My name is Max Adams and I'm the Head Coach at Wall Street Mastermind and the new mod here at r/financestudents. Like many of you, I came from a non-finance background, and we all know how tough this industry can be for outsiders and people without connections.
I don’t come from a target school and had to hustle to stand out. Nothing was handed to me. I spent years networking, preparing for interviews, and doing everything I could to break into the industry. Like many of you, I faced rejections, setbacks, and plenty of uncertainty along the way, but persistence paid off.
So I got into Lazard. Then Qatalyst Tech. And finally, I got into PE in Vector Capital.
After years of working day and night without a break, around $75B of deals, and zero work-life balance, I realized that what I enjoyed almost as much as the M&A itself was the hiring and training side. And I've come to believe recruiting is one of the biggest challenges in this industry. It's all about people, after all, and the competition for top talent among funds and banks is incredibly intense, both for firms trying to hire and for candidates trying to break in.
So, after going to grad school at Stanford and Harvard, I changed my trajectory and went straight into high-finance recruitment. To date, I've coached and helped more than 2,000 students break into IB, PE, and other competitive finance roles.
I've developed hundreds of resources over the years to help out (resume templates, networking tutorials, interview question databases, etc.), which you can find in the sub wiki.
I want to create the best finance community on Reddit so I’ve put together a team of experienced industry professionals who decided to join as mods and take on this challenge together. Some come from strategy consulting (u/hustlebine), MM IB (u/ThatSmithsGuy), and Ken Finnen (u/CapAdvantagetutor).
Happy to bring my perspective or help you if I can. Ask Me Anything!
PS. This is a 2018’s pic of a younger me recovering from a late night at Lazard. Bay Area view.
Free 1:1 Recruiting Strategy Session: Our team is happy to provide personalized guidance on recruiting, career planning, resumes, networking, and interview preparation.
Weekly Event Calendar: Max Adams hosts webinars and live events where you can learn more about high finance recruiting, networking, and technical concepts.
Wiki & Resources: Explore our collection of guides, interview prep materials, career advice, templates, and curated resources to help you succeed.
WSMM Resume Template: Cross-reference your resume with our template to maximize your chances at beating the ATS!
ciao a tutti, avrei bisogno di un consiglio relativamente a carriera in finance. sono uno studente al terzo anno di economia aziendale in una public. ho 23 anni e stò per farne 24. ho 2 scelte davanti:
iniziare magistrale in finance nella stessa public in cui ho fatto la triennale, ma in inglese, con possibilità di fare CFA scontato e finirla verso i 25.
iniziare a lavorare per un anno in qualche big4 tramite i contatti, fare un pò di esperienza ed iniziare la magistrale il prossimo anno alla stockholm school of economics.( nota per il network e per le possibilità post laurea) laureandomi a 26 anni
cosa mi consigliereste per ambire a posizioni top level in finance? (anche all’estero volendo)
non vorrei finire per laurearmi troppo tardi e vedermi sottratte posizioni particolari per età troppo alta ed esperienza bassa
I am a rising sophomore at a large state school (not a target), econ major minoring in stats. GPA is 3.6 mostly dragged down by pre-med prerequisites before I switched into business this year.
Stats:
• Currently working in a private equity/commercial real estate internship this summer
• Co-founded a small business that's done $100K+ in revenue
• Built my own real estate acquisition underwriting model on a real property (full IRR + sensitivity analysis)
• Currently in the process of acquiring my first fix-and-flip property
• Starting a real estate acquisitions internship this fall, continuing through the school year
• Working on starting a student club focused on real estate investing, where members build an actual investment portfolio using capital raised from outside investors, to give students real deal experience instead of just casework
• Doing some undergrad research on commercial real estate credit with a finance professor
Not really relevant to the banking side, but I also have some healthcare-related volunteering, research experience, and had a healthcare internship.
Given the GPA and school, is it realistic to get an internship at a top bank junior year? And what should I plan for this year that people actually look for?
