I want to get a job as an investment banking analyst but top programs don't typically recruit from my school. What can I do to stand out?
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Breaking into investment banking from a non-target school
I've interacted with nearly hundreds of investment banks around the globe in my past 2 years as a Mergers & Acquisitions analyst for IBM.
The one thing I can definitely tell you is that there are an endless amount of investment banks around the world beyond Wall Street.
If you're focusing on Morgan Stanley, Goldman, Citi, BofA, you're going to have a tough time beating out the alums from Harvard and UPenn. Not because they are better than you. But primarily because 1) the recruiter went to an Ivy league school and is biased, and 2) those Harvard/Upenn kids did summer internships last year and already have their foot in the door.
So what's your strategy? Of course, polish your resume, work on your elevator pitch. But also find out what regional investment banks are based in your city. For instance, start by searching for "mid-market investment bank" and "[your city]". keywords to focus on - mid-market, boutique, regional.
Once you have a list, go through each of those i-banks and search linkedin to see who works their. Cross-check with your alumni directory to find out which alums from your school work at said i-bank. E-mail / call / facebook said alums and let them know you are interested in working with them. More often than not they will take your call and advise you.
In this downturn, many ppl may not have hiring flexibility, so don't take it personally if they can't get you a job.
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