From TS to IB/M&A/PE with considerations

Good evening!

I began my career on a challenging note, having faced difficulties during my high school years. This shadowed my early years, but today's circumstances are quite different.

Following a period of struggles, I embarked on a bachelor's in Economics at a middle-tier university. My motivation led to academic success, and eventually, an exchange program at a highly esteemed university (NUS). During this time, fields like IB, M&A, and PE were not on my radar, so I didn't pursue any internships - a decision I now realize was a major mistake. At this university, I pushed myself to excel academically, achieved a competitive GMAT score of 700+, and engaged in extracurriculars to enhance my CV. Some sort of a miracle occurred, and I landed at XXX, considered to be the best business school in EMEA according to a famous newspaper.

My time there was transformative. I was introduced to the dynamic world of deal-making and developed a passion for it. However, given my unique journey and the current economic conditions, breaking into M&A proved challenging. Fortunately, I secured a position in M&A Transaction Services at a Big4. I just started. With both an undergraduate and postgraduate degree and this first professional experience, I find myself at a crossroads.

Being a recent graduate, I'm in a challenging spot: I'm past the stage where internships are typical, yet I may not have the breadth of experience that some graduate programs seek. It is hard to land an internship without some sort of internship agreement from a university. Of course, I'm applying to famous boutiques (such as PJT partners, PWP, Rothschild, and William Blair to name a few), and to famous BB (you guys know them). But not only. I understand really well that a person like me is not going to secure the next Investment Banking Analyst position at Morgan Stanley. I am realistic about my prospects, but still exploring every avenue.

For those who have navigated a similar path, I'd appreciate insights on bridging the gap from TS to M&A/PE without traditional internship experience. Here are some strategies I'm considering:

• There are entities that provide internship agreements, though the legitimacy of some is debatable. I'm unsure how potential employers would view this approach.
• I'm open to opportunities beyond my current location and am exploring various financial hubs (London, Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Hong Kong, Singapore …).
• Networking is on my agenda, though fruitful connections have been sparse thus far.

Thank you for reading me.