why IBD?
Any advice on how to answer this question?
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Try the "Search" button.
i am usually quite impressed when people just respond "models and bottles."
trust me, it totally works.
Seriously, search. This is perhaps the most frequently asked question on this board.
I always say money, i have 10 offers.
dinner reimbursement
Why IBD or S&T--Good Reason? (Originally Posted: 02/19/2012)
I'm pursuing a career in Sales and Trading or Investment Banking because of my dynamic personality, hard working attitude and utmost for financial market research.
Good? Bad? Amazing?
Have you taught yourself java in 27 days while managing to be able to bench double your body weight and do 35 pull-ups?
You can't just use one answer for "why S&T" as well as "why IBD" since both are very different from each other. That answer you gave is also just way too generic. You need answers that incorporate specifics about the job, and ideally, an anecdote which backs up your interest and makes your answer stand out as unique.
EDIT
Too vague. You could use that answer for any job.
Seeing as you've already got a sizable number of bananas, I'd wager you've read and participated in a fair bit of posts and would (or should) already know that answer is way too generic and vague and quite possibly 'dingable' given the lack of thought put behind (unless you do a great job with all the other interview questions).
Understandably, these days with the competition and uncertainty, students should cast a wider net and that could mean going for 'finance' in general. But for both S&T and ib interviews, you should craft a better answer (ideally one that is unique, memorable and that you can relate to your prior experience). Think about why and what you like about both roles specifically and how your prior exp/extra-currics best prepares you for the job vs. the next guy/girl.
answer points I would give for S&T
"utmost for financial market research"
but yea, get more detailed. a dynamic personality and hard working attitude are the same qualities that could make you a good best buy salesman...why banking?
Now that there are sufficient responses:
I'm surprised you guys didn't say how awful that was. A junior in my frat had this at the top of his resume. Got interviews at 4 BBs, an offer from one. And not BAML/UBS, in case you're wondering.
Made me wonder if we over-think some aspects of recruiting. I mean, if this reason can get you an interview, then aren't we?
You should not have anything like that at the top of your resume. You should also not have an "objective". If you're applying to a job your objective is to get the job you don't need to string together a bunch of buzz words. Your friend got interviews in spite of not because of what he wrote.
Why IBD? (Originally Posted: 11/12/2012)
Why did everyone choose investment banking as their career over portfolio management/accounting/consulting/insurance/anything else?
just two things, glory and prestige
I second the last two points made by nori90.
To say you're in investment banking
which only sounds cool to other people who are in finance. but hey, as long as you're in manhattan and 'other people in finance' account for a shit ton of the population, i'll take it
Found this article...thought it was relevant...haha. Replace the "(dot)" with "."
idiotdigest(dot)tumblr(dot)com/post/39248652585/why-all-college-grads-should-pursue-a-career-in
boom
What's your best "why IB?" Answer you've ever heard? (Originally Posted: 01/08/2014)
I always go with "I like the high-pressure work environment with the smartest guys in finance." I'd like to change it up a bit, if you've got some constructive criticism, comment below.
"I'm a financial modeling and PowerPoint wizard with no outside interests like friends, family, or sleep that could interfere with my productivity'"
I would consider that an outstanding answer.
Joking, right?
Really solid answer...this has top bucket investment banking analyst written all over it.
honestly that's a terrible answer woudln't be surprised if you got no 2nd round interviews
Dude Dick Fuld was the CEO of an Investment Bank, I think he knows what hes talking about.
I always tell a quick story. I was working on such and such with so and so and the experience made me realize how much I liked working on transactions blah blah, so IB seemed like a natural fit.
I heard this one kid from Quebec told the MDs at a BB `something like drugs, money cash and sex. Got the offer but rejected it for PE out of undergrad .. (Serious story)
In before models and bottles.
I'm just a huge finance nerd and I like to work on challenging projects with a talented team to create value.
No frills there but I'd probably polish it up for an interview. That's just the truth.
I love the smell of spreadsheets in the morning
"Why IB?" invterview question (Originally Posted: 05/13/2011)
I have an upcoming interview for a FT analyst position at a BB. I know it's late in the process, but apparently a spot opened up and alumni MD contacted me. I have been working at a Big 4 firm in audit for about 10 months, so I know this question will come up. What would be a good response?
Wow, lazy much? There are hundreds of web sites devoted to this.
The best response would likely be...why you want to do IB.
.
