Telling my story

I originally attended a top 15 university, did not perform exceptionally, 3.0 first two years, neuroscience major. Before my junior year I was severely injured, my lower leg was nearly amputated in a off road vehicle accident. I was in a wheelchair/crutches for 8 months. I, stupidly, returned to university while injured and proceeded to bomb my classes due to a combination of the severe pain, mind numbing effects of strong painkillers, and overall depression from the complete and utter destruction of my physical health. Needless to say, I ended with an overall 2.3 after that year. Now, at the end of the year, I started working in a family business, nothing extraordinary; a restaurant, but I was able to have a significant impact on the business and took the year off to work there, 90 hours a week for one year. Now I was planning on returning to said top school; however, an illness in the family preventing me from returning to the school, for the simple fact of ensuring the business and family stayed solvent. I transferred to a local school so I could work and go to school full time. This school is not prestigious. From that point on I busted my ass, realizing the immense hole I was in due to both my youthful folly and misfortune, I completed the next 102 credit hours with a 3.99 Double Major Economics/Finance. I was a teaching assistant for statistics, and am currently the project manager for the largest grant in the math dept’s history, all while working 50+ hours per week. I am currently enrolled in a graduate statistics program, 3.9 GPA; I attended the same school due to a full scholarship, a research assistantship, and the ability to continue working full time at the restaurant. Now, my combined overall undergraduate GPA is 3.25, however, without my junior year at the former school, it is 3.55. I scored a 1450(770q, 680v) gre. I only studied for one week for gre, time constraints. Now that my background is here, I recently had an interview and left my former school off my resume. Well when I went through everything, it all sounded great, and they liked me alot, banged on about how I would be a good candidate for a mba after a stint as analyst blah blah, then they asked why I attended the less prestigious school, and I told them I had transfered but left it off my resume since I didn't study business there, I had graduated from the second school, and it was five years ago. Then what really sank my battleship was when I told them I went there for 3 years prior to attending this school. They did not like that at all. I explained the reasoning, but obviously that was perceived as deceptive. Now, I realize that looked really bad, but the thing is I will not get any interviews if I put my combined gpa down. In the interview should I just tell the complete story, leading off with the hardship I went through? I avoided it before because I thought I could push it under the rug. Should I put the former school on my resume? How should I go about telling this story? I hate the idea of going into the interview and telling some sob story, but if it does happen to come up, I know that it would be better if I told the story first rather than having it pryed out of me.

http://www.razume.com/documents/13944

Here is my resume. Wouldn't it seem strange to put the former school considering I graduated?

 
adapt or die:
time to start using paragraphs

this story was terrible... stop complaining about restaurant jobs and broken legs and Get it Done!

Sean Connery once said:

"Losers always whine about doing their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen."

"Adapt or die"? You should know that generosity and sympathy are very adaptive traits... thats why most modern human beings still have them

 
Best Response

Sorry man, it sounds like you went through a lot. I'm sorry I don't have any great advice for you, when it comes to how you handle this in interviews (but I'm sure someone on here will). I would like to say this though, you've overcame a lot and you're doing really well now, so I truly believe you will be successful in life. Everybody gets so caught up about landing that first good job (which I understand because I do the same thing), however, keep in mind that if you have skills you'll probably wind up successful regardless of your first job (and if you're not that skillful, it won't matter much if you get lucky on landing that first job). Plenty of people are extremely successful in this world, despite the fact that they never could have landed a job at a BB when they were in their early-mid 20's. Likewise, many people who land the great job at 22 have not went on to be extraordinarily successful.

 

Thanks for the encouragement. I have been cold calling, emailing, and sending messages on linkedin to different alumni in the industry. I haven't received any response, but I would like to have a better game plan when I do obtain my next interview. My graduation is rapidly approaching, and there are literally no decent jobs at my school. Honestly, I would rather not apply to Mattress Firm after getting my master degree in statistics. It's not Goldman or bust, but I'm a intelligent and extremely hardworking guy and I want a job that will be challenging and rewarding. Ultimately, I know that I would need to get into a top MBA program to advance, but without decent work experience that will be a long shot as well. Any thoughts on how to tell this story would be greatly appreciated. Is telling the whole story my only option?

 

All people want is a story that makes sense. For you, without the whole story, it makes no sense. If a kinda long story is compelling and, here it is again, makes sense, then it's ok. If the story is long because the interviewee is a jibbering idiot who goes on and on about the exact reason they decided on micro economics rather than macro economics then we just want the clueless moron to go away. You need to tell your whole story. AND you need to put your correct educational background on your resume. Not disclosing three full years of education is called lying and nearly everyone in the world would have a similar reaction to the people you talk about. Tell your story. Make the theme or your story "cutting through the bullshit to take care of what needs taking care of" which is really what any good professional has the ability to do.

 

Modi perferendis consequuntur aut porro cumque alias. Et voluptas harum odit sunt. Facilis est qui dolores aut sed. Consequatur distinctio eum error.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 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

March 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

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”