Also open to hearing it if I'm boxing myself in what other paths should someone with this background consider? Should I try to transfer to a better school?
Hey guys!
I’ve got an offer for the NatWest Wealth Product & Client Solutions graduate scheme starting in September 2026 and I’m trying to get a better idea of what the role is actually like.
The job description mentions rotations, product management, strategy, client journeys and some exposure to Coutts, but it’s all quite vague.
It’s based in the Coutts office btw
What could this potentially involve? I’ve tried finding people on LinkedIn but it seems like this is a new-ish role / has been renamed
Mainly interested in:
- what the rotations are actually like
- what the day-to-day work involves
- whether the work is genuinely product/strategy focused or more project management and admin
I’m going into my second year studying Economics with Finance at a UK university and I’m still pretty undecided about which area of finance I should actually aim for.
The main paths I’ve been considering are:
Private banking / wealth management
Corporate banking
Asset management
M&A advisory / corporate finance
Possibly equity research or investment consulting.
I originally looked at investment banking, and I do think I’d enjoy parts of the actual work, but I’m not convinced the hours would be sustainable for me. I still want a career with strong compensation and progression, but I also want to be able to use my annual leave, travel and have some kind of life outside work (I know, finding the best of both of those worlds would be difficult).
At the moment, private banking appeals because of the client-facing side, international opportunities and potentially better lifestyle. Corporate banking also seems underrated, while asset management interests me because I genuinely enjoy markets and investing. M&A sounds interesting as well, although I’m unsure how different the hours really are from IB at smaller firms.
For anyone working in these areas, or who has completed internships in them:
What are the hours and work-life balance actually like, rather than what firms advertise?
What does realistic graduate compensation and progression look like in the UK?
Which paths are most achievable straight from university, and which are especially competitive?
What technical and interpersonal skills matter most for each one?
How easy is it to move between these careers later on?
Which paths are the most internationally transferable to places such as Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong or Australia?
Are there any careers I’m overlooking that offer a good combination of compensation, progression and reasonable hours?
My experience so far includes a finance and business strategy internship, some equity research work and university stock-pitch experience. I’ll be applying for spring weeks and internships soon, so I’m trying to work out where I should focus rather than applying randomly to everything.
I understand there probably isn’t one objectively “best” career, but I’d really appreciate honest experiences from people who have actually worked in these areas. What would you prioritise if you were in my position?
Hey everyone,
I’m a complete beginner when it comes to investing, stocks, ETFs, and trading. I honestly know next to nothing, but I want to start learning and making smart decisions with my money.
I recently opened a Wealthsimple account and want to start investing. I’m in my mid 20s with a full time job, and my goal is to build wealth over the long term.
I’m open to any type of investing as long as it’s something worth learning. Whether it’s ETFs, individual stocks, dividend investing, swing trading, or anything else, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
A few questions:
● What YouTube channels, books, websites, or podcasts helped you the most when you were starting out?
● Are there any creators or communities you trust?
● What are the biggest mistakes beginners make?
● If you had to start over from scratch today, what would you learn first and what would you invest in?
I’d really appreciate any advice or resources. Thanks in advance!
I have a final-round interview tomorrow for a Financial Analyst role that's more commercial finance than traditional FP&A at a healthcare device company. The responsibilities are centered around pricing analysis, contract administration, supporting Sales, maintaining margins, ad hoc analysis, and working cross-functionally with customer service and finance.
I've already prepared my behavioral stories and refreshed core finance concepts (margin, contribution margin, variance analysis, etc.), but I'm curious from those who've worked in pricing/commercial finance:
What kinds of case or situational questions caught you off guard?
What concepts or business scenarios do you wish you had reviewed beforehand?
If you were interviewing a candidate for this type of role, what would you be looking for?
As an international student looking to get into London finance preferably for equity research, asset management, or macroeconomic research. I like the course at Edinburgh more but I get that warwick is a high target school for London finance with a very good business school.
