If you like being around numbers and working long hours, and you want to work in finance and banking, you might be interested in becoming an investment banker. People all over the world are aspiring to be Investment Bankers and pursuing a career in Investment Banking.
Investment banking is a lucrative career choice for aspirants looking for a challenging profession in today’s financial-corporate world. Do you want to know how to become an Investment Banker?
Read this find and find out more about this in-demand career option, which also promises a high growth trajectory, is very rewarding in terms of both money and recognition, and job satisfaction.
Who Is An Investment Banker?
An investment banker is a finance expert who manages a company’s, bank’s, or financial institute’s finances and investment decisions. It is one of those professions where a degree is not enough; you must also have a knack for numbers and real-world experience.
The job description includes duties such as raising capital, administering securities, investing, and fundraising from capital markets. Their primary goal is to raise the necessary funds for operations and growth, make investments and ensure financial security, and improve the company’s overall financial portfolio.
Learn more: Career As A Chartered Financial Analyst
How To Become An Investment Banker? [Step by Step Guide]
Step 1: Stream Selection
A bachelor’s degree in finance or economics is typically required for entry-level positions at an investment bank. Accounting and business are also popular educational paths. Therefore, you must opt for Commerce after completing 10th.
Step 2: Certificate and Project Courses
If you want to know how to become an Investment Banker, consider taking these courses to enhance your knowledge of the investment industry.
Courses | Duration |
Investment Banking: Financial Analysis & Valuation | 1-3 months |
Financial Markets | 1-3 months |
Investment Management | 3-6 months |
Private Equity & Venture Capital | 1- months |
Banking and Financial Institutions | 1-3 months |
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Step 3: Educational Qualifications to become an Investment Banker
How To Become An Investment Banker After 10th?
After completing your 10th-grade exams, you will need to study Math, accounting, economics, financial management, corporate finance, investment, taxation, data analytics, and business administration to become an Investment Banker. So study these subjects during 11th and 12th.
How To Become An Investment Banker After 12th?
It is not necessary to take any specific course or stream to become an Investment Banker in India. Anyone who understands financial assets and investing has the potential to become an Investment Banker. However, the field of Investment Banking is highly competitive, and having completed a professional program in a related field makes a student an ideal candidate for a job.
You may need to achieve high marks in a state or national level competitive entrance exam to gain admission to certain colleges for your graduation or post-graduation degree. Following your 10+2, you can take the following entrance exams:
- Common Entrance Examination (CET)
- State Eligibility Examination (SET)
- Joint Admission Test at Delhi University (DU JAT)
- Christ University Admissions Exam (CUET)
If you want to know how to become an Investment Banker, here are a few undergraduate courses you can consider:
- Undergraduate Courses For Investment Bankers In India
Courses | Duration |
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) Hons. | 3 years |
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Finance / Economics | 3 years |
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance | 3 years |
- Top Colleges In India
- Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, University of Delhi
- NMIMS Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce, Mumbai
- Loyola College
- Christ University
- Amity University, Noida
- MCC – Madras Christian College
- Mount Carmel College
- School of Management, Presidency University, Bangalore
- Department of Management, J.D Birla Institute
- Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research, Symbiosis International, Pune
- Undergraduate Courses For Investment Bankers Abroad
Courses | Duration |
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration- Real Estate Investment Management | 4 years |
Bachelor of Science in Finance and Investment (Honors) | 3 years |
Bachelor of Arts in Finance and Investment with the sandwich year (Honors) | 3 years |
- Top Colleges Abroad
- California Institute of Technology
- Harvard University, United States of America
- University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- Columbia University, United States of America
- MIT, United States of America
- London School of Economics, United Kingdom
- University of Sydney
- University of Western Australia
- University of Auckland
- University of Otago
Also read: Career as a Banker
Step 4: Job Preparation
Before applying for a job as an Investment Banker, many aspiring candidates complete the Chartered Financial Analyst program.
The CFA program provides intensive and practical investment and finance training. Economics, corporate finance, derivatives, equity investments, alternative investments, financial reporting and analysis, and quantitative methods can all be studied. After completing your bachelor’s degree, you can apply for this program.
Apply for internships: You can learn to improve your communication, presentation, and negotiation skills in addition to financial training. You may be offered a permanent position as an investment banker based on how well you perform during your internship.
Participating in employer-sponsored training programs and other certification programs can assist you in continuing your investment banking education and remaining competitive. You can learn new skills, stay up to date on industry trends, network with industry leaders, and gain more work experience in corporate finance and investment. This can help you progress to higher-level management positions.
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Skills Required To Become An Investment Banker
- Analytical Skills
- Basic financial knowledge
- Excel and PowerPoint Basic & Advanced Ideas
- Financial Modeling
- Mathematics Skills
How Much Do Investment Bankers Earn In India?
The average annual salary of an Investment Banker in India is INR 10L.
How Much Do Investment Bankers Earn Abroad?
Country | Salary |
USA | $61,585 |
UK | £48,817 |
Canada | CA$87,637 |
Australia | AU$97131 |
New Zealand | NZ$92,500 |
Know more: How to become a Banker after 12th in India [Step-by-Step Guide]
Top Recruiters In India
- Goldman Sachs
- Citigroup
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- Morgan Stanley
- JP Morgan
- HSBC
- Wells Fargo
- Accenture
- Citi
Top Recruiters Abroad
- Morgan Stanley
- UBS
- Morgan Stanley Chase
- OCBC Bank
- Bank of America
- Standard Chartered
- DBS
- Nomura Holdings
FAQs related to how to become an Investment Banker
How to become an Investment Banker?
If you want to learn how to become an investment banker in India, consider the following steps:
Complete 10+2
Pass your college entrance exams.
Obtain a bachelor’s degree.
Get a master’s degree.
Obtain a doctorate.
Obtain a certification.
Consider doing an internship.
Find work.
Which degree is ideal to become an Investment Banker?
A bachelor’s degree in finance or economics is typically required for entry-level positions at an investment bank. Accounting and business are also popular educational paths.
Is Investment Banking a good career?
An Investment Banker’s salary is among the highest of any finance-related job in the world. An IB’s annual salary in India can range between Rs. 25 Lakhs and Rs. 50 Lakhs.
How many hours do Investment Bankers work?
An investment banker typically works 80 hours per week. However, there may be some weeks when their working hours exceed 100 hours per week. Working hours will also differ depending on the position of the employee.
Do Investment Bankers need to be good at math?
You use very simple mathematics. In other words, arithmetic. As a result, you don’t have to be a math genius – just good with numbers.
What does an Investment Banker do?
Investment bankers are essentially financial advisors to corporations and, in some cases, governments. They assist their clients in raising funds. This could include issuing stock, issuing a bond, negotiating the acquisition of a competitor, or arranging the sale of the company itself.
What are the big 4 investment banks?
Goldman Sachs
BofA Securities
Morgan Stanley
Citigroup