Thank you WSO - Interned this summer at a top BB

Hi all,

Just wanted to give a big thank you to the entire WSO community. I interned this summer at a top BB (GS/MS/JPM) in a group I had little interest in continuing for FT but managed to receive an offer from one of the absolute top groups of the firm. Coming from a semi-target (at best), it has been a long and hard battle convincing the appropriate people that I was someone worthwhile. I worked my ass off during the summer which was thankfully appreciated by my staffer, who then proceeded set me up with interviews with the appropriate teams I wanted to join.

WSO has been an extremely great resource to have during this entire time, since I could get most of my questions answered by people who had been in similar situations. I cannot thank you contributors enough for spending your valuable time helping others with their problems/questions for little other reward than their gratitude.

I will be happy to answer any questions you potentially might have, but seeing as I would like to retain anonymity, please refer any personal questions to my private inbox.

Again, thank you WSO. Couldn't have done this without you.

15 Comments
 

For a senior from a semi target who interned at a BB firm in investment management this summer but received no offer. What would your advice be for her?

 
Best Response
pestilenceFor a senior who interned at a BB firm in investment management this summer but received no offer. What would your advice be for her?

Sadly, I have a feeling that FT recruiting will be extremely competitive across the board. At my firm, (I think) offer rates in both S&T and IBD were around 25-30%, and my impression was that FT recruitment for front office positions would be very limited, due to general economic conditions.

My advice would still be to reapply to as many FT positions as she possibly can. Even though she did not receive an offer, an internship at BB is still something that looks great on any resume. I get the sense that they are still willing to consider you if you are able to highlight the feedback you received during the internship, provide clear and sound argumentation as to what you did well and in what areas and how you have since sought to improve.

 

Awesome. I love these "hard work" stories. Congrats!

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

How did you get your BB SA internship? Was it through alumni?

"Have you ever tried to use a chain with 3 weak links? I have, and now I no longer own an arctic wolf." -Dwight Schrute
 
FlakeAwesome. I love these "hard work" stories. Congrats!
Thank you. I know that many people are/will be in similar situations, and I will be happy to provide any help I can.
HamiltonHow did you get your BB SA internship? Was it through alumni?
I got invited out for drinks early September last year by an alumi, working as a VP at another bank. I brought along my resume, which he commented on and asked me to email him when I applied. Applied within a few days, wrote him an email, and HR called me the following day asking me if I was available to interview within the next couple of days. Went to the interview and performed to the best of my ability and ended up receiving an offer. I then used my schools OCR to get emails/phone numbers for all of the other banks that I was interested in and informed them of my position and was fast tracked for a number of interviews. Ended up getting an offer from every bank I interviewed with and in the end decided to decline the original offer my alumni had gotten me and accept at GS/MS/JPM.
 
meezyJust curious - did you use any significant interview prep? Congrats, btw. Well done.
I used the "Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking" and the "Vault Guide to Finance Interviews". Other than that, I made sure to keep completely on top of recent transactions and economic developments through the Economist, FT and WSJ.

One thing that I would also like to mention to anyone receiving several offers, is to make sure that you get some sort of written confirmation if you are to receive a guaranteed spot in a specific team. I was foolish enough to believe that it being mentioned verbally would be sufficient which was entirely wrong, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been able to lateral to one of my preferred teams for FT.

 

congrats Domino. i never wrote up a thank you on WSO, but i had a similar story. offer in NYC? if so, i'll be looking for a roomie for June 2012.

 

"I then used my schools OCR to get emails/phone numbers for all of the other banks that I was interested in and informed them of my position and was fast tracked for a number of interviews. "

Woah. How did you word those phone calls or emails? Do you think that's still possible in this economy? And the alumni you originally networked with... was he at a BB as well?

 
wackovia"I then used my schools OCR to get emails/phone numbers for all of the other banks that I was interested in and informed them of my position and was fast tracked for a number of interviews. "

Woah. How did you word those phone calls or emails? Do you think that's still possible in this economy? And the alumni you originally networked with... was he at a BB as well?

Basically, I just called or emailed them saying that I had planned on applying to their bank but that my recruiting had been accelerated at another bank and how to proceed. Most of them asked me to send my CV directly to the HR contact responsible and most called me within 24 hours asking me to come interview. Not sure if this is still a possibility given the current environment, but when you are going through an accelerated process at one bank, it seemed like most others firms were willing to look at your application more quickly, since you had already beeen "pre-approved" so to say. And yes, alumni was at a BB.

 

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