Banking Aspirations

After casually browsing through this oasis for the better part of a month and learning a great deal about banking and finance industries in general, I am posting for the first time.

At the risk of receiving backlash for YET another 'What are my chances post?", I will diversify and aslo ask you IBO veterans advice on the steps I should take on my path to the jungle...

So about yours truly:

-Entering Junior Year at target CDN UGrad B-School (Think Ivey/Queens/Schulich)
Dean's Honor Roll Student GPA: 3.5/3.6

-Internship in Business Development at an American Recruiting Consulting Firm (Freshman summer)
-Current International Internship in the Credit Analysis Department at a MNC in Asia (Think Singapore/HK/Mumbai/Dubai)
-Current Part-time work experience at a Boutique Securities/Brokerage Firm
-Part-time jobs throughout university thus far (coffee house, data entry, and technology services)- 20 hrs/week
EC's include:
-Humanitarian Trip to Africa to build village infrastructure
-PR/Community Involvement position at my fraternity
-Royal Air Cadets
-Community/Regional Baseball Team (playing since grade 8)
-Events Manager for local bands
To name a few, along with a lot of other volunteer/social endeavors.

I want to know how these undertakings would be viewed and how I can package them to get a 'toe' into Ibanking (US or Canada). As well as what more I could do in the next two years at Uni to make my case.I've taken a lot of your posts to heart and have been plugging through the Vaults, wetfeets, Monkey biz, etc etc). I was not really inclined to view Ibanking as a career until mid-way through my sophmore year (after I signed the contract for my inernship), where after researching the Investment banking industry, I realized that I really want to enter it (Hence, being able to land a part time gig at a boutique).

A lot of you guys have been really helpful in advising prospective monkeys, I would really appreciate it if you could repeat the favour.

You guys are awesome...thanks!

 
Best Response

Your GPA suggests you don't go to Schulich, which means that if you are at Queens or Ivey. You're probably better off.

Go after an internship with one of the Big 5 (or a CDN boutique) this summer. That's really your best shot. You don't need to get the IBD internship, just as long as you get into TD Securities, BMO CapMkts, CIBC WM, RBC CapMkts, ScotiaCap, National or a reputable boutique in some capacity. Your current experience doesn't really pull a whole lot of weight. If you can get into one of the aforementioned, you should be alright. With said experience, you'll have a better shot at IBD when i comes time to apply for full-time.

 

I agree, you've certainly done a good deal of work to give yourself the best start possible.

My only recommendation would be to try an obtain as much cross-boarder experience as possible.

If your school has a U.S. Sister where you could study for a semester/year and or become licensed in the United States with at least your Series 7.

There is tremendous opportunity in CA, but things move faster in the U.S., with more options. Come to New York.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

Gatebreaker: Sorry for my ignorance, but what is the Series 7?

Re: Cross-border, my internship in my freshman summer was done in the US, although it is not related to IB really. Would that even matter?

My goal is obviously to be at a BB in New York, right out of U-Grad, however the visa thing would be an issue because I am only a Canadian citizen. And ofcourse, I'd be up against the countless W/H/Y/P/S. Would the correct course of action be Canadian BB for a few years and then ---> US BB?

Also, what other EC's would you recommend me getting into to bolster my application?

I get sort of anxious seeing as how a lot of students are set on IB during their HS life. I didn't really know that this is what I wanted till about 6 months ago, and wonder sometimes if it's kind of late. As it seems that if I cannot land an internship next summer then I'm probably out of luck.

Any comments on my thoughts or rationalizations?

Thanks again for the help!

"Show me a person without an ego, and I'll show you a loser!" -Trump
 

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"Show me a person without an ego, and I'll show you a loser!" -Trump

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