Lost a New York PE internship due to visa timeline, how else do I break into IB? (unconventional background)
I am new here and come from an unconventional background; I know I do not follow the typical path or timeline as most of you here. So, I would be grateful if anyone had any advice for someone in my position.
My brief background:
- Currently Master of Finance at a Canadian target (grad. Oct 2023)
- Prior B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from a non-target US public school (but top of class, GPA 3.978 out of 4, multiple awards).
- raised in a tiny country during a civil war, no career guidance, no exposure to business/finance. Only discovered it during my undergrad in the US, started investing and wanted to work in finance. Graduated in May 2020 (COVID) so that was big push.
- have some modelling experience at university's investment firm (leadership role) and some case comps. That is how I got very interested into IB.
Current situation:
So I was supposed to do a PE internship in New York for the summer at a LMM - MM shop but they chose the second-best candidate after I mentioned my visa will take a few weeks.
Now, I have no other idea on how to break into IB. When I reach out to Canadian bankers, mostly no response or if I do get responses I get forwarded to HR - who want the conventional BCom student with a prior internship. Apparently, I can't do an internship cause I won't be returning to school.
I have had some good conversations with some US bankers (including president of an EB), but because of sponsorship required for the H1B visa, they tell me to get some prior transaction experience possibly in Canada - which seems bleak as mentioned before.
Any advice from you experienced folks will be appreciated.
bumping for someone with an International background to provide insight. Hoping for the best!
Thank you for taking the time and thank you for your best wishes!
Wait, can you not work on TN???
TN is available only for Canadians and Mexicans.
It's going to be hard man otherwise. I am assuming OPT is not available to you.
Honesty unless you go for another masters to the US, which I am guessing you'd not want to, I'd focus on getting something in IB in Canada. You'll have to bang the table harder in CAN, given limited opps vs. the US, but I think you'll get it done. However make sure your story is completely tight in every way and you are solid on both behaviorals and technicals. Look up this guy, I've heard he is v solid and maybe his coaching will come in useful for you
https://www.ibsherpa.com/
Try the pension funds for an investment seat, those are honestly amazing seats. Little less comp than Big 5 IB in Canada, but exits are similar if not better.
Is your Canadian university a top 50 school? You automatically have a visa into the UK if so. You can a post-grad internship and work in that way too. Anything is possible.
Hi, thank you for your insights and for taking the time.
1. I approached a few people in PE and Infra for some pension funds. One was all French required (in Montreal). Another one apparently sponsors/supports investment clubs at some universities, and I found historically their internship/FT are always secured by those club members. I tried networking and applying but did not even get an interview. And another one just said we are not looking for any interns or analysts at this time. Perhaps I will try finding people in remaning pension funds, thanks. Hopefully can lateral to IB later.
2. Yeah, my uni qualifies for the UK visa. I do not have much idea about the UK market and how to go about finding an internship (also don't know anyone there). Do you have some advice specific to this? Thank you!
I had met an MD from MSIM (UK) and had a good debate on a stock that they had bought at the exact same time we had sold at our university fund and he was pretty impressed. Perhaps I will try reaching out to him.
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