Recent Ivy Grad, BUT....

yellow_hat:

Hello everyone!!

Long time lurker, first time poster here.

I just graduated this June with a BA in Econ from Dartmouth College, but with a rather mediocre GPA (3.2), and mainly teaching related extracurriculars. When I originally started college, I was studying Japanese, and imagined myself doing something like teaching English in Japan after college. Although I joined some investment-related EC's junior year after switching my major to Econ, I didn't participate in any campus recruiting, and am way behind in my job search and networking skills. WSO's forums have been invaluable in the last few months.

After attending a few career fairs and networking events, I've either already applied to the larger, well-known programs or been told that I no longer qualify since I already graduated. It's really discouraging!! During a low point, I wanted to take a break and apply to work as a Macy's elf for the coming holidays.

I think I have the raw mental ability to do well, because I do okay with minimal effort on things like the GMAT, but it's hard convincing others to give me a chance. I'd like to eventually be a PM, and am interested in research positions, particularly in fixed income. The strategy of cold-calling boutique banks is mainly for those looking to work in investment banking right? I'm confused as to whether that's still a useful strategy for me...

Does anyone have a similar story that can serve as inspiration, or any advice for me? PM's would be greatly appreciated. ^^

A few questions for you...

First, how good is your Japanese? Is it very basic, or are you actually proficient and can confidently carry on a conversation in the language?

Second, are you against the idea of working in Japan for a few years?

If your Japanese is half-way decent and you wouldn't mind living and working in Japan for a few years, then why not register for the Boston Career Forum in November? You may already be familiar with this event, or perhaps you know some people who have attended in the past, but basically the Boston Career Forum is a career fair for Japanese students studying abroad in the US and non-Japanese US college/graduate students who speak Japanese. All the major American investment banks come there to recruit.

You might be thinking to yourself, "Uh... don't I need Native-level Japanese to apply for these jobs?" The answer, quite simply, is no. In fact, a lot of these investment banks will conduct all their interviews in English and may just have a simple conversation with you in Japanese to determine how good your Japanese is. I knew a non-Japanese kid in college who took a couple years of Japanese (he was into Anime, etc.) - I would barely call him conversational, in fact, his Japanese was pretty crappy and he was able to get a bunch of final round interviews at a handful of major BB investment banks, and is now working at a top-tier (GS/MS) investment bank in Tokyo.

Granted, he is in Securities (Sales & Trading), so language skills are not as important as say IBD (M&A, etc.), but the point is that the opportunity is there. There is no other career fair in North America that I know of in which someone can walk in for a first round interview at a bulge bracket investment bank, go straight to a final round interview ON THE SAME DAY, and then walk away with a full-time offer in hand.

This is a low-risk, high reward opportunity. (In fact, the only downside I can think of are hotel and transportation costs, but that is a small price to pay if you are serious about finding a job).

TL;DR Boston Career Forum. Google it. Maybe browse some of the companies that are there. If it interests you, create a profile (completely free) and apply to some jobs.

Good luck.