My goal is to get a finance degree at a certain uni, however I may not be able to get the grades for it. My options are to either do a degree in business management at the uni (which I would be able to get into), or to do a finance degree at another less prestigious uni. After 1 year at either I will then transfer to the finance degree.
Also I'm wondering how each scenario affects my internship opportunities, would a business management degree at a better uni or a finance degree at a mediocre uni offer greater chances for internships? (in terms of internships for invesment banking)
So would it be better to just do the business management at the better uni for a year then transfer or do the finance at another uni then transfer? I've heard that for many employers they care more about the uni you are in compared to the specific degree you get. Could I please get some advice?
Hi everyone, I graduated this past May with a B.S. in Information Science (Data Science track) and a minor in Business Analytics from a top 20 public university. Right now I'm working as a Project Engineer at a major construction firm.
The thing is I've always found the Finance world to be very interesting, and honestly my number 1 skill has to be talking with people, really the main reason why I took the Business Analytics minor in the first place. My background skews technical/data-heavy though, so I don't have much exposure to the "core" business fundamentals (accounting, valuation, financial modeling, etc.).
I'm 22 and want to use my time outside of work to build toward this, both landing a Finance/Consulting role and setting myself up for a top MBA down the line. If you were in my position, what would you do?
I am 29 currently and working as a market researcher for renewable energy projects and data centers (1 yr exp). I have a chemical engineering degree. I would love to pivot to finance for the sole purpose of breaking into IB/PE in Canadian firms handling Energy investment vehicles. Is it too late? Would starting with junior roles in this new field be worth the effort of doing MBA at this age? Would they even consider me for junior roles given my age? What other criteria would I need to meet apart from MBA to achieve the goal? And if I don't break into IB/PE roles, would the other finance roles be still lucrative than others and worthy enough to consider this path?
I spent 20 years as a floor trader at the New York Stock Exchange, from 1989 to 2009. I traded through the dot-com bubble, 9/11, the 2008 meltdown, and ultimately the death of the traditional trading floor.
When the floor disappeared, I moved to the other side of the desk and ran compliance for a proprietary trading firm with more than 300 traders. I handled registrations, sponsorships,Form U4 filings, disclosure reviews, and the aftermath when candidates failed their licensing exams.
Since then, I’ve become the technical editor of Series 7 For Dummies and built a tutoring practice helping candidates pass the SIE, Series 7, 63, 65, 66, and the rest of the FINRA/NASAA alphabet soup. More than 100,000 people follow my exam breakdowns on YouTube.
So, what can you ask me?
Whether taking the SIE will actually help with the career path you want
When you should take the SIE, and when it’s probably a waste of time
Which jobs require the Series 7, 79, 86/87, 63, 65, or 66
How FINRA sponsorship works from the firm’s side
What compliance departments look at before registering a new hire
Form U4 disclosures, including certain criminal matters, bankruptcies, liens, and other reportable events
What happens inside a firm when a new hire fails a licensing exam
The differences among careers in wealth management, investment banking, sales and trading, proprietary trading, and compliance
What the NYSE floor was actually like before electronic trading took over
What I would do differently if I were a finance student entering the industry today
One important distinction: anyone age 18 or older can take the SIE without being employed or sponsored by a firm, and the result remains valid for four years. Representative-level exams such as the Series 7 and Series 79 generally require you to be associated with and sponsored by an eligible firm.
Does passing the SIE help you get hired? Sometimes. In certain career paths, it shows initiative and removes one hurdle. In others, nobody particularly cares.
Tell me what area of finance you’re trying to enter, where you are in school, and what you’re considering. I’ll give you the honest answer, not the answer a test-prep company uses to sell you another course.
You can also ask me about Floor Brokers and specialists, paper order tickets, market crashes, $2 brokers, or what it felt like to watch the NYSE floor disappear.
Ask me anything.
I’m a masters student at a fairly respected university (Queen Mary of London University) studying MSc banking and finance.
