300,000 Applicants. One Job. What Actually Sets You Apart?

I had the privilege of sitting down for a discussion with Chiara Operto. Chiara is a former Credit-Suisse investment banker turned founder of Edge Skills, and certainly understands both sides of the table. Today, Chiara helps top-tier students break into banking and supports investment banks in recruiting and developing the next generation of high performers.

Chiara gave me a masterclass of real advice every aspiring banker needs to hear, as well as what investment banking leaders need to know about hiring in the AI era. I break it down for you all here!

Chiara’s Advice for Graduates Breaking into IB

1. Think Long-Term: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Banking isn’t a stepping stone; it’s a serious, long-term commitment. “The most common mistake candidates make is applying without appreciating the long-term commitment required.”

Chiara's MD once told her: "M&A is a marathon. It's a long tunnel you’ll have to go through, so you need to keep your eyes on the long-term objectives."

Having a long-term objective and purpose makes the long hours and hard work required more manageable.

2. Don’t Just Memorise. Understand

Being able to recite the DCF definition won’t cut it. “Knowing how to define a DCF is one thing. Knowing when to use it and understanding its limitations in a live deal — that’s what separates strong candidates.”

3. Nail The “Fit” — and Show Your True Self

“Bankers work long hours together. Interviewers are asking: Would I want to grab a coffee or a beer with this person after work?”

Professionalism is key, but candidates must be authentic, warm, and relatable. Chiara stressed the importance of being genuine and letting our real personality shine through.

4. Build Trust Through Consistency

“Juniors must become reliable. When a senior asks for something and you say, ‘Will do,’ the best outcome is: no follow-up needed. That’s trust.”

Ask for feedback. Be proactive. Don’t make the same mistake twice. The quicker you build trust with your team and seniors, the more opportunities you have to grow and work on the cool mandates.

5. Master AI. Double Down On Soft Skills

“Use AI to become faster and more efficient than your peers — and develop your own thinking so you can challenge it, not copy it.”

Chiara urges grads to invest in soft skills like communication, negotiation, and relationship building, the traits no algorithm can replicate. The need for strong sales skills in the industry can often get overlooked in the early stages of your career, but it is these skills that will enable you to reach the highest echelons.

What IB Leaders Should Know About Recruiting & AI

1. Volume is Extreme, But Values Must Guide Selection

“Recruiters want to keep candidates long-term. Leaders should assess maturity, motivation, and resilience, not just prestige or polish.”

Goldman Sachs received over 300,000 applications for grad roles this year. Leaders must ensure their teams don’t just default to academic pedigree or elite internships. Instead, embed value-based hiring frameworks that identify commitment, curiosity, and emotional resilience. These traits drive long-term performance, retention, and cultural alignment.

Encourage hiring managers to ask: "Will this candidate still be growing with us in five years?" Prioritise potential over perfection.

2. Fit Matters More Than Ever

Would I want to have a beer with this candidate?” remains a common and telling filter.

Cultural fit and team chemistry are crucial in high-pressure environments like banking. But that doesn’t mean hiring clones. True leadership involves building diverse teams that work well together, not just people who think or act alike.

Redefine “fit” in your team, make space for different personalities, backgrounds, and thinking styles. Train interviewers to screen for values and collaboration potential, not just likability.

3. AI is Changing Recruiting — But Human Nuance is Irreplaceable

“AI can help with scale, but humans are needed for judgment, empathy, and context.”

AI tools are now used at every stage — CV filtering, video screening, tone analysis. But AI should be your co-pilot, not your gatekeeper. Leaders must stay involved in final decisions and bring empathy, contextual thinking, and gut instinct to the table.

Set clear AI guidelines: use it for efficiency, not final say. Revisit rejected candidates manually — sometimes the best fits aren’t algorithm-friendly.

4. Be Aware of AI’s Blind Spots

“Algorithms can reinforce bias or undervalue non-traditional, creative answers.”
Bias doesn’t disappear with automation; it can become even more deeply embedded. Leaders must audit their tools regularly, ensure fairness in prompts and scoring, and seek diverse hiring panels to counterbalance AI’s limitations.

Ask your team: “Where might our AI tools be excluding great candidates?” Invest in training hiring managers to spot potential that tech might miss.

5. Rethink Talent Development

“Teach juniors to challenge AI, not blindly follow it. And invest in what AI can’t do, trust, relationship building, and critical thinking.”

As AI handles more data-driven tasks, human judgment becomes the differentiator. Leaders must build teams that combine technical excellence with interpersonal strength. That means coaching juniors not just in tools but in confidence, ownership, and voice.

Add AI training to onboarding, but pair it with live-client roleplays, communication coaching, and peer feedback loops.

6. Proactively Build Talent Partnerships

“The best leaders are recommended at the right time, because they’ve built relationships early.”

Don’t wait for applications to roll in. Leaders must take an active role in cultivating long-term hiring pipelines. Partner with universities, alumni, and firms like Edge Skills to connect with future talent before they even apply.

Set a quarterly goal to speak at a university, mentor a rising candidate, or run a firm-sponsored masterclass. Visibility attracts quality.

Final Thoughts: Leaders & Graduates, Your Next Step Starts Today

Investment banking remains one of the most competitive industries in the world.
Breaking in and succeeding requires more than just technical knowledge. It demands resilience, authenticity, judgment, and now, AI literacy.

Chiara Operto’s insights are a roadmap for the next generation and a wake-up call for leaders to evolve how they hire and develop talent in a changing world.

Graduates: Start building a long-term mindset, sharpen your real-world thinking, and never underestimate soft skills.

Leaders: Make space for human judgment, refine your filters, and balance the speed of AI with the nuance of people.