advice for internship

[FedericoM]

Hi everyone!
I'm thinking about getting a summer internship in Finance or IB for the next year, but at that time I'll have finished only my 1st year of undergraduate.


Furthermore, in October 2010 lots of banks and financial companies (e.g.: JPMorgan, BofA, Borsa Italiana,...) will come to my university to show us their business during the annual Career Fair.

Do you think I should join this event also if I'm only at my 1st year? If yes, should I prepare my CV and ask these companies about their intern opportunities?
Maybe it's too early, I don't know.

Thanks for any advice.

PS: I'll soon post my resume here on QuantNet, too.

 

[euroazn]

It certainly can't hurt but the chances that you will be recruited are slim because 1) you're a freshman and 2) you're not a finance major. It's too soon to be recruited as a quant IMO because you don't have the math/prog experience. Still worth a shot though.

Honestly, for people like us, it's best to find a personal connection of some sort. If you have a friend/relative working in the industry, ask them.


Note: all of this is my opinion and can be totally incorrect

 

[FedericoM]

It certainly can't hurt but the chances that you will be recruited are slim because 1) you're a freshman and 2) you're not a finance major. It's too soon to be recruited as a quant IMO because you don't have the math/prog experience. Still worth a shot though.

Honestly, for people like us, it's best to find a personal connection of some sort. If you have a friend/relative working in the industry, ask them.


Note: all of this is my opinion and can be totally incorrect

Thanks. I know that my knowledge it's not enough to enter the quant field. In fact, I'm looking for an internship aimed at 1-2nd year undergraduate.
However, I think that motivation and personal interest are better than any sort of "connection".

Any other advice there?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Have you look at the list we have here of firms that have intern, training programs?
Quant Internship and Graduate recruitment - A Firms List | Quant Network

 

[FedericoM]

Have you look at the list we have here of firms that have intern, training programs?
Quant Internship and Graduate recruitment - A Firms List | Quant Network

Thanks Andy. Yes, I looked at it as soon as it had been posted here. But I don't know if it's a lil bit too early for me to ask them about their intern positions.
What do you think?

Thx

 

[Andy Nguyen]

What do you have to lose by asking them? Email is pretty fast and free these days.

 

[Connor]

No harm in asking, worst case scenario they tell you no.

Besides going to career fairs early gives you more experience and you will only get better at it. If you go, make sure you do some each on the companies you want to talk to beforehand and ask intelligent questions.

 

[euroazn]

Great firms list. Now I know who Im going to cold call next summer =)

 

[FedericoM]

Great firms list. Now I know who Im going to cold call next summer =)

That's right

 

[FedericoM]

No harm in asking, worst case scenario they tell you no.

Besides going to career fairs early gives you more experience and you will only get better at it. If you go, make sure you do some each on the companies you want to talk to beforehand and ask intelligent questions.

That's true. However, surfing on JPMorgan website, I found something interesting: the Spring Week, aimed to the 1st year undergraduate students.
What do you think about it?
If it could be considered a "good investment", I'll make any effort to take part in.

Then, one question more: which accademic background would be better to be in Sales Trading & Research department of an IB?
Is Trading something related to experience or required a strong quantitative praparation, too?

Thanks

 

[Connor]

I have heard of that program from JPMorgan aimed at 1st year undergrads. I wish I had done it. It should be a great experience and if you do well, your chances of an internship the next summer should be better.

Depends on the trading. More quant focused trading will obviously require more math skills, but historically traders have come from various backgrounds.

Study something that interests you; that being said, studying something like finance or economics would apply more directly. But try to take some extra math just in case, either minor or double major in math.

 

[FedericoM]

I have heard of that program from JPMorgan aimed at 1st year undergrads. I wish I had done it. It should be a great experience and if you do well, your chances of an internship the next summer should be better.

Depends on the trading. More quant focused trading will obviously require more math skills, but historically traders have come from various backgrounds.

Study something that interests you; that being said, studying something like finance or economics would apply more directly. But try to take some extra math just in case, either minor or double major in math.

Thank you. Of course I will study what interests me: that's the BASIS point where to start.I'm really interested in the financial world, but, you know, there are many ways that bring to the same place. I'll follow what I like the most (so, Maths), for sure: I was just looking around to have a broader view.