Do real estate firms/brokerages like IB/banking experience?

I am a junior with a decent 2020 summer analyst position at a well-known IB. Not in the IBD division, but I am rotating through front-office desks. Recently, I have gotten very interested in commercial real estate finance, and I am currently doing a part-time internship at a boutique real estate developer.

So, if I do not get a FT return offer, I really want to start my career in real estate, either at a development firm, REIT, or a top brokerage (CBRE, JLL, etc).

How would real estate firms view my experience? Is there anything else I can do to stand out for an entry-level real estate position?

Also, I plan to do at least 1 rotation next summer in a RE-related desk (maybe CMBS).

5 Comments
 

Your experience sounds like it will be great, especially if you are interested in the debt side and rotate on the CMBS desk. You'll be fine. Keep reading, keep networking, and realize you're in a good spot.

“The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.” - Nassim Taleb
 

There's plenty of people successful in CRE who did not have internships and managed to break in. Having a finance internship can't harm you.

“The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.” - Nassim Taleb
 
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