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Tag: investment banking careers

Investment Banking Careers Made Easy with the Financial Analysis Prodegree

Posted on by Imarticus Learning
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Breaking into the investment banking industry can seem like a high-stakes game, especially without a background from a top B-school or prior internship experience. But there’s a smarter, structured way to get there—through focused, practical training that builds the- right foundation. One such pathway is the Financial Analysis Prodegree by Imarticus Learning in collaboration with KPMG, a program designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world financial roles.

If you’re aiming for a future in investment banking careers, this program might just be the game-changer you’ve been looking for.

What Makes Investment Banking So Competitive?

Investment banking roles are known for high-pressure environments, strategic decision-making, and big paycheques. But they’re also known for being incredibly hard to break into.

Here’s why:

BarrierChallenge
Academic PressurePreference for Tier-1 colleges
Lack of ExperienceFew get hands-on exposure early
Limited Job VisibilityMany candidates don’t know where to start
Skill GapsTheoretical knowledge rarely matches job demands

This is where a specialised finance career course becomes essential.

The Prodegree That Simplifies the Path

The Financial Analysis Prodegree has been carefully crafted to address all the above gaps. It’s not just a certification—it’s a career roadmap.

Let’s take a look at why it works so well for those pursuing investment banking careers:

🔍 Key Highlights

FeatureWhy it Matters
140+ hours of live trainingCovers all aspects of corporate finance
KPMG Prodegree tagAdds credibility for top recruiters
6 real-world projectsPractical exposure similar to analyst work
Job readiness moduleInterview prep, resume building, and more
Flexible weekend sessionsPerfect for students or working professionals

From Learning to Landing: How the Prodegree Works

Whether you’re a student, a working professional, or someone looking to switch industries, this Prodegree in finance offers step-by-step support to move you from learner to working analyst.

It’s especially relevant for those targeting investment banking jobs, thanks to the modules on:

  • Financial modelling
  • Equity research
  • Company valuation
  • Mergers and acquisitions

💡 For a deeper dive, this blog on why financial analysis is crucial for investment banking offers excellent insight.

Key Modules That Support Investment Banking Careers

The curriculum is structured to simulate real-world finance roles, especially in investment banking.

ModuleInvestment Banking Relevance
Financial ModellingAnalysts spend 60%+ time on Excel models
Valuation TechniquesVital for IPOs, M&A deals, and advisory work
Equity ResearchCore to buy-side/sell-side roles
Financial Statement AnalysisHelps assess company performance and risks
Strategic FinanceBuilds understanding of capital structure and funding decisions

These modules help you build the core financial analysis skills that recruiters in the banking domain expect.

Real-World Experience Without a Real Job (Yet)

Most people looking for investment banking jobs are stuck in a loop: you need experience to get a job, but need a job to gain experience.

This Prodegree solves that.

  • You’ll work on 6 hands-on projects based on real scenarios.
  • You’ll learn under the guidance of industry mentors from KPMG.
  • You’ll simulate the kind of work analysts do daily—without waiting to get hired first.

That’s what makes this an ideal banking job training program.

🎥 Want to see what learning looks like? Watch this program video here.

Learn From the Best: Why KPMG Matters

What gives this program an edge is the partnership with KPMG India. Having a KPMG Prodegree on your resume signals to employers that:

  • You’ve been trained on real, relevant concepts
  • You understand how finance is applied in the industry
  • You’re capable of delivering from day one

The KPMG Prodegree workshops focus on practical execution—not just theoretical concepts.

This isn’t a generic investment banking course; it’s a focused, professional upgrade created by people who actually work in the field.

Is It Only for Investment Bankers?

Not at all. While it’s excellent for investment banking careers, the program is also suited for those aiming at:

  • Equity research
  • Financial planning and analysis (FP&A)
  • Corporate finance roles
  • Valuation consultancies
  • Private equity analyst roles

That’s the beauty of a robust finance career course — it opens multiple doors.

