Investment Banking Internship Debrief: Taylor Davis
Taylor Davis is heading into her second year at Johnson. She is coming off a great summer in Investment Banking at Cain Brothers. This is part of a series of summer internship debrief interviews.
Hi Taylor, thanks for taking the time! For some context, do you mind walking us through your background?
Sure. Prior to Johnson I worked in financial services for four years at Bank of America as an HR consultant. While I was there, one of the groups was covering was sold to BlackRock. Working through the sale process from the HR side was my first window into the M&A process and I was fascinated. To get a closer look at banking and M&A, I requested to partner with the Banking and Markets group. I became really interested in the work the group did and I enjoyed working with the people, so I decided to take the leap and use an MBA to transition to banking.
After you decided to get your MBA, how did you choose Johnson?
The primary driver of my decision was the Investment Banking Immersion (IBI). I wanted to career switch and I liked the immersion’s emphasis on practical preparation. Another reason I chose Johnson was because of the relationships I had built with current students and the admissions team. I was going to MBA fairs in New York City and the Johnson admissions team started to recognize me. I couldn’t say that for other schools. I wanted to make a pivot from HR to banking and I knew I would have the best results if I attended a program that valued me as a person.
How did you feel going into the internship?
I was nervous. The Investment Banking Immersion provided preparation for slides and technical skills, but it is different when you are confronted with the day-to-day, especially in a virtual environment. To get a better idea of the work, I ended up doing more networking and talking with current bankers. It all ended up going well!
Is there anything from the Old Ezra Finance Club or the Immersion that you want to call out as particularly helpful?
Like many banks, my bank had an end of summer project. The presentation aspect of the IBI turned out to be very helpful. I was comfortable creating and presenting a clear story and then going down an in-depth line of questioning. That direct application experience came through for me in my internship.
Any advice for upcoming applicants?
Before school starts, really think about your career path so you can hit the ground running. I would advise you not to be distracted by the options, shiny things, and what other people around you are doing. This can be difficult given the range of great opportunities from Cornell. If you decide on banking, narrow your group and the type of firm you want to join so you can be precise. Stay focused on what you came to do!
Taylor can be reached at tad223@cornell.edu