What to do when SA recruiting is done?

I was extremely fortunate to land a BB SA offer for summer 2018. However, now that recruiting is done, I'm feeling a bit lost. I feel like I've dedicated the entirety of my college career to landing an investment banking offer, and now that I've accepted the offer, I don't know what to do with myself.

How should I spend the rest of the fall and spring semesters? What activities can I do to keep myself busy and productive?

101 Comments
 

Productive wise? It may help you to dabble with the WSP/BIWS modelling guides to get a superficial understanding of how things work. There will be differences between this and real work (formatting and others) but you should be able to intuitively understand things when you hit the desk. I think it could also be helpful to continue networking with folks and maintaining the relationships you've built over the recruiting season. I would also encourage you to study hard and do well the rest of the way this semester and next so as to keep you GPA steady.

The tongue in cheek answer? Go out. Have fun. Get inebriated. Travel over winter break. Have transcend experiences, sexual or otherwise. Most of which should not be on here.

All the best :). My congrats to you. It's definitely a tremendous achievement, but of course only the beginning in all respects.

There's a closer meaning to my user name. Try reading it quickly. Perhaps you will then understand ;P
 

Your situation isn't anything unique so not sure why you're saying it is.

I personally wouldn't transfer just to start over as a sophomore/junior so I could recruit again, the tuition + opportunity cost just doesn't seem to make sense.

Start cold emailing any regional boutiques and make it work. FT recruiting is pretty much non-existent so your best bet would be lateraling after 1 year. Granted it isn't impossible and I've seen people lateral for FT but usually they were in upper MM / tier 3 banks that made the jump.

 

I wasn't trying to spin it off as unique - I'm sorry if I came off somewhat entitled or egotistical. I meant transfer in as a junior*

Also, I'll try my best and I've started emailing! Thank you for the advice!

 

How is that even possible. Lazard, Evercore, Guggenheim and Barclays all have yet to do OCR at my school, which is a target. I attended all of their info sessions, where they encouraged juniors to apply for the regular OCR process. They probably filled some of their 2017 SA class with diversity/women, but that doesn't mean the entire class is filled.

 

heard that a lot of the banks have pushed recruiting cycles fwd and have been giving offers in off campus recruiting processes (to get around OCR timelines). believe several of the EBs are done with recruiting, for the most part.

 

Most banks had their 1st superdays. Spots are definitely not closed any where though. Can confirm BB and EB firms with superdays over the next few weeks. Would imagine 90% of spots or more filled by end of October

 

If banks make offers through On Campus Recr, the students have a long window to accept. Banks will pressure for an answer, but have to honor the school's deadline. Offering students via off campus recruiting, they can pressure for a decision quickly. banks are definitely trying to circumvent the school's process. Seems like many banks are making offers during the summer before students' junior year. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out. Will the banks eventually recruit 8th graders like college athletics?

 

I go to a target and Barclays is the only BB that is done with their OCR. Talked to my friend there and she said that for next summer's recruiting cycle (for current sophomores) they are coming to do info sessions next spring semester. Crazy how much it's been accelerated.

 

I think it depends largely on your school, or at least geographic region.

I'm at a semi-target in the midwest, and Barclays has already filled up their interview slots. They are hoping to wrap up recruiting by early October.

As for the other BBs, most aren't as accelerated. BAML/Citi/JPM etc are all having on-campus interviews the week of October, so I'm guessing another 2-3 after that for the final offers.

Anyways I highly recommend you get your app in ASAP - no sense in waiting.

 

I've heard that MS filled their class during their accelerated process. I go to a target and MS hasn't been on campus at all - can anyone corroborate?

As for others, GS, Citi, Qatalyst, Lazard, Houlihan Lokey, and BAML all came to campus in the last two weeks. They aren't done.

 

My school is considered target school by almost all BBs and can confirm that the recruiting is pretty much over. I can't speak for others schools' OCRs since its an entirely different game, but I won't be surprised to see most of SA classes being filled up by the end of the month.