Military, you probably have the best username I have seen on this website. It's just so full of win
I told them that banking would make me a millionaire in the low-digits with little risk. I also added that I understood that my fortune would be capped but was willing to lower my expectations given the lower risk. I made them understand that I was kind of joking but at the same was serious about the answer and they knew it. I was about to jump to the serious standard BS answer afterwards, but the interviewer changed to a new question. BTW, got an offer.
Why did you choose IB? (Originally Posted: 09/07/2014)
Hey all,
I was wondering what your reason is/was to get into the investment banking sector? What were the things that attracted you to this sector?
I watched Wolf of Wall Street and I want to do blow off hookers all day and have a lot of money.
Best opportunity I had and I love working. What else would you be doing?
//
That video's funny but true. No one goes into the industry because of some complex, altruistic higher calling if that's what you're wondering.
The most honest senior people I've spoken to have bluntly said that they went into the business because it paid the most.
this.
let's not make finance seem like a social mission. I think interest in capital markets is important to doing well, but let's not be coy about this, you're in it for the money. I think there are some fields where there's that higher calling but mostly a career choice in finance is someone realizing they have the interest and the aptitude for this and are simply making the utilitarian decision (because of my skills, I can do this. I'm also kinda interested in this. and hey, it pays really well!).
Work hard, play hard
//
//
Money is the answer. But the acceptable one is that you love finance.
Why Ibank? (Originally Posted: 09/07/2006)
Why did you choose investment banking?
I JUST WANNA WORK ON BIG DEALS MAN
see my signature ----> to get fucking paid man
"Why IB?" Reply (Originally Posted: 08/01/2015)
Hi, after meeting a handful of PE and HF professionals over the past few years, I definitely see myself transitioning from an IB program at a BB once its over into one of these two industries. However, is this something acceptable and perfectly fine for me to say during an SA interview when asked "Why IB?"
No, you shouldn't say that. Say that you like the work, and that it'll provide you a lot of valuable skills
Deleted
Why IB? (Originally Posted: 01/10/2012)
How can you be unique when answering this? You know this question is coming.
I'm sure everyone says took finance classes, follow the markets, want to work in a challenging field, etc. Even the bankers I've spoken to gave me these same answers. Nothing different...
Theres many different ways to answer this question. But my best advice to you is to set up your answer in sections:
Example: There are two reasons why I want to get into investment banking: 1)_________ 2)_______. That way your interviewer won't lost sight or attention of you when you are speaking.
The best way to make a lasting impression is instead of saying you are more interested in corporate finance or want to learn about the world of finance...I would dig deep, look at your past experience, and try to find a short anecdote or two so that you sound genuine.
Are you supposed to combine tell me about yourself and Why IB all into one answer?
Because you despise sleep and excess free time...
Add to that you are bored of all the time spent doing extra-curricular activities at university and what a pointless thing a social life is that you don't need one anymore.
And you enjoy getting a torrent of abuse from peers.
The single most important question and also the most pointless hot air question at the same time. Oh the irony. You want the money, the exit opps, the prestige. You can't say any of that. The learning experience, the challenge, working with the best, real responsibility....those are all unmemorable cookie cutter answers that everyone says and therefore you can't stand out with. And any other answer you give is 99/100 times just plain bull shit. Good luck.
But in all truthfulness, here are some guidelines:
give 3 solid reasons--avoiding selfish reasons, show your passion, mention friends in IB, mention past experiences that are relevant to showing your journey to IB, briefly acknowledge downsides, and then finish on a positive note.
You like structuring and underwriting deals. You like learning a certain product/industry in depth. Enjoy quantitative work while also being able to better understand how individual companies receive financing and deploy capital. Get to work in teams and tackle a variety of challenges. Offers an unparalleled learning experience about how finance actually operates.You like being able to see a project from start to finish. You enjoy being able to bill your dinners to clients. Happy hour expenses to the corporate credit card. etc, etc
well, to be honest, if you can't think of this yourself and have to ask an online forum, i don't think you're cut out for this field...
I would stray from any of the cookie cutter bullshit answers and try to say something unique. When I interviewed for an IB role I straight up said that at my internship I worked on smaller deals and learned a lot but school is out and I want to work on bigger more sophisticated deals and obviously remarked on the pedigree of the people I would be working with that also made their firm attractive to me.
The head of my group puts it this way (not necessarily true, but it's his pitch to college students): investment banking allows you to have the greatest amount of responsibility as fast as possible in an entry-level position, in which you have a hand in transactions that move markets.
Not sure if that's the most interview-appropriate answer, as it is a little generic, but that's the thirty second pitch.
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