Need tips for getting into Investment Banking in the Los Angeles area.?


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This might be long but since it's the most important thing in my life, kindly bear w/ me and read the whole thing before you comment... I'm an incoming senior @ UCLA and have an aggregate GPA of around 3.40 as an econ major(4-5 accntg classes as well). My sole aim in undergrad has been to work as an analyst in a...


Banks in West Point, MS



Answer (2):

 
banker

Banks will be doing VERY little recruiting outside of their summer class for full-time this year. Not sure about the market on the west coast (assuming that you want to work in SF/LA/PA as opposed to NY), but firms such as MS, ML, JPM, LEH have decided to completely shut down full-time recruiting - read: not even visiting Harvard, Wharton, etc.

The 3.4 GPA is a non-issue; if you were going to get an interview w/ a 3.5, you would get it w/ a 3.4 - the problem that I see is that I doubt that your credentials are strong enough to land a position. Not sure whether banks recruit on campus at UCLA - if they do, you could possibly land an interview... but, given what you posted here, your experience screams to me "BACK OFFICE!" and "BIG 4!" - two immediate turnoffs for bankers. You will need to convince interviewers how your experience is more beneficial than another student who had an internship in banking, but didn't end up with an offer or someone who did get an offer from a MM in banking and is looking to upgrade to a better firm (and I know a couple of UCLA kids who did end up offerless at firms such as UBS/CS LA, so you'll probably be competing against these kids). And if you didn't work in banking, don't doll up this position in the "middle market investment bank/ investments firm" as though it were somehow related to a banking position - bankers can smell this type of BS from a mile away, and it's very offputting.

Lastly, certain things that you said in your post makes me believe that you don't really know very much about banking (despite how much you think that you know...) If you get interviews, I wouldn't go into interviews with the attitude "oh, my work experience is so strong -- I'm going to ace this for sure." Ignorance can sink you and humility can be a blessing.

 
P J

Yeaaahh, Banker is back and he's blowing harder than ever!!

Man, no one dashes dreams or crushes ambition better than you.
I thought you permanently dropped off a few months ago, but now you're back and your game is in top form!

You should consider a career as roast master. Or HR.