Target School Kids Stop Complaining

Recently finished up recruiting and wanted to share some thoughts about my process from the perspective of someone who landed the top EB/BB from a target school.

First off, y’all are taking recruiting too seriously, it’s not that deep. For networking, all you have to do is be chill, I wasn’t in any finance clubs and my major has nothing to do with finance/economics either. I started networking in late January after my dad recommended I try recruiting for banking. This honestly goes for interviews too, just be super chill and likeable; I think I did alright on the interviews and they were purely behavioral for all my superdays. Try to find things in common with the MDs/VPs and come off as a humble, hard worker. I personally enjoyed talking about my time golfing at Pebble Beach and skiing at Vail. For the technical sections before the superdays I just had my buddy from my fraternity going to a top bank just do all the technicals for me.

I also avoided getting too caught up in the rat race of finance news and trends. Instead of poring over market analysis every day, I focused on being a well-rounded candidate with interesting hobbies and a positive attitude. Sure, I glanced at The WSJ now and then, but I never let it consume my life. When it came to preparing for the super day, I relied on some quick study sessions and a few tips from friends who had already been through the grind. 

In the end, the key was to maintain a chill demeanor and not get overwhelmed by the minutiae of financial theories or market dynamics. Always remember: it’s not always the smartest who get ahead, but often the coolest under pressure. So, keep it chill, lean on your connections, and you’ll find that landing a top role isn’t as tough as it seems. Work hard, play harder, and the rest will follow. See the rest of y’all that make it on the Street.