Career Support That Doesn’t End at Certification

Let’s say you complete the program. What happens next?

Imarticus offers:

  • Career mentorship
  • Resume building workshops
  • Mock interviews
  • Access to IIMJobs Pro for curated openings

This combination ensures your Prodegree in finance doesn’t just stay on paper—it converts to career moves.

Alumni Outcomes Speak Volumes

Still wondering if the program really delivers?

Here’s a look at where alumni have landed post-program:

Hiring CompaniesRoles Secured
J.P. MorganAnalyst
TresVistaInvestment Analyst
WNSFP&A Associate
AccentureRisk Advisory
TCS & InfosysBusiness Analyst

These are real results achieved through real banking job training.

Why It’s More Than Just an Investment Banking Course

Unlike a short YouTube crash course or self-paced module, this program offers structure, mentorship, and support from start to finish.

Here’s how it compares:

ParameterGeneric CourseFinancial Analysis Prodegree
Instructor AccessLimited or noneIndustry Experts & KPMG Mentors
CertificationOften unrecognisedKPMG Prodegree
Hands-On ProjectsNot always included6 Real Projects
Career SupportRarely offeredFull job readiness suite

This makes it far more valuable than any standalone investment banking course online.

Build Skills That Recruiters Want

The market for investment banking jobs is growing, but so is competition. To stand out, you need more than a resume—you need financial analysis skills backed by real exposure.

This program gives you that edge.

For more on the building blocks of strong financial professionals, check out this blog on the essentials of financial analysis.

FAQs

1. What is the Prodegree in finance all about?
 It’s a hands-on program that builds practical skills for real finance roles.

2. How does the KPMG Prodegree help in interviews?
 It adds credibility and shows you’ve been industry-trained.

3. Is this investment banking course good for freshers?
 Yes, it’s beginner-friendly and job-focused.

4. Can this help me land investment banking jobs?
 Absolutely! It builds the skills recruiters look for.

5. Why choose this finance career course over others?
 You get expert mentorship, real projects, and career support.

6. What financial analysis skills will I learn?
 You’ll learn valuation, modelling, equity research, and more.

7. Is there practical banking job training included?
 Yes, with 6 real-world projects and live sessions.

8. Who should do the KPMG Prodegree?
 Anyone aiming for high-growth roles in finance or banking.

Final Thoughts

If you’re serious about launching or pivoting into investment banking careers, the Financial Analysis Prodegree gives you:

✅ A co-branded certification with KPMG
✅ Exposure to real-world finance tasks
✅ Credibility with top hiring companies
✅ Access to structured career support
✅ Flexibility for students and professionals alike

It’s not just a finance career course — it’s your on-ramp into high-impact roles in banking and beyond.

👉 Ready to get started? Explore more here: Financial Analysis Prodegree – Imarticus x KPMG

Is Online Financial Modeling Training in Advanced Excel Beneficial?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Is Online Financial Modeling Training in Advanced Excel Beneficial?

Investment banks provide financial services to corporations, companies, and governments based on their expert knowledge of finance-related concepts. These services can include raising capital, facilitating mergers and acquisitions, and managing money markets. People who work at investment banks have to not only have a deep understanding of finance and accounting but should also be able to crunch large amounts of data in order to derive conclusions from improving financial portfolios.

One of the main tools used to crunch this data in Microsoft Excel. In order to have a career in investment banking, you will have to crunch huge amounts of data sets and work on large financial models. For such a scenario, Excel proves itself to be an invaluable financial data analysis tool.

Since the scope and range of the work are very large and varied, it is imperative to have an advanced understanding of how Excel works. This will allow you to use Excel effectively and efficiently while allowing you to manage the data. Knowing the right shortcuts will reduce the amount of time you will spend crunching numbers and having a good knowledge of Excel will also teach you how to sift through large data sets to glean the right information and patterns.

