I have a quick question about internship strategy. I’m targeting investment banking for my junior summer internship in 2026, but this upcoming sophomore summer I want to get experience in areas like risk management or audit roles. My goal is to build up my finance and accounting skills before going for IB recruiting.
I’m wondering if it would hurt my chances to be honest during interviews about my long-term IB aspirations. Should I tell these companies that I’m using this internship as preparation for investment banking, or would that make them think I’m not truly interested in their role? I don’t want to seem like I’m just using them as a stepping stone, but I also want to be genuine about my career path.
What’s the best approach when they ask about my motivations and future plans?
Been there myself - wanted IB but did corporate finance first. There’s way more overlap between these roles and IB than you’d think. When I interviewed, I focused on what actually interested me about their specific work. For risk management, I talked about wanting to understand how financial institutions protect themselves - totally relevant to IB but sounds real. Don’t lie, just emphasize what genuinely excites you about the role. Companies smell BS from miles away, but they respect someone who’s thoughtful about building real skills.
Focus on professional development, not your end goal. Smart hiring managers get that good candidates move around - they expect it. Don’t frame this as prep for investment banking. Instead, talk about wanting to understand different sides of financial services. For risk management, say you’re curious about how institutions evaluate and handle financial exposure. For audit roles, mention wanting to build analytical skills and learn regulatory frameworks. This shows real interest while developing transferable skills across finance. Companies want candidates who see the role as meaningful development, not just a stepping stone. Your excitement about learning their methods and actually contributing will matter way more than discussing your career path. The best internships work both ways - you learn while adding real value to their team.
just stay vague about future plans - tell them you’re “exploring different finance areas” and focus on the skills you’ll pick up from their role. most interviewers don’t even ask about long-term stuff anyway. they just want to know you’ll show up and do solid work for the summer.
lol are you serious? telling them you’re gonna bounce to IB is like telling your girlfriend you’re dating her to practice for your real crush. these companies aren’t running charity programs for future goldman wannabes - they want people who actually care about their work. just say you want to explore different areas of finance and develop foundational skills. save the IB dreams for your diary, not the interview room. basic common sense tbh
Show real interest in what they actually do! Talk about wanting to learn risk management or audit skills - solid foundation stuff. You can mention exploring finance without saying “investment banking.” Get excited about their company’s work. That’s what they want to hear!