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I am just about to finish my a levels but want to delve deeper into the world of investment banking? how do i go about doing some work experience with firms like the citigroup, merill lynch, j p morgan etc? many thanks all

Its more common for big companies like that to offer work experience to current undergraduate students during the univerity holidays, usually over the summer. they run actual summer placement programmes, for ppl to work there for 6 weeks or longer to gain experience and for the company to size them up, incase they apply for actual jobs there in the future. hence as the function for the company is to look at prospective talent, thts why its usually undergraduate students in the second year of their degree that they take, as theyre the ones that will be applying to them in the next intake. you would be applying for another 2 or 3 years, so no benefit to them. generally these placements are v v competitive to get, you need a great personal statment, and to be doing well at your degree with refernces!! plus some companies want toy to be doing a business or finance related degree. no harm in trying to ask for work experience, but ild leave it till youre at uni as, as i said they gain nothing frm offering you the work exp as your no where near ready to start your career in investment banking and theyre already stowed out with apps frm undergrads. do continue to researc the career tho, find out what degrees are most useful to investment banking, read up on it find out if it really is the careers for you. dont just consider money, look at what the job involves as seems a bit of a dry career for you to have in mind right now.