Wednesday, January 16, 2008

After 1 brazillion...

...meetings with 1st years researching jobs, I thought I'd post my spiel:

Over the summer I worked in an investment banking field called structured finance...which is different from structuring derivatives

  • precisely 60% modelling / 40% meetings, research, etc.
  • some client interaction because group originates deals
  • good hours (8a-7p, 5x/wk)
  • travel about once a month, global group so who knows where
  • associate pay (1st yr) is nearly identical at all global banks
  • interview q's about motivation for banking/group and cv
Banks good at shifting you around to find as good a fit as possible if you get an internship (ie, try to get in more than find perfect fit). As such, focus on a good fit/fitting in rather than proving you are brilliant...desirable skill set for MBA's is not rocket science, so sociable classmates had a 100% offer rate whereas "non-sociable" ones did not.

Good luck! You're gonna need it.
(as an a-hole friend who reads this famously said)