Are there any investment banking firms that will take an intern with poor/medicore grades?

I just finished my first semester at college and did not perform well. I want to get an internship at a firm maybe working with the Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities department or the Global Investment department of a company. Hopefully these departments aren't as competitive as Investment Banking. Do you know of any companies that are easier to get an internship from for a person with no background in finance except for high school econ and a lousy first semester GPA?

Investment Banking firms are very competitive when it comes to any type of employment. But if you are seriously interested in employment with a specific company research them on Vault.com (and research their website). You can even network with employees that work there - they could give you some inside tips. Don't be afraid to call their HR department or even the website contacts - this will show that you have initiative (which is valued in this industry).

Another approach would be to work with companies that are related to investment banking. For instance an internship at a company that tracks financial/investment data would be a valuable first step in your career. You could get hands on training and really get to see the nuts and bolts of the business. I used to work in this industry and it I know that it can be quite challenging.

One other suggestion would be to check into getting an internship/summer position with the SEC (www.sec.gov). This would give you a lot of valuable knowledge and would look great on your resume.

Best wishes!

Well start by asking the HR dept. of those types of firms in your area to see if they even have and internship program. If the do see what the requirements are. More importantly, get your foot in the door of one of them. Putting in face time and doing a good job at whatever they have you do will payoff later on.

Probably not, as most internships are very competitive.

Concentrate on getting better grades over the next 3+ semesters, as most internships aren't open until you reach the Junior year, any way.