I know it's a jungle out there guys. It's tough for people just graduating to find jobs, but it's even tougher for those in the work force and those with a non-target educational background to break into Finance (let alone work in a competitive sector). This story is a testament to ALWAYS maintaining the conviction in your mind that your circumstances are not reflective of who you are. If you maintain your self belief, know that everything will play out in your life as intended, and express gratitude towards others, you can literally accomplish anything you want to. I never used to believe this stuff, but because of how my life has played out, I can honestly say it's true.
So You're Telling Me I Have No Chance With This GPA?
So how unlikely was my chance of success to begin with? I'd say it was enormous. I originally attended a non-target Undergrad as a Biology major, I've never taken a Finance class in my life, and I graduated with a GPA around a 3.2. My Freshman year of college resulted in my grades tanking (and set a pretty substantial trend) as I faced the possibility of being homeless and not being able to afford tuition. When I graduated and realized I didn't want to become a doctor (and that I really wanted to break into Private Equity), I had to figure out the next steps in my life. How was some Bio Major going to break into PE and Investments from the get go? I simply picked up the phones. I made lists of firms near me, and cold called.
Success rate? 0.
Got no email responses, got no call backs, nothing. In order to pay my bills, I continued working part time as a Pharmacy Technician while also working full time at a "factory" type Pharmacy from 3:30 pm until 11:00 pm at nights. It was hands down one of the worst experiences my life, as I was surrounded by people that were thoroughly negative.
I had about $800 dollars in my bank account.
One day when I was on vacation with my family, my friend gave me a call and told me his operations department were looking for people. It was at this moment that I knew that I had to take the first step to break into Finance. Within two weeks, I managed to secure an Interview, secure the job, and I moved up to Manhattan to work. I had about 800 dollars in my bank account. I slept on a twin sized foam mattress on the floor in my friend's Studio, and we split the rent three ways. The pay at my job was pretty terrible, and some days I had to balance between washing my clothes or eating dinner.
It Got Worse...
Shortly thereafter, I got a terrible case of Walking Pneumonia, and hit a 103 degree fever. I clearly remember on one particular day, the walk back from the subway to my shared studio was one of the most difficult things I've ever done; I legitimately remember thinking that I might die as the rain completely drenched me on the walk back. Looking back on it, it's probably one of the moments I appreciate the most, as I was the most unhealthy, broke, and unhappy I'd ever been in my life.
After a couple months, the firm I was working at was slammed with a number of scandals, and my roommates decided to head back to their respective homes. There was no way I could survive in the city without living on the streets, so I started applying to firms back home (now that I had a few months experience in NYC).
The Non-compete
I made it to the final round of an Investment Sales associate position, even interviewing with the CEO of the firm. Unfortunately, the company told me that they couldn't hire me due to a non-compete agreement with that of the previous firm. For about three weeks, I called the previous firm, telling them that I had no client interaction, I wasn't FINRA licensed, and there was no reason that I should be subject to a non compete. The lawyers at the previous firm eventually agreed to push back my non compete from a year to only 4 months, but by that time, the firm I was interviewing with gave the position to someone else.
Cold Calling Blues
For three months, I applied, and applied, and applied to every and all firms I could, all while paying bills and watching my bank account near zero. I did more cold calling. And more emailing. And I got nowhere, until I found an opening for an Internal Wholesaler at a boutique mutual fund firm. I did everything I could in my power to convey how BADLY I wanted this job, and it apparently worked as I obtained the position. About 3 months in, my firm announced that it was on the market, and that it honestly had no idea what was going to happen to the people at the company. I realized that I had to do something. The sale was completed, and the new CEO came in and told us that in about 8 months there would be layoffs. I'm not one to wait for the axe to fall, so for the remainder of the year, I really hammered the phones, learned about the markets, and honed my Sales and Business Development skills while winning numerous awards and consistently ranking #1 across various metrics.
Some Hope or Another Bad Offer?
