How to Get into IB in NYC as a Belgian Green Card Holder

Hi All,

As a first post, I would like to share my experience and aspirations.

I am moving this month from Belgium to NYC, as I recently got a Green Card. My professional experience is mainly in operational and corporate finance (focused on FP&A) in Dubai where I stayed 3-4 years. I graduated magna cum laude with a Master in Finance from a top business school in Belgium. I'm also a CFA level III candidate. My goal is to get into IB, with NYC being my preferred location. I studied corporate finance (especially M&A) in detail, so I have a strong theoretical knowledge but obviously very little practice.

Any advice on how to improve my chances to get into IB, especially in NYC? It's a great challenge but I'm ready to face it.

Thanks for your help!

31 Comments
 

Get a MBA from a top US school. Americans won’t recognize European schools so you’ll most likely need to rebrand yourself. Go to a finance-focused elite MBA and you’ll be fine - think Wharton / Booth / CBS / Stern / Cornell

 

You need a top 25 MBA and also need a network so you can get referrals. It's extremely hard to recruit if someone at the company isn't referring you 

 

This is a great market for hiring. I think your least path of resistance is applying to a European bank. European banks will understand your culture and probably know your school. Think Soc Gen, BNP, Natixis, Credit Agricole, etc. I would go on LinkedIn and try to find people from Belgium who are working at those banks in NYC. Maybe try reaching out to someone in Europe to ask about the industry, and then ask if they know someone in US who would be willing to speak with you.

Additionally, try rating agencies. They are bleeding talent, and after a year you should have no problems moving into IB.

 

Here's what he did, and what he recommends to others.

  1. Get an internship early — even if it's not on Wall Street. ...
  2. Make LinkedIn your life. ...
  3. If you can get in with the firm where you intern, then go for it. ...
  4. Send résumés early. ...
  5. And send résumés often. ...
  6. Make Excel your best friend.
 

Aut ducimus ad explicabo quis blanditiis eaque ab. Quasi a nihil ipsam eligendi voluptas ut. Reiciendis cum inventore aspernatur animi repudiandae error commodi.

Eligendi fuga dolores vitae inventore nostrum consectetur alias. Cupiditate quia ipsam iste. Eos sunt a et et fuga vel autem.

Accusamus sapiente consequatur illum incidunt reiciendis quasi consequatur. Voluptatem et sunt magnam animi rerum. Nemo est labore recusandae laboriosam. Ipsum odit labore dolores ea corrupti. Porro accusamus id delectus.

Ut sunt voluptatum aut rem fugit. Nihil similique vero ipsum voluptas qui.

 

Suscipit laboriosam cupiditate ratione nobis dolore. Aspernatur vel eum saepe odit eveniet. Laudantium vel modi nihil. Corrupti veniam sit minus sapiente voluptatem vero. Ea quia corporis illo.

Magnam nulla sit natus dolores reiciendis id. Soluta dolorem vel eius quas assumenda perspiciatis temporibus numquam. Doloremque atque dicta et. Reprehenderit repudiandae aut tempora sit est. Et non repellendus asperiores impedit.

Magnam quae non sit architecto. Ad porro at voluptas expedita non quia. Ut ut sed facilis id est. Qui impedit repudiandae omnis id omnis qui. Sequi asperiores inventore quos id voluptatem sit.

Asperiores dolores eveniet harum nobis sit aperiam. Velit officiis maxime doloribus quae delectus nulla ex. Sit corporis deserunt sunt qui expedita velit non. Minus recusandae cumque fugiat. Sed necessitatibus nihil totam eligendi neque magni. Qui voluptas cumque et et ad ut praesentium. Placeat ut voluptatem cupiditate qui quae error voluptatem id.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (56) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
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...”