Investment Banking Discussion Thread

[hanker565]

Investment banking / finance attracts many smart people that did not know what they wanted to do after school. It's not something you can be passionate about, but it pays the bills and helps you develop certain skills until you figure out what you want to do with your life (I have still not figured this out).

 

[Harbin]



Investment banking / finance attracts many smart people that did not know what they wanted to do after school. It's not something you can be passionate about, but it pays the bills and helps you develop certain skills until you figure out what you want to do with your life (I have still not figured this out).

a lot of people i know that want to do banking know exactly what they want to do

 

[nootje]



Investment banking / finance attracts many smart people that did not know what they wanted to do after school. It's not something you can be passionate about, but it pays the bills and helps you develop certain skills until you figure out what you want to do with your life (I have still not figured this out).

Really? I never knew what to do after uni, but wanted to work on strategics with companies and do what i was good at: namely using and building my network. As it happens i love doing m&a, and went in the field even before i finished my degree.

 

[jslade]



Investment banking / finance attracts many smart people that did not know what they wanted to do after school. It's not something you can be passionate about, but it pays the bills and helps you develop certain skills until you figure out what you want to do with your life (I have still not figured this out).

Yes, this is, in part, the reason why I'm currently looking to dive into the IB industry. Wall Street is something that fascinates me, even if analyst-level IBD work seems dull and dry, rinse and repeat with bloodshot eyes.

As my school places very well into IBD (much less so in regards to S&T), I figure that even if I don't love the IBD work, the pedigree obtained from working at a BB for a few years as well as all the knowledge and experience that can be gained will at the very least give me a fantastic amount of insight into what I want to do with my life. I'm tentatively looking at BB -> Ivy League MBA - > maybe SC/MC at MBB, back to IBD, or PE/VC.

I figure that this is my best option right now. Currently I have a strong GPA, some solid leads on strong sophomore summer internships, and leadership/extracurricular experience. My networking skills could use some work, so I'll be concentrating on that this summer. Hopefully all of this combined with my school's ability to place a lot of kids onto the Street will land me a BB internship my junior year. I'll be working ****** off in the mean time, so we'll see.

 

[pseudonym]

Wait, you're a sophomore? Dude, you've got time.

What are you doing this summer? We've got similar goals, jslade.

 

[caxt]



I'll make some points that more senior members can confirm or not:

Edit:
If you are a student in any humanity track and for many schools this includes business administration degree, you already gave yourself a losing chance if you are thinking about IB. You need not read any further if this case applies to you. Perhaps a major in history to a small degree is advantageous but only because I personally really enjoy the subject and so am bias.

How can you use a History degree to break into IB?

 

[Nereis]

Banking requires nothing more than two things to make it past the initial ding.

1. Good marks.
2. Good school.

Being good with numbers and having strong attention to detail is however, the next ding. You're going to have to sell yourself well and demonstrate that you can do your mental math.

 

[caxt]



Banking requires nothing more than two things to make it past the initial ding.
1. Good marks.
2. Good school.
Being good with numbers and having strong attention to detail is however, the next ding. You're going to have to sell yourself well and demonstrate that you can do your mental math.

I basically have those things (by South-Eastern standards anyway.)

So: I should just send out resumes and hope I kill the interview?

 

[gomestar]

"sending out resumes" will probably get you no response. Network, network, network.

if you're still in school, on-campus recruiting is usually the best bet.

also, there's an interview prep course here:
http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/

 

[gettoasty]

History will make you a well-rounded individual and a ton a fun to talk about I would assume.

Though to many you may come off as very boring but I think that specific discipline can be a growth path to gaining a lot of neat information.

Think of history in a broader sense than just wars and battles etc.
Perhaps I am also including anthropology

 

[nootje]



History will make you a well-rounded individual and a ton a fun to talk about I would assume.
Though to many you may come off as very boring but I think that specific discipline can be a growth path to gaining a lot of neat information.
Think of history in a broader sense than just wars and battles etc.
Perhaps I am also including anthropology

I still wish I had studied History in tandem with philosophy, both seemed a lot more interesting than economics, and it wouldnt have mattered to where i ended up..

 

[caxt]

I am graduating soon with a History degree, and from my point of view right now the future looks like law school, teaching, or be homeless.

I am kicking myself for not trying to double major in accounting/finance/economics.

 

[gomestar]

the history degree isn't why you wouldn't have received any offers (or interviews even)

 

[caxt]



the history degree isn't why you wouldn't have received any offers (or interviews even)

I get that now, but until very recently I had no real idea that one could be considered for a financial position without financial schooling. It was just literally never mentioned around me. That’s what surprised me when History was possibility for IB.

 

[nootje]



I get that now, but until very recently I had no real idea that one could be considered for a financial position without financial schooling. It was just literally never mentioned around me. That’s what surprised me when History was possibility for IB.

Unless you're near 30 there's still time. try to get an econ related job and network your ass off. Goldman et al wont be in the cards, but boutiques still can be. There are multiple roads towards IB type jobs, it just depends on your determination to get there.