Feeling hopeless & trapped: Is a career possible after a rocky college experience?
Hi everyone-- I've scoured WSO and the internet for info but have not been able to find a clear answer, possibly due to the uniqueness of my situation. I am a graduate of a top target school, currently just started working in IB at a top bank (GS/JPM/MS). However, the group I am in is not a coverage group, so it is not one of the ones with "great PE opportunities" and you don't learn any modelling. It is in IBD but is basically a niche group that supports the coverage teams.
I did full time recruiting for this niche role with a 3.8 gpa in two technical majors. However, during my senior fall after I got my offer, my GPA fell from a 3.8 to 3.6 due to severe health issues, in that I began to experience severe hallucinations/paranoia and was not able to leave my room for days at a time. This is something I have previously and that I continue with struggle with mildly. Luckily, my senior spring I had things more under control and was on track to make mostly As. However, since Covid happened and everything became pass/fail, my GPA was locked in at 3.6, after having a 3.8 before my senior year. I also unfortunately went abroad all junior year and so have no letter grades from then-- so 3 semesters of my schooling have been "pass/fail". So, I am ashamed to say my academic record is pretty bleak and probably not competitive at all for MBA or MFE or PE/Hedgefund recruiting efforts.
I honestly hate my current job, being the second fiddle to all the real coverage IBD desks, while learning zero transferrable skills and getting yelled at by my VPs. However, I just can't see a path out-- it seems like every path is closed to me due to the crappy desk I am on now, and my academic record. I feel like even if I moved internally to a top coverage group, my crappy GPA will limit me from any PE/HF opportunities as it seems everyone who makes it there is 3.8+. I guess I could stay in my current basically-middle-office desk for the rest of my life but I feel I'd rather jump onto the subway tracks than live with that reality.
I feel like a total failure every day going in to work and hearing about how the other Coverage analysts are front and center on so many deals, and knowing because of my grades I am probably actually inferior to them and there is no way out. I am seriously considering quitting finance and pursuing another career due to the fact that I don't think I can have a career in finance.
Sorry for the rant-- but given my situation, thoughts on if it is possible to make it to a good PE/HF/competitive exit opportunity and how best to go about it?
thank you!!
3.6 really isn’t that bad. Yeah, you are likely below the average and median of most IB people gunning for Buyside, but there are still firms that will hire you. I think your first step would be to internally transfer to another group after 6 months. They shouldn’t care about your gpa if it is internal. If you have good deal experience and network you could definitely land a buyside role at a smaller firm.
makes total sense-- with smaller buyside firms, would you happen to know if they sponsor visas for europeans? i know the bigger funds do, but...
This is a great thread because it’s a great example of how mindset can ruin you. I fell into this trap many times. You are self-sabotaging yourself.
You are actually in a really good position and just need to move to a better one. Your mindset will never lead to being happy because perfection does not exist in the real world.
i think you have a great point, and thank you for bringing up the notion of self sabotage...new concept to me. i def do think i need to shift my mindset a bit, so that while i am still striving for the best, its not like crippling me like it is now
Dude you’re doing better than 99.99% of the population, relax
I have a significantly worse academic background than you but did IB + buy side. Don’t lose hope. You will be fine, your background already gives you a better starting point than I had
Why not stay at the current job for 1-2 years and then try to move to a different team/desk within the bank? There may be other teams that
are interested in experience - and less in your gpa.
that is a great idea! appreciate it
Your background is perfectly fine, it is only your insecurities holding you back. Embrace your current job and crush it, and I'd also suggest seeing a therapist. No matter what anyone says, your first two years in the industry do not define you if you work hard enough at making a logical switch. There are others on this board, including myself, who have significantly worse backgrounds than you and have made it work.
thank you for ur comment, it really does make me feel more motivated/reassured-- i really appreciate it
Is a 3.6 GPA really that dire for finance??
I can’t imagine you would be auto-dinged because your college GPA is a 3.6. What makes you think this is what’s holding you back?
Without knowing more specifics, I would bet there are probably other reasons you aren’t getting the jobs you want and blaming your GPA seems unproductive. While not easy to do, I would think critically about yourself as an applicant and think about what other areas may need improvement. This may be hard to accept at first, but I think you will be better off in the long run as you may identify other “deficiencies” that you actually are able to fix and thereafter will be able to get the roles you want.
I had a similar experience where I probably went 0/10 on interviews (never past first round) and blamed it on something college related. After much frustration I did some serious introspection and then “got the job” on the next 1-2 interviews I did.
Just my 2 cents.
glad to hear the interviews worked out for you! so i actually just started out at my ft job, and haven't applied for any things yet as its only been a few months. i have had no issues getting offers in the past but i felt like that was largely due to my gpa/school/interview demeanor, rather than my actual worth as a candidate/person. as you said there's def a lot of introspection to be had to figure out why i feel this way/how to change my attitude so that i don't shoot myself in the foot before i even begin. super helpful thank you!
Top target school, working at a top bank, with a fine (3.6) GPA.
The school, the GPA and the job are not the problem, as others have pointed out your attitude is.
You are hurting your chances and self sabotaging. You have a great setup, network, crush your job, and you’ll be fine.
i think you are absolutely right in that i can only change what i can change now...which are things beyond grades/school/the past. i mentioned to another poster i had never considered self sabotage to be a thing, so it is eye opening to hear it reinforced by multiple people. thank you!
You need to fix the way you are thinking and your attitude. You are making more money than 99% of the population out there. However, if you don't like your job, then start looking for a new one. You can look for a new job while you still work at your current one so that you don't lose income. There are millions of possibilities out there, so just start searching around if you are not happy where you currently are. Maybe just book a vacation so you can clear your mind and your emotions. That can help too. Good luck!
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