Internships at 2 Big 4's but cant get an offer from B School or a full time IBD role- what am I doing wrong?
Please can somebody help me understand and guide me as to what I am doing wrong and what I could do to improve my chances of getting an MSC offer or land a full time role? I am really disappointed I have received a rejection from LSE for MSc Finance. I have just turned 30, and it's been 6 years since I graduated with a 2:1. I did a 4 year Microbiology degree from a non russel group in UK and working in the NHS is not something I want to do at all.
Here is a general timeline:
- Pivoted after graduation, networked and managed land an internship in M&A at a boutique firm in India for 4 months and started working on healthcare projects specifically.
- Managed to land another internship for 3 months at EY M&A healthcare lead advisory in the same country.
- Went back to the UK in May 2020 and managed to find work at a start up Fin Tech for 9 months. The start up couldn’t survive the pandemic and had to be shut down.
- Couldn't find work and had to Pivot to the NHS temporarily in December 2020 and started vaccinating, ended up doing it for 8 months. In the meantime, enhanced my CV with doing a quantitative course (further statistics and econometrics) at the LSE summer school and Oxford Said private markets online, and signed up for FMVA and started preparing for GRE + GMAT.
- Applied to Imperial Masters in Finance and Oxford MFE, got interviews for both but couldn’t land an offer.
- Took some months off to travel and figure out options.
- Started to get unwell during the travel but found another opportunity in Bangalore Infotech in Feb 2023, joined for the short term but during this time, I found I had cancer and other health issues. I eventually ended up going part time and had to stop working at one point.
- It’s taken me 18 months, surgery and multiple investigations, physiotherapy and treatments to start functioning normally again.
I reapplied to LSE MSc Finance in December 2024 with a Gre score of 166 in Quant & Verbal and 1 AWA and have just received a rejection.
Now I’ve finally managed to reach a point I can start working again and I have networked again and landed an off cycle internship at PWC in Bangalore but I’m unsure of how to progress from here and break into IBD.
For all intents and purposes my family and life is in the UK and I want to live here but I just can’t seem to get hired, nor have I been accepted at a masters or an MBA programme. I feel stuck and Im at a loss for what I'm doing wrong. I know a good starting point would be retake the GRE, Im scheduled to take the GMAT next week and so far im scoring in the 700+ range but what else can I do?
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s a breakdown of actionable advice to help you navigate your situation and improve your chances of breaking into IBD or securing a top MSc/MBA program:
1. Reassess Your Story and Positioning
2. Strengthen Your Applications
3. Target the Right Programs
4. Leverage Your PwC Internship
5. Network Strategically
6. Consider Regional Opportunities
7. Explore Alternative Routes
8. Prepare for Interviews
9. Stay Resilient
If you execute these steps with focus and determination, you’ll significantly improve your chances of landing a role in IBD or securing admission to a top program. Good luck!
Sources: Failed to "Break In" at my MBA Program - Next Steps?, International Student - Chance of getting an IBD internship in London?, Profile Evaluation: MSc in Finance at LBS, LSE, Imperial, Said or MIT, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/job-search/ibd-sa-after-graduation?customgpt=1, Would appreciate some advice
Hey,
Firstly, I want to open by saying that you've been handed a really awful hand by fate. I'm really sorry to hear about the battle with cancer (and joining an ill-fated startup), which must have been awful, and thank you for serving the NHS.
Second, I think you deserve some honest feedback and guidance, but that may be tough. Your CV is not that competitive for the goals that you have. A 2:1 from a non-Russell group is a weak academic background for applying to the truly top-tier schools that you are, and will be a non-starter for most IBs. Your experiences at the big 4s are helpful, but a long time ago and in a totally different market. You also have a long gap in your experience (partly explained by the illness which is totally understandable, but if I'm doing my maths right you were travelling for 18 months (I guess 9 months from December 2020 takes us to August 2021, and then 18 months through February 2023).
I'd strongly recommend (depending on what your priorities are) trying to get into a lower tier school for MSc / MBA, and using that to move into a big 4 or corporate role (or applying directly). If visa is an issue (it sounds like it is), prioritise this over IB and apply to roles that will sponsor you. You can aply to IB roles in whichever MSc / MBA you land and you might get lucky, but it will not be easy is my honest and sincere advice.
Thank you for replying, I really appreciate your honesty and guidance.
Just to clarify, I travelled for 3 months, that was from September-November 2022. It is during this time I started becoming unwell but they couldn’t figure out what exactly was wrong till mid 2023 and I kept on becoming progressively unwell.
I had an internship in a boutique firm in Bangalore from August-November 2019 and then at one of the Big 4's from Jan 2020-March 2020 and once again I will be starting at a big 4 from March-June, though I was speaking to HR and they said there would be scope to extend it further depending on my performance.
The visa isn't an issue for me, as I am British Citizen but the trouble is, I cant land a role in the UK, hence why I've been having to look for opportunities wherever I can find them.
The eventual goal is to move into Healthcare PE. I'm really not sure how to make that move anymore or if it is even possible.
I have applied to lower tier unis and im hoping to hear back from them. Alternatively, I have offers for Med School starting in Sept. Working in the NHS is complete no go for me, as the amount of effort you put in and the dress you go through, is just not worth the compensation. I could get the degree and do an MBA and go down consultancy route and see whether progressing onto PE is an option. Or, I was thinking of applying to the Biotech and Biosciences masters at Imperial (I got an offer a few years ago and I'm hopeful I can get in again), once I have a stronger brand name attached to my CV, then applying to LSE/Oxford the following year for Msc Finance/Finacial Economics, sort of similar to how the Harvard MS/MBA biotech works or at least that’s the narrative I’m thinking of building for the personal statement and interviews.
What do you reckon might be a better strategy? Or, is it time to accept IBD and Healthcare PE is not an option for me and to look at other options.
Being completely honest, I don't think your profile is competitive for M&A roles. If I were you I would've started to look at Audit roles at B4 or Top 10 companies, do the ACA and transition across (which would likely be slightly easier given you have some internships in the area). From there PE might be possible. I don't see another route in otherwise, understand you are slightly older but the long play is the only one I think.
Happy to be corrected by others.
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