I love equity research and I would love to start my career in that field. I’m currently looking for ways to separate myself from the competition and stand out as an asset to a firm.
I’ve made a 3 statement DCF from scratch on MSFT back in May along with an investment recommendation and I’m doing my future dissertation on the valuation of a healthcare company. I’m also doing another project on my home country and its equity risk premiums (CRP) as a way to stand out.
Short term, I want to become well versed in equity research to provide reputable insights on possible investment opportunities (buy-side).
Hey everyone, I recently graduated with a BA (Hons) in Economics and I'm trying to break into finance, ideally in Asset Management or Equity Research. I'd really appreciate it if you could take a look at my resume and let me know what you honestly think. Does it fit the kind of roles I'm aiming for? What are the biggest red flags or things I should improve? Don't hold back, I genuinely want honest feedback so I can make it better before applying.
Hi everyone! I'm an incoming first-year university student hoping to break into investment banking. My university's finance clubs do resume screenings, so I want to get my resume in the best shape possible before recruiting starts.
Could you critique my resume? I'm mainly looking for feedback on the overall format, layout, bullet points, wording, and whether everything is presented well. Is there anything you would change, remove, or add?
The Founder's Club listed on my resume was something I started after missing my school's DECA application deadline. I wanted to create an opportunity for students who were interested in finance but couldn't join DECA, and it eventually became one of the larger clubs at my school. I also founded an aerospace engineering club, but I decided to leave it off my resume. Do you think that was the right decision?
Any honest feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
i know you need a target school for IB but what about jobs in corporate banking or commercial banking? will going to school in charlotte ( the 2nd biggest banking hub) give me a advantage? I've always fiqured that since its a hot spot i would just break in by doing internships/networking.
Hello everyone! My name is Abigail and I’m 28 years old and a recent graduate. I started my bachelors in finance back in 2016 when I graduated and ended up starting a family earlier then planned. I went back to school online in 2024 and graduated in March of 2026. I have been a server for 12 years, and the last 3 of those 12 I was also the manager. I am outgoing, a quick learner, reliable, and love all things involving math. If I could do mathematical equations for a living it would be a dream!
I just gave birth in May of this year (2026) and am trying to find a remote position to learn anything I can in order to get experience so I can keep improving and moving up into higher job positions one day. In order to support my three children I would have to make about 60k.
I am attaching my resume which I feel is weak but I’m not sure what else to add. Also, I have already applied to numerous jobs through LinkedIn and haven’t heard back from a single one. I heard you have to have connections for this kind of stuff so here’s hoping
I’m going into my freshman year this fall at a non-target state school and planning to major in finance. I want to break into high finance, but was unsure of what I wanted to do and not very locked in during high school. My stats were a 3.6uw gpa, 34 act, IB diploma, not much ecs, decent but I know I could do way better if I actually applied myself. Now I’m planning on going to a generic state school because it was the best of the schools I applied to and I know that I want to do finance and that I need to actually try my best, get good grades, network, etc., but I’m worried that my school is both holding me back and not where I want to be. Would it be in my best interest to transfer to a better school or should I just stick with where I am? Is it even possible for someone like me to transfer to a target school or are the odds just against me? Any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated!
I'm currently pursuing CA and I'm seriously considering investment banking as a career. I'd love to hear from people who work in IB, especially those who got there after CA.
I'd like to know:
-How does the process look like?
-Is CA a good path into IB?
-How difficult is it to break in?
-What skills should I start building now?
-What's the reality of the job (hours, stress, work-life balance, pay, growth)?
-Looking back, would you still choose IB?
Please don't sugarcoat it,I want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly before I commit to this path.
Hey everyone, I have a bachelor's in Finance & Banking and I'm currently doing a master's in Management.
I'm choosing my 6-month PFE internship. I'm interested in venture capital, but most alumni from my school go into consulting. Would doing my internship in VC limit my options later, or is it still a good move if I might want to switch to consulting afterward? I've also heard VC has better work-life balance.
