The Weekend

First I would like to respond to a question that was posed: "How difficult is it to get my foot through the door to become a full-time analyst in a bulge-bracket investment bank in California when I go to an east coast target school? I want to eventually work full-time in California, but it seems that none of the regional bulge-bracket banks in the west coast recruit at my school."

First, I think the plus is that you are going to a target school. You can use that to lever into a west coast bank. Second, if you know the game theory behind recruiting, you might see why they don't come and recruit at your school.

Here is the theory: The bulge banks in NY have first pickings, or I should say what most consider "cream of the crop" candidates will want to go to NY. If a satellite office investment bank, say Morgan Stanley, comes from Palo Alto to recruit at Harvard, I can imagine the turn out to be slim. You also have to consider that out west bankers want their alma mater and so recruting primarily takes place locally.

So back to the original question, how do you get in? I would suggest doing a little leg work. Fly out on your own dime and meet with all the banks in CA. Most students tend to make trips to NY (at least from my school), but I imagine a satellite office would be more receptive. Let them know the reasons why you want to work on the west coast, because what you are giving up is front line action that cannot be obtained anywhere else but Wall Street.

Lastly make it a point with your recruiter that you want to go west coast. If all you can get is an internship or full time with a bank in NY, take it, and use the offer to come out west. The way I got into this bank on the west coast was actually kind of unique. I did all my leg work in NY. But I did not get one interview with a bank in NY and actually interviewed with all west coast offices. Over the phone, my interviewer asked me, "What are your choices for offices?" I said, "I did a lot of leg work in NY and I know a few bankers there, but I would not be opposed to California, or Dallas, or Chicago." The next thing I knew I had a final round interview in CA. So I hope that helps. Anyone who wants more clarification, just ask in a comment, and I will try my best to answer it.

As for this weekend. Interesting, I went into the office this morning and didn't have anything. I was the only person there for a while. And when I say only person, I walked the entire office to make sure I could say that without lying. I then went to a BBQ 20 minutes south of San Francisco. I was so excited to not have any work. But, like an asset from the Bourne Supremecy, I get an email on my blackberry. "Meet so and so in the office at 2:00." Thats it. I had ten mintutes. So I drove back to the office and was staffed on a live deal. I am staffed on 2 live deals right now, and 2 pitches, but thankfully nothing is too pressing and I still have Sunday off. I did get to go out tonight which was relaxing.

However, in discussing the live deal, its sounds like I will be in the office on July 4th. No biggie. That is why I am here. I gotta say this though, for the record. I am loving this. Now that I am able to fit all the pieces together to some extent, I love banking. I love the fact that even though I worked 70-80 hours this week (which is lower than what I imagine is usual), I felt really balanced. I leave work happy and enter work happy. Not a day has gone by where I have said, "Oh no, I can't do this." In fact the opposite. I am really excited to go into work on Monday and see what this deal is all about.