tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

I guess I will get straight to the point. I want to get a full time offer on Wall St. after I graduate in one of the top ibanks at the desk. I know what it takes and I am willing to work as hard as necessary because I want this job. Obviously, there are a few problems, at least the way I see it:

1) I go to a good school but its not in the top 10 core schools from which these companies recruit.
2) I do well in school but I do not have a 3.7 mainly because I have been on the rowing team throughout all of college which was a huge commitment. It’s my senior year and after a lot of though I quit this season.
3) I interned in a foreign ibank this summer.

Basically, my main concern is surviving the resume scan which is very tough. Should I put poker among interests? How can I stand out among all the 4.0 candidates from Harvard who’s older brother is a senior analyst at Bear or JP?

I am fairly confident that I can get it if I get a chance to interview.

There is a number of people here with experience in trading so if anybody has any tips or insider advice that is not covered in any of the presentations, books, career offices and online, please let me know. I really appreciate all the help…Thanks a lot.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

Some answers to your questions:

1. What school exactly do you go to? Most places actually don't really care about the school you go to, they just frequent the ivy leagues, because any idiot knows, the 'smarter' crowd is there.
2. What's your GPA? You saying you don't have a 3.7 means diddly, is it more like a 2.7? Rowing team is good, they like candidates that compete in sports.
3. So what, you interned just like 90% of the candidates, won't hurt, but won't help much.

How I got into the industry...you are right, they will probably throw your resume away unless it says Harvard/Yale, etc. Seeing as you don't go there, I'd suggest you network with someone in the company that went to your school. Drop him an email and say what's up...I went to XXXX school just like you, wondering if you wanted to meet up for lunch to chat about how I can break into the XXXX field you want to get in on Wall Street. Turns out the first trading firm I worked at, the President was an alma mater at my school, so I got to bypass all the crap interviews, interviewed with him and the CEO and the rest was said and done, hired.

Tell them you play poker and blackjack, I remember when I was talking to some Susquehanna reps at a job fair, one of the hot chicks asked me if I played blackjack...I was totally caught off guard and I said yeah, I play blackjack every so often when I go to Atlantic City and Vegas. That's all she asked and took my resume. Couple days later, I get a call for first interview...don't know if it was the blackjack answer, but I figure if they ask, it must be somewhat 'important'. Visit www.thevault.com, good site for this kind of stuff.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]

Tell them you play poker and blackjack, I remember when I was talking to some Susquehanna reps at a job fair, one of the hot chicks asked me if I played blackjack...I was totally caught off guard and I said yeah, I play blackjack every so often when I go to Atlantic City and Vegas. That's all she asked and took my resume. Couple days later, I get a call for first interview...don't know if it was the blackjack answer, but I figure if they ask, it must be somewhat 'important'.

[/ QUOTE ]
You'd be a fool NOT to follow this advice.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I want to get a full time offer on Wall St. after I graduate in one of the top ibanks at the desk. I know what it takes

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, obviously not. I'm sure you see why.

[ QUOTE ]
and I am willing to work as hard as necessary because I want this job.

[/ QUOTE ]

Easy to say, harder to do, much harder to prove. Are you up for 3 consecutive 110 hour weeks? Are you up for 3 days and 2 nites str8 working on the same pitch, leaving to shower and change only, and then flying down to ATL yourself to deliver by noon, after finishing the books at 7 am?

Are you really? Think hard. Because I've yet to meet the I-banking analyst who does, and I've worked with and met several hundred of them.
Okay, maybe 2 or 3 of them were so lifeless and dull they didn't mind having no life, like, ever. Maybe 3 of them.

[ QUOTE ]

1) I go to a good school but its not in the top 10 core schools from which these companies recruit.
2) I do well in school but I do not have a 3.7 mainly because I have been on the rowing team throughout all of college which was a huge commitment. It’s my senior year and after a lot of though I quit this season.
3) I interned in a foreign ibank this summer.


[/ QUOTE ]

Irrelevant x3.
I had a 3.3 and bagged the best Ibank in the known Universe out of undergrad. No one cares about your GPA. No one cared when I went to IBank 2, and then to IBank #3. Never came up. [Obvs by then work experience counted more, but still.]
I talked more about craps in 90% of my interviews, or basketball than anything else.

