Want to pursue a career as an investment banker? Are you a graduate in Commerce, Business Administration, Finance, Economics etc? If you have answered with a yes, then you can pursue a career in investment banking. While most companies prefer graduates there is no need to worry even if your answer is no. Undergraduates can also undergo training and join as Analysts in IB and move up the career ladder.
The normal investment banking career ladder begins after you do your course and get a fair idea of what the IB field is about. Many of the finance graduates who do the course at Imarticus Learning have benefitted from their soft-skills training by being placed as Associates directly under their assured placement programs. The higher you go certifications and continued learning become crucial for better progression and higher bonuses and payouts. Normally it takes 2-3 years for undergraduates in an Analyst position to gain sufficient experience for the Associate’s role. Beyond this level it is all about performance, certifications, excellence in work-experiences and being an absolute people-person for the next 2-3 years, that can propel you to the higher rungs of the IB hierarchy.
Tips to Help With Your Investment Banking Career.
1. Research your IB career path:
Experience counts in this field and if you can do an internship while finishing your graduation it is a very good way to get a feel of the career. Small and large banks do offer internships and based on your performance could make a job offer.
Doing an investment banking course in the classroom mode offers you a chance to get certification and the requisite experience criteria fulfillment to try for an Associate’s post directly.
Keep a close track of recruitment offers and the hiring timeframes in the banking industry. This typically can take anywhere between 2-6 weeks and many rounds of interviews.
2. Research and learn all about the concepts and skills required:
Reading books like MarketWatch and DealBook help you keep track of the latest trends in IB. Prepare your resume and keep handy some interesting examples and trends that you can link into your answers to impress the interviewer. Develop your personality traits and soft skills like communication skills, objective quantitative tests etc to help with the interview rounds.
3. Do a relevant course:
Doing the financial and investment banking course at the reputed Imarticus Learning helps greatly. Besides your academic qualification, major subjects adding on these courses goes a long way to help you specialize in IB.
Many of the finance graduates who do the course at Imarticus Learning have benefitted from their soft-skills training by being placed as Associates directly under their assured placement programs. The higher you go certifications and continued learning become crucial for better progression and higher bonuses and payouts. Normally it takes 2-3 years for undergraduates in an Analyst position to gain sufficient experience for the Associate’s role. Beyond this level, it is all about performance, certifications, excellence in work-experiences and being an absolute people-person that can propel you to the higher rungs of the IB hierarchy.
4. Judge what the recruiter is looking for:
No one has all the right answers. Remember to pay attention to what the recruiter wants from you and answer honestly projecting a well-rounded persona with consistent planning to achieve your career goal. Showcase your internships, certifications and relevant experience to improve your chances. Focus on what the jobs taught you, what you liked and did not in them. Build up skills that you may be lacking like your language and communication skills.
5. Network:
IB is about who you know and how well you can maintain relationships. LinkedIn, Facebook, alumni networks and professional finance forums are good to advertise your efforts in.
The healthy IB payouts:
Payscale reports the investment banker salary is an average salary of 508, 855 Rs for a fresher. The salary components can vary between 177,560 to 1,545, 630 Rs while the bonuses can vary with contract negotiation from 2,517 to 524, 023 Rs depending on your skills and performance. In the US this is between 75-90k pa and an average total of 140k pa for a fresher.
Concluding notes:
The total payouts for an IB depend on performance and bonuses and are extremely well-paying. Doing the IB course helps you earn a global measurable certification which validates your skills and knowledge and is acceptable as real-life experience of the financial and investment banking experience requirements preferred by most employees.
In parting, if you wish to learn all about the investment banking career, do your course with the reputed Imarticus Learning to emerge right atop of the rushing crowds of IB career aspirants. Hurry. Admissions are limited in every batch.
