<p>I am currently at a community college and am looking for an internship for this summer...assuming it is a little late in the game, this post will be mostly representing my intern search for summer 2011. I have a huge interest in the stock market, ibanking, and basically any job dealing with investments and finance. What companies would suit my interests besides the big companies such as Fidelity, Schwab, TD Ameritrade, etc..?
I am having a hard time with this internship since my CC does not network with companies in my field of interest. Strikes me as odd but that is the case. Aside from my preferences, what internships would be useful for an Econ major? How would i go about finding out about openings, or how would i get my foot in the door to get an interview?</p>
<p>Anything info regarding the topic is greatly appreciated!!
thanks for the help in advance :)</p>
<p>Unfortunately, you are going to have a tough time getting a front office finance job coming from a community college. The top companies go to the best schools in the country to recruit (i.e. don’t touch anything outside the top 30). If you want to do investment banking, you’re going to have to network like hell. Reach out to anyone you know who might have a connection. Go to information sessions at local schools where banks recruit. It’s going to be a huge uphill battle. That’s for front office high finance. Experience at a non-profit or a startup company could be valuable, however. I would not be the person to discuss how to go about getting such positions though.</p>
<p>Apply to small boutique banks if you’re interested in ibanking and if you’re interested in finance, call the human resources departments of companies with multimillion dollar revenues in your field of choice. There are a -ton of- start ups out there. It’s very plausible to land an impressive internship that will help polish up your resume but it’ll likely be non-paying.</p>
<p>giants92, I am transferring to UMich but am looking for an internship, not a job, just something to put on my resume and to get experience in my field. I would rather spend my summer interning than working 2 jobs that have nothing to do with the path my future is headed in. But you think its hard to get an internship from a CC?</p>
<p>whatasunnyday, what would be an example of a small boutique bank?
Are the big companies the best to get an internship at?</p>
<p>Job, internship, same thing. I suppose it’s easier to get an internship somewhere small, but it’s similarly hard for either full time job or internship. Once you’re at Michigan (where I go) it will be much easier. Even if you’re not in Ross, a lot of companies come here that you can try to network with. It will still be hard though not coming from Ross. You sound to not be very knowledgeable about banking, so I suggest you browse mergersandinquisitions.com</p>
<p>Yea I wont be at Ross, I’ll be joint majoring in Mathematics and Economics with some finance classes. I am also not particularly interested in investment banking but am not shutting the door to that possibility. I decided not to go the Ross Route because a few of my friends were in Ross and said it was rather easy and I wasnt particularly interested in a business administration degree…not sure if their opinion of ease was just relative to them. I’ve actually already been to that website, it has been very beneficial. I just like to gather many opinions based on personal experience, thats why i ask the questions i do. thank you for your help</p>
<p>Your preferences aside, there are a lot of public policy-oriented non-profits and thinks like legislative finance & budget committees where Econ majors can get internships. But it’s a completely different world and your investment/finance interests/backgrounds won’t help you a bit. And they’re very competitive. At the think tank where my D works, a year out of college, she was part of the team reviewing resumes: 500 for 10 positions, a 3.7gpa needed just to make the first cut.</p>
<p>She would say YUCK! to a finance/investment internship and many would say vice versa. But she’s very happy in this org and would recommend it highly. (She’s a research assistant in a gap job between undergrad and grad.)</p>
<p>I’m actually a math and econ major too with some finance classes sprinkled in. I assume you are a sophomore… if that’s the case, don’t be too discouraged by not getting an internship this summer. I’m a junior and I didn’t have any real work/internship experience during this recruiting season, and I’m going to wind up probably doing two back to back (one consulting one banking). If you get good grades and have some solid extracurrics you’ll be able to do well next summer. It’s tough to give you suggestions when companies don’t really recruit at your CC (which isn’t surprising). You just have to reach out to people you know, our people you know who know other people. Try the treasury? Fed. reserve banks? Economic-related think tanks? Local commercial banks?</p>
<p>Coming from a CC, you chances are very low without knowing someone. Of course, it would be quite a different story after you finish a year at UMich.</p>
<p>I own a registered investment advisory firm. [Home</a> (Constance Financial Group LLC)](<a href=“http://www.constancefg.com%5DHome”>http://www.constancefg.com) I’m not offering positions at this time. I expect around 2011 I will need some PT help.</p>
<p>What I’m saying is you may want to connect with small local firms and see if they’ll hire you part time or over the summer. I also recommend that you go and get your series 63 and 65. With those you can help contact customers and make appointments and help with some of the light analysis. </p>
<p>People like me would be more than willing to show you the ropes. There’s a chance you’ll have an offer for a permanent position as well. In small firms you get direct customer experience. The track to associate is faster and there is the possibility of getting equity in the company. You may be able to start your own “book of business” before you graduate. If you go to the big firms with an established book of business you’re in.</p>
<p>Note: You have to negotiate early about the potential for a permanent position, and about owning your client accounts.</p>
<p>try emailing or calling some local firms. some of them may be more than willing to help whereas others may not respond. your best option is just to try and contact them and see how things go.</p>