How secure is an investment banking job?

Investment bankers have very low job security. Large banks at least have some longevity as institutions, but within the banks the environment is very fluid. Some divisions (like M&A) are cyclical.

At what age can you become an investment banker?

There is no age limit, per se, to get into investment banking. However, there are really only two or three avenues into the industry, and those avenues will tend to dictate the points along your career curve when you may have the opportunity to enter the industry.

Do you need good grades for investment banking?

Banks prefer good experience to good GPAs (subject to a minimum in the 3.3-3.5 range).

Do you need A-Level maths to be an investment banker?

Investment banking is basically doing easy analyses and working a lot with excell. No real mathematical skills are needed or any programming skill. It is hard work and you make a lot of hours and a cut-throat business for sure but not difficult.

What should I study at university to become an investment banker?

There is no specific degree to become an investment banker, with investment banks hiring graduates from most subject areas. However, transferable skills from degrees like economics, business, mathematics and finance can give you an advantage.

Where should you go to school for an investment banking career?

Investment banking is one of those careers where it truly matters not just how much you know, but who you know, too. In many cases, it can be beneficial for you to go to school near a major financial hub in a city like New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Washington, D.C.

Is it easier to break into the banking industry as an undergrad?

If you attend a “target school” that the big banks recruit at (in the U.S., roughly the top 15-20 schools in the country), it is significantly easier to break in as an undergrad.

What attracts people to investment banking careers?

And still others are attracted to investment banking careers because of the exit opportunities, particularly the ones available to junior bankers such as Analysts and Associates. The investment banking career path attracts people who are:

Can you get into investment banking with an MBA?

At the MBA Level If your full-time work experience has nothing to do with finance, or you got interested in investment banking after you had already graduated, you will probably have to apply to top MBA programs, get in, and use one of them to move into the industry.