As a religion major who speaks four languages, yet has never taken any economics or finance courses at Princeton, mine has not been the typical path to Wall Street. But that's why I decided to write this: so my own experiences could help prepare similar students in the future. So, to all of you non-econ or ORFE majors, I hope this helps.
When I entered Princeton, I was at a loss as to what I wanted to do with my life. I didn't want to be a doctor or a lawyer, and I definitely didn't want to do finance. I took humanities courses and dreamt about writing and working for the United Nations or other places where I could really make a difference. But this past summer, my outlook changed. I can't pinpoint why, but it probably had to do with the low pay at nonprofits and the need for a lot of money in order to make a change in the world.
So I allowed myself to get caught up in the Princeton "rat race." The prospect of making six figures straight out of college can sway anyone. I figure that if I sacrifice a few years, I would have enough money to dedicate myself to something I care about — whether it's writing, paying for graduate school or even returning to the nonprofit I worked at during high school, which brings soccer and poetry writing to inner-city youth.
With that goal in mind, I spent the fall revamping my resume, writing cover letters and schmoozing at information sessions, where bank reps assured me I didn't need a background in finance. After applying to close to 40 positions, I began "hell week," where I was staying up until 4 a.m. to cram economics and finance terms into my head. The interviewers would decide whether they wanted to take a chance on a religion major. And most, I could tell, had decided before the handshake that they would not be offering me a second round.
I won't lie. The past six months have been hell. Ask anyone in any major. But despite the hours wasted on attending events for a firm that never offered an interview and the lack of sleep that is "hell week," somehow, everything worked out in the end. I received an offer from an amazing firm for a position that I really believe I will enjoy. It's amazing not because it's the number one investment bank in the United States, because it's not. It's amazing because they looked past the "A.B. in Religion" on my resume and got to know me as a person. When the two interviewers asked, "So, why finance?" they really listened to my answer. Afterwards, one of them even said, "Despite your lack of a finance background, I know that you're smart enough to learn anything. And I think you'd be a slam dunk." And that made all the difference.
I also learned that many aspects of the finance industry do, in fact, appeal to my passions. Banks have realized that making money is not everything. Many fund the arts, support Teach for America and care about what's going on in the world. Some companies match employees' monetary gifts to the cause of their choice. Certain divisions devote time and energy to finding organizations which their clients would be inclined to donate because they do good work. One company even arranged for a client's donation of over $20 million towards building a new center for a university in California, providing a new venue for students and 6,000 jobs for members of the community.
I've found compassion in the finance world and realized that investment banks can and do effect changes. Investment banking is no longer about "selling your soul." It's just another way for me to make a difference. So, I accepted the company's offer for the summer. And maybe I won't find that much "philanthropy" in finance; maybe I will end up working at the United Nations or writing novels in the future, but as for now, I really am excited to give this whole finance thing a shot. And who knows? Maybe I'll end up loving it.
The best advice I can give to future applicants is to remember that it really is a crap shoot. I have no idea why a fellow religion major had different interviews, or why I had more interviews than some econ and finance students. Also, remember that this is not a competition. Trying to get through this with friends makes the process easier. And lastly, the best advice I received is to remember that all of these investment banks really are, when you get down to their cores, exactly the same. Having better numbers in credit derivatives does not make it the "best" bank. Because winning the "rat race" and receiving an offer from the "best" bank really is a completely subjective thing. Finding a firm that really likes you and that you really like, a firm that fits you best because of the people and the culture, that's what "winning" really means.
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