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Morning {{first_name}} 👋!
Every year I get messages that sound like this:
"I'm at a non-target university. Do I even have a chance?"
The answer is yes.
But pretending the playing field is level doesn't help anyone.
So let's be honest about what you're actually up against, and then let's talk about exactly what to do about it.
Why non-target students often struggle
The disadvantage isn't about ability. It's about access.
Fewer recruiters visit your campus. Fewer alumni are already working in the industry. Application timelines come and go without anyone flagging them. There are fewer classmates pushing each other to apply, less access to insider prep, and a persistent background noise of people telling you it's too hard.
None of that means you're less capable.
It simply means you have to be more intentional.
What the students who broke in actually did
I've seen students from universities that most recruiters rarely visit secure offers at Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley. They didn't get lucky. They did five things consistently that most of their peers didn't.
Here's each one, and what it looks like in practice.
1. They started earlier than everyone else
Most students at target universities get nudged into applications by their environment: career fairs, alumni talks, classmates comparing offer timelines. You don't have that nudge. So you have to create your own.
What this looks like: Build your own application calendar. Know the opening and closing dates for every programme you're targeting at least six months out. Spring week applications at some banks open in September of your first year. If you find out in November, you've already missed them.
This week: Map out the application windows for your top five target firms. Set calendar reminders a month before each one opens. Use last years dates from Trackr as a guide.
2. They networked consistently
When you don't have alumni in your immediate network, you have to build one from scratch. The good news is that LinkedIn has made this more accessible than it's ever been.
What this looks like: Identify two or three people currently working in the division you're targeting at firms you want to work at (if they’re alumni, that’s even better). Send a short, specific message. Not "can I pick your brain" but something like: "I'm a second-year student targeting investment banking summer internships. I've been researching [specific team or deal type] and would really value fifteen minutes of your time to ask a couple of specific questions."
Most people won't reply. Some will. One conversation can change the shape of your application entirely because you'll understand what the role actually involves, and that comes through in interviews.
What this looks like over time: Aim for 1-4 new conversation per month from now until applications close. Keep a simple spreadsheet: name, firm, date contacted, outcome, follow-up date.
3. They understood exactly what recruiters were looking for
Target university students often absorb this by osmosis: through alumni talks, career services, and peers who've already been through the process. You have to seek it out deliberately.
This means understanding how CVs are screened, what competency questions are actually testing, what commercial awareness looks like in an answer versus what it looks like on a revision list, and what separates a good final round candidate from one who gets the offer.
I cover a lot of this on my YouTube channel if you want to go deeper on any of these areas. And for division-specific detail, my Career Guides are built exactly for this: nine guides covering every major division across investment banks and beyond, written in an easy to understand format.
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4. They practised interviews relentlessly
This is the one that most candidates underestimate until it's too late. Interview technique is a skill. It degrades without practice and improves sharply the more you do it. It’s what I spend most of my time doing with my 1:1 coaching clients.
What this looks like: Don't just read example answers. Say them out loud. Record yourself. Watch it back. And repeat 50+ times. It's uncomfortable. And it’s a lot of time and work. But trust me, do it anyway. It works and it’s the easiest way to get ahead of other candidates.
Find one other person who's applying and run weekly mock interviews with each other. If you don't have someone in your immediate circle, this is one of the things the Finance Fast Track Community weekly calls are genuinely useful for: jump on the call, I’ll ask you interview questions, you attempt them, I give you feedback there and then.
5. They treated applications like a project, not a lottery
The candidates who struggle tend to fire off applications sporadically and then wait. The ones who succeed run their job search like a campaign.
What this looks like: Weekly check-ins with yourself. Which applications are open? Which are in progress? Which need a cover letter drafted? What's the next action on each one?
A simple tracker: firm name, role, deadline, stage, next action, notes. Fifteen minutes every Sunday to update it. That's it.
Inside the Finance Fast Track there's a 30-day application challenge that basically walks you through everything you should be doing. Start today and you’ll be primed before application season ramps up in August. Everything you need, step by step, if you want something more structured than a blank spreadsheet. As well as the 30-day application challenge, there’s a 30-day interview challenge to make sure you’re ready when you secure those all important HireVue and in-person interviews. Explore them, and more here.
The mindset piece
Your university might influence your starting line.
It doesn't have to determine your finish line.
The information gap that used to make this so hard barely exists anymore. What separates candidates now is almost entirely preparation, consistency, and the quality of their application since this age of AI has commoditised information i.e. made it no longer a competitive advantage.
You don't need a target university. You need a target strategy. You need time, consistency and accountability. You need to put in the work. You need to not get distracted or stressed by the 101 other commitments you have going on. You need focus.
Any questions, reply to this email.
Speak soon,
Afzal
P.S. Useful tools for serious candidates:
Career Guides (get £20 off at checkout with code ‘FFT20’)
Breaking Into Banking (my book)
Finance Fast Track Community (my community)