How to Become an Investment Banker?

Wealth generation and corpus building are two critical activities in today’s cut-throat competitive world. More than creating wealth by hard work and toil, it makes sense to make wise and informed investment decisions to generate wealth faster and more effectively. 

This is where the need for skilled professionals arises to help individuals and organizations make informed decisions concerning their money investments. The profession can be rather demanding requiring top knowledge in the domain of finance, along with critical thinking, analytical ability, and mathematical aptitude. This blog takes a closer look at what it takes to enter into an investment banking career in India.

Who Is An Investment Banker?

They refer to skilled professionals who are trained and specialized in offering a wide array of financial services to individual investors, organizations, and also the government. 

They offer guided assistance to companies in issuing bonds and stocks, securing business loans, setting a price for securities, allocating financial resources, raising stock capital, and negotiating mergers and acquisitions. Some investment bankers also offer underwriting services for municipal bonds.

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Role Of An Investment Banker

Some of the top responsibilities performed and expected from an investment banker are as follows:

• Assess the current investment scenario
• Identify any potential risks involved in certain projects and offer advice to clients on whether or not to proceed with them
• Highlighting the benefits of investment, preparing proposals and presentations to make your point before the clients, highlighting potential risks, and communicating the required timelines
• Prepare, edit, revise, and present pitchbooks, research reports, transaction documents, and PPT presentations
• Offer advice to organizations on managing IPOs, issuing securities, and setting prices for initial stock
• Ensure adherence to legal regulations and policies as defined by financial regulatory agencies
• Research different market databases and reports to collect relevant data for making informed financial decisions

Academic Requirements For Becoming An Investment Banker

Completion of formal education in the relevant domain is essential and also the first step to becoming an investment banker. The basic minimum qualification required is a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Business, Finance, or Accounting. Clearing the three-year degree program can make you eligible to apply for an entry-level job role in an investment bank. 

If you aim for higher positions or better-paying managerial job roles, then you may choose to pursue a Master’s degree or a PhD in the discipline. 

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How To Become An Investment Banker?

Ready to take the step? Here’s how you can tread on the journey:

Step 1: 10+2 completion

This is the first step to becoming an investment banker in India. You need to complete your 10+2 education with an aggregate score of over 50% from a recognized board in India. This can be from any domain - Science, Commerce, or Arts (Humanities). 

However, a background in the commerce stream is preferred due to knowledge gained in related and relevant disciplines such as accountancy, business, mathematics, economics, and computer technology. 

Step 2: Clear entrance exams for college admission

A competitive entrance exam is held for students applying for admission to specific colleges for graduation or post-graduation degrees in investment banking. 

These exams may be conducted on a state or national level and include SET, CUET, CET, and DU JAT. For admission to Master’s degree programs, the entrance exams that you need to qualify for include GMAT, SNAP, XAT, NMAT, and CAT. PhD programs require students to clear the CSIR UGC NET and UGC NET examinations. 

Step 3: Complete an undergraduate degree

This is a pre-requisite for gaining entry-level job roles in most banks. You would be required to hold a Bachelor’s degree for at least 3-4 years. This can be anyone from BA in Finance, BBA, in Finance, B.Com, or BA in Economics. 

Step 4: Continue with a Master’s degree

After completing a UG degree, you may choose to pursue a Master’s or PG degree in a relevant discipline for career advancement opportunities. You can opt for an MBA in Financial Management or an MS in Finance.

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Step 5: Earn a PhD

While this is an optional step in the process of charting out a career in investment banking, it can be very helpful for higher career prospects. Students can specialize in subjects like corporate finance theory, foundations of business research, asset pricing theory, research methods in finance, and microstructure of markets. The average duration of a PhD program is around 3 years. 

Step 6: Obtain a certification online

This is a step forward in continuing your education in the domain of investment banking and helps stay relevant to the industry and gain the desired skills for further career growth and development. A key certification to earn includes the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) professional course designed to offer intensive learning and practical-skill training on finance and investment.

Step 7: Complete an internship

This is a brilliant opportunity to apply your skills learned during the above-mentioned courses (both degree programs and professional certifications) to real-world work environments. You can choose to apply for an internship in an investment banking role on job portals or directly apply with banks and NBFCs.

Step 8: Apply for a job role

Once you have gained some work experience via internship, you can build your resume and work portfolio and start applying for a full-time job as an investment banker in a bank or financial institution of your choice. Make sure to highlight all your academic and professional achievements in your resume and portfolio.

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Potential Salary Of Investment Banker In India

The average earning potential of an investment banker in India is estimated at around Rs 29,50,000 per annum. The figures are indicative only and may vary from one professional to another. 

Continue Your Career Growth With Amity Online

We discussed in this blog the exact procedure for becoming an investment banker in India. The process is rather simple, as detailed in this post above. Once you start practicing as a professional investment banker, continuing your education journey in the field can be very helpful, as it would help you to display industry-desirable skills to prospective employers and also make you look attractive for higher-paying job roles in the domain. 

Amity University Online offers multiple opportunities to continue your learning journey, that too 100% online. The university is recognized and its degree programs and certification courses enjoy validation and relevance across the globe. You can choose to pursue a course of your preference and one that aligns best with your career goals and academic background. Sign up for a course at Amity Online today and advance your prospects in the career trajectory of investment banking today.

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