Rejected for Summer Internships, Alternatives?

I am looking to get into IB after I graduate (I love Finance)
I am in first year and was turned down for many internships with IBs for this Summer.
Other than a good academic record (on track for a 2.1/1st depending on Summer exams) I have very little to put on my resume, hence the internship applications.

I graduate in 2014, and I want to bulk up my resume by then.

What sort of alternative experience could I do this Summer that IBs would definitely appreciate? (and hopefully let me in next Summer?)

I have been offered a job to 'contribute' without pay to a spread betting website, it isnt very well known, however. Would this look good?

 

Lol you couldn't get a single internship? Wow, you probably applied to like 30 too. Guess you just aren't that impressive. Target? (I'm suggesting you work at Target, obviously you don't go to a target school)

 
dukeofduke:
Lol you couldn't get a single internship? Wow, you probably applied to like 30 too. Guess you just aren't that impressive. Target? (I'm suggesting you work at Target, obviously you don't go to a target school)
You didnt answer my question but thank you for taking time out of your day to be a smug asshole. Im still in first year and am top of my class. There is definitley time to build on my resume
 

Take the spread betting internship. It's your only option right now and it's better to have some finance experience, however far removed from your desired finance job, than none.

I'm not sure whether the deadline has passed, probably has, but you should look at Spring Weeks, they tend to be a shoo-in for summer internships.

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 
Oreos:
Take the spread betting internship. It's your only option right now and it's better to have some finance experience, however far removed from your desired finance job, than none.

I'm not sure whether the deadline has passed, probably has, but you should look at Spring Weeks, they tend to be a shoo-in for summer internships.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I can contribute as much or as little as I want and I could get a reference out of it. I did apply to certain spring weeks, but im in 1st year of a 4 year course so I dont qualify for most, I applied anyway, Thanks for your response.
 

If you're only first year, you should relax. Go travel, teach english in Asia, do something to make your application interesting for the following year. And be sure to apply for spring programmes next year.

One thing you can do is reach out to alumni and see if there are any opportunities.

 
Barcadia:
You go to Northeastern? Doesn't the co-op program help you in this case?
Yes, massively I'd say. I hear it can even be hard to get IB for your Co-Op though (esp. because NEU isnt a target) so I think it would be much easier to get it if I had already spent time with one.

I transfer to NEU in Sept. 2012 from Ireland (for 2 years) and do a co-op but I have a European co-op here in 2nd year.I would love to get IB in Dublin or London; it would be an off cycle internship so I would have to impress them. Thats why I want to do something good this Summer, as, experience wise, my resume is crap :(

 
Best Response

As an investment banker once told me, just do something, it doesn't matter what. As long as you're busy, it's all good. That's not to say that some internships are better than others, but don't spend an entire summer doing nothing. He went on to tell us how during his sophomore summer, he rolled around an ice cream cart around Jersey Shore and sold ice cream (and made a lot of money). In some ways, the more humorous/unique your story is, the more easier it is to remember your name.

This is a typical scenario; no one ever hires freshmen, especially in this economic environment. I ended up taking classes and working on my school campus, so at least I was busy and got to have the option of graduating early.

Just remember, there are a lot of sophomore programs where banks take kids in for a week and, if they like you, could offer you a spot right there and then, or they could give you first priority for interviews. Keep an eye out for that.

--Death, lighter than a feather; duty, heavier than a mountain
 

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