How to Get an Internship on Wall Street

Wall Street is one of the major financial hubs. With the top firms of finance crowded into a few dense streets of New York's financial district, it's an exciting nexus of opportunities. An internship on "the Street" is a great way to get started in finance.

Instructions

1. Choose your industry. Wall Street encompasses many different kinds of businesses, from financial news services to brokerage houses to floor traders. You need to be specific in your search. So, decide if you're looking to get experience in trading, banking, financial reporting or government oversight.

2. Boost your resume and qualifications. A polished resume and a set of excellent recommendations are a necessity in your search for an internship. Your resume should be short but pointed, and your recommendations should give a personal and rounded view of your character. Get these two things in good conditions before you start your search.

3. Start with major firms that run robust internship programs each year, such as Dow Jones. Check out the Dow Jones website for a full listing of their internships and what you need to do to get one.

4. Use your college or university. Wall Street firms harvest interns each year from universities and colleges. Often times, the firms come to campuses for internship fairs. Show up ready to grab one of the internships. Make getting an interview your primary goal. If your school does not bring firms to campus, speak with your career center about getting in touch with a handful of firms so you can get an internship.

5. Network your way to internship, which is the most effective way of getting one. Use any and every connection you have to meet someone in the right place. Try websites like LinkedIn (see Resources below) if you need to build relationships first. And, if you're offered an internship or interview, don't be picky, since you never know where such a position might lead.