How to break into Finance industry and make a good network?
I am a college student(Communications) and I want to break into finance industry and possibly become an investment banker. I do not have any mentor or anyone to really help me in this, although I am preparing for my CFA level 1 but i would like to know your advice in this.
My advice coming from a science background (0 banking internships or ECs) that broke in IB (no particular order).
1. Make sure you have a strong GPA - especially for the more analytical courses you take to prove that you can handle the analytical work
2. Don't do the CFA. For IB, it doesn't add value. Instead, I would take an IB course (Breaking into Wall street, Wall street prep etc) or take a corporate finance course at your school to learn the technicals of IB. That matters WAAY more as that's what get asked in interview and what they aspect you to know (not CFA material). I think the CFA will take up too much time (unless you want to go into ER or AM than it will be useful but for IB or S&T its not)
3. Network HARD - network for internships if you are at the beginning phase of college and start networking/building relationships at banks you want to work at for your third year summer/FT. As a nontraditional background, it's important to communicate why you are interested in IB. Also go to all the networking and diversity events (if you qualify) that banks host
4. Join a finance-related EC (leadership position) if you can. Also, join ECs you are generally passionate about (not just for the resume) and try to make an impact with everything you do.
5. Start reading the news to know what's happening in the world of finance and get comfortable with talking about it and having opinions on what you think will happen next/how something affects something else.
6. This one sounds obvious but have a good idea of what an IBer does (as an analyst and as a business as a whole). You have no idea how many students I've interviewed that said that wanted to be in IB but couldn't name some tasks that they would do or even how we make money.
Happy to answer any of your questions.
Wishing you the best - good luck!
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