[ QUOTE ]
Basically, my main concern is surviving the resume scan which is very tough. Should I put poker among interests? How can I stand out among all the 4.0 candidates from Harvard who’s older brother is a senior analyst at Bear or JP?

[/ QUOTE ]

1) You will NOT get a job with your resume, pretty much ever.
2) Listing Poker/bj/ and/or craps is a must-do.
3) It's all about the networking.


[ QUOTE ]

There is a number of people here with experience in trading so if anybody has any tips or insider advice that is not covered in any of the presentations, books, career offices and online, please let me know.

[/ QUOTE ]

Trading is not I-banking, this post now makes no sense to me. Which do you want?

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/1...wchart5rt4.gif

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
the best Ibank in the known Universe

[/ QUOTE ]
Don't be bashful, tell us who this is.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
the best Ibank in the known Universe

[/ QUOTE ]
Must be Goldman, no?

Also, to the OP, read Monkey Business before you get involved in the i-banking world. It's a pretty eye opening book. I had always envisioned myself going with this career path, but I don't think I can bring myself to now.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

Public accounting is the way to go.


*pukes*

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Public accounting is the way to go.


*pukes*

[/ QUOTE ]
It's not exactly clear what job the OP thinks he wants, but public accounting isn't the way to any of them.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

I understand why poker and to a lesser extent counting at blackjack might be good experience for a trader (not sure about I-banking). Why craps, though? Doesn't that pretty much just show you don't understand probability?

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I understand why poker and to a lesser extent counting at blackjack might be good experience for a trader (not sure about I-banking). Why craps, though? Doesn't that pretty much just show you don't understand probability?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would reply that it shows you are able to understand and combine knowledge of probability, expectation, money mgmt and bankroll skills, while also understanding it is a negative EV game, *but* the best EV table game in the casino combined with the ability to have fun and be social, as opposed to the plain nerdy-counts-cards- at bj-but-maybe can't-talk/work-with-others Nit mentality.

Besides, anyone can say they can count down a 6-deck shoe perfectly, not like they will test you during an interview, read for 3 minutes on how it works and you can fake expertise, a deep understanding of craps [and other -EV casino games] gives you chance to show that you understand variance and risk mgmt, etc, like to live a little, are social, what kind of person you are, are you a don't bettor, do you make the horribly bad craps bets, etc.

Again, I had them all on there, no one wanted to talk about counting cards except one firm, 90% of them want to talk about how to play craps, or great craps runs they had -- then you're foot in the door a step up on the other 499 undergrads trying to claw past you. 90% of traders I've worked with on Wall St have played/still play craps - floor traders, pit traders, fx traders, futures traders, forwards traders, swap traders, option traders. It's like a club, and OP/you want to be in it, so that's jmho.

If you're interviewing for a PM job at a deep-value shop, I'd just put poker on there and *not* craps. Like most things, it may depend on the situation.

Look, these people interview dozens of people a day, 500 per year per school they cover in some cases. I covered the SE/ and historically black colleges for my I-bank. I [and everyone else] figures you can DCF, you can model, you're not a lying thief, you work hard, etc, but that's hard to prove in 30 mins. What people really, really WANT is someone who is personable and fun to work with, combined with smarts [and looks] if possible - talk about the BCS, talk about postmodern French Lit, talk about poker, Beethoven, make yourself stand out. {Bonus hint - a listing of poker, skiing, running marathons will make you one of every 2 resumes I see. No joke. No, sailing/cycling doesn't do it either. Banks get 3-500 of resumes per school often, recruiting teams may cover 7-10 schools or more.}

Or you have no shot. Plain and simple. When I started working in downtown NYC I got hired as 1 of 4 analysts in my I-banking dept, I dunno what the # of applicants was, but it could easily have been 4000, or much more.

When I moved to top 5 I-bank #3, I was given the chance to start my own P+L within that dept for an under-served and somewhat unique set of bank's clients. I increased profits by 600% in less than 3 years taking virtually zero market or vol risk [obvs this means lots of hedging]. Within 2 years I had the 2nd most profits and highest quality revenues on the desk.

