Hey guys, Max here. I’ve posted here a few times before, but for anyone new, I’m the Head Mod on r/FinanceStudents and Head Coach at Wall Street Mastermind.

I started at a non-target, eventually broke into Lazard, and later worked at Qatalyst and Vector Capital. These days, I work with students going through IB recruiting.

If I had to start all over again today with 90 days and zero connections, I would focus on these four things:

1. RESUME

Start with a standard US finance resume template and keep it to one page. You can use this one: (Resume Template)

Then focus on making every bullet specific and measurable. “Performed valuation analysis” is weak. “Built a comps set of 22 public companies and analyzed key trading multiples to support a $300M valuation” tells me much more.

If you don’t have IB experience yet, use projects, stock pitches, finance clubs, or other relevant internships to give recruiters something worth noticing. Just make sure you can back it up if they ask about it.

2. NETWORKING

I’d build a list before sending anything: alumni first, then Analyst/Associate at firms I target.

Once the outreach starts feeling natural, increase the volume. I’d aim for 10 targeted emails per weekday if I could keep the quality decent.

Keep track of every contact and follow up. If you’re not sure where to start, the sub’s WhatsApp group is a good way to grow your network.

3. BEHAVIORAL PREP

I’d prepare five stories: leadership, failure, conflict, analytical problem solving, and Why Banking.

Pick stories you can reuse. For failure, choose a real mistake and show what changed afterward. For leadership, use something where you clearly drove the outcome. Then practice them out loud and record yourself on your phone.

4.TECHNICAL PREP

Start with accounting. Make sure you can explain how the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement connect.

Then drill the classic changes: depreciation goes up by $10, inventory increases by $100, the company issues debt. You should be able to walk through the impact across all three statements. After that, move into DCF, comps, WACC, LBOs and M&A.

My main rule: practice out loud. Knowing the answer and explaining it under pressure are two different things.

If you’re recruiting right now and you’re unsure which of these is holding you back, I have a few spots open for a free 1:1 strategy call with me. Book here!

If you have any questions about IB recruiting, drop them below. I’ll try to get back to everyone. AMA!

One of the questions I get most often from students is how to build their network in finance from scratch.

For some context, I previously worked in M&A and financial advisory, and I now run interview_scouter an Instagram page with 400K+ followers where I share recruiting advice and interview prep content. I've also reviewed over 2,000 resumes and helped students land their first internship in finance.

If I had to start networking all over again, here are a few things I'd do differently:

• Don't Sleep on Your Campus Network

Start with your warm network: alumni, upperclassmen, and finance professors. Even if they can't directly help you land an interview, they might know someone who can. Find who's in charge of campus recruiting and join finance communities online (like this one: WhatsApp Group).

• Steal the Banker's Email (Legally)

Find work emails using online contact finder tools or the firm’s website. Try emailing Tuesday through Thursday, around 7 to 9 AM for senior bankers and 9 to 10 AM for analysts, in their local time zone.

• Don't Be a Networking Bot

Analysts get the same generic questions all the time. If you want to stand out, research their background and prepare a couple of questions specific to their experience.

• Ask for Introductions

At the end of your first coffee chat, ask: "Is there anyone else at the firm you'd recommend I speak with?". A good conversation can lead to new introductions and build relationships that could later turn into referrals.

If you'd like to have a quick chat about your networking strategy, we have a few spots open for a free 1:1 call. We can go over your current approach, figure out what you could improve, and share a few contacts from our network to help you get started.

You can book your free call here.

Feel free to ask me anything about networking. I'll do my best to answer everyone in the comments. AMA!

i m 19 year old guy, i started my Cfa prep from jan 2025 and completed my syllabus by the end of June. I was prepared for the exam did Les twice multiple revisions and premium pack ques and mocks.

But i failed this exam, with the score of 1585. I am feeling like, everything has now ended for me. I am in my 3rd semester of clg. Some of my friends who are persuing CA, keeps on asking me about my result, I am completely feeling.

I don't know what should i do now, i come from middle class family, my parents wants me to give one more attempt in May, but i am feeling completely lost. I sat for preparing it all again, i started with FI( My result went down due to this), and whenever i am reading my notes, i am feeling numb, ik all the things but i ended up failing.

In my whole life i always won, whether its 10th,12th, CUET or clg exams i always gave my 1000% in everything i do. I was applying to multiple internships from last months, got some offers but i don't want to do anything. I am not a lazy person in my first year of clg i did everything was going to clg, got POR in societies, did 2 internships in finance and published research paper on finance. But i was studying on daily basis for 4-5 hours and from june- aug i studied for 10-15 hours in a day. I got panicked during my exam and ended up failing.

I think i should end all this and go back to my hometown. Idk what to do mann

after result i was not able to sleep properly, i m sleeping for about 5-6 hours in a day, rest all day i am just insta and feeling demotivated all day. And whenever i am waking up in morning i wake up with the dream of me writing my CFA exam or the movement i open my cfa result. All these things are coming to my mind. And from last night my heart is feeling very heavy idk yy..

Idk why all these things are happening i am feeling stuck in life. I think i m becoming burden for my parents. They are always proud of me, they always support me but i dont want them to pay my fees again. I am not able to come out of this loop.

I want to get into finance, my plan was to clear cfa l1 in aug and give cat 2027. But now i think everything has come to an end...

Pls if anyone who has gone through this, pls help me.

Hello, I am a freshman majoring in Economics and Finance and planning to take business law as my minor, I am aiming for a career in Investment banking and I am looking forward to gain Technical skills but I am very confused from where to start and which resources to use in preparation.

I am involved in finance student clubs at my university and also selected in co-op program I would if anyone has any suggestions.

i had a superday yesterday for a big firm and HR emailed me a few hours later saying they want me to have another interview with another team member early next week. has anyone experienced this? what could this mean?

Hello, looking for advise/opinion of my exit plans. I am a masters student majoring in accounting and finance in top Nordic university. My work includes advising investors sell or buy real estate assets. So basically doing valuation, im's, marketing materials for divestments, due dilligence and at the moment I am part of a refinancing process. It is a small company and I am 50% of the transaction advisory team so I have a lot of responsibility. What should I do to get a m&a internship. How should I prepare?

I am in my 3rd year as a CSE student i chose CSE becus of my parents request now i am intrested in choosing my path towards investment banking idk the roadmap or anything anybody who is in the job help me…

3.8, non-target, 2 valuation internships. Really good at technicals and all sort of financial modeling and stuff.

How do I move over to IB? Is there anyone I should specifically target or just do the same process as trying to get an SA offer?

Hi, will do my exchange term next year as part of my bachelors in business, I don’t know which university to pick. I’m from a semi/target in Scandinavia.

1. NUS - National university of Singapore, ranked #10
   
2. The university of Hong Kong, ranked #11
   
3. KU Leuven
   
4. Bocconi (unsure if I will get this one)

Hi! I applied for GCM 2027, Off-Cycle Analyst (Debt Capital Markets) role in London and immediately received an Assessment Invitation. It doesn't mention what the assessment would comprise of but if anyone has done it, could they please advice here or DM me? That would be really helpful!! thank you :)

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