Unlike in previous years, the 2028 summer internship recruiting cycle is moving at an accelerated pace. Firms across the board are speeding up their processes, with the first round of offers expected as early as the beginning of November. Citadel is currently issuing invitations for its fundamental investing program on a rolling basis, and some OSG students are already in the second or third round of interviews. We anticipate that a significant portion of 2028 Summer Analyst (SA) offers will be extended by January of next year.

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October and November are critical months for students to get their foot in the door. Investment banks are actively shortlisting candidates through two channels: networking performance and early programs. Throughout this period, students should prioritize building relationships with bankers and demonstrating genuine interest in their target firms, as these interactions can influence how recruiting teams evaluate candidates. Banks track networking performance in their internal recruiting systems and use this information to determine who receives interview invitations. Early Insight programs have also been opening across multiple top-tier investment banks and hedge funds looking to rope in potential candidates before the official recruiting process kicks off. Benefits of these programs include exclusive opportunities to network directly with professionals in the office along with accelerated interview processes for select attendees.

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Another thing about networking that students struggle with is deciding what to network for. Our tip is to consider a diversified approach. Don't fixate on just one area as you might receive interviews from a wide variety of groups throughout the application season. We recommend selecting 2–3 sectors or groups that interest you, then prioritizing your networking and technical preparation based on their specific competitiveness and your personal interest.

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Firm Spotlight

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At leading boutique firm Perella Weinberg, each office maintains a distinct industry focus: for instance, the Chicago and LA offices cover the industrials sector, the New York office operates as a generalist hub, and the San Francisco office concentrates on TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecom) and Healthcare. The two groups in the San Francisco office conduct separate interview processes, utilizing different early-access programs to pipeline candidates to Superdays.

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While this boutique is often overlooked, the bankers at this firm are very approachable and open to networking. They also hosted a restructuring webinar this month and are expected to continue organizing similar events throughout the rest of the recruiting cycle. Keep an eye out!

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- "OSG is launching a major '2028 Summer Internship Sprint' program for current sophomores!" - Led personally by Paul, OSG’s Head of Academics—covering everything from resume refinement and networking strategies to intensive interview preparation!

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- Book a 15-minute consultation with a mentor.

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