Getting into investment banking

Hello everyone, I’m 16, looking to eventually get into investment banking. I’ve been looking into courses for a while and trying to find out what’s good or bad, also spoken to people older than me that gave me some advice.

Current status: Finishing school in 2 years going to uni to study Banking and Finance. Now juggling different courses: 1. Cfa from analyst prep(now on level 1) Also taking some practice tests on analystprep com

  1. Looking forward to getting some knowledge in accounting and found a pretty good video

Learn accounting in under 5 hours by accounting stuff

  1. Also found some sites to learn from: Investopedia Mergers and inquisitions Cfi Breakingintowallstreet com

In parallel with the finance courses doing math lectures

Math 4. Math for economics from UCI open(doing now)

Math 176. Math of finance looking forward to do.

Still with everything I’m feeling a bit lost, if someone can get in touch with me and offer me some guidance what key things should I do to succeed would mean a lot to me. Cheers!

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Like some folks mentioned above, banks have been hiring biologists and health professionals to analyze genetic data and already know who is getting into the super targets before they are born. If you haven’t been contacted, you probably already missed it.

I would try with internal auditing and operations.

 

Recruiting is even earlier these days. For reference, headhunters for top EBs and BBs contacted my parents 5 years before I was born to invite them to networking events. From there they set them up on a date and I was born 5 years later. These days they are analyzing genetic data from random members of the public to create optimate humans to target. 

Sorry to say that if you missed this boat you might be too late in the process. I think if headhunters haven't hit you up after leaving the maternity ward (at the latest) then I would be targetting regional boutiques or big 4.

 

Bro chill out and focus on getting into a target school. If you really wanna learn, try to develop a genuine interest in finance/sectors by reading more about them in the news. Side note, the CFA is useless.

 

At your age I already had my freshman IB internship, you’re a little bit late to the game. Have you talked to high school IB alumni? You need to do that. Also why are u doing CFA and you haven’t done Wall Street Prep yet? CFA is useless (did it when I was 14). Can you build a DCF and an LBO model from scratch? If not, get to it. Been doing that shit since I was 12. If you don’t know every PowerPoint and Excel shortcut by now, good luck buddy.

 

Look into what the most prestigous finance clubs are in your uni and speak to a few folks in it a month or two before you start your first year so that they remember you. Start networking by having “informational chats” with people you have a mutual connection with (hometown, sports, college etc) - not only will you learn more about the banking world but also build confidence & more polished towards speaking with finance folks. Take up a nonconventional hobby if you don’t have one already so that you have something interesting to do & talk about + separate yourself from every other finance hardo gunning for the role you want. Have a good story. Know how to communicate effectively - maybe take classes in college where you have to present & defend your views to hone this.

Lastly, have fun during these next 2-3 years. If you break in, you’re going to get toasted so might as well. Make memories with family/friends, join greek life, whatever it is. I was in the same shoes as you in highschool and neglected a lot of social opportunities that, in hindsight, should have pursued a bit more.

 

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