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Do you have to go to the top 20 universities to be a investment banker?

Top 20 is a lot already

. If you're not top 6 your chances to get an interview fall rapidly. On the upside, there still are chances, so if you are not target, make sure you have very strong ECs, are very strong at doing the Numericals and in some extreme way distinguish yourself from the other candidates applying. If you are not target, you must have something much more flashy and ungeneric ( Finance club is generic btw) to get an interview, compared to a target uni.

What would be an example of a flashy or ungeneric EC?

Reply 61

Bultmann

1

Original post by gCp

What would be an example of a flashy or ungeneric EC?

Something that the bloke interviewing you is interesting!!! All things being equal, you might simply get employed because Mr X thinks he can get you to play in his 7s rugby team. ECs are entirely subjective, some people like some things, some like others. Just hope that the interviewer likes yours!!!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 62

Unlmtd

Original post by gCp

What would be an example of a flashy or ungeneric EC?

To be honest, I have no idea. But something that you don't read 100 times out of 1000 CVs.

Regarding sports: I can imagine that writing that you're the captain of your university's football team is a good thing, and well, it is better than not having written that, but I can imagine that the recruiters for some reason only get CVs from captains , presidents and only the highest positions, wondering where the ordinary players are. So I can imagine ( don't take my word for this) that writing that you actually are a thai-boxer which competes or a dedicated rock climber is much more interesting and not less generic than football/hockey/rugby.
I always found that writing that you play an instrument, in some form of band is always interesting to write, as it's not too common and people can easily relate to it.

Besides sports, something entrepreneurial is always good, heck it might sound funny but saying that you are interested in magician, illusionism (just something that came up to my mind) is something which is ungeneric and something you can talk to with your interviewer, and which he will actually be interested in as he won't hear about it too often in an interview. Just find that thing that truly differentiates yourself from the others, in respect to hobbies, activities and interests. To be even more honest, writing ''I like reading books'' is very unattractive. But instead, f.e. ''An particularly interesting in reading dytopian novels'' is much more attractive. I'm not saying it's a free pass, but it is something that is DIFFERENT, and which is an easy talking point if case you do get an interview.

You have to see it from the recruiter's eyes, as far as I understand it, they want someone who is passionate about something, one thing, not being IB ( maybe it's me, but I have hardly met people at age 17/18 not yet in Uni talking all the time about IB) as they want to know whether you are the type of person that if he does get passionate about, will put much effort in this job and work.

Well, this is how I see it anyways :smile:

Could be completely wrong haha :smile:

Reply 63

scrumhalf986

Original post by Unlmtd

To be honest, I have no idea.

Correct mate.

No one cares about the fact that you play the bassoon, or play badminton for the uni. The OP was aking if you can get into the finance industry going to a non target. Everyone has extra curriculars, and you were quite right in saying that everyone probably says they are captain of the football team etc. But in the OP's situation it's your work experience that will catch the eye of a recruiter, and get them to put you through. Being grade 8 clarinet may be something to talk about in an interview, but it won't get you there in the first place.

Find someone in your network of friends of family that works in some kind of finance institution. Ask them if you can come into the office to their office for a day or two. Now you have an entry on your CV that reads

XYZ bank (London)- 17th-19th April 2011
Work Shadowing

One or two of those, combined with all of the extra curriculars will help you no end.

(edited 13 years ago)

The list is not in order, the whole point of the post was to show that it really only makes a difference if you go to Oxford, Cambridge or LSE. NO other university will have the same wow factor on a CV to the top employers as these 3. The difference between the other universities is so minimal that you will not have a significant advantage, they are all known to be 'good'. Obviously some employers will favour some Universities more, but this one doesn't.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 66

infernalcradle

15

Original post by wavey93

What is an EC?

Extra curricular

Reply 67

iInvestmentBanker

Original post by logain2006

Does the list look ordered to you, as it is?

Ah **** son, my bad didn't pay good enough attention :colondollar:

.

I was too busy wacking off to Warwick in the corner :colone:

.

Reply 68

Zweihander

3

Original post by Focus08

kcl is far from being top 6, but maths at kcl is better, IMO, than say management at a target like Warwick. But that's how the system is

Wouldnt say so. As long as you're doing something respectable your degree doesnt really matter.

OP, 80% of FO recruitment comes from the top 6 target unis. The other 20% comes from the other 14 unis in the Russell Group and a few prominent foreign unis (SSE, St Gallen, Bocconi etc)

Reply 69

Eklipz89

10

Original post by malteser12345

Would KCL qualify as one of the 'top 6'? I'm doing maths at KCL with the hope of becoming an investment banker after graduation.

Plenty of people from KCL in the City mate. Maths gives you a good shot.

Reply 70

uxa595

21

I highly doubt most people can get relevant work ex before an internship as not everyones uncle is a MD at a IB.

Reply 71

Ilustrius

4

Original post by CityTrader

Guys, bear in mind people that get into the top 6, and want to go into IB, don't think you are guarenteed place! people who are truly motivated and show real flaire can also obtain FO jobs I know a person who got a BA economics degree at manchester - no contacts - straight to a FO trader role at goldman sachs then moved to jp morgan to head up thier prop desks, 7 years later and he was retired at the age of 28!

ROFLMAO that's Anton Kreil from the documentary Million Dollar Traders. Firstly, he joined Goldman Sachs like ten years ago. Investment Banking is more competitive now than it was back then, this guy didn't even get a first class honours at Manchester. Sure, he's exceptional. But to find someone like Anton Kreil is very rare, no offense to the OP but it's unlikely that he's as talented as Anton Kreil.

And do you really know him personally? :rolleyes:

Reply 72

CityTrader

12

Original post by Ilustrius

ROFLMAO that's Anton Kreil from the documentary Million Dollar Traders. Firstly, he joined Goldman Sachs like ten years ago. Investment Banking is more competitive now than it was back then, this guy didn't even get a first class honours at Manchester. Sure, he's exceptional. But to find someone like Anton Kreil is very rare, no offense to the OP but it's unlikely that he's as talented as Anton Kreil.

And do you really know him personally? :rolleyes:

I met him at one of his seminar events, ofc it is v. rare to find someone like that...... but he was a bloody good trader and knows the industry inside out

Reply 73

ibd_haunter

1

S&T has a much broaded variety than IBD..........

IBD is dominated by the Oxbridge, LSE and then by UCL, Warwick.... there are a few people of other unis..

S&T on the other hand, has the usually set of Oxbridge/LSE/UCL/Warick..... but has a lot more people from other unis beyond the Russell Group.......

Reply 74

multiplexing-gamer

OP

15

Original post by ibd_haunter

S&T has a much broaded variety than IBD..........

IBD is dominated by the Oxbridge, LSE and then by UCL, Warwick.... there are a few people of other unis..

S&T on the other hand, has the usually set of Oxbridge/LSE/UCL/Warick..... but has a lot more people from other unis beyond the Russell Group.......

Is St Andrews one?

Reply 75

Zweihander

3

Original post by manutd17

How come this tends to be the case?

It's because these are the sort of people IBD attracts

and these are the sorts of people Trading attracts

Reply 76

prospectivEEconomist

16

Wow, didn't know there were so many HR experts on this forum.

Reply 77

IceWater

14

Original post by Zweihander

It's because these are the sort of people IBD attracts

and these are the sorts of people Trading attracts

Except in a few weeks the former will end up looking like the latter. Bar the car.

Reply 78

sohinder

im interested about investment banking but i dunno anything about it can someone gimme some advice into the job description and the structure of a days work e.tc.............