Unlocking six figures: A fresher’s path to top investment banking jobs

Apart from the prestige, investment banking serves as one of the highly compensated career paths in the field of finance.

What comes to mind when one speaks of literacy? - School education, a graduate degree followed by higher studies as postgraduate programs? In earlier times this alone would have been classified as literacy. However, today, thanks to the new generation being aware and having digital media as its mentor, is also making itself known to financial literacy with investment banking being one of the top choices in it.

With investment banking catching limelight, the professionals pursuing it as a career in reputable banks, are also at an advantage - both monetarily and in terms of growth opportunities.(Shutterstock)

Investment banking: A prestigious career

With investment banking catching limelight, the professionals pursuing it as a career in reputable banks, are also at an advantage - both monetarily and in terms of growth opportunities. Apart from the prestige, investment banking serves as one of the highly compensated career paths in the field of finance, offering:

● A high earning potential

● Global opportunities

● Accelerated career growth

● Skill development

● Networking opportunities and much more

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Back to Basics

The essentials that need to be checked off before applying for a 6-figure salary in your dream bank include an amalgamation of technical and analytical skills complemented by interpersonal skills. The key investment skills should ideally involve:

● Financial Analysis

Your analysis skills will take you further than you expect them to. The understanding of balance sheets, income statements and keeping an eye on cash-flow is imperative to this role.

● Financial Modelling

You need to be proficient in building complex models that further help you look skeptically at deals and investments. It will help you analyze finer details of financial planning and curate strategies required.

● Market Knowledge

Apart from keeping financial tools at your disposal, you need to know the pulse of the market. You can keep a tab on this by updating yourself with market knowledge, allowing yourself to consume global trends and study them alongside their implications.

● Presentation Skills

To pitch to a client or make them see how you understand their needs and thus their ambitions too, there's a need to formulate persuasive presentations.

● Attention to detail

Focusing on nitty gritty will be of massive help, especially in the domain of financial investment. You need to proactively notice all details across all financial transactions.

● Negotiation

Negotiation is an underrated skill that goes a long way. It comes handy when dealing with clients and is a must-have for a financial investment banker.

● Time Management

Another skill crucial to the field, managing time to allocate it fairly across all verticals is the key. While meeting tight deadlines and handling multiple projects simultaneously, time management helps in increasing overall efficiency.

● Adaptability

To be able to be flexible and cooperative in a fast-paced environment is a superpower. Especially in a high pressure environment, being adaptable and agile - both will help you to prevent burnout while maintaining your productivity.

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Strategy to bag that six-figure salary

Now that you have the necessary skills in place, it is time to crack that six-figure pay as a fresher in your dream bank. It only requires you to strategically plan things including the following elements:

● Pick the right program

You need to be attentive while choosing your academic background as it will compliment your career. You can enter this field through business administration, economics or finance.

● Specialized courses all the way

Choosing a course specific to this field will give you brownie points in your career when you apply to a prestigious bank.

● Strong resume and portfolio

Your resume needs to be minimalistic, concise and it also needs to portray your experience clearly (including the experience you have gained through internships, projects and academic achievement & exposure).

● Networking

An essential element to having a breakthrough in a reputable bank is to join associations or clubs that are relevant to your field and skills alongside personally networking with the professionals to get an insight about the real-time opportunity openings.

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● Interview on point

You can start with mock interviews and prepare before by reading about the bank and going through FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). You have to make sure that you are confident with your skills and are expressing your financial expertise clearly to the interviewer.

● Hone your skills

Practice makes perfect. You need to bolster your technical skills with tools like Excel, Bloomberg and Powerpoint etc.

● Track policy updates

You need to keep a tab on economic and financial policies that are impacting the market and follow industry trends to put your A-game forward.

● Soft skills are a must

Developing interpersonal skills that enhance your communication and reflect your leadership qualities helps the interviewer to make their final call.

● Target top firms

Do your research and go for the kill as you aim for the best opportunities in top investment banks including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, or J.P. Morgan. As a young graduate, it could get intimidating to target the top banks and expect a good pay for your skills. And this is why you can use this as a checklist and your guide to making it to the best banks as their financial investment banker. Strive for what you deserve confidently and keep the essentials in mind - that is all it takes for you to get the best opportunities.