Finally got the brass monkeys to join this forum. As with most "prospective monkeys", I want to break in, and my resume is trash. Obviously, I would really appreciate some advice. I do realize the odds I'm against here. In realizing the odds, I get that I probably should be pursuing other things. But I want this, that's it. There are some specific questions that can only be answered by those with experience and that are familiar with the industry/my area, so those are the ones I'll ask and try to refrain from anything that could be answered with google/search. I'll provide my story, ask questions, and am open to any and all advice (obviously). I have three bananas to throw for joining today, gladly hand them out.
"Story":
I'm from a PNW non-target, 2.8 GPA Econ major. Got caught up in the lifestyle, dated a vixen little sorority girl (don't do it, only advice I can ever give w/ 100% certainty) that I allowed to take up way too much of my time, and of course to top it off my dad is a successful entrepreneur, took full advantage of that in all of the wrong ways.
I finally quit drinking the kool-aid, albeit pretty late. Took me 3 years to realize that I'd be a much cooler person if I didn't do what every other kid with a rich dad is doing at my school, which is going out 7 days a week and expecting the world in return. I want to work. Hard.
During the school year, I worked for our school's Alumni Association/call center for 11 months. It's a glorified sales job. Was the lone "big-swinging-dick" of both acquiring new members and raising money. For those of you who haven't read Liar's Poker (if you exist), I was #1 for quite some time by a large margin. Good look for PWM, but I need help molding this into something good for IB.
Have worked under daddy's CFO for 2 months now helping prepare what we call a "financial package" for the company. I've found some similarities to IB that are pretty sweet, given that I really want to keep my head up my ass and pursue this. We assess our BS, IS, and what's called the WIP (work in progress) report and determine the profitability of the company at the end of each month. The financial package is essential in keeping a good standing with the bank/keeping our line of credit open/procuring equipment loans/ensuring we are getting good equipment utilization (i.e. return on investment). It's made me wish a) that I was an accounting major and b) that I was an accounting major.
Dad's company got to a point where they could either maintain steady, but sluggish, growth without outside investment or they could seek outside help and jump from ~40m revenue to ~150m in a relatively quick time-frame. Private equity is rare in construction, though, as construction carries a lot of risk (at least smaller firms such as my dads). My uncle runs a business, also that has reached a similar point. Uncle is now receiving pretty sweet offers because his industry just became legal (hint-hint).
At this point I became very interested in how companies grow. Lo and behold many of them grow because some of the brightest minds on planet earth form little groups and invest their knowledge and capital in them, churn a profit and move onto the next. I was hooked (talking past-tense like this was two years ago, this was two months ago).
Finally, to the point, I want advice on how I can mold this story into a job in IB. It's the avenue into PE. If I could possibly land a job in a BB, obviously I'd take it. But I'm actually interested in this stuff, so far, and if the only FT offer I get at the end of this sarge is MM or Piper, I'll gladly take it. Throw your monkey sh*t at me, whatever.
"Questions"
1. I can try to join our schools investment group, but I'm afraid my GPA is a hindrance. Maybe it won't be. Or, I did well enough this summer in my financial management course that my professor said there's some research that I could help him with. Which would be a better choice for IB? I get that evaluating companys is more applicable to IB, but isn't there something to be said for the "stand-out" aspect of helping a prof. with research?
2. The road to a BB is pretty well established if you have a shitty resume to start. Network. I've got some contacts from working with our Alumni Association already which is sweet. But what are some good ways to use LinkedIn beyond searching your school's alumni base?
3. Is anyone familiar with the smaller banks in the PNW? I'd gladly go to Chicago, NYC, Houston, or SF if the opportunity arises. But I have my work cut out for me for those, and there are zero guarantees. I've seen plenty of smaller ones but if any of you out there are familiar I'd like to hear about them.
4. Given my story, if any of you read it at all, what approach would you take? My plan is to boost GPA, network my butt off, and continue reading outside of school, along with joining investment club/research. Yes. But, I need advice on whether it is smart to try to get familiar with one industry (say, O&G), then research and start contacting firms in those regions (say, Houston), and go from there, or B) acquire the hardskills to the best of my abilities, say eff specializing, and just apply and research the deals that banks are doing?
Editor's Note: The tone of this is so sarcastic/condescending because I understand for 100% of banks, my resume would be shredded just from the name of my school, forget my GPA. It's not an absolutely hopeless pursuit but I do get that the "non-target, here's how I did it" posts are anomalies. NOT impossible, and I believe I can do this, but I think it's best to approach jobs and those with opportunities, given my resume, with a vibe that says "yes, I do understand I've fucked up, but I want this and I'm here to learn/work". That's something that I feel many Ivy guys are not familiar with. I'll play that to my strengths. Thanks to any of you who read this far, and ahead of time for any advice.