I figured because I had a year experience in Sales (including Cold Calling), I'd have a better shot at a few Investment Banking/ PE firms. I revamped my cover letters. I called and emailed Managing Directors and CEOs of IB and PE firms directly....and, I found success (kind of). I had 3 interviews with two IB firms and one PE firm, but unfortunately the IB firms turned me down, and the PE firm made a very, very weak offer that reminded me of my downtrodden NYC days. Something in my gut kept telling me to wait.....
Patience...
And my waiting paid off. Shortly after turning down the only PE offer I had, I got a call from a well regarded PE firm in NYC for an Associate level role. They told me they were particularly impressed with my Cover Letter, and loved my Business Development skills. After coming up to interview from 10 AM until 7 PM straight, I received an offer the same evening. I accepted the job, and moved up to the city where I live pretty comfortably (and I can now afford to both wash my clothes and eat dinner!). The people at this company are wonderful, the culture is amazing, and they're willing to train me in all aspects of transaction structuring/finance that I don't know. 2 years later, I'm where I originally envisioned myself to be.
All I have to say is no matter what is thrown at you, keep trucking on. Have an image in your mind of where you want to be, maintain it, and never give up on yourself. The two constants in my life through all of my tougher moments, was that I always believed that it was only a matter of time before I would attain what I wanted to, and I also always said "yes" to every opportunity and risk presented to me. The Universe does not work on your schedule, but it will work for you...just give it time.
Also just wanted to give a quick shout out to WSO . I would've had a much easier time landing my current role using their Investment Banking Interview Prep Course and Private Equity Interview Prep Course . They are genuinely great resources to help prepare for IB / PE . For those that in my shoes looking for a first step, it's a two thumbs up from me.
Hope this helps!
Mod Note (Andy): Best of 2016, this post ranks #2 for the past year
Comments ( 121 )
Remember this 30 years from now.
Tier1: Goldman Sachs , Morgan Stanley , Lazard , Evercore Moelis
Tier1.5: jp , Greenhill , centerview , pwp Tier2: cs , baml , Citi Tier2.5: Barclays , DB ________________________NO MEGA FUNd line__________ tier3: UBS , houlihan, Jefferies
lets try to stay above the line.
This is good stuff dude! Been turned down hundreds of times and still hustling with nothing to fall back on, but I believe persistence WILL pay off
Any update?
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Learn moreGood stuff. Thank you.
Congratulations. Such an Inspiration!
Beast you are.
On your success, congratulations.
"I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature."
As an international student, my situation is much worse and fucked up...anyway thank you for sharing,
I feel ya bro
Amen. Been there. Done that. And moved on. :)
Agree, way much tougher. I don't even know if I shall just give up, but every time when I was about to leave this country, something came up and save me but it barely keeps me alive... It takes much longer than 2 years to go through, I am not sure if any one else is taking that long.
Hey, I am also an international student. Has shits gotten better for you? Let me know!
I had a similar situation, although not to the same extent. As I am, I would imagine you are grateful for having gone through a difficult past as it teaches appreciation and will inevitably make you a more valuable employee.
This is very inspiring. Thank you for the post.
Nice one and +SB. How did you prepare for your PE interviews /how long did you spend preparing/what materials did you use?
Thanks! I dedicated about 4-5 hours, reading up on key execs of the firm, I read the biographies of my coworkers, and I took a look at some of the featured transactions in order to determine why the firm decided to make some of the Investments it did. I looked into the Investments themselves to see what would make them investable and also see if there were any commonalities amidst all the companies in order to determine any "Investment themes" that were common.
The interviewer told me that he didn't really care about the transaction structuring/execution aspect, as that could be easily taught--he stressed, however, fit (see the last paragraph about culture).
Luckily, the job stressed strong business development skills, so I made sure to highlight that in both my cover letter and interview and also talked about some tangible accomplishments that I was able to attain (such as my #1 ranking, etc.)
In the initial phone screener, the interviewer also stressed how big culture was at the firm, and how it was a priority to not be like "other bankers on the street". I asked a lot of questions about culture in the next interview, and really sold myself as a great fit.
Array
Definitely needed to hear this. Thank you.
