Chances at banking going into yr 3

Something is better than nothing.

When you say solid, I assume a lot of value adding stuff as opposed to post-trade work? When I say value adding, roles such as risk within certain asset classes (for example commodities and rates which might involve model validation) can be crucial.

Ultimately, it would be stupid for you to approach this internship and not think of it as helpful. The fact that you'll be working a few desks/or a floor away from FO people is the perfect opportunity to leverage your time there.

Be very tactful in your networking, emphasise your target credentials (while this sounds irrelevant, whenever I come across a target student in something like OPs, I always ask myself why?) and reach out to alumni. Do a bit of LinkedIn search for someone from your university, then on your internship, go to the global address book. They are always a part of their university group, go through the group and find someone on a desk you have an interest in. If possible, make a good enough impression for someone to bat for you.

On my S&T internship, we had a guy from Warwick (I think?) who was in commodities MO, something to do with risk analytics/the shape of the forward curve in our pricer and all the inputs that went in to it. He reached out to what can only be described as one of those rate breeds - patient, willing to teach, loved people from his old university - in rates trading. This dude would go to his desk at the end of each day and just help this analyst with things that made his life a little easier. This somehow culminated in the intern helping him to programme something in VBA to do with forward curves of rates which the desk actually used. Analyst convinced his VP to put a word in for the kid, to have him come back as an intern on their desk next summer. Got a FT offer the following summer without having to do a masters - some banks accept 3rd year interns. This is rare but not impossible. The difference was that this intern was smart, everyone knew it. He also took everything in and learnt A LOT. I think he was more prepared for a FO SA than most of the actual FO guys. At the same time, don't f*^&*k up your actual work in your MO line of work. This happens when you forget the bigger picture. No one will give you a chance on FO, if you actually flip the birdie to your line manager in MO.

Thanks, so you think this internship will help towards any future FO apps in yr3 but i should network my ass off while there to get a step up?
I don't think my desk will have too much direct contact to FO so it's a little doing something like what that analyst did.

Thanks, so you think this internship will help towards any future FO apps in yr3 but i should network my ass off while there to get a step up?
I don't think my desk will have too much direct contact to FO so it's a little doing something like what that analyst did.

I'm in 2nd year too, so don't have the wealth of experience that other posters do, but personally, I feel that doing a masters could end up being quite a long, and expensive way to break into FO, especially as you still wouldn't be guaranteed a position.

If you get offered a FT job after your internship, you could apply to FO positions elsewhere, and try and get fast tracked while holding your MO position as an insurance? I may be wrong, but perhaps with a solid MO internship, you'd stand a decentish chance of getting a FO grad role somewhere smaller?

Thing is, I want to do the finance masters. Again, it would be at the target uni i'm currently at so it can't hurt i guess?
I'm going to try to apply to an array of internship and grad roles in case i don't get the masters, but i do have my heart set on it.


Both of you gave quite a negative vibe on the scenario. Does this mean an internship in MO is not viewed in a good light in FO? Also what about those who don't secure a summer internship going into year 3, wouldn't they be screwed then?