Career Advice Help! (which track lead to more opportunities) - Pursuing a degree in IB

I am currently studying at the UCSD pursuing a BS Degree in Economics and a Minor in Business. I am interested in pursuing a career in investment banking and have two options on my upcoming graduation:

The first option is taking up a Boutique Investment Bank internship opportunity in New York this summer and finishing up my degree Fall quarter of the following academic school year and look for a full time position afterwards.

The second option is finishing up my degree this summer and joining the Boutique Investment Bank starting Fall, then look for a full time position in New York as I am working at the Boutique.

I have been told that Fall is the best time for recruitment but unfortunately coming from a non-target school with virtually no recruitment from Investment Banks, my network is limited at San Diego. I was thinking that if I take the Boutique Investment Banking opportunity in New York this next fall I can network there and approach banks saying that though I have a full time position right now and am working on a couple deals, it is only temporary and I am looking for a 1-2 typical analyst contract. Which one do you think is the better option and will more likely lead to a full time position? My deadline to accept of decline the offer is coming up and so advice will help!

 
Best Response

Enough bumping.

Finish your degree in the summer and come to NY to work at the boutique in the fall. FT recruiting starts around September/October on the east coast, meaning that you will likely be competing with seniors looking to secure a job after they graduate. You'll have to work hard to build relationships to land interviews. Assuming you get an offer, they will probably wait till the next year to bring you in with the new analyst class. Until then, keep working at your boutique and learn as much as humanly possible.

The disadvantage of this however, is that you will not be able to list your boutique experience on your resume (with substantial enough experience to talk about it), which may significantly hurt your chances in the fall.

An alternative is to see if you can lateral in a year if you don't get any offers during recruiting season.

 

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