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"I am a first year student who wants to work in banking. I already work 100 hours a week"

I am in my first year of studies at a university in London. I want to work in an investment bank when I graduate. I'd love to work in M&A or capital markets.  

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I appreciate that this is not easy and I am already working very hard on my CV. Alongside my studies and a 40 hour job in retail, I run a small start-up with friends at university. On a typical week I am working 100 hours, often more. 

The job market is very bad at the moment. I don't come from a family with money and if I can get into banking it will change everything. I can code and I am using agentic AI to help make my applications. I have already completed a few small internships. 

I want this badly. I am confident that I will get a job, but I am also aware that it is a long road and I am already working long hours. I hear nothing back from a lot of the applications I make, even though I have a great cover letter story with a strong narrative about why I am good for banking. 

If you have any suggestions or are also going through this process, let me know below.

Nisan Minhas is a pseudonym 

Follow me on X. Follow me on LinkedIn. 

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AUTHORNisan Minhas Insider Comment

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The essential daily roundup of news and analysis read by everyone from senior bankers and traders to new recruits.