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

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Ah maybe if I were to truly try and go down this career path I could try and get some work experience/internships, appreciate the honest appraisal though. Also I don't know if it really helps but I did forget to mention I'm really, really, ridiculously good-looking? Perhaps a photo of myself in the cover letter?

Reply 2681

MedMed12

My cousin is on a salary of £68,000 at 25/26 :O

Reply 2682

MedMed12

Just wondering could someone with a chemistry degree go into I. Banking? or does it have to be a maths degree etc?

Reply 2683

Imperial Blitz

What kind of IB Summer internships should I be aiming for with grades ABB & studying Maths & Eco at QMUL? Or is it way out of my league?

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 2684

deejayy

How do banks select applicants? Do they place more weighting on academics or work experience or their online questionnaires/tests when choosing who to interview for spring weeks/internships/grad roles. Also once you get to interview are your chances mostly dependent on your interview peformance or is your cv still a major part of the decision process.

Reply 2685

SharkMonster

Original post by MedMed12

Just wondering could someone with a chemistry degree go into I. Banking? or does it have to be a maths degree etc?

No, that Kweku guy at UBS had a chemistry degree from Nottingham I believe. So it doesn't really matter what degree.

Reply 2686

KLL

Original post by MedMed12

My cousin is on a salary of £68,000 at 25/26 :O

Good for him?

Original post by Imperial Blitz

What kind of IB Summer internships should I be aiming for with grades ABB & studying Maths & Eco at QMUL? Or is it way out of my league?

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Apply for the positions that you want to do at lower tier banks.
And try back office/risk/finance functions at BBs.
Might still leave you with nothing, but there is no point in you doing a job you won't enjoy at a place that won't get you anywhere

Reply 2687

KLL

Original post by freeharddrive

Am I good enough? I'm only applying because I want any sort of work experience, not because it's my dream job or whatever.

Advanced Highers
Physics, Maths, Chemistry, Biology - A

I'm doing an engineering degree at uni (not a target uni)
In my third year out of 5 (MEng)
My only work experience is a 5 week internship at a small engineering consultancy.
Won one award at university for exam results. Got a scholarship that I had to apply for (not because I'm poor, they just want to give me free money for being smart)

No societies, part time jobs, extracurricular clubs. Of course I have hobbies that I'm willing to mention in interviews, I just have nothing in groups.

I'm applying for spring weeks right now. I'm applying for anything sales and trading related because they supposedly value numbers more, and investment banking positions maybe emphasise leadership roles in clubs, of which I have nothing.

If I fail in getting spring weeks, is it because of my lack of Extra-curriculars? I'm also not sure if my cover letters/ application competency answers are any good. I really know nothing about the industry, I just want any sort of work experience.

I like your style
non-target uni, partially related course, no relevant experience, no relevant EC, no industry knowledge...
While I do appreciate the fact that you don't do those stupid society ECs everyone does for the sake of doing ECs, your outlook is so bleak, even BO might be a stretch at this stage. You need to step it up. There are loads of things you can do to give yourself a better chance and possibly most importantly: rebrand.
Don't waste your time on the big programmes, go for small boutiques in your area and what not, start from there. Otherwise you'll jsut look like a very average engineering grad who appleid to a bank by accident

Reply 2688

The Eden project

What would be a better degree, Actuarial Science or Economics? I've heard mixed reviews but most saying that actuarial science is mostly for actuary's and some investment bankers if you are lucky, Anyone know which is generally better?

Reply 2689

MashB

Original post by The Eden project

It's more about the Uni.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 2690

aroniglenn

Predicted grades for AS: A Chemistry
A Maths
A Biology
A Economics

Reply 2691

An Obese Turtle

Do I have a chance?

AS grades: ABBB
A2 Predictions: A*AA

Firmed Nottingham Physics

Applied to a JP Morgan insight day

Am planning on doing loads and loads of society stuff at uni etc

Reply 2692

simonkite

Starting to entertain the idea of investment banking; just doing some research over these few weeks, and was wondering what you guys thought of my chances?

At University of Liverpool doing Business Studies, got a first in my first year but only a 2:1 in the first semester of second year (in my second year now). If I try really hard in my final year I should be able to get a first but would probably predict myself a 2:1.

I've been accepted on to a year long industrial placement in Management Consultancy at PwC for my third year (I do a sandwich course), but it finishes in May so I'm thinking I may try and apply for an IB summer internship.

A Levels: AAB (Economics, Business, Law respectively). In terms of EC I have volunteered in positions of responsibility (sole football coach for a youth team before uni, involved in running of football team at uni), then have participated in business challenges and got an award for my first year results.

Feedback appreciated, cheers.

Edit: this is for my chances of getting a summer internship, which I could then hopefully use to evaluate my future options.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2693

Bencant

AS grades: AAAA, A* EPQ, B critical thinking

A2 Predictions: A*A*A

Firmed Warwick PPE

I know I have a chance with these grades and Warwick PPE, but how good of a chance? and what can I do to further increase my chances of getting spring week programmes and summer internship?

Cheers for any replies

Edit: Oh and I've applied for JP Morgan Insight day, I'm done a couple of economics related extra curricular things at school and am intending to get involved in society stuff at uni.

(edited 10 years ago)

LSE maths and econ?

whats my chances,
GCSE's:
Physics - A*
Business Studies - A*
History - A*
Maths - A
Chemistry -A
Boilogy - A
Geography - A
English lit - B
English lan -B
Food Tec - B

AS results
Maths A
Physics B
Chemistry C
History C

A2 results
Maths A*
Physics A*
Chemistry A*

studying economics at nottingham

Reply 2696

Bencant

Original post by Zzzyax

Sorry can't answer your question, but can I just say fair play to you for going from a C and a B in physics and chemistry to A*s.

Reply 2697

Indus

Original post by Zzzyax

Half decent if you're aiming for front office; pretty good if you're aiming for MO/BO. Just be one of the top students applying from Nottingham in terms of extra-curriculars, work experience, financial and commercial awareness, volunteering etc and you should secure interviews if you have good competency questions and cover letters etc. At interview everything is more or less equal.

Reply 2698

Rask

Hi guys,

I have a 2:1 in economics from University College Dublin (UCD), which the the best place to go for econ in Ireland.

I have done an internship in London with HSBC a couple of years ago and I've been working in Big 4 audit for the last year.

Audit definitely isn't for me so am thinking of going back to do a masters in econ in UCD. It's heavily quantitative, lots of econometrics etc. I slept through undergrad and nearly got a first so I reckon I could do well in the masters.

With decent professional experience and hopefully a good masters I would hope to have a shot at some IB or consulting firms. What do you guys think?

I also think that I have a much better grasp of the grad market now then I did at undergrad. The only things I applied for we're HSBC and Big 4 and I got both.