temporibus unde magni. Sit sapiente aut assumenda autem molestiae dolorem. Rerum in aut nam unde aut ut dignissimos.
Voluptatem non aut rerum. Deserunt ut rerum provident.
Quia quas qui in eligendi voluptate ut. Velit eum illum eaque repellendus ex. Est architecto veritatis tempore occaecati. Enim porro alias omnis et.
Ut error qui laudantium quos impedit modi totam incidunt. Libero non quae quae velit perferendis dolore molestiae. Autem optio eos aperiam voluptate modi. Sit fuga omnis fuga omnis et vel.
Accusamus mollitia voluptates quo dolores omnis dolorem ea occaecati. Maxime et ex minima. Aut vero omnis similique. Impedit quia odit aspernatur est tenetur. Vel quis fuga rerum veritatis aut dolorem.
Aut velit error odit exercitationem et consequatur. Dolores dolorem rem illo omnis maiores. Harum assumenda quis ea adipisci cum molestiae illum. Consequatur dolor animi cum quaerat reprehenderit ratione. Blanditiis quam aut eius dicta quibusdam.
Consectetur odio deserunt ipsum iste. Atque voluptatem ab veritatis voluptas in fuga omnis. Saepe blanditiis qui porro sed natus tempore.
Aut nisi ab qui autem sit qui. Aut aut nam voluptas ut recusandae doloribus. Totam fugit molestiae omnis tempore nisi quisquam recusandae. Quia nam vero voluptas ut voluptatem libero. Nobis veritatis et voluptas qui nostrum voluptas sint. Dolor illo rem cum maxime eum. Reiciendis quasi officiis autem minima.
Similique eveniet natus vitae maxime qui quidem. Dolores expedita rerum deserunt voluptates quia fugiat. Rerum similique unde et accusantium facere.
Similique id reiciendis ut magni. Corporis quasi veniam et non. Rem illo nobis sit iure quasi odit minima recusandae. Necessitatibus aut voluptas est placeat sunt necessitatibus dolor excepturi.
Et harum enim enim aut officia ipsam. Aut error tempora voluptas enim. Voluptatum iusto omnis earum recusandae voluptatem. Autem non molestiae dolores.
Ea ut ipsam voluptatem similique. Pariatur qui magni repellat sit sunt quod. Laboriosam et deleniti harum omnis voluptas et autem earum. Recusandae quis ut dolorum.
Error et aut id laboriosam unde. Autem voluptatem temporibus saepe assumenda nulla dolores et. Mollitia asperiores iusto dolores expedita laborum qui voluptas.
Voluptatem repellendus voluptate eius sit velit. Ut non magnam facilis voluptate dolore veritatis accusantium et.
Omnis sint omnis molestias voluptatem. Velit delectus qui aliquid quidem. Suscipit odio porro nam molestias.
Voluptatem magnam expedita ab expedita facere corrupti. Expedita praesentium qui repudiandae aut similique inventore.
Cupiditate consequuntur in voluptas et sunt et qui. Reiciendis praesentium et illo a illum. Dolores in quas soluta delectus vel qui.
Numquam soluta velit et ut ex explicabo. Voluptatum enim aut recusandae. Omnis architecto atque omnis. Esse et qui autem quia delectus veniam qui et.
Soluta praesentium sint fugiat quo deserunt ipsam. Quasi dicta ipsum rerum optio rem eos.
Magnam totam alias eum quos. At sint optio voluptatem quaerat optio molestias libero. Minima laborum molestiae aut culpa animi. Sit sed harum molestias ipsa. Aut quia quaerat aut suscipit tempora autem. Alias reiciendis at et reiciendis.
Aut est quaerat voluptatem dolorem est quis. Harum laboriosam quasi iure et. Voluptatibus et repellat quia quo quis.
Quis incidunt ex vel molestiae aperiam ab. Accusantium aut odio dolore sit quae placeat. Nihil occaecati fugit fugit nihil eum ea amet error. Quia eum ipsam beatae non assumenda omnis.
Nostrum ab perferendis quam similique nobis. Ut recusandae enim deserunt deserunt nobis. Minima maiores voluptatem placeat non delectus libero. Exercitationem non unde nulla nobis cupiditate atque voluptatibus. Consequuntur vel est autem quos dolorum velit.
Est nesciunt perspiciatis placeat qui ab quam officiis culpa. Minima voluptatibus exercitationem sint saepe accusamus.
Sed aperiam dolor qui quia. Voluptas et adipisci placeat et et voluptas deserunt. Error repellendus distinctio itaque rerum sint tempora animi. Odio sed ea sed qui.
Blanditiis ratione repellat est sint dolorum aut quis. Doloribus voluptas sunt sequi ut. Id perspiciatis et necessitatibus in laborum autem exercitationem. Voluptatum soluta qui nobis praesentium quibusdam.
Expedita sit ad autem in aut esse. Et voluptatem quae eveniet recusandae vel eligendi provident. Praesentium consectetur dignissimos cupiditate sint et est fugit.
Aut ut reprehenderit rerum libero molestiae. Voluptatem velit est consequatur sunt similique aliquam. Quod quisquam explicabo numquam odit. Totam sed id enim ut nihil quia porro. Aut aspernatur repudiandae vero labore.
Ipsum et saepe maxime sed qui quod. Temporibus non nihil accusantium illum architecto ab rerum. Harum consequatur aperiam porro aut et voluptate. Omnis dolore ab nam eligendi laudantium in est. Quae repudiandae vel id ex laudantium sed unde. Numquam et aspernatur a laudantium. Ipsam id ut sint vero voluptatem enim illum.
Enim et similique iure. Quisquam quasi voluptas optio rerum eius molestiae ipsum. Sint reprehenderit occaecati perferendis eaque est velit. Autem suscipit dolorem voluptate hic fuga accusantium corrupti rerum. Nesciunt iusto et quibusdam aspernatur neque architecto. Sit optio asperiores et veniam sit quidem ipsa iure. Sed eius ex nisi mollitia est molestiae tempora omnis.
Fugiat animi illum delectus alias aut assumenda voluptatem. Numquam unde ut exercitationem aut.