Investment Banker (M&A)?


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I am 16 years old, and am very interested in becoming an investment banker. I am looking for more information about what I should do to receive a job at a top bank (GS, MS, or JPM). I have some knowledge about investing, but what should do in order to receive a job (internships, emails). By the way I have a 3.9 GPA...


Banks in Columbia, MS



Answer (3):

Tom

It is really fairly straight forward. Get an undergrad degree at a university that Investment Banks recruit at every year for their Financial Analyst positions. In California, those Universities would include Berkeley and Stanford.
Economics is a good major supplemented by a few financial accounting classes as this combination is a good foundation to excel in an MBA program. A double major in Economics and Applied Math is also a good degree, not only for an MBA but if a student should decide to continue beyond an MBA to a Ph.D in Finance or Economics. Including three or four years of classes, in a relevant foreign language such as Japanese could be helpful. A double major in Economics and a relevant foreign language is also a good combination to approach Investment Banking as an Attorney, perhaps who has specialized in the securities laws of a country of the foreign language major. The Financial Analyst positions do not require any specific major, but certain majors give more helpful skills for the position.
Financial Analyst positions last two years and the expectation is to use that work experience to attain admission to a top tier MBA program. The Investment Banks recruit MBA and Ph.D Candidates at the top Business Schools- Sloan(MIT), Wharton(Penn), Columbia etc Some banks have stronger ties to certain Business Schools. During Senior year or just after enroll in the CFA program.
http://cfainstitute.org/cfaprogram/b...
They also look for MBA Candidates who have technical degrees in science or engineering and industry work experience prior to an MBA as this helps with an Investment Banker who will specialize in a certain industry and they hire PhD's in Math and hard sciences.
Colleges are not particularly interested in applicants with many EC in which an applicant lightly participated but a limited number of EC in which an applicant has deeply participated and shown leadership. A good balance might include one or two athletic activities and one or two non athletic activities. There is a sort of old boys network of former college lacrosse players, rowers etc in Investment Banking.
Good Luck!

Marga Himmler Gestapo

To get a top bank job you would need a Bachelors in Finance because banks need fiance and not a MBA. You could learn bookkeeping and some accounting and maybe later find a business or personal fiance tax preparer internship.

cactusgene

Here is some useful advise on that subject:

http://ehow.com/how_2154086_get-inve...
http://mergersandinquisitions.com/in...
http://mergersandinquisitions.com/10...
http://wallstreetoasis.com/forums/big-4-vs-boutique-i-bank-summer-internship
http://wallstreetoasis.com/forums/can-just-one-unpaid-internship-lead-to-a-career-in-i-banking
http://ibankinginternship.com/resumes/4-investment-banking-resume-secrets/