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Investment Banking

The investment banking division (IBD) of an investment bank helps governments, corporations, and institutions raise capital and complete mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The IBD of the bank is further divided into industry groups, such as the TMT (technology, media, and telecommunications) investment banking group.

An investment banking career typically contains the following:

  • Long, intensive work hours - analysts are frequently working 80+ hour weeks
  • Rigid work structure
  • Intense internal position rivalry
  • High exposure to managers and executives
  • High compensation and benefit packages

Example Job: Investment Banker Associate

Job Description

Mean Base Salary: $162,812

Top Hiring Companies: UBS, Guggenheim, Goldman Sachs, Jeffries, Piper Sandler

Investment bankers are expected to have an excellent grasp of the investment climate, with knowledge of popular investment vehicles. Should a company wish to perform an IPO, investment bankers are often key contributors to this process. It is the job of the investment banker to maximize investment returns, and therefore, attempt to set the IPO at the highest price possible. This is just one aspect of the job. Many bankers have specialty industries or services, not all banker work on IPOs.

Typical Qualifications

  • Strong financial acumen (forecasting, variance analysis, report and analytical analysis of revenue/expense or such financial trends)
  • Self-motivated, looking to seek and drive solutions
  • Clear communication both verbally and written
  • Advanced skills in Excel, PowerPoint, and experience with budgetary planning software (ideally Adaptive Insights) or analytic tools (Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, etc.)
  • Knowledge of financial and reporting process optimization is a plus
  • Strong presentations skills and ability to compose comprehensive written reports

Hiring Company Examples

  • Guggenheim Partners
  • Lazard Middle Market
  • Morgan Stanley
  • RW Baird
  • UBS
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