Thanks to everybody on this forum, many of you have been extremely helpful in fielding questions and helping provide me with the opportunity to learn. It's been a tough road full of rejection but all you need is one offer.
Top tier MM and ranked on the league tables in a few categories. I was the only non-target at my superday and was a little concerned afterward. Either way here I am.
Thanks a ton and I will be sure to contribute more moving forward.
Congrats! Now you can kick back a bit.
Congrats man!
Congrats
Good work man, look forward to seeing you around as a certified user.
congrats, hope to echo your words in the near future
Great to hear, congrats!
Great to hear success stories from this site...
CONGRATS
Congratulations. Give me a call or send me an email some time if you are working in the quant or analytics world.
Congrats! Another victory lap for a WSO user. Now that this site has been around a few years, I'd be really interested to see a list of all the certified users and where they worked. I bet we have a pretty serious network going on the site. Will be interesting to see what it looks like another 1-2 years out.
CompBanker, that's a really interesting idea.
Patrick, would it be feasible to put together some aggregate info without giving anyone away?
congrats!
I could reach out to the Certified Users to try and collect that data but I think it is best left 100% anonymous. We have a certified user group that is only at 100 (but growing very fast nowadays), so I expect that # to be in the 300-400 range by this time next year. We'll see....definitely still a lot of professionals that never get Certified but that's ok.
Also, if Certified Users want to network within the private Certified User group, that is completely an option open to them.
Thanks, Patrick
Congrats man. I was in a similar position and still feel like I'm on cloud 9.
Also, I second the request by compbanker
Your story is inspirational. Great work!
As a new user from a non-target this is some great inspiration... congrats!
if i have to give other non-target kids some advice here it is
1) Network - use linkedin, facebook, alumni databases, or whatever else you have. You need to get in contact with someone who you can get to know so they can possibly "go to bat" for you if need be.
2) IB Internship - you need to have something to help you stand out against your target competition. This shows you are serious about IB, since you have some experience about what the work is like and the non-existence of work/life balance. Contact regional boutiques, you will be surprised how many MD's are willing to help students who are extremely motivated to break in.
3) Resume/Cover Letter - just make sure it doesn't look like crap. Compare your resume to other WSO users and against the Mergers & Inquisitions template.
4) Applications - since there is no on campus recruiting you will have to applying online to at least 40+ Investment Banks. This is why networking is so important. If you have someone on the inside who can at least get you a phone interview the rest is on you.
5) Interviews - Obviously purchase the Technical & Behavioral guides and go through them a couple of times. The biggest sell however is the "story" this better be killer. I watched the Mergers & Inquisitions guide on the story and rebuilt my story numerous times till it came out memorable. BE YOURSELF!
6) Confidence - Remember that you might be the only kid from a non-target at Superdays but that does not mean you should be worried. I had a VP tell me during my interview about the odds against a non-target being interviewed during a Super-Day. He said those that usually do come through are very strong candidates.
This might be a regurgitation of things you already know, but what the hell. Its worth saying it again.
Good luck to those looking to break in.
Is it just me or does 2010 seem to be the year of the underdog? I'm lovin it... Non target kids are making it happen in a big way! Congrats on the offer man, I know I know I felt great when I got mine. Go out and celebrate with some drinks.
congratulations man.
where did you intern during your college years?
Congratulations, love hearing these stories!
congrats!
patrick- i think a private certified users group can be nice. i'm shocked that we're only at 100 though; the website has been around for a few years, we should have a decent amount of users that have jobs partially b/c of this website& have started working by now. i.e. OP in a year :)
congratulations man, it really is good to hear how people finally break in to IB!
Well done sir
Congrats man. I know the feeling as I was a super non target. It is hard work and you obviously deserve it.
Thanks for the motivation man. Just to reiterate what someone said above, I think it's the committed non target kids who are the most driven and the hungriest for success. Cheers and I'm off o the city which I hope to be working in soon! Enjoy the Saturday. Big ups to NY NY.
well done
Nice work!
I expect to see more non-targets break in during the next several years. Non-targets realize they have a chip on their shoulders so put more work in. The target school candidates with flashy credentials can sometimes be seen leaning on their accomplishments a little too much. As a non-target you also differentiate yourself, and while the BB and other majors want to have the best possible candidate for the position, they also want a well-rounded office with people from targets and non-targets alike. Congrats again!
Hah hah.
Congrats! I am also a non-target (out of cycle) that just received my offer as well. I know how you feel.
Here is my story - http://rubenharris.posterous.com/progress-update-chapter-one
Grats to OP!
[quote=lucasblane]Congrats! I am also a non-target (out of cycle) that just received my offer as well. I know how you feel.
Here is my story - http://rubenharris.posterous.com/progress-update-chapter-one[/quote]
Grats to you too. I saw your linkedin/profile a while back and I was cheering for you anonymously - great to see that you did it.
Congratulations! I have broke into the street as well and I have not even graduated yet. The feeling is beyond normal, and very difficult to explain. I went straight for the throat. I work at a hf. Cheers.
I am from a non-target as well.
great story guys. I am currently a freshman at a non-target so you are my inspiration. lucasblane and bkwr83 can you tell me what you did your freshman summer? Thanks.
thanks to everyone!
ewlang - just try to get internships, i didn't my freshman year but it doesn't hurt to start early build your resume so that by your junior year it is compelling enough to get a 1st Round for an SA at a BB
Congrats
Congrats. Stuff like this motivates me. I love to see non-targets succeed, because it is proof that not everyone that goes to a non-target becomes a bartender or waitress after college, a lot of people go to non-targets for reasons other than stupidity.
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