Great post, thanks.
Can you elaborate on the cover letter you wrote?
Thanks! I'm glad you asked. With my cover letter, frankly put, I was as aggressive as possible (not in a competitive or negative way), but I viewed my cover letter as a conversation with the MD. If you had one opportunity to sell yourself to the CEO of the firm, what would you say? I said things such as:
"While I'm applying for this role, I don't think that a simple letter can express how badly (bold) I want to succeed in this opportunity" and "I will do everything and anything in my power to ensure that I exceed all expectations".
It's good to say that you took XYZ classes, but I knew I'd have to push more for selling myself competing against very smart people that had a thorough grounding in Finance. Convey your passion in your letter, talk about things that you've accomplished that are relevant to the position, and don't be afraid to say things such as "While I may not possess XYZ traits that these candidates have, I am confident in saying that my work ethic is unparalleled and "I can't verbally express how hard I'm willing to work to succeed at your firm, whether that means coming in at 5AM or leaving at 5PM the next morning".
I also made it a habit, if I was very interested in an job I applied to, to look up the contact info of the MD/CEO of the firm and email him/her directly with my resume and cover letter. Just this simple action got me two interviews at a boutique IB with over 400 applications to the position. The CEO specifically said when I met with him that he was very impressed with my Cover Letter (as did the other Principals/MDs). It's incredible how powerful a simple cover letter can be when written properly. Don't be afraid to speak what's on your mind or reach out to the guys at the top directly. If you don't say what's on your mind, how will they know? And compared to other candidates when applying, how many of them do you think reach out to the top guys directly? Take the extra steps.
Array
This right here - good work, man!
Array
Do you mind sharing the cover letter template? I am sure it would be helpful to others in the community as well.
Awesome story! Congrats! Good to hear your hard work paid off!
Such a pep talk. Resonated with me as for the subject of your studies - I also did a health-related undergrad at a non-target school. Never had a clue about all these finance/banking jobs till I did a MSc at a bigger, more prestigious school, and then the ideas I thought were quite firm about my career completely changed, and long story short I turned to IB (which is currently as fulfilling a job as can be). I thought I'd add to your story that whatever the "image you have in your mind of where you want to be", let your blinkers loose sometimes to see other opportunities; they might not stand exactly in front of you.
very inspirational and humbling - thanks for sharing - + SB
Very encouraging to see this post. Just got a rejection from GS after a bunch of intense interviews, which i thought it went okay. Maybe i should not push them saying i have an offer at hand.
Since the H2 of last year, this industry is under huge pressure. My previous bank said they could not offer me a position after a six-month internship due to the budget issue. All the BBs i applied for in London kept silent like forever. GS contacted me for a position. I thought it could lead to sth... but wtf..
Anyway, congrats!
I am in a similar situation.. Are you still applying for Off-cycle?
Sorry for the late reply. Nah, i am done with internship contracts. Recently I got an opportunity somewhere else. Well. after Brexit , i believe to get a nice position in London for non-Europeans will be even more difficult. I suppose you are also Chinese from your ID. Maybe you can have a try in HK or Singapore where you can leverage your cultural background and language skills. But it might not be that easy as before since Job market is getting more and more protective of locals... Keep trying and good luck!
"Never out of the fight..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PzQmtwNeXM
Such an amazing movie, and truer words have never been said.
Array
Perfect timing to read something like this, thank you and be proud of your accomplishments!
Thank you all for your support. It's awesome to read your responses--I'm honestly very grateful that I could impact some of you in a positive light. No matter what, stay the course!!
Array
Anon1254,
Thank you very much for sharing! Like many said, your piece gives many who may be stuck or on the way out a hope and reminder to keep hustling. Many thanks again!
It is different and pretty shitty for international kids who want to break into IB or PE after undergrad! Anyways, many thanks again!
-L
i think it`ll be quite helpful to save this stuff and reread sometimes.. quite motivating
One of the best success stories I've ever read. Cheers
What an inspiration! Job well done.
Thank you for sharing!
