Boris Goldstein

Why People Become an Investment Bankers

While You Are in College

Choose A Banking Related Major

There is no investment banking major, so an individual must pick from an investment banking-related major such as finance, economics, business or accounting. Any of those majors should be fine.

Having said that, increasingly banks accept and look to attract students with a mathematics or engineering background. The assumption is that students comfortable with quantitative sciences will find finance relatively easy to grasp.

While you are taking your classes, brush up on your spreadsheet and presentation skills.

Investment banking is about being smooth

with numbers. The right classes are great

practice.

Make sure you are creating presentations

with spreadsheets attached.

Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint are

mainstream. Don't spend as much time

with alternate programs.

Get A Summer Internship

The best thing you can do to get an investment banking job right out of college is to get a summer internship at an investment banking firm before graduating.

Try for the big investment banking firms such as well known firms in New York or London. Getting an internship at a smaller investment bank is really just about as good. These firms are called “Boutique Investment Banks” and exist in many cities.There are many reasons why a smaller bank may be easier to get an internship at. It may be in your town. There may also be a firm that is more specialized to what you have done. (For example, say you have interned at an airline. There are a couple boutique firms that pretty exclusively lease aircraft.) There may also be less competition. Lots of students haven't heard of the boutique firms.You can also get a summer internship at a regular bank (not an investment bank). That is not quite as good, but would still give you a huge leg up.

Hit The Networks, And The Social Networks

Like anywhere, getting to know people outside of the interviews works great.

Join the investment banking club at your school, if there is one. That is a great way to network with potential employers.Join Linkedin groups for investment banking.Talk to alumni from your school that have recently joined investment banks. You can contact them via Linkedin or Readyforce or even Facebook. Ask them to lunch or a phone call if you are remote.Don’t be afraid to travel to another city to meet people, if it will help you find better leads.

When in Graduate School

Know That If You Are In MBA School

Many banks will come to your

school to recruit.

Make sure you network like crazy

when the banks come visiting your

school. Get business cards and

follow up.

Search out boutique banks

Smaller banks are often not

visiting your school. Seek them out

via your favorite social network

site. Remember, there is a sales

element to investment banking, so

they respect and admire if you

have the guts to call them up.

If you are in graduate school that is not an MBA program

Investment banks love smart people from other disciplines.Make sure you contact the career center people at the business school of your university and use them as a resource! They can help you find the right career nights.Realize you need to prove your business smarts and look the part. If you are in social sciences, prepare to show you can use a spreadsheet like a wiz.