The "Am I good enough for Investment Banking/Consultancy?" Thread

Sports Racer

Hey guys, I want to go into consulting and would like your advice :smile:

Management Sciences (operational research), LSE - 2.1 first year (now entering second)
A-levels: A (economics) A (maths) B (RS)
Got some teamwork and volunteering ECs
Got paid work experience in an accountancy.

Just wondering what is the realistic range of firms to apply for internships.

I hope I haven't asked something painfully stupid :woo:

you're in good standing, make sure you know your stuff, read up and network like a bitch

Reply 981

Haz313

13

popobabu

What can i do, in the short term (from 1st to 2nd year of uni) to allow me to have better opportunities in trading? Is there just no way?

Change to a more quantitative course?..

Reply 982

texex

popobabu

Other than that, couldnt i take some quantitive courses outside of law while still persuing the llb? will having taken maths higer level in the International Bac make opportunities better? and wat else, other than switching course, could i possibly do in the short term?

Atleast regular SL (not studies) would have helped, but with Law you can def forget about any exotics/hybridgs/FI etc

I would have thought that you could get into cash equities without a quantitative degree

Reply 983

02mik_e

14

popobabu

What can i do, in the short term (from 1st to 2nd year of uni) to allow me to have better opportunities in trading? Is there just no way?

Make use of family members or friends who may have links. You could probably shadow someone in the summer months of next year if the people you're linked to are generous. IMO there really isn't any point in you doing HL maths as the people you'll be competing with would have done advanced level maths at uni in subjects such as A & F, Physics, etc. Better if you chase roles such as M & A, Sales and Research.

Reply 984

02mik_e

14

popobabu

Will try to do that. Lets supppose i do shadow someone, does that help a lot? and about the maths higher level..is it worth taking it ? Also, arent there courses that you could take up for a year (on top of persuing your undergrad degree) or something like that?

Look at my edited post above. Yes shadowing should help. At the end of the day it's about experience and motivation which is shown through work experience. I don't really know anything yet about pursuing maths courses outside of your undergrad course. Don't take my word for this though, I'm fairly new to IB. It's only what I've read up so far.

Reply 985

KLL

11

popobabu

Have any chance of getting Front Office internship (either sales n trade or Mergers n Acquisitions) at a big bb firm??? And is it possible to get one in your first year ?

yes but unlikely at a BB, or if at a BB not in london i'd assume

Reply 986

02mik_e

14

popobabu

So experience trump uni/course and a-levels? Is it not possilbe to switch to trading after ..say, maybe interning for sales?

I don't really know tbh. You'd be better off asking the more experienced people on here.

Reply 987

KLL

11

popobabu

What things (in the short term) would you say, other than wat has already been said, would make my opportunties better in London?

for a first year... nothing?

Reply 988

Unknown?

12

I got 5A*'s at GCSE (core science, history, geography and business studies which is 2 gcses), 4.5A's (maths, chemistry, physics, physics, shortcourse religious studies), 2 B's (english language and literature) and 0.5 C's (ict).

What are the chances that I would get into somewhere like Imperial/ Oxbridge after doing my A levels and going into IB?

Reply 989

Altruistic1

Just wondering... exactly HOW good do you need to be at interviews to get a job at a BB? - Incredibly well-spoken? I'm no good atm at (orally) fielding very technical questions :s-smilie:

lol

Also, I'm not really experienced with the CV stuff... do people tend to bullet-point all their ECs with dates or write a paragraph incorporating everything under an 'interests' heading? Is it worthwhile to volunteer - say, as treasury of a society or non-profit org.? How about the Duke of Edinburgh and other such schemes, does that serve applications well? - I never got the chance to do it but I'm keen to start volunteering at some point where possible and if it'll dramatically help my CV, why not?

Is everyone selective of what societies they put down on their CV? (I.e if you were in one that involved hitching rides half way across the world in a group [thus showing leadership, initiative etc.] would you put it down even though it has nothing to do with... well, anything ?