I really like your story!! Mine isn't too far off yours, and I feel like my journey has just begun! Thanks for sharing.
Outstanding post. Thanks for posting. Keep at it.
Thanks for sharing. I think it applies to everyone in every stage of live. Always keep your head up
So happy to see you success in the end! Your story is really encouraging. We shall all keep fighting :) All the best to you!
I've been lurking on this website for years, the stories some of you guys have are truly inspiring. This is at the top of the list that I've read here...Good for you
Such and inspiration. Congrats on it paying off! Very timely for me. I have been plugging away in the trenches. Most recently working in ops for a major asset manager and working through the CFA exams. Now finally moving to a portfolio management position with a boutique firm. Thanks for sharing.
Inspiring, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing
Are you able to elaborate more on what is going on here?
"honed my Sales and Business Development skills while winning numerous awards and consistently ranking #1 across various metrics."
I am just curious how you go about honing the skills and the kind of awards you won.
Hey, great question. So when I say "honed my sales and business development skills", I meant coming in on mornings with the rest of my team to conduct presentations, doing sales "role plays" with my colleagues, and being sure to attend all skill improvement sessions we have. I also made it a point to ask for feedback from my managers and colleagues on what I could do to improve on my calls.
I invested quite a bit of time into watching videos and reading books about sales, and pretty much did anything I could to try to bring my abilities up a few levels.
The kind of awards I won included being the #1 ranked internal wholesaler on the desk in terms of calls and activity for the entirety of my time at the company, winning 2 quarterly back to back "call partnership contests", and constantly being recognized by upper and senior level management for my efforts on the desk. I did everything I could to separate myself from being average, without making my colleagues hate me lol
I also want to add that I always did more than the minimum. If the minimum number of calls I had to make was 30, for example, I made sure that every day I did 45-50. Honestly, the more calls you make, the better you become.
Array
Thanks! This is exactly what I needed to know.
Thanks for your inspiration :)
Great article that can really motivate people to keep trying in life..
I, too, had a struggle to break into the front office . The good news is that it IS possible without the fancy degrees and "Daddy's network". I began as an intern at a bulge bracket IB in the ops department (was recruited through my state school). My internship was extended through the year so I worked in ops for a solid year and it was probably the worst time of my life. The work was MINDLESS, literally chimps could have done my job. Once graduation came I left the role as I knew staying in this role would set me back in the end. I searched for jobs for three months, had a few interviews but had no luck. Eventually a better position opened up at my original BB firm as a credit analyst and I went for that and got it. While a credit analyst is still back office , you learn many valuable skills (modelling, financial statement analysis , thorough industry analysis , etc.) After exactly one year to the day the corporate banking team called into the credit team looking to see if anyone was interested in joining their team because they were looking for someone with modelling and analysis experience. I interviewed (after purchasing and using the WSO guides, naturally) and secured the position!!! It took 3 years of ass busting but exactly three years after beginning as an ops intern I will be moving to the Energy CB team. The morale of the story is that it doesn't matter what school you went to or what your network is (of course that helps) but it is not impossible to pull off a sick finance position without them. The way I look at it is that I have great experience and I'm coming in at an advantage over the other first year analysts. Also, I saved myself $100k+ by not going for the MBA , which is always nice. Keep pushing!!!!
I once had the pleasure of listening to an Ex Member of Seal Team Six speak on his experiences in Afghanistan. Not one man in that room wasn't crying at the end of his speech. You could literally see the pain in his eyes when he discussed the loss of his friend. When I asked him for one piece of advice for life (this was in undergrad) he replied ," do not ever give up ". It sends chills down my spine knowing that this man physically could not afford to give up. Anyway, hitting some roadblocks trying to break into finance and his words are enough to keep me trucking.
Thank you for the sharing. It reminds me a lot, about the dream and passion at the beginning. Well said," just give it time."
Never Happened.
Very encouraging.. Congratulations :)
Great Post!
That's really cool man. Congratulations on a diligent effort that paid off. As you look back on your life 2 years ago, you will once more look back 2 years from now to see how far you've come. Keep up the great attitude in life.