Excel is used to generate financial modeling which is a key element of investment banking. In fact, any investment banker will attest to the emphasis laid on Excel during their investment banking training. With Excel, you will be able to use your knowledge in finance, business metrics, and accounting to make forecasts of a company in the future. This allows the company to see their progress through hard numbers and will enable them to make decisions that are good for their company.

Financial modelling can be of many types, focusing on certain scenarios. Company A might be looking to increase its footprint in a new market. As an investment banker, you can propose to the company that acquiring Company B which has already made inroads into the said market will greatly benefit them. However, this claim will have to be backed by hard numbers. This is where Excel plays a role. Using the software, you can crunch large numbers of data related to Company B’s numbers, the cost of acquisition for Company A, and how and when the investment will pay off in the future.

Another scenario is when Company A is looking to raise capital but does not want to approach banks for a loan due to the high-interest rates. An investment bank can crunch numbers using Excel to suggest releasing an IPO.

There are many online advanced Excel courses available that are geared towards improving your skills in finance. Most of these courses are free and will help you gain an insight into the world of banking while also giving you important, time-saving tools that will prove essential in your finance career.

Do make sure that you look around the various courses and select one that fills in the gaps of knowledge you might have regarding Excel. You can learn how to use Excel at any stage in your education or career. An investment banking course might not focus on developing an understanding of Excel, and you might have to learn it elsewhere.

Introduction to Capital Market

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Reading Time: 3 minutes

What Are Capital Markets?

Capital markets basically deal with stocks and bonds in general. In simple words, any firm is it private or government, is always in need of funds, so as to finance its various operations to achieve certain long-term goals. Thus every firm is supposed to acquire these very funds or capital; for which, it sells stocks and bonds. These stocks and bonds are basically like shares, all of which are in the companies name. For instance, when the government of any country, issues what are known as treasury bonds, it basically is tapping into the capital markets, thereby generating capital.
This process is basically known as the IPO or Initial Public Offering. Capital Markets are largely divided into two types, the primary markets, and secondary markets. The companies and governments sell their securities in the primary market, whereas the investors trade with these securities in what is known as the secondary markets. Thus, it is safe to say that the capital markets are an important area of the finance industry.

These markets are more like the foundations on the basis of which, various companies and governments are able to invest in businesses, generate employment as well as better infrastructure. One of the core responsibilities of any capital market includes getting the people who are looking to invest, in contact with those looking for capital. Put so simply, this sounds like a very easy task to do, but in reality, a lot of professionals, perform this high-pressure task, to get the desired results.
The private companies look to raise capitals for various reasons, other than just expanding their businesses. They could be looking to finance start-up business ventures, or to battle with the sudden decline in the turnover, or for buying out the competition. While it may seem like it is only those very companies, which are profited from this whole business, it is not so. The very reason someone would want to provide capital is that that person would be looking to gain profit from their financing efforts.
A lot of people know of capital markets as stock exchanges. These are places where anyone can invest and are more commonly known as the public markets. This is where the Initial Public Offering takes place, which is the first time when any firm, comes out into the public to sell their securities. The next step where securities are bought and sold by investors is known as secondary markets, as spoken about earlier.
These secondary markets take place, subsequently after the primary market proceedings are over. Just as there are public markets, there also exist the lesser-known private markets, which are also known as exempt markets. These can be called as more lenient as compared to the public markets, primarily because there are no regulations to be met. Also, this is seen as a more cost-effective way for companies to fund their financing needs.
Thus the arena of capital markets has come to garner more attention by a lot of people, which is why candidates look for programs, which can make them proficient in the inner workings of capital markets. Imarticus Learning one of the best education institute in India offers industry-endorsed courses in capital markets, finance, and investment banking.

