An NYU Stern Student’s Guide to Business Recruiting

Recruiting becomes very overwhelming because you are worried that you need to do everything, everyone tells you to do. You may hear people who are coffee chatting four people in a week and applying to over 100’s of internships. I applied to an awful lot of internships and I learned how common rejections can be–which sucked a lot.

The truth is there are many resources at NYU to guide you through this stage of the recruitment process and help you feel more in control.

• NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development: They provide resume reviews, mock interviews and they also look at cover letter to help you feel interview ready.
• NYU Stern Professional Development & Career Education: This resource is designed for Stern students. They have Peer Mentors who you can talk to about their experiences in different industries such as finance and consulting. The team also hosts career events which is a great to connect with professionals. Many professionals at the events are NYU Stern alumni!
• NYU Stern Clubs: Stern Clubs are a great way to learn about different industries! They are accessible to everyone at NYU. Many clubs also have specialized programs where executive board members provide industry-specific mentoring. These programs are great to form connections and enhance your skills for recruiting.

However, there is a misconception that you must be in a Stern club to be successful. You absolutely do not need to be! Clubs are only one out of many ways of being successful.

Around this time, interviews begin and competitive pressure rises as you try to ace as many interviews as possible. Students start discussing HireVues: video interviews that companies use to screen candidates instead of holding first-round interviews. Most firms use them, although some do not. After completing HireVues, candidates often take personality or numerical assessments. In the final stage, firms invite candidates to Superdays which are the last round of interviews that ends either with the long-awaited offer call or the dreaded rejection email.

Many companies also have pre-internship programs which provide accelerated interviewing for candidates. For example, I participated in the BNY Mellon Freshman Jumpstart Program. Many people I knew participated in the Goldman Sachs Possibilities Summits. These programs are also great opportunities to form connections with finance firms. Sometimes, you can visit a firm’s office like I did with HSBC!

However, your self confidence can take a major dip because at this point in time, you start to lose control over your recruiting journey. You start worrying about your future especially if you may not have interviews but your friends do. I want to provide some additional resources which may be beneficial at this stage. This list is meant to add on from the previous resources mentioned:

• NYU Wellness Exchange: 24/7 Wellness service, if you ever need to talk to someone. It is confidential.
• NYU Stern Alternative Investments Course: NYU Stern sophomores can use this class as an opportunity to study and pursue a career alternative investments.
• Your friends and family are the best resources because they are always in your corner. Your friends are especially important because they might also be willing to share their experiences and reassure you that you are not alone in this journey

This stage is the most important but also dangerous for your mental health because you may start to doubt yourself. However, FIRMS DO INTERVIEW FOR POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

I had an amazing summer: going to Japan, India and Amsterdam and being a summer Teaching Assistant and Digital Ambassador. However, it was hard not to think about summer internships when everyone else I knew already did. I thought I was done with the possibility of having a junior summer internship. I did not know a lot of firms open more applications and continue interviewing in the summer. The key is to keep an open mind and apply to whatever interests you.

My self confidence was low especially during my trip in India because I had more free time to think about my recruiting journey. Even though I enjoyed my summer because there was always a concern about what is my next step. I was invited to 3 final rounds but after each rejection, I felt my esteem chip away.

• Take rest periods from internship/job searching because it’s draining. Trust that there is a purpose or if you are religious, God’s Plan. 
• Remember to keep looking for opportunities in different industries. I started looking into commercial real estate. DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF TO ONE CAREER PATH.
• Many firms will keep interviewing throughout the summer. While some of your friends might secure offers in sophomore spring, you have plenty of time in the summer.
• If an opportunity is meant for you, it will come–especially if you put in the hard work. Believing in yourself makes a huge difference in moving through these emotional challenges.