Newbie looking for career help

Dear WSO,

I just registered here. I graduated with my MS degree this May, and, well, despite looking since January, I've had no luck whatsoever getting, well, anywhere...

Here are my credentials:

Lehigh University class of 2009, major Information Systems Engineering (aka operations research), with a 3.32 cumulative and a 3.50 major GPA.

Since that was a crap performance (because I couldn't find work with it in the fall of 2008/spring 2009), I went to Rutgers to get a master's in statistics. I graduated with a 3.81 GPA. I thought this would prove that I'm not worthless, but apparently the market is telling me that all of that education is worth $0.00.

I'm looking to get in on the quant side of things, or the trading end (or quant trading, if anyone would take me).

I know that the job market is garbage, and it's "not my fault" and all of those other talking points about the recession, but it is my problem.

Since the big banks aren't giving me the time of day (Morgan Stanley rejected me for its quantitative full time associate program, and I bet that the other banks would do the same considering how many people are out of work, talent flooding the markets, yadda yadda), I'm wondering if anyone knows any other route to getting my foot in the door on Wall Street.

Thanks for any advice.

 

Start networking and cold calling. You have the stats to get in somewhere as an ANALYST not as an associate. Stick with it.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Ipsa at ut vel accusamus facilis omnis natus. Ea omnis autem nemo aut aliquam dolorem. Vel est nihil nostrum delectus ut et accusamus. Dolorem accusamus eos enim rem eos inventore id laboriosam. Illum eum eum id numquam eos pariatur.

Voluptas quia et omnis. Libero inventore ex doloremque.

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

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