Perhaps subconsciously pitching myself as the 'careful, cautious trader' who *hates* to lose bank's/OPM at work, but likes to let loose at the Mirage craps table every now and then with his own money rang very true and real to the MD's that interviewed and hired me. I don't really know. They'd rather have that than the cowboys who sank Sumitomo and Granite and Amaranth, I can vouch for that.

To be perfectly honest, it doesn't matter a whit if you start at Mitsui, or Wachovia, or some 3rd-tier trading shop, the cream almost always rises to the top, eventually, in this industry. Smart, savvy, sober, consistently good-to-great, hardworking [which can mean 95+ hours a week and 3 days off a year including weekends] employees are a lot harder to come by than you'd think. It's not a sprint, so don't stress too much about tying the knot with your 'dream firm.' My resume gets me in for an interview anywhere, but that's as far as it goes. After that, it's how you interview and fit with your desired firm.

Best of luck to you.

Naj

In life, like craps, luck plays a much larger role than you may think. Maybe that was it...

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Public accounting is the way to go.


*pukes*

[/ QUOTE ]
It's not exactly clear what job the OP thinks he wants, but public accounting isn't the way to any of them.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know; it was a side comment/sarcastic joke.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Public accounting is the way to go.


*pukes*

[/ QUOTE ]
It's not exactly clear what job the OP thinks he wants, but public accounting isn't the way to any of them.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know; it was a side comment/sarcastic joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stick to making fries and laying out Torry Holt...

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Public accounting is the way to go.


*pukes*

[/ QUOTE ]
It's not exactly clear what job the OP thinks he wants, but public accounting isn't the way to any of them.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know; it was a side comment/sarcastic joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stick to making fries and laying out Torry Holt...

[/ QUOTE ]

I wish my job were that easy.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

Find out who the actual hiring managers are in addition to the recruiters. Then hound them all mercilessly until they agree to grant you an interview just to get you off their back.

Come up with a better reason your GPA sucks. Everyone has commitments, but still manages to do their job. Unless you happen to interview with someone who's into it, they don't want someone who says, "well I really want to be a banker but I wasn't preparing myself as adequately as possible because I spent my study time in a rowboat."

Play up your internship, play down the school and have a good reason for why you went there.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Tell them you play poker and blackjack, I remember when I was talking to some Susquehanna reps at a job fair, one of the hot chicks asked me if I played blackjack...

[/ QUOTE ]

Susquehanna in particular is known for wanting to hire games players. Poker or blackjack would be a strong plus with them.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I understand why poker and to a lesser extent counting at blackjack might be good experience for a trader (not sure about I-banking). Why craps, though? Doesn't that pretty much just show you don't understand probability?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would reply that it shows you are able to understand and combine knowledge of probability, expectation, money mgmt and bankroll skills, while also understanding it is a negative EV game, *but* the best EV table game in the casino combined with the ability to have fun and be social, as opposed to the plain nerdy-counts-cards- at bj-but-maybe can't-talk/work-with-others Nit mentality.

Besides, anyone can say they can count down a 6-deck shoe perfectly, not like they will test you during an interview, read for 3 minutes on how it works and you can fake expertise, a deep understanding of craps [and other -EV casino games] gives you chance to show that you understand variance and risk mgmt, etc, like to live a little, are social, what kind of person you are, are you a don't bettor, do you make the horribly bad craps bets, etc.

Again, I had them all on there, no one wanted to talk about counting cards except one firm, 90% of them want to talk about how to play craps, or great craps runs they had -- then you're foot in the door a step up on the other 499 undergrads trying to claw past you. 90% of traders I've worked with on Wall St have played/still play craps - floor traders, pit traders, fx traders, futures traders, forwards traders, swap traders, option traders. It's like a club, and OP/you want to be in it, so that's jmho.

If you're interviewing for a PM job at a deep-value shop, I'd just put poker on there and *not* craps. Like most things, it may depend on the situation.

