How to Get a Job in Investment Banking

A job search can be challenging in any field, much less a competitive one like investment banking. With its high salaries and popular locations, investment banking jobs are typically one of the most highly sought after employment positions. All that said, if you have the proper knowledge and work hard, you can get a job in investment banking.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Attain a degree from a college, preferably a prestigious one, in finance or a related business discipline. Getting a job in investment banking without a college degree is nearly impossible. Investment banking hiring managers want to see that you have the proper training in the investment field or they will not even allow you to interview for a position.

2. Get an internship at an investment banking employer while in college or immediately after you graduate. Most of the investment companies require a period of training at an internship before they will consider you for employment as an investment banker. See the Resources section below for more information on internships.

3. Prepare to move to a highly populated area, because most of the investment banking jobs are in large cities. New York, Chicago, Tokyo, London, Moscow and Singapore contain over 80 percent of the available investment banking jobs.

4. Possess a keen analytical mind and excellent mathematical skills. If you are not capable of compiling and analyzing massive amounts of mathematical information quickly and efficiently, you may not be able to get a job in investment banking.

5. Apply for any and every investment banking job available after completing college and the internship. If you complete the internship in a company, that company may hire you as an investment banker. If not, then you will need to apply for investment banking jobs at all of the large investment houses. See the Resources section for more information.

Resources

• Investment banking internships
• JP Morgan investment banking internship
• Merrill Lynch website
• Goldman Sachs career website
• The Blackstone Group website
• Lehman Bothers career site
• Lazard career site