Starting off in ibanking-getting your foot in?

steeze
Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:06:40 +0000

I just recently decided on investment banking.

I did try searching for the record, but I feel like I might be a unique case?

How do people usually start off in investment banking? I eventually wanna end up at a BB, just like everyone else, but not everyone gets a chance to start off/end up that high right?

I’m a sophomore in college right now and I’m in the process of transferring(coming from a JC).

Realistically speaking, I will probably end up at either UCSD or UCLA. But I’m trying to be as optimistic as I can for UCB, Cornell, and Columbia. I’m majoring in Econ if that matters.

This summer I want to get some experience in the field, but I don’t really know where to start. A teller? Marketing company summer intern? What do you guys think? I know coming from a JC(community college) is a disadvantage.

So to sum it up, I have a few questions. Excuse my ignorance:

1. Let’s just say that I end up going to UCSD, I hear getting into ibanking stems from networking and such, but how great of a network can one form from going to UCSD? It’s on the other side of the country where all the “big things” happen

2) What about people that end up enlisting in the military to pursue a dream and then finish up and start job hunting for i banking/eventually getting an mba?

3) What does it take if you don’t graduate from a top 25 school as a undergrad?

4) As a sophomore currently, what can I do in terms of job/working experience to make myself more competitive when I try to get interviews for ibanking later on?

Thanks in advance
(I’m doing my own research too, but I’d like to hear people’s opinions or words or wisdom if they have already been down this path)

(You might have seen this post in the internship forum, I just realized I could have posted in the ibanking forum…)