Look, these people interview dozens of people a day, 500 per year per school they cover in some cases. I covered the SE/ and historically black colleges for my I-bank. I [and everyone else] figures you can DCF, you can model, you're not a lying thief, you work hard, etc, but that's hard to prove in 30 mins. What people really, really WANT is someone who is personable and fun to work with, combined with smarts [and looks] if possible - talk about the BCS, talk about postmodern French Lit, talk about poker, Beethoven, make yourself stand out. {Bonus hint - a listing of poker, skiing, running marathons will make you one of every 2 resumes I see. No joke. No, sailing/cycling doesn't do it either. Banks get 3-500 of resumes per school often, recruiting teams may cover 7-10 schools or more.}

Or you have no shot. Plain and simple. When I started working in downtown NYC I got hired as 1 of 4 analysts in my I-banking dept, I dunno what the # of applicants was, but it could easily have been 4000, or much more.

When I moved to top 5 I-bank #3, I was given the chance to start my own P+L within that dept for an under-served and somewhat unique set of bank's clients. I increased profits by 600% in less than 3 years taking virtually zero market or vol risk [obvs this means lots of hedging]. Within 2 years I had the 2nd most profits and highest quality revenues on the desk.

Perhaps subconsciously pitching myself as the 'careful, cautious trader' who *hates* to lose bank's/OPM at work, but likes to let loose at the Mirage craps table every now and then with his own money rang very true and real to the MD's that interviewed and hired me. I don't really know. They'd rather have that than the cowboys who sank Sumitomo and Granite and Amaranth, I can vouch for that.

To be perfectly honest, it doesn't matter a whit if you start at Mitsui, or Wachovia, or some 3rd-tier trading shop, the cream almost always rises to the top, eventually, in this industry. Smart, savvy, sober, consistently good-to-great, hardworking [which can mean 95+ hours a week and 3 days off a year including weekends] employees are a lot harder to come by than you'd think. It's not a sprint, so don't stress too much about tying the knot with your 'dream firm.' My resume gets me in for an interview anywhere, but that's as far as it goes. After that, it's how you interview and fit with your desired firm.

Best of luck to you.

Naj

In life, like craps, luck plays a much larger role than you may think. Maybe that was it...

[/ QUOTE ]

Ugh.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I guess I will get straight to the point. I want to get a full time offer on Wall St. after I graduate in one of the top ibanks at the desk. I know what it takes and I am willing to work as hard as necessary because I want this job. Obviously, there are a few problems, at least the way I see it:

1) I go to a good school but its not in the top 10 core schools from which these companies recruit.
2) I do well in school but I do not have a 3.7 mainly because I have been on the rowing team throughout all of college which was a huge commitment. It’s my senior year and after a lot of though I quit this season.
3) I interned in a foreign ibank this summer.

Basically, my main concern is surviving the resume scan which is very tough. Should I put poker among interests? How can I stand out among all the 4.0 candidates from Harvard who’s older brother is a senior analyst at Bear or JP?

I am fairly confident that I can get it if I get a chance to interview.

There is a number of people here with experience in trading so if anybody has any tips or insider advice that is not covered in any of the presentations, books, career offices and online, please let me know. I really appreciate all the help…Thanks a lot.

[/ QUOTE ]


OP only said he wants to work for an I-bank, not necessarily doing "investment banking". Worth noting before somebody else responds with a 5,000 word essay on "My Accomplishments As An I-Banker, Heed My Wisdom, etc".

There are plenty of worthwile (and lucrative) jobs within an investment bank that aren't "i-banking". Sales, trading, or research positions in equities, fixed income, derivatives, etc.

Aggressive networking is definitely your best option from a non-core school. Once you get the first job, it doesn't really matter.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I guess I will get straight to the point. I want to get a full time offer on Wall St. after I graduate in one of the top ibanks at the desk. I know what it takes and I am willing to work as hard as necessary because I want this job. Obviously, there are a few problems, at least the way I see it:

1) I go to a good school but its not in the top 10 core schools from which these companies recruit.
2) I do well in school but I do not have a 3.7 mainly because I have been on the rowing team throughout all of college which was a huge commitment. It’s my senior year and after a lot of though I quit this season.
3) I interned in a foreign ibank this summer.

Basically, my main concern is surviving the resume scan which is very tough. Should I put poker among interests? How can I stand out among all the 4.0 candidates from Harvard who’s older brother is a senior analyst at Bear or JP?

I am fairly confident that I can get it if I get a chance to interview.

There is a number of people here with experience in trading so if anybody has any tips or insider advice that is not covered in any of the presentations, books, career offices and online, please let me know. I really appreciate all the help…Thanks a lot.

