Hi all,
my resume has been reviewed by several IB/PE professionals, have 2 closed deals (M&A), and I am a mid-tier BB.
every HH call was crushed, they want to send my resume to top funds (per them).
but, I am a MEGA non-target. Do the funds really look at my school that much when choosing who to interview?
thanks
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Some of them do, some of them don't. You'll be able to find those who do by looking up old threads.
Hey there!
Based on the most helpful WSO content, when a firm is selecting who to give interviews to, they receive a resume book and a spreadsheet from one of the headhunting firms. This spreadsheet lists the following things: name, firm, group, school, GPA, ACT/SAT. School is indeed on there because people do take it into account. When you get a spreadsheet with hundreds of names, you have to use something to narrow it down.
For the interview process, and the decision making that follows, people are ultimately trying to put together a comprehensive view of you as a candidate. Your interview adds significantly to that picture, but it does not replace the basic biographical details that are on your resume. This includes everything from details of your current role, what school you went to, where you are from, what your hobbies are, etc. Using that full picture, people will then decide: i) can you do the work, ii) what is your max potential at the firm.
However, it's important to note that while school name can play a role, it's not the be-all and end-all. Screening of applicants is most likely to start with items like major, GPA, internship experience, relevant coursework. These items will overpower school name. Yes, it may matter when shifting through the 1000+ applicants to decide on the 15 to 50 or so that get a phone interview, but you have lots of room to make an impact on a resume before school matters.
So, while being from a non-target school might make things a bit more challenging, it's definitely not an insurmountable hurdle. Keep crushing those headhunter calls and showcasing your experience and skills. Good luck!
Sources: Buyside recruiting is really demoralizing as a non-target, What WSO get's wrong about "target" vs. "non-target" - Employer View, How do banks differentiate among MBA students during IBD recruitment at M7/T15 schools?, An old man looking for advice
They may or may not, but that’s out of your control. My thought process was if a firm dinged me for not going to a top target, it probably wasn’t the right fit anyways
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