Great post and I wish you had written a book showing further details on your journey. I have one question to ask, can you share you cover letter with me?
Thanks!
Just messaged you.
Array
THX
Mind if I also take a look at the cover letter?
Hi Came across your post and found it to be very inspiring. I am in a similar boat; trying to transition from financial accounting to IB analyst role. Doing all in my power to up my skillset (CFA, financial modelling etc)
Would you mind sharing your cover letter with me?
Thanks
Can you share your cover letter with me as well? Great, inspiring story. I am going to be a senior at a state school with an f500 purchasing internship, nothing banking related and am trying to break into IB /Corp Banking by end of summer year!
Would you be able to share your cover letter with me also? I'm literally hitting roadblocks everywhere I go, not helped by the recent Brexit event but I'll never give up. It's a similar situation to what you described in the story above. It is people like you that keep me motivated to push on, among many other things but at the moment, things are not so rosy. This helps me to better myself for interviews and break into IB soon. Thank you for sharing, exceptional story.
Nice experience!!!
Saw the title of this post in my inbox a while back and finally decided to read it. I have to admit, I'm glad that I did. Right now I'm interning at a regional firm from which I have a full-time offer. Unfortunately, the offer is lower than what I could have made doing corporate finance , the firm is struggling to compete, layoffs are taking place, and morale seems to be at an all-time low. Reading this post helps me to see the positive side of my current situation and reminds me that if I remain proactive and don't wait around for the axe to fall, where I am now could still be a stepping stone to bigger and better things.
This is awesome, congratulations!
Made Up. Never, Ever, Ever, Happened!
Thanks for sharing, such an inspiration for us prospective monkeys!
You're a very smart kid.
One thing I've noticed about me interviewing is that if I'm not genuinely interested in the role I almost become depressed. One time I got myself into an interview through someone I connected with but then became disappointed with it once I started learning more about the role and group. I didn't know what to do so I stuck out the interview and just took the rejection.
There's a stick in my side for me when interviewing because I was taught to be an honorable gentleman and most of interviews (in order to get the offer) is about 95% bullshit. I am willing to say yes to anything, but it's always been hard to get over myself to do so. Realizing that in your story you decided that staying in motion was the only way to stay afloat, has me choosing to better myself to get through interviews even if I'm not totally satisfied with the role. I just want to build on my success and get to the top, eventually!
I would love to use some of what you did. Your success is exactly the motivation I needed to ride over the hill and become legendary!
Thanks for the share!
Thanks for your kind words, and very glad I could help. It's tough to keep your long-term picture in mind especially when you're motivated and you feel like there's so much more you're capable of, but it's all about keeping your foot on the gas pedal and staying in motion (like you said). I too had to swallow my pride when taking the first step into Finance via a low paying job, but I knew it would be highly improbable to go from A-Z in one night. One of the Managing Directors at an IBank I interviewed at looked at my resume and flatly asked me "Why do you take all these jobs that don't match with your capabilities? You seem to be selling yourself short". And I responded by telling him that I view all my work experiences as stepping stones--I was aware of the fact that I'd need to work my way up to where I'd like to be. The key to remember is that eventually you'll end up where you need to be--patience is always the hardest part.
Array
Compelling and helpful. Keep it up!
This is a great post, and judging by the responses; it's just what I, and many of our fellow chimps needed. I will be looking for a new role in about in about 7 months after passing the series 7 , and CFP exam . I hope I have what it takes...
Just want to say thank you! Thanks for your story. I think those problems, challenges and failures made us where we are!
You're very welcome, and you're also very right !
Array
You're very welcome, and you're also very right !
Array
"Your circumstances are not reflective of who you are." Fantastic quote and amazing post. Thanks for sharing.
Keep the morale down the road. I'm not being cynical here but there are much more shit in life...in entirely different shapes and forms though.
That's great inspiration.We should Keep on trying at our level best. Motivational stuff. Thank you.
