Just venting - if you're not in the mood to get depressed, read something else.
After a grueling 12 months of recruiting for a field that had been freshly decimated and gutted, I have submitted over a 100 applications across several dozen firms and arrived with no leads, no offer and ultimately, no goddamn clue what the fk I'm going to do. I've just been ghosted from my only remaining lead for a boutique consulting shop, and with that, I'm officially giving up trying to break into this godforsaken field. I've networked and held ~50-100 coffee chats, held large-scale events, and attended 7 information sessions from KPMG alone (along with a dozen others), practiced ~40-60 cases, held case workshops preparing friends for cases, spent hours breaking down and building my application package, on Rocketblocks, reading Victor Cheng's LOMS, pretty much everything humanely possible to break in. All that work, all that research, all that effort amounted to a demoralizing state and realization that if I want to break in, I'm going to have to pay a $150k USD entry fee (MBA) just to re-recruit because I made the dumb*** decision to graduate during a pandemic. Fk me, right?
If I could begin university from scratch, I don't know if I would change my focus and take more data or tech courses, or just shoot myself to save me the effort of doing it 4 years later. It's honestly lost on me of whether it'd make a difference. I feel like I followed the blueprint to the letter, and did everything to best of my ability just to end up at the realization that I will never be able to work in this field. Even if I do, I'm from a country who's annual salary for most accounting and finance positions don't do much against the ever-increasing cost of living. All this to say, I've arrived at the end of the road. Recruiting has ended and I have nowhere to go.
Comments (7)
Reading this was probably the most relatable thing I've seen in a while. I spent summers and semesters grinding free/grueling internships when my peers at uni were abroad/vacationing. I networked with over 100 people (sent 1000+emails), got into first rounds, super days, rejections, etc. One place literally met 15 people from one team, led to nothing. One summer I spent 12 hours working, ~2.5 hours on subway, and ~2 hours studying technicals/prepping for the whole summer and still didn't get the IB job I wanted. (Didn't get any IB job actually). I was fortunate enough to clinch a paid position for full time but I know exactly what you're going through right now. What I've realized that has been helping me is that graduation is not the end whatsoever. Yeah it'll seem like others have their golden goose lined up but just based on your post your work ethic is indestructible. Keep grinding after graduation, maybe look for a job outside of consulting in the meantime and then work on lateraling in without business school. That's what my plan is, and no one's gonna tell me it can't happen. Rooting for you man.
The skills that you have gotten through the recruiting process will stay with you long after graduation. It's amazing how many 22 year olds cannot handle themselves in a coffee chat or are too anxious to initiate one. You had ~50-100! Same wih holding the large scale events and the dedication it took to get that far.
I am so sorry to hear about this man. Just know that there so many folks who are leading different consulting firms who didn't start their career in consulting out of undergrad (and probably not for a lack of trying). You are obviously a very hard-working person and will succeed in whatever you decide to do down the road, and just don't give up. There's always light at the end of a tunnel and you'll find something soon. If this was for SA, you can try to recruit for FT and if you are graduating this summer then try finding a related role that can help you lateral into consulting. I went through a similar phase where I recruited and recruited for months in the end and couldn't land anything. But keep your chin up and you will end up with something you like.
sorry to hear this. was difficult to read.
Don't give up, keep on working and improving. Best of luck.
I think what you're going through is relatable for the majority of students and recent graduates. You will secure something eventually and it only takes 1 firm to give you that offer to change your entire perspective. That offer might not be 100% what you thought you wanted but it's all about stepping stones. So few people (despite what it might look like on WSO) actually secure their 'dream' job/offer straight out of college or even in their first few years. Don't be so harsh on yourself and just remember that there's more important things in life than your career. Take care of yourself, keep your head up and we're all rooting for you!
happens to a lot of people even without the pandemic.
you can try to transition or re-recruit through MBA later, or you can just get whatever job you can get and focus on your life. a lot of people who work 9-5 and make sub ~$100k are happier than top bankers and PE people who work 24/7.
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