[/ QUOTE ]


OP only said he wants to work for an I-bank, not necessarily doing "investment banking". Worth noting before somebody else responds with a 5,000 word essay on "My Accomplishments As An I-Banker, Heed My Wisdom, etc".

There are plenty of worthwile (and lucrative) jobs within an investment bank that aren't "i-banking". Sales, trading, or research positions in equities, fixed income, derivatives, etc.

Aggressive networking is definitely your best option from a non-core school. Once you get the first job, it doesn't really matter.

[/ QUOTE ]

tl;dr

I don't know any people who think sell-side equity research is either worthwhile, or lucrative for new entrants at this point.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

Najdorf,
Thanks for your detailed response. I lol'd at your flowchart, too. I've briefly considered I-banking, but I figure money's no good if you don't have time to spend it.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Najdorf,
Thanks for your detailed response. I lol'd at your flowchart, too. I've briefly considered I-banking, but I figure money's no good if you don't have time to spend it.

[/ QUOTE ]

My thoughts exactly.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Najdorf,
Thanks for your detailed response. I lol'd at your flowchart, too. I've briefly considered I-banking, but I figure money's no good if you don't have time to spend it.

[/ QUOTE ]

My thoughts exactly.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's why I left. Trading/money mgmt is a much better lifestyle if you can handle the stress.

Naj

ps What stress...OPM baby!

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

The money's plenty good if you retire at the age of 40 and never have to work again.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

What exactly is "i-banking?" You're investing for a bank?

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

investment banking

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

Thanks a lot for all the insight. I was away for a while, had a ton of work and didn't really have time to check 2p2.

To answer some of the questions: I go to Tufts and I have a 3.36. I was a mess freshman year, took way too many hard classes for a freshman, joined the varsity team, slept during the day and worked at night and have been raising my GPA ever since.
I agree with what a lot of you are saying about the importance of networking, interviewing skills and being a good fit for the firm. Ultimatly, they will hire the guy with whom they can get a drink after work. While all of this is true I feel like the hardest is to be able to GET that 1st round interview, at least for me.
For the past two and a halfs weeks I have been scouring Boston and NYC for anyone that can be of any help. My parents don't have any contacts at all in the finance world because I am not from the U.S.
In any case, I have been to pretty much every presentation/conference/networking panel at Harvard, MIT and of course at my school (can't make them all because of classes). After being stared up and down by all the harvard kids and sending over 40 thank you notes I feel like I haven't made that much progress.
I am pushing very hard throuhg all the Tufts alums and the career network at my school, but the problem here is that they are taking at most 1-2 kids for each firm and I am competing against some of the very best with MUCH higher point averages.
What else do you think I should be doing to increase my chances of getting a full-time position?
Also, up to a few weeks ago I was certain that I want to do S&T but now, after reading more resources and talking to analysts, I am also interested in IBD because I feel like I can develop a broader skill set which will be more transferable in the future and i can get exposure to deal flow. While I am still young I am OK with working insane hours so that doesn't bother me at all about IBD. I know that these are completely different areas, require different skill sets and personality types. My question is this: If i apply for both at one firm do you think that will jeopardize my chances for getting either one of them? Same goes for applying to other departametns like GTS, CM etc? You think i should just focus on one thing or go for whatever I can get?

Last point that I wanted to make. In response to gimpoone, I wanted to say that I DID NOT intern at Wall St. this summer. Instead I interned in Moscow at the leading Russian Ibanks (had to get a visa so had to come back). It was just as intense, but I feel like thats a disadvantage relative to other candidates.


To whoever made it to the end of this post..thanks a lot and I appreciate any comments, tips or advice.

higher_energy

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

You work at Goldman rigt?

What do you think got you your first IB job if it wasn't your resume/GPA?

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

[ QUOTE ]
To answer some of the questions: I go to Tufts and I have a 3.36. I was a mess freshman year, took way too many hard classes for a freshman, joined the varsity team, slept during the day and worked at night and have been raising my GPA ever since.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not a problem you just gotta tell that story well.

[ QUOTE ]
After being stared up and down by all the harvard kids and sending over 40 thank you notes I feel like I haven't made that much progress.