This made me cry a little bit, because 1. Im so proud of the OP and 2. I'm in a very similar situation (of shitty financial situation + cold emailing/calling so. many. people.) so i feel like maybe I can really get through this too.
I go to a top 20 school, i have a great major/gpa, but my family/financial situation is so seriously messed up. I've been the head of the family since we immigrated when I was 16, while me being the only one speaking English. I have to be involved in literally every.single. financial/legal issue my family has. I got nothing on me but my gpa+school name, and I started reaching out to alumni in the industry starting May. Luckily had informational interviews with 30+ people, successfully maintaining most of the connections, and now im going to meet a couple alumni from BB in Manhattan in August(IN THEIR OFFICE SO EXCITED). Im working extremely hard to get an internship from BB next summer, so I hope this works out for me.
Anyway, I know exactly what it feels like to having to choose between "eating dinner or doing laundry." Congratulations on your success. Im truly proud of you, and this gives me hope.
Hey-- I'm very touched by your response. Always be proud of yourself for what you're going through (and what you have gone through). Say "Thank You" for all your difficulties, because all the adversity you face only serves to make you stronger. It sucks when you're going through tough times, but in retrospect, you really learn to appreciate the mental fortitude you build from unpleasant circumstances =)
I completely relate to the family situation as well. What I didn't mention in the original post, was that through all of my employment transitions, I consistently faced family drama, and many other unpleasant situations (like my dad facing the prospect of heart surgery). Take it all in stride and find an outlet to channel your emotions (for me, it's Muay Thai and Lifting). Don't let it get to you... and remember, this too shall pass. Bad times never last, and things are ALWAYS changing.
And congrats on getting meetings set up! That's so awesome. My biggest piece of advice is to be authentic, and speak your mind. Tell them what you've gone through (such as how you were the head of your household at 16), and how hard you're willing to work to succeed. Leverage your hardships to paint an accurate picture of who you are. And remember that opportunities are always coming and going, so keep that in mind.
Don't hesitate to message me if you ever want to talk, and remember that success is only a matter of time.
Array
Thank you so much for posting this. I have been struggling with finding a job and my dream is to go into trading . I come from a target school, but I lose all my internships and jobs to the business students (i go to University of Michigan.) my gpa is low, but average for my major ( economics ) and I won't give up.
Great stuff - definitely inspirational!
Anon1254 Good story! - Maybe you could give us a few insights on how the story continued on the job, what type of work are you doing now, how has it evolved? I'd love to hear about it!
Absolutely. Thanks for checking in =)
I've definitely gotten into the swing of things, but I can say without a doubt that work's been pretty interesting. Maybe it's too early to tell, maybe I'm a shining optimist, or maybe I've hit it on the head, but I really do enjoy working in Private Equity. I'm consistently stimulated intellectually, and I'm always learning something new. Since my tenure began, I've learned (and am still learning) about different industries, business models, and trends. It's a constant state of "learn, learn, learn". While there are repetitive tasks in my role as an Associate (as there are in many jobs), my personal role has evolved from one of a business development one (largely sourcing and originating deals), to that of analyzing Investments and transaction execution.
Within my team, after I originate deals, I spend a lot of time reading CIMs /conducting qualitative industry research, talking to other PE firms/family offices, doing diligence on deals, having calls with management teams of companies, and ultimately playing a part in determining whether an Investment is feasible or even worth looking at. Provided that we make progress, I then shift to an execution role, where I talk to potential co-investors, draft IOI/LOIs, and more.
Because my team is fairly lean, I take on as much responsibility as I can handle, and the role is constantly evolving. The best part of my day is that I don't know what's going to happen next-- I could be originating a deal one minute, and the next minute, being told that I need to manage a deal process that I've been working on.
Ultimately, this may sound a bit cliche, but I've remained extremely grateful for the opportunity. I don't take it for granted at all, and I do my best to ensure that I'm performing to the best of my ability. I'm a serious believer in the law of attraction, and I definitely can't wait to continuing learning and making strides in both my firm and the private equity industry .
Hope you have a great thanksgiving, and stay positive!