Top 5 Best Paying Jobs in 2016

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Reading Time: 4 minutesby Zenobia Sethna

High pay continues to be tied to in-demand skills, a higher education, and working in jobs that are shielded from competition or automation. In this article, we will explore the top paying jobs in the Finance field. Further, to compare apples to apples, we will look at the average salaries for entry level positions at these jobs.
Investment Banking
Some of the most glamorous careers in Finance are those in investment banking. Investment-banking jobs deal with enabling the issuance of corporate securities and making these securities available for investors to purchase, all while trading securities and giving financial advice to both corporations and wealthy individual investors.
The salary of an Investment Banker at an entry level Analyst role ranges from $70k – $150k, with the average salary being $102,000 per year as of April 2016, according to Indeed.com. An Associate typically earns in the range of $150K – $350K. As you move further up the ladder, salaries sky rocket. Vice Presidents earn between $350K – $1.5MM, while Managing Directors/Partners could pocket anywhere between  $500K – $20MM+.
Be aware, though, that these jobs are also very intense and demand a lot of hours – especially if you are starting out. From analysts to managing directors, the pay is traditionally heavily weighted toward the investment banking bonus portion of the compensation which is part of the reason for such long hours.
Hedge Funds
Hedge funds are largely unregulated private investment funds whose managers can buy or sell a wide range of financial assets and products. Basically, a hedge fund is a pooling of investments from high net worth individuals. In India, we have hedge funds like Karma Capital Management, Atyant Capital, and Atlantis India Opportunities Fund. A certain enigma does surround
this type of entity, and likewise, hedge-fund jobs are considered by many to be somewhat glamorous.
Typical hedge-fund jobs include Financial analyst, Trader, Regulatory compliance officer, Quantitative analyst, Marketing manager, and Portfolio manager.
The average entry level pay (combination of base and performance bonus) for a “Fund Accountant” in this category is $90,000 in the United States. In London, the pay for the same post would be GBP 35,000 and in India it is Rs. 600,000.
Private Equity
Private equity is an asset class consisting of equity securities and debt in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange. Private-equity professionals help businesses find capital for both expansion and current operations. They also finance a number of corporate business transactions, such as managed buyouts and restructurings.
The average salary of a Private Equity Analyst in the US is $79,000 per year as of April 2016, according to Indeed.com. This could rise to the range of $150K – $300K for a second year Analyst /Associate or between $170 K and $ 350K for a third year Analyst/Associate. Vice Presidents at a PE firm could take home anywhere between $300K – $ 800K, while Managing Directors/Partners could pocket $ 500K – $ 10MM+.
The private equity compensation for Vice Presidents, Directors and Managing Directors is much more variable at PE firms, but the salary and bonus is much more of a function of the fund’s performance since a lot of the compensation is tied up in Carry.
Venture Capital
Venture-capital professionals (VCs) spend most of their time scouting start-ups or small, fast-growth companies. Venture-capital firms evaluate pitches by founders and small-company leaders to determine if the firm will make an investment. Venture capital is a toug
h business where the failure rates are high. On the flip side, the rewards, when they are realized, are huge!
Annual salary and bonuses differ broadly in this field depending on the size of the VC firm and specialization. In general, pre-MBA VC associates can expect an annual salary of $80,000 -$130,000. With a bonus, which is typically a percentage of salary, this can be boosted to $86,000-$250,000 with a median of $170,000.
Financial Analysis
Financial analysis involves an assessment of the viability, stability and profitability of a business, sub-business or project. The skills that increase pay for this job the most are Valuation, Risk Management / Risk Control, Financial Modeling, SAS, and SAP Financial Accounting and Controlling (SAP FICO).
The average salary of a Financial Analyst in the US is $73000 per year in April 2016, according to Indeed.com. A Financial Analyst in India earns between Rs. 187,810 and Rs. 879,047, with an average salary of Rs. 354,687 per year, according to Payscale.com.
 
Finally, if you’re not an Investment Banker or working at a VC firm though, despair not! The size of your pay check isn’t always tied to long-term satisfaction in your job. Rather, the biggest drivers of happiness are company culture, advancement opportunities, and trust in senior leadership.