Monkeys, help this prospective monkey!
This is my first post here so I'll give you some back info on myself. I'm a 3rd year at UCLA, history major, 3.8 gpa, no connections, no real financial work experience. All WE I have is political campaigns/on campus jobs. With that said I love the market and am very aware of the intense dedication it takes to break into the IB world. I've done my research and am well versed in financial matters. With that said I have some Q's.
1) Spamming resume. Good/bad? I want to hit every possible bank, from BB to boutiques. My family/friends don't have any connections so I don't really have an "in". Do mass resume emails work, or would I be better off concentrating my efforts to on campus info sessions? I've heard it's resume spamming, as opposed to on campus stuff, that nets the most interviews....but that was only 1 source.
2) On campus info sessions, worth it? Other then getting my name on the list that shows I went, are these valuable places to network? I feel like there is going to be hundreds of kids and it's hard to make a lasting impression. Other then getting some general info about the particular firm, are these worthwhile?
3) Networking: How do you go about this? I went to UCLA's career service website but there are no UCLA alums who work in IB listed. Do any of you know about good routes to go about this? I'd like to get some names of UCLA alums who work in IB and email them attempting to set up a lunch date or something where I could not only pick their brain but also (hopefully) get me an interview.
4) Resume: With no real financial work experience should I put my political experience/on campus jobs? My on campus job is just a secretarial position and my political experience is limited to internships. I know I'm behind the 8-ball but is something better then nothing when it comes to my resume? I have a solid gpa (3.8) but it's in a non-finance field (history) so I don't think that will help. Also, I'm in a fraternity...should I put this or is it going to give off the wrong impression?
5) Cover letters: Without real WE what do I put to make myself stand out? We're all hard workers, motivated, and interested in IB...how do I convey that I am dying for this opportunity and will work my ass off if I get it?
6) 3.8, history, UCLA...I'm assuming this wont help (history) or hurt (3.8, UCLA) me, am I correct?
Sorry this is long, I just like to get everything out there in 1 post :). Thanks for your help.
ps. pm = private message
Definitely go to the info sessions and utilize the firm reps at them. That's how I found my initial internship with a BB after my sophomore year. They are invaluable sources of information and contacts. However, do your research before the event to figure out what division you want to work in. Then, network with the relevant reps. Often, these analysts and associates do 1st rd interviewing. I agree with fafa on the finance experience; it is crucial. Use the cover letter show your redeeming qualities that interviewers want to see (hard work, teamwork, finance interest, motivation, adaptive personality, etc.) and your grasp of the position you're interviewing for.
1) Generally useless - you need to get your resume to alumni in the field and have them go to bat for you. Also go to campus info sessions and make connections there, follow-up with those you have spoken to, etc. I interview prospective bankers and this actually makes a difference, I always remember who's followed up.
2) Yes - see response for #1. Try to speak with a couple different analysts there to increase the chances of one of them reviewing your resume. Build contacts, follow-up.
3) No UCLA alums in IB?! Is that a joke? I don't know what to tell you there, they must be wrong. Try asking other friends in IB or others who interviewed. Email them, introduce yourself and ask for a time when they're free to briefly find out more.
4) Yes, I automatically ding people with no work experience (well, not really but you get the point). If it's not banking/finance it doesn't really matter what it was, but make it sound good and like you had some leadership/responsibility. Yes put your frat on there esp. if you made significant contributions.
5) Give specific examples - that is key. When I applied I had a specific story worked out for each of the points I emphasized. "I can learn quickly, because I did it on these 3 other occasions..." "I can work hard because I put in 100 hours a week at this one point in my life." But to be honest we barely even read cover letters so don't stress over this.
6) 3.8 and UCLA will help, history neutral since it was not quantitative. You will need to work on proving you are quantitative and can handle a job that requires lots of math.
David Windreich, head of trading at Och-Ziff, is a UCLA Anderson grad. My uncle was friends with him back then -- I wish they still were. But there must be scores of bankers and PE/HF guys from UCLA.
Thanks for all the responses. I called the career office and got forwarded information that allowed me to search/contact alumni and though there are only 2 or 3 people who directly identify themselves as "investment bankers" there are multitudes of alumni who work in the financial sector in one way or another (which is better then nothing). When I email these alumni and (hopefully) get a chance to talk with them on the phone should I directly try to push my resume....or should I wait for the alumni to bring it up? Should I ask specific questions or more general stuff? To be honest most of the stuff I want to know is pretty general but I don't want to make it seem that I'm A) unprepared or B) apathetic.
wait for the alum to bring it up - its not classy to come out and ask at any point for them to push ur resume. 80% of my alums offered to pass it to their firms and more often thatn not, their friends firms.
try doostang maybe to find more alumni? i dont know if this is a good idea or not - anyone?
u should have a grasp of terminology and how its used. see the thread IB vs M+A for an example of not understanding terminology. better to ask the stupid questions here than to ask them in an interview or appear clueless - do some research tho. appear interested in their jobs and industry not just in getting a job...
Thank you. I'll put together a list of questions in the next week or so and throw them out here so I don't make a fool of myself over the phone.
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