 

i submitted my resume a long time ago through another associate or analyst. I just wanted the senior person to put in a good word. It's a bit strange but I will contact him again.

 
tmonroe78

I don't think you are right.  I am a referral from a non-target and have made it to the super day this coming friday.  I suppose it could be over after that though.

Your referral to the interview process probably happened at least a month ago if you are in final rounds right now.  I'm talking about resumes getting passed on to HR right now.  I know they are over because I tried to get resumes from kids from my alma mater to several banks we have relationships with and CS wouldn't take anymore.

 

When did they inforrm you about the interview? Also did you have a phone interview? I think I got dinged but strangely enough, they told me they would contact me early Feb.

 

Targets and non-targets go through the same interview process (which may vary by firm).

 

I know that BofA/ML are both still in the process for non-targets. Also I'm not sure that Jefferies or many of the MM have even begun.

 

i go to a non-target school (johns hopkins). i have a 3.91 gpa and worked at merrill pwm last summer. i have just started getting interviews-- i had 2 with hopkins alumni at morgan stanley on sunday, a first round with macquarie capital on tuesday, one for nike's finance internship tuesday, and have one with goldman research tomorrow. i just found out today also that i made it to the 2nd round at macquarie after i do their psychometric assessment. i also have a fixed income s&t first round interview with morgan stanley sometime between now and tuesday..

so i'm thinking a lot of the banks are just starting recruiting SAs from non-targets around now....

 

I go to a semi-target school; most investment bank SA recruiters have come and gone. I think the last few will hold on campus interviews later this week.

 

I'm a London applicant, and over here most of the major banks/financials (ex GS) have pretty much already finished recruiting. With only the people on the reserve lists getting ACs when an offer is turned down.

Just my 2c.

__________ Just my 2c.
 

I'd be surprised if that was true, first rounds are just getting started at my school.

MM IB -> Corporate Development -> Strategic Finance
 

GS/MS are not done with SA recruiting. Don't know about JPM.

They may be done with non-core recruiting already or the MD might just not want to give a referral to someone he's never met...

 

"They may be done with non-core recruiting already or the MD might just not want to give a referral to someone he's never met..."

I'm assuming ^this is the reason. I applied by the noncore deadline (acc to HR) and there's no way it's over already...

 

Citi ECM is still looking for people.

At my school (MBA) banking recruiting has been done for a while now.

"They are all former investment bankers that were laid off in the economic collapse that Nancy Pelosi caused. They have no marketable skills, but by God they work hard."
 

it's hard to believe that you go to school in NYC and your school is a complete non target fordham, baruch, rutgers (practically new york), and even the CUNYs to a small extent have recruiting where do you go?

.
 

all I will say is I go to one of the schools you listed. Ill agree with you halfway and say I go to a semi target

 

you're really not being very helpful with the whole anonymity thing you shouldn't be such a clandestine child- no one actually gives a shit. it's just helpful to know from the perspective of knowing your options

anyway, assuming you go to one of the former three, use linkedin to cold email SVP-MD level contacts who work in banks or maybe non IBD functions in BB. other than that, you could always apply for big4 valuation work

.
 

well its official. I am rejected to all my places so I must not be doing something right. My last one I thought went very well. idc either but since you care I go to Baruch. I am not even going for IBD, I wouldn't mind an ops internship

 

Networking is a marathon not a sprint in that you shouldn't start it right before/during recruiting season, you should start long before recruiting season and work up to a referral. He may not be able to help you with job placement at this very moment, but I am sure that if you make a good impression now, he will be more than willing to help out when recruiting season begins.

 

I'm so sorry for making you upset. I asked him if he would be willing to have a chat with me but got a reply just saying "i'm sorry, but recruiting is finished." so I was not sure if he is up or not. It will be my pleasure to have a conversation with him. I'll just ask it one more time. Again, I am sorry.

 

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