For Hamilton students interested in pursuing careers in finance, the recruiting process requires networking and taking individual initiative in order to obtain finance internships, given the lack of an official business program offered by the College.
Many students have already been accepted as interns to banking programs after going through an official recruiting process. “I was part of the accelerated recruiting for Deutsche Bank and was accepted into their Corporate Finance Summer Analyst Internship Program for Summer 2019,” said Nick Mayer ’20. “This was my first experience with formal interviews, and I also applied to Goldman’s Banking and Wealth Management Programs as well.”
Much of finance recruiting requires applicants to take early action months before the summer of the desired internship. “First round interviews usually happen in the late summer into the fall, followed by on site superdays at the banks,” said Mayer. “This year, all of the banks have accelerated their process, including early round interviews for sophomores during the spring semester.”
Some students joined organizations on campus that offer assistance with the recruiting process. Mayer said, “I have gotten the most out of recruiting by being a member of the Finance Club, and this year have joined the e-board.”
Mayer recommended that students take initiative by taking classes at Hamilton that have the potential to assist with finance careers in order to help their recruiting process. Mayer stated, “I took a class in corporate finance and an accounting class, which made a huge difference, and it is my opinion that accounting is the single most important class you can take for a career in finance.”
The Career Center also offers guidance specific to any stage of the finance recruiting process. “I have met with my career counselor for advice on the process and have spoken on the phone with Jennifer Hill, the College’s finance expert, who was extremely helpful,” said Daniel Gliedman ’20. “I strongly recommend talking to her if this is a field you may be interested in pursuing as she has over a decade of financial experience and can leverage her knowledge no matter where in the process you may be.”
Students seeking internships and job opportunities found much success through networking with Hamilton alumni that work successful careers in the finance business. “I found the best way to set yourself up for success with this process is by networking with alumni. I have been very fortunate to have received a lot of help with this process because of the Hamilton alumni,” said Mayer. “[The Finance Club] coordinates visits by alumni from the major banks when they come for information sessions and interviews, and it has really helped me connect and network.”
Sarah Fox ’20 also found success through networking with Hamilton alumni. “Networking is crucial in securing an internship in finance. In my experience, Hamilton alumni are eager to speak with students,” she said. “The best way to network with alumni is to reach out via email and then ask to set up an informational interview over the phone. Making connections earlier rather than later is also helpful.”
Hamilton offers some workshops run by alumni on campus for students interested in pursuing finance. “There are several one- and two-day workshops for freshmen and sophomores who may be interested in banking. I attended four of these workshops,” said Fox. “Students who identify as female, black, Latinx, and LGBTQ qualify to apply. These programs are a great way to get your foot through the door and possibly meet Hamilton alumni.”
Gliedman agreed that these alumni finance sessions offer many advantages to students in search of internships. “Hamilton alumni representatives come to Hamilton and put on information sessions and on-campus interviews,” he said. “If these interviews go well, they can sometimes lead to an expedited application process.”
While Hamilton does not offer an official business major program, many students found the skills they developed within a liberal arts education assisted them in the job process. “What separates a school like Hamilton is that we don’t have the same business/finance technical knowledge available as, say, a student from Wharton at UPenn. However, the liberal arts education definitely sets us apart in interviews and the Hamilton Network is the best way to get on Wall Street,” stated Mayer. “If you can learn the technicals necessary on your own or through programs like the Tuck Bridge Program at Dartmouth, you can be a lot more successful than Ivy students.”
Fox reiterated the importance of applying skills learned at Hamilton to the recruiting process. “Because Hamilton does not offer a structured business program, its important to emphasize other skills such as effective writing and communication,” said Fox.
