Sophomore Big 4 or Small IB Boutique

Currently, I'm a sophomore at a non-target and my goals are to get a BB SA internship next summer.

I don't have a big network (only a few alumni at MM and even fewer at BB/EB).

Given this background, do you think I should do one of the sophomore leadership programs at Big 4 or work for a no name boutique in a major city (SF, CHI, NY) that would give me good experience.

Honestly, I don't want to work Big 4 in the future, but an alum told me I'd be better off with a big name on my resume. So basically my question is, is brand name or experience more important to a BB.

 
Best Response

Agree with Jamie_Diamond about the boutique over Big 4. I interned at one of the Big 4 as well as a MM PE shop, and received considerably more traction with the PE internship when interviewing for banking. The responses to the Big 4 internship were negligible to dismissive in terms of experience, with the main value-add coming from having worked long hours during a busy season.

 
chikagokid:
Only 4 MDs and 6 VPs. Don't know the number of associates and I don't believe there is any structured training.

I think people overestimate the quality of experience that you might get at boutiques if they aren't good firms that are active and run quality processes. That being said, this firm seems to have some decent critical mass, so it may be solid.

The structure is rather odd, having more VPs than MDs. Usually it's wide at the top and bottom and thin in the middle of most IB org structures.

 

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