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Investment banking is an exciting, fast-paced, and high-stakes career that demands both strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. With over two decades of experience in this sector, including roles at some of the world’s leading firms such as Bank of America and Citibank, I have gained valuable insights into the industry. Through this guide, I aim to share my experiences, practical advice, and key learnings for anyone aspiring to build a career in investment banking.
Investment banks are financial institutions that specialize in providing services related to capital markets and financial transactions. These services include mergers and acquisitions (M&A), initial public offerings (IPOs), and corporate restructuring. Unlike commercial banks, which focus on everyday banking operations like loans and deposits, investment banks act as intermediaries, offering advisory services and financial instruments to large corporations, governments, and institutional clients.
In addition, the following are the largest investment banks in the world:
Investment banks play a critical role in connecting investors with market opportunities while ensuring the security and efficiency of large-scale financial transactions.
Surprisingly, the road to investment banking was not through finance. I first earned my degree in engineering and then changed my job to a bank’s IT department. In my first role, I was engaged in a banking technology project where I was responsible for dealing with stakeholders and learning about financial systems. Furthermore, I was involved in the business side which led me to take a real liking to investment banking.
This experience taught me an essential lesson: anyone from any background can enter investment banking if they have the right skill set, passion, and willingness to learn.
Also read: A guide to becoming an investment banker
Within the investment banking career, multiple roles can be followed. Some of the key roles include:
1. Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Advisor
2. Equity Research Analyst
3. Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst
4. Risk Management & Compliance
5. Investment Banking Technology & Operations
All these positions need different abilities, but they are all held in high-pressure environments where instant decision-making is crucial.
Investment banking is a multifaceted industry that may offer different career paths based on an individual’s background and area of specialization.
Despite the heavy reliance on economics, business, and finance as qualifications, some of the most sought-after professionals also have a strong grounding in the hard sciences such as Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, and IT areas like computer science.
One of the ways to excel in investment banking is to acquire certificates that relate to the sector. Some of the reputable certifications that are available are:
Investment banking requires more than just math. Success in the industry requires a combination of various technical and interpersonal skills.
Technical skills:
Soft skills:
It’s necessary to start in investment banking by engaging in internships and acquiring entry-level positions.
It doesn’t matter if you are getting your first job in another field, such as business consulting, risk management, or technology; with the right experience, you can still easily switch to investment banking.
Also read: Top investment banking interview questions and answers
The world of investment banking is continuously growing. There are several trends that will make a shift in the future, most noteworthy of which are the following:
As technology advances, professionals who combine finance with tech expertise will have a significant edge.
For those who plan to choose a career in the investment banking sphere, here is my summary of the most important things you should remember:
Investment banking is a challenging yet rewarding career that offers high earning potential, global opportunities, and exciting problem-solving tasks. If you have a passion for finance and a drive to succeed, this could be the perfect field for you!
Information related to companies and external organizations is based on secondary research or the opinion of individual authors and must not be interpreted as the official information shared by the concerned organization.
Additionally, information like fee, eligibility, scholarships, finance options etc. on offerings and programs listed on Online Manipal may change as per the discretion of respective universities so please refer to the respective program page for latest information. Any information provided in blogs is not binding and cannot be taken as final.
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