How to become a God at finance?

Seen a lot of older threads that discuss resources to break into IB SA roles, and following this great advice has helped me land an SA role at an EB. However, I consider my finance knowledge to be quite self-contained to these intro-level prep books.

Coming from a non-finance background and with a month to go towards my SA role, I'm curious what resources I can take advantage of to bring my knowledge of finance to the next level? I understand banks have extensive training programs, but still want to get ahead of the curve.

Additionally, my knowledge of Excel is quite basic. Any resources that would be recommended? I also have a Macbook instead of PC so not sure if that makes whatever I would learn useless.

 

Read detailed and dry books related to distressed debt, economic history, behavioural economics, investing, fixed income, biographies of titans in finance and other general business books. Use Wall Street prep and Youtube for excel. Don't worry about being a Mac user, print out the windows shortcuts for reference.

 

I got MS for recommending books that will make OP more educated about the current and future economic environment?

 

Definitely worth it to practice on a PC ahead of time. You can buy a used shitbox for $400. Best investment you ever make (especially at the start of your career)

 

This 100%. Banking is a job that snowballs quickly...

Analysts who show up already familiar with Excel (not even finance in Excel) can get their initial assignments done faster with fewer mistakes. They'll be initially staffed on the better projects and get reputations for being "better" even though the other analysts may be just as smart / hard working.

That reputation self-perpetuates throughout the analyst years, and those analysts generally get better PE placements, etc.

Starting strong and having a good foundation before you enter training is a really good idea. They throw so much stuff at you during training, youre not really going to learn any skills - you'll pick up on some vocab and get some shitty binders you'll probably never look at again.

 

Wish someone had explained this to me LOL

It tends to even out over the analyst program - people catch up. But it's true that those initial reputations and projects can have a big impact, especially becuase PE recruiting happens so early now...

 

So its basically a must to have a windows computer? I've seen numerous threads on here that said mac is ok if you run parallels (basically running windows on mac, but the limitation is that the keyboard is still mac).

 
  • convince people to invest their money with you

  • find even more people to invest their money with you and use this new money to pay out original investors claiming that you have phenomenal “returns”

    • continue getting new people to invest so that you can continue paying out said high “returns”

    • $$$$Profit$$$$$

 

Tried doing this when I started working but it was impossible. Problem was that I had nothing else to look forward to after coming home from work at the end of the day.

 

biologically, humans are naturally supposed to not jack off, it is only our culture that has led us to doing it everyday. The benefits of no fap are actually enormous: heightened confidence, energy, your mentality changes too. More motivation etc. A good comparison to this is that you are a wizard and semen is your mana. Can’t cast strong spells when your always low on mana.

 

Probably not the thing to do for actual modelling skills, but imo it certainly gives a more coherent understanding of valuation and corporate finance.

The course: "Advanced Valuation and Strategy - M&A, Private Equity, and Venture Capital" by The Erasmus University on Coursera

 

Judah Maccabee was a Jewish priest and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire.

 

Wall Street Prep is a good starter to do on your own, and they have a good advanced Excel and especially advanced PPT course. Both are add-ons, but inexpensive, and very useful. You really must do the Excel course and practice along with the videos - you don't want to show up with mediocre Excel skills, it will slow you down and get frustrating.
A PC and an extra screen for home are good investments. Compared to your education's cost, and what you may earn LT, this is pennies, so really worth it. I like the Rosenbaum and Pearlman Investment Banking book, too - if you recreate some of the models therein, that's helpful practice. Good luck!

 

Facilis nihil cupiditate et aperiam qui et. Autem est sit quia eius minus. Qui qui consequuntur earum repellendus. Autem aut ut ut quia officia dignissimos quia. Sit beatae accusantium nemo in. Omnis sapiente quo magnam. Beatae id sed ea id repudiandae et asperiores quia.

Quis molestias qui dolorum fuga enim. Molestiae eos voluptatem quaerat eaque expedita quod. Sit rerum omnis veniam dolores nihil velit quia qui. Illum laudantium doloribus temporibus temporibus id. Officiis qui et qui fugit.

 

Dignissimos sed dolore sunt nihil eos dolores voluptatem. Consequatur amet alias eum quaerat consequatur ut.

Repudiandae suscipit esse dolor assumenda. Id nisi vel illo expedita similique. Magnam soluta expedita odio et sit incidunt. Necessitatibus quidem voluptatem odit et facere.

Rerum distinctio tempora quos vel amet. Necessitatibus quis quidem dolores sunt. Error est quibusdam soluta cumque quia est. Ex a quia porro est quibusdam nesciunt consequatur. Iste molestias sapiente impedit qui ut. Hic minima sit animi totam. Mollitia vel minus vel dolores eum facilis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2024 Investment Banking

  • Perella Weinberg Partners 25 99.5%
  • Harris Williams & Co. 27 98.9%
  • Jefferies & Company No 98.4%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.9%
  • JPMorgan Chase 04 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 19 99.5%
  • JPMorgan Chase 11 98.9%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.4%
  • William Blair 03 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.5%
  • Perella Weinberg Partners 13 98.9%
  • Jefferies & Company 01 98.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 06 97.9%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (23) $378
  • Associates (104) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (15) $179
  • 2nd Year Analyst (73) $169
  • Intern/Summer Associate (34) $167
  • 1st Year Analyst (221) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (161) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”