First year of Bachelor at RSM and need advice
I just finished my first year of the IBA program at RSM with a mediocre 7.33-ish GPA (waiting for one more course to come in which will bump it up a bit) and I feel like I'm not really well prepared for getting any kind of finance job after graduating. Last year I tried to join as an active member in a finance association, but didn't get in. I would like to improve my profile, so I can get an internship for the next summer. Long-term speaking, I would like to work in the financial industry in Europe (AM, ER and CB sound very interesting career choices to me) that could be somewhere other than the Netherlands. This post might not be the most cohesive, I'm just feeling a bit stuck, and worried about my future in the next 2-3 years.
What would you do in my shoes? Would you prioritize getting better grades or getting into finance associations?
Would getting a master's degree be worth it, as I'm not that sure of what job really interests me?
If anyone here studied at RSM, what was your experience finding a job as an international student?
To improve your profile and set yourself up for a successful career in finance, here’s a structured approach based on the most helpful WSO content:
1. Balance Grades and Extracurriculars
2. Gain Practical Experience
3. Networking
4. Explore Career Interests
5. Consider a Master’s Degree
6. RSM-Specific Advice
7. Action Plan for the Next Year
By taking these steps, you’ll be better positioned to secure internships and clarify your long-term career goals. Remember, persistence and proactive effort are key to breaking into the finance industry!
Sources: Career in Finance - Reality or Reach?, Ask CompBanker, Career in Finance - Reality or Reach?, Finance Career Path & List
Try to bump it to 7.5 and with that you can apply to any of the top finance masters at LSE, LBS. Oxford will be a stretch. IBA is a top degree so continue to work hard and every thing will go better in the next two years :)
IBA is a mediocre degree at best lol. Opens 0 doors
You seem jealous and sad...
RSM IBA student who just graduated. Yeah it’s difficult to find internships in the Netherlands if you don’t speak Dutch. Prioritise applying to internships in your home country, building up your CV. Also, really focus on applying to student associations next year, both AMSA and B&R Beurs can give you credible experience to land your first internship. Without them, I don’t know what you could talk about in interviews. GPA wise you should be at least above 8.25, it’s a really easy degree, and you should be able to achieve that while working a relevant internship on the side.
Your question on whether prioritising finance clubs or GPA, answer is both, lots of RSM students are able to do that + an internship on the side, so you fall back behind peers quickly if you don’t
Hey, thanks for the response and sorry for the late reply! I'm curious what kind of internships do most students do on the side? I know that usually you do them in the summer, do they just search for part time internships on the uni job portal?
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