desperate, depressed, frustrated - need a plan of action

3.1 GPA
some "meh" experience but no big name company.
go to a target school.
about to graduate in a few months.
got a few 1st round interviews (3) from fall OCR, no 2nd rounds.
career center told me there will be spring time OCR but positions so far have only been for junior summers.
the regular job posting board specific to my school is shit and offers complete shit so far.
I KNOW i am not getting a stellar position. I just need to start somewhere that has a chance to lead to a respectable salary within a year or two, adapted to my value on the job market (50-60k/year?)
I need a plan of action and am looking to you guys for advice.
my advisor told me i have two options.
1 - get a spring internship to turn into an offer either at the same company or by referral to another company.
&
2 - networking. asking alumni for career advice or information on their company / field...then somehow transition that to asking for an interview. with my GPA, though, i dont see how this could possibly work for me?
anyways guys and gals, im all ears.

 

Loser make your own plan. If you can't do that don't bother networking.

Achiever in college from freshman year: Rainmaker. Hustler in college from junior year: More than you initially hoped for. Dreamer in college from senior year: Top closer for 4 man boutique in Idaho in toilet lid M&A Everyone else: Dunkin Donuts.
 

Don't listen to fartstorm, but look, change your fucking screen name, you need to stay hungry and not give in to the discouragement. You're in a very tough market. If you don't get your top choice now, there's some great stuff on here if you use the search function, a lot of guys have found a way without having a typical path. Good luck, now snap out of it..

 
Scott Irish:
Don't listen to fartstorm, but look, change your fucking screen name, you need to stay hungry and not give in to the discouragement. You're in a very tough market. If you don't get your top choice now, there's some great stuff on here if you use the search function, a lot of guys have found a way without having a typical path. Good luck, now snap out of it..

well i was hoping to get some concrete actions - things i can do daily to help my chances... but i now my gpa is fucked to hell tho lol

"Give her the D" - Rene Descartes
 

Take a week off from this shit and stop using your career as the sole measuring stick of your happiness. You're probably comparing yourself to your target friends who have FO offers and making yourself miserable. Only like 25% of Americans have bachelor's degrees and most of that 25% did not go to targets, so try and put that into perspective. You're already way ahead of the average person.

 
Best Response

Network your ass off and cold email with a lot of smaller banks that are still hiring full time. Even if they aren't just ask away (discretely and politely of course). I am honestly pretty pissed off that you've had a few 1st rounds and that you think you're OCR sucks with the grades, experience, and attitude that you seem to exude.

My school's career board has finance positions at Aflac selling insurance or if you're lucky doing Operations at Morgan Stanley which half of the brain dead kids at my school don't even realize has nothing to do with the MS IBD.

Anyways, my point is is that I'm a non-target (or whatever is actually below that besides CC) and have been cold emailing for the past two years. Earned my last summer's internship that way and looks promising so far for full time; only time will tell, don't want to jinx myself. Also hit up Linkedin for alumni at smaller banks that may be hiring off the radar or help you out. I've found out a few guys from my school that are working at MM's in S&T and had to go back to class of 1984, so I don't think anyone in the world can complain about not being able to find any connections (esp being from a target).

Regardless of my apparently slanderous degradation of your character, good luck.

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme."
 
streetwannabe:
Network your ass off and cold email with a lot of smaller banks that are still hiring full time. Even if they aren't just ask away (discretely and politely of course). I am honestly pretty pissed off that you've had a few 1st rounds and that you think you're OCR sucks with the grades, experience, and attitude that you seem to exude.

My school's career board has finance positions at Aflac selling insurance or if you're lucky doing Operations at Morgan Stanley which half of the brain dead kids at my school don't even realize has nothing to do with the MS IBD.

Anyways, my point is is that I'm a non-target (or whatever is actually below that besides CC) and have been cold emailing for the past two years. Earned my last summer's internship that way and looks promising so far for full time; only time will tell, don't want to jinx myself. Also hit up Linkedin for alumni at smaller banks that may be hiring off the radar or help you out. I've found out a few guys from my school that are working at MM's in S&T and had to go back to class of 1984, so I don't think anyone in the world can complain about not being able to find any connections (esp being from a target).

Regardless of my apparently slanderous degradation of your character, good luck.

thank you. so essentially - cold call/email/linkedin alumni for absolutely any related position...even BO or no BO? im sure this question has been asked and answered to death but is there a method to doing this? Obviously you dont just email him "i want a job" instead youd prob write something like "i am interested to hear about your field and how one would go about successfully transitioning into something similar" this is actually something i could work with and set aside to do a bit each day, i.e. 5 calls or emails or linkedin messages to alumni each day. thank you patrik bateman....thank you

"Give her the D" - Rene Descartes
 

Laudantium facere sit ullam quos. Consequatur id nemo odit velit ullam recusandae delectus aperiam. Et labore minus enim eos unde voluptatem voluptatem. Et quasi harum corporis.

Temporibus corporis error temporibus aliquam. Debitis nisi autem saepe. Debitis temporibus voluptatem doloremque.

Voluptatibus iste perferendis nulla officiis libero. Odit assumenda est incidunt eius. Velit sit facere blanditiis dolorum ducimus animi. Ab eos qui ad repellat placeat ut repellat. Unde omnis iure officiis provident.

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme."

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (87) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”