[/ QUOTE ]

Life is like that. Persistence + Sincerity + Discipline = eventual Reward.
[ QUOTE ]

Also, up to a few weeks ago I was certain that I want to do S&T but now, after reading more resources and talking to analysts, I am also interested in IBD because I feel like I can develop a broader skill set which will be more transferable in the future and i can get exposure to deal flow. While I am still young I am OK with working insane hours so that doesn't bother me at all about IBD. I know that these are completely different areas, require different skill sets and personality types. My question is this: If i apply for both at one firm do you think that will jeopardize my chances for getting either one of them?

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course not.

[ QUOTE ]
Same goes for applying to other departametns like GTS, CM etc? You think i should just focus on one thing or go for whatever I can get?


[/ QUOTE ]

If you really want a job in a certain area - you MUST focus on that area - networking, interviewing, resume, thank-yous, info sessions, leverage the Tufts office to give you anyone's name in the industry and start writing them. Squeaky wheel, etc.

[ QUOTE ]
Last point that I wanted to make. In response to gimpoone, I wanted to say that I DID NOT intern at Wall St. this summer. Instead I interned in Moscow at the leading Russian Ibanks (had to get a visa so had to come back). It was just as intense, but I feel like thats a disadvantage relative to other candidates.

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally disagree - that is an advantage, I can't even see someone else in HR not thinking so, although they may certainly press you on it to ensure you were doing 'real' work.

At the end of the day, you get lucky/network your way into the first round interviews. From there, it's all in how you perform in that 30 minutes. You must be able to sell yourself, period. Dress smart, read up on *anything and everything* having to do with markets, wall st, deal flow, energy mkts, et al. NEVER be late, shoes polished, nice tie, make polite conversation with the ass'ts/receptionists, immediate thank-you notes, perfectly formatted resume, etc.

I graduated a semester early, so it was easier for me to get interviews/meet with people, just happened to work out better for me because there were much fewer candidates finishing up during fall than spring.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

Ok thanks for the input. A couple of other things

1) Econ/Pricing/Strategic consultants, on average, get paid less then people both IBD and trading. No huge bonuses, less perks, but slightly better hours. Y/N?
2) If i get an offer in say one of the product groups how hard could it be to switch to trading? Is this at all possible, totally dependent on the firm/your perfomance etc.?
3) NajdorDefense - do you mind sharing where you worked straight out of undergrad and as I asked you before, what got you that first job if it wasn't for your resume/GPA? Was it all through networking/connections? Something else entirely different? Did you do something in college that separated you from the rest / what was the biggest strength of your resume?
4) Last question: An ibank made me an offer with a relocation bonus + sign up bonus if I sign before Middle of October. They also want my decision now. This is not a U.S. based bank but its very good, killing its competition, amazing corporate culture etc. Obviously, its smaller.
Having said all that, I still want to work on Wall St. Should I take my chances or go with the sure thing?

thanks

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

1) Yes.
2) Definitely possible but would first need to be a strong performer and build relationships.
3) I don't know Najdor's background but GPA does matter to HR who need to screen resumes. Networking is a good way to bypass this.
As for my resume, it was pretty generic.(3.5gpa, top 25 ugrad, investment clubs, pwm internship). Separated myself through the interview(you'd be amazed how many kids don't come off as genuinely passionate/knowledgeable about investing/trading).
4) I'm going to assume this is for IBD analyst position. What bank is it? location? I am not a banker but often hear it is important to know what the office deal flow will be because this determines the experience you'll get.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

Hey guys can I cut in with a question too?

This thread is super-interesting and you guys seem to know what you are talking about. I am trying to transition myself into finance/banking as a senior with a psych major/econ minor (3.1gpa - SUCK). I interned with a home building company and worked for a mortgage title company, so my previous experience is eclectic and not entirely applicable. What would be a good way to get my foot in the door in an interview? I have no idea how to make myself an attractive recruit, or how to make my major/minor combination look good.

And what about grad school? Would getting an MBA be worthwhile to work in this industry?

Thanks guys.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

OK, i just wrote a huge reply but it somehow didn't get posted....best feeling in the world. As i said, I have to run now but I will be back later.

Re: tips for getting full-time offer on Wall St.
 

Network, read everything, network some more. Rinse, wash, repeat.