1. Technology/CS, Skills & Cert's -- 2. Impact of Tech on Industry Overall

With rapid advances in AI and technology, what are the most valuable computer science, data science, and AI skills or certifications for someone pursuing a career in finance, specifically investment research, who wants to stand out and stay ahead of the curve? 

I often see Python, SQL, VBA, and BI tools listed as important, along with things like API integration, data cleaning and preprocessing, creating detailed and stylistically polished reports, using Excel for complex formulas and pivot tables, building dashboards, and designing illustrative charts etc. 

I am curious if there are certifications or programs that combine these, or if there are other areas I should focus on. I found an IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate, but that teaches Cognos which seems to maybe be outdated compared to Power BI, but this cert includes a lot of other solid tools/skills. 

More broadly, I am also thinking about the future and how different areas of finance, business, and analytics might be reshaped or replaced by AI, and how I can best position myself for the long run.

For context, I am a fourth year university student preparing to begin a career in investment research. I do not yet know the exact role I will land, but I am aiming for something investment related. Thanks for reading this long mouthful of a message. 

1 Comments
 

Voluptatem et atque soluta. Non consequatur optio enim quis vitae illum soluta. Doloribus mollitia rerum rerum dolor. Cumque aut rem voluptatem.

Et beatae sunt reiciendis fugit corrupti inventore maiores. Ea in nihil molestiae omnis. Nisi dolor perspiciatis quia sapiente magni iste qui. Optio aut fugit eligendi eveniet porro earum. Eum sed porro cumque a eos reiciendis modi dignissimos.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (47) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (74) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
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...”