K. WOODWARD PERSONAL FINANCE
  • Start
  • Bio
  • WealthBlog
    • Books
    • Random Thoughts
    • Femail
    • GirlBanker
  • MyBooks
  • MoneySpot
  • Coach

On Investment Banking

How to make time for investment bank internship applications?

11/10/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
by Girl Banker 

Listen to the iTunes podcast instead. 

Totally swamped? Don’t know how to cope with your current work load never mind making investment bank internship applications? Well, as important as getting top grades is, getting a job is just as important. In fact, I recently had a similar work load problem. I signed up to do an online course on building informational apps and I simply couldn’t fit it in.

The solution? An hour a day!

As busy as I am, I decided that I could dedicate an hour every day to the cause as it was important enough. By sticking to that commitment I have managed to finish the course within two weeks. You can do the same for your job applications.

You don’t have to do everything in one go. 

Split the investment banking application process into one-hour batches and spread it over the next three or four weeks. I personally wouldn’t wait until the Christmas holidays to make applications because some banks are reading applications as they come through and not only inviting people for interviews but making internship offers. This means the pool of internships available is shrinking every week. Here is how you can organise yourself:

1.      The first application is the most crucial, it sets the trend for the rest. I wouldn’t submit an application for the first week to ten days. Week one is ‘research week’. You need to figure out:

  • How the investment bank recruitment process works
  • What your primary qualities are and how your experiences validate these qualities
  • How to answer questions in such a way that you get job interviews
  • Importantly, which banks to apply to (you can start at girlbanker.com/banks)

At this point, I am of course going to do like any self-respecting author and plug my book, To Become an Investment Banker (spare yourself the reading and get the audiobook). It contains all the above and much more! The audio book is just over 9 hours long.

2.      Research done, it’s time to log onto investment bank sites and draft your first answers. In order to get access to the questions, you’ll need to enter some personal details into an online application form.

Enter whatever details you need to give to gain access to the application form, then copy and paste the questions into a word processor. Do this for two or three banks.

3.      Draft some answers. Read through your answers. Ensure all claims are validated with a relevant example.

4.      Get an independent opinion on your application form. If you can’t afford professional help get a friend to do it. If your friend’s feedback is very brief or overly complimentary get another friend to check your answers.

Keep in mind that friends can find it hard to give constructive feedback. I had one guy send me one if his friend’s cover letters and ask what I thought of it. I thought it was rubbish, he did too but he didn’t know how to tell his friend so he just left it at that!

5.      When you are happy with one application, send it off. Getting happy with the first application will probably take 5 to 6 one-hour slots.

6.      Move on to application two. This will take 3 to 4 one-hour slots. Once you have the hang of it and there is sufficient overlap between questions you will get it done even faster.

An hour a day is all you need to get all your applications done in 3 to 4 weeks. Get on with it!

Who is Girl Banker® and how can she help you?

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Girl Banker®

    I created my investment banking blog in 2012 as soon as I resigned from i-banking & published my book, To Become An Investment Banker.

    Initially published at girlbanker.com, all posts have now been subsumed into my personal website under katsonga.com/GirlBanker.

    These blog posts make it as straight-forward for you as possible to get into a top tier investment bank. 


    I have 7 years of front office i-banking experience from Goldman Sachs and HSBC, in both classic IBD (corporate finance) and Derivatives (DCM / FICC).

    ​I'm also a CFA survivor having passed all three levels on the first attempt within 18 months - the shortest time possible. 
    ​
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Applying
    Bankruptcy
    Banks
    Book Reviews
    Capital Markets
    Career Progression
    Cfa
    Cold Calling
    Corporate Finance
    Cover Letter
    Derivatives
    Economics
    Equities
    Events
    Faqs
    Foreign Exchange
    Getting Rich
    Headhunters
    Initial Public Offering
    Inspiration
    Interest Rates
    Internships
    Interview Preparation
    Interview Questions
    Learn From Others
    Location
    Mba
    Miscellaneous Tips
    Money Management
    Networking
    Non-target Universities
    Recruitment Process
    Resume / CV Tips
    School Talks
    Technical Knowledge
    Terminology
    Who Is?
    Women

    Archives

    August 2017
    January 2017
    August 2016
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    August 2007

Picture

Podcast Links

Wealth Blog 

  • Children
  • Financial Independence / FIRE
  • Pensions
  • Retirement
  • Saving
Buy me a coffeeBuy me a coffee
Picture

© 2007 - 2021, The Money Spot™ ~ Make Money, Change Lives!
Heather Katsonga-Woodward, a massive personal finance fanatic.
** All views expressed are my own and not those of my employer ** Please get professional advice before re-arranging your personal finances.
  • Start
  • Bio
  • WealthBlog
    • Books
    • Random Thoughts
    • Femail
    • GirlBanker
  • MyBooks
  • MoneySpot
  • Coach