Array
That's great to hear! I personally have moved to the US a couple months ago (having been born here but raised abroad), and currently looking for a position in investment banking or private equity. I'd love to take you for a coffee to discuss how you got your job, and your thoughts on the process, as I'm having difficulty getting any interview.
We should never give up. Keep reinventing and find the passion for creating what you want in life. great post!
Thank you for an inspiration and motivation!
Thank you for sharing! Very inspiring!
Thanks very much for sharing your experience. It helps others like me to find the way and not give up!
Thank you so much for your response. I recently lost a FT before even starting due to immigration reasons so trying to figure out what to do now and it is pretty tough.Do you mind sharing your cover letter and some networking tips you might find helpful to a recent grad? Feel free to PM me, I can't do it myself for some odd reasons. Thank you. and congrats on all your success
Thanks for your kind words. Just PMed you.
Array
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story!
wow, really inspriring story - couldn't help myself, had to read it till the end. Congratulation first of all, I think people who never give up deserve respect. I also believe that people who REALLY never give up, in the end, get to their goal. as already mentioned, really really inspiring story that hopefully motivates everyone here to give their best. Thank you for sharing!
Good stuff, inspiration for everyone.
Fantastic story. Well done.
How old are you OP? If you don't mind me asking. Can be a ballpark.
Thanks for the kind words. Currently in the 26-30 range. At the time this was written (roughly two years ago), I was in the 24-28 range. Can't believe how quickly time flies.
Array
Thank you so much for sharing!! Very inspiring! Do you mind sharing your cover letter? Writing a strong cover letter is what I am working on.
I am grinding it out now at a BO job in a Big 5 bank in Canada, only dreaming of getting into Capital Markets. I just made a post about shooting for internal jobs and preparing for Graduate school.
This post is dream fuel, thank you.
Thank you- your post means a lot. You'll get into capital markets without a doubt; it's inevitable. Keep the grind going and remember: the only way you lose is if you quit.
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Awesome story! I'm coming from a similar background. Biomedical engineering, pre-med, didn't want to go down the doctor route, instead joined start-up biotech after graduation for a good 5-6 years and ended up back at square one. Hustled and dove into the investment industry (had an industry connection) and I'm in my 5th year at an HF , second shop, picking healthcare stocks. Looking back, the first 2 years were do-or-die, and my first 3-4 stock recommendations, whether by sheer luck or skill (likely a good mix of the two) played out as predicted and gained some major momentum, especially in 2017-2018. Keep pushing on and congrats!
SB'd. Thanks for sharing mate - years on it's inspiring a lot of us. Real happy for you!
Thank you--humbled and much appreciated.
Array
Hi Anon1254 The article was worth reading! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing Anon1254 . I am in a similar situation - could I kindly ask to take a look at your cover letter so I can learn from it? Thank you very much for considering.
Thanks for sharing! I go to a non target and have had similar experiences. That was very inspiring for me to read. I just might meet my goals!
Good read, thanks for sharing. I can appreciate what you said about circumstances not reflecting who you are. For me, I found that circumstances are often a matter of perspective. What some may view as failure, others can view as learning experience, no matter what field or industry. And as cliche as it might sound, just having gratitude goes such a long way, even for things as simple being physically able to wake up and do the work that you want to do, or have food on the table. When you desire too much at once, that's when people tend to get forgetful of the things they already have, and they start taking everything for granted.
I am currently in the process of trying to go through school on the community college level. I am hoping to break into the specifically trading within a hedge fund , capital market firm, big bank, or small firm. I have not tried cold calling yet because I am not sure if you do that sort of thing now since it's all done with email? I was hoping for some guidance or some much needed advice. I also am working within the retail industry now and it's not where I want to be for the rest of my life.
PM Me.
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I was wondering how do I directly DM on the app? or should I do it through my computer and send you a message that way. Thank You! for the help
Hey Anon im in a similar position as well, would you mind if I DM'd you as well (or you DM me as I reached my DM limit for the day LOL) thanks
this gives me hope as a community college student trying to break into IB and eventually PE
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