Sophomore Summer - Sophmore at UCLA

Here's the predicament. I am currently a sophomore at UCLA with a 3.91 in business economics with a 2390 SAT. I have been hunting for summer investment banking internships to little success. I was not even considered for interviews for several regional boutiques, which is rather disappointing. I have an interview for Moelis and Company, but I am beginning to suspect that human resources must have accidentally selected me.

I understand that BB firms are looking for only juniors and while there are summer programs for sophomores at various banks, those are extremely competitive, and having had chosen UCLA rather than a more selective school, I am stuck in a school that is not exactly heavily recruited. Thus, I am hoping for an internship at a boutique bank, not Jefferies or Lazard obviously, but most of them do not advertise positions.

What should I do? Do I have no hope of an internship? Is cold calling or emailing the only way to find a banking internship for me?

Also, how should I prepare for my interview?

Much thanks in advance.

 

I interned at a boutique from as non-target school. I had a 1410 SAT, 3.7 GPA and attended a state funded school (not big state school..). I used the major online job searches such as monster, doostang, linkedin, etc. to find a summer internship. I landed an internship with a no-name boutique for no pay. That has turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life as it has paved the way in terms of getting a big junior year internship.

My recommendation to you is to use those searches and your career center. Also, try to cold call alumni and HR at the banks. As long as you can get to someone who will listen, you have a good enough story to have them want you. Finally, attend as many career fairs and on campus presentations as possible. Do this and network your ass off with people there. I know a student who did that, became a paid assistant for one summer at CS and then a full intern there the following summer.

Finally, don't take NO as an answer. You will almost immediately be told to go away when you say you're a sophomore. Don't listen and be persistent.

In terms of preparing for interviews, search the forums. There are tons of threads on preparing.

 
Best Response

i agree with the above.

dont give up, dont take NO as an answer. i applied for over 100 positions my first year in college. i mean, i faxed my shit to rothschild's offices all over the world. i was hardcore. HRs arent always assholes, many firms replied to my inquiries, even prestigious ones like Evercore. you wouldnt think they'd waste any time on me. random letter to UBS office in Cali. made the cali guy refer me to a UBS office in east coast. Try hard.

my friend went to spain and coldcalled private equity shops. several turned him down. he didnt take no as an answer and showed he really wanted to work for them for free. eventually he was hired. he worked 40hr a week during that academic semester.

if we can do it, you can.

 

Here's the predicament. I am currently a sophomore at UCLA with a 3.91 in business economics with a 2390 SAT.

 

You're telling me you scored a perfect score on two of the three sections and went to UCLA? That is fucking moronic or a liar, I am leaning with the latter. Then you pick business econ? Everyone knows that business econ is what people who do not want to work analytically choose to do. If I were you I would make the change to mathematical/quantitative economics. This will help you get an SA internship as a junior and then a FT upon graduation.

Also, from my experience, doing a SA at a BB and then an analyst stint at a BB, that many people take their soph summer to hang out and work a dead end summer job. If you think you really need something, not knowing where you live, get an easy job and work 1-2 days a week for free at a financial firm that will let you help on some projects, lead some small projects, and work with numbers. While your there you can add value and it will look good on your resume. Your role does not matter. Just make sure you do well and get a manager or two to write you a strong recommendation and then tailor your resume to make it seem like lal you did was analytical work.

MadCatz is right don't work for free for a full work week. Doing it one or two days will allow you to position it as a full time summer internship even though it was not. Also, management will love you and think you’re the best thing ever for working for free, it is a win-win situation. If you work at a bank 80+ hours a week for free you will be looked at like a sucker.

In conclusion: Change your major, get a 9-5 summer job with friends and get one or two days off a week to help out at any finance type firm, take some leadership roles, massage your resume, and you will land a SA at a top tier MM or low end BB.

PM me with questions and do not be so naive.

 

how do you apply for corp finance positions at f500 if they are not listed at your schools career center? because i just tried applying online from their websites and they never reply even if i follow up. so is there a way of contacting these f500 companies? thanks a lot.

 

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