Thanks.

Reply 990

melissabee

7

Ok, my problem is that I'm really all academics and no extra-curriculars.
I got AAAAaa at A level and have just finished second year physics at Imperial with a first, but I have no positions of responsibility or evidence of being interested in banking. How much will this matter? If I show sufficient passion in the cover letter will it make up for this?

I'm not even entirely sure what positions I'd like to apply for yet but FICC at goldman sachs looked good (since a mathematical/scientific approach is needed). Should I just try to network as much as possible at uni events?

Reply 991

teriaki

12

I would like to know, what kind of an advantage a full time first year summer internship in the accounting department of a large company will give me when applying to IBs?

I know that work experience is just a small part of all the things recruiters look for but how highly do they rate something like this?

Reply 992

loggins

17

teriaki

I would like to know, what kind of an advantage a full time first year summer internship in the accounting department of a large company will give me when applying to IBs?

I know that work experience is just a small part of all the things recruiters look for but how highly do they rate something like this?

It's decent, but it's not going to be as useful as a Spring Program.

Reply 993

texex

teriaki

I would like to know, what kind of an advantage a full time first year summer internship in the accounting department of a large company will give me when applying to IBs?

I know that work experience is just a small part of all the things recruiters look for but how highly do they rate something like this?

Definitely better than if you didnt have it. The real benefit from it is if you can talk about it in your interview. This is coming straight from a recruiter, if an internship is not brand name, it is really important to actually have done something during the internship, so actually contributed in some way.

I have met quite a few people who did a first year corporate internship so it will def not be as if the recruiter will see your CV and cum in their pants, but it is definitly a plus.

Reply 994

loggins

17

Yeh, it won't really help answer questions like 'why banking?', or 'why this division?', but definitely useful in competency questions like: 'describe a time where you...<insert situation>...

Reply 995

drummondclark

Hi,

I have just completed my GCSE's (10A*s & 3As) and will be starting the International Baccalaureate course next week. I want to develop a career in Investment Banking/Finance.

Which is the best uni to study economics at? Cambridge, Oxford or LSE? And how should i go about getting relevant work experience?

Your replies would be appreciated,

Drummond

Reply 996

Barzini

1

how old are you?! 16 and you want to be a banker?

Anyway, there's no harm in getting some experience. Try and use contacts, cold calling etc. various funds and ask for unpaid work experience/shadowing.

Best unis for Economics: Cambridge, LSE, Oxford, Warwick, UCL.

Reply 997

Chrisateen

14

I don't know whether anyone could help but I have been thinking about becoming a financial adviser but don't know what kind of internships or internship roles I could apply for which is similar. Could anyone help me?

Reply 998

Sasuke!

14

Chrisateen

I don't know whether anyone could help but I have been thinking about becoming a financial adviser but don't know what kind of internships or internship roles I could apply for which is similar. Could anyone help me?

Hey Christeen,
what kind of advice are you looking for? if you have just finished your first year then you can probably apply for a second year internship.
Saying financial advisory interests you sounds like you want to maybe work in retail banking advising people on how to maximise their return on a very small scale, on the other hand if you want to advise clients on how to invest their wealth (we are talking millions here) then maybe a role in Sales/private banking will be a good place to look?

if there is anything specific you want to ask, feel free to message me, or alternatively make a new thread. there are lots of people who are more than willing to help..

Reply 999

PorcineAviation

14

Sasuke!

Hey Christeen,
what kind of advice are you looking for? if you have just finished your first year then you can probably apply for a second year internship.
Saying financial advisory interests you sounds like you want to maybe work in retail banking advising people on how to maximise their return on a very small scale, on the other hand if you want to advise clients on how to invest their wealth (we are talking millions here) then maybe a role in Sales/private banking will be a good place to look?

if there is anything specific you want to ask, feel free to message me, or alternatively make a new thread. there are lots of people who are more than willing to help..

Calling a retail banker a financial adviser is like calling a check-out girl a sales executive.

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