Breaking into IB after Recruiting for 4.5 years

ahubartt

I finally got an offer from a leading MM bank after recruiting for 4.5 years. I started my MBA at a top 20 school, which was a good school but didn't have a lot of IB alumni connections. In retrospect, I should have gone to a better MBA school or gained more work experience prior to the MBA. However, coming from an engineering background with few finance connections, I didn't know how the process worked. I had several internship and full-time superdays in the MBA, however never landed an offer. After the MBA, I took a job in real estate underwriting and asset management but kept poking around for IB positions. I finally got an offer for an associate role three years after graduating from the MBA. Obviously, the M&A market is hot now, and I made a few key connections over the years which helped a lot. That being said, don't be discouraged if you encounter 10+ failed superdays or don't come from a core school. If you really want to do IB, keep grinding away. Keep making connections. Keep performing well in your current role. Don't take no as a permanent answer. I feel like this is a key for long-term success for a career in IB. 

Great to hear! Congratulations on the accomplishment and props for the perseverance.