Breaking Into Investment Banking

Now that you are sufficiently educated in what investment banking is, the question arises as to how to actually break into this industry. This is gonna be a long one, but I'm gonna make it worth your while. Read on to find out why.

 A select world:

The usual advice prospective monkeys get is to work hard, prepare for interviews, so on and so forth. No one ever tells how to get that interview in the first place. Because make no mistake, landing an interview in IB in India itself is no small matter.

The Investment Banking Hierarchy

Now that you know what investment banking is and what bankers do, the question arises as to which stage you will fit in and what you will do. Without further ado, let's jump right in.

So which level monkey are you?

The IB hierarchy is well defined and rigorously imposed. There may be minor differences in naming at some banks, but the generally accepted designations are as follows: 

Bateman Interviews: Investment research in three distinct fields, breaking in and more.

For the inaugural interview with Bateman Begins, I have with me a Chartered Accountant, CFA charter holder and one of the most active volunteers in the Indian CFA Society. With almost 10 years of experience in hedge funds research, credit analysis and bond trading analysis, he has been at the centre of a universe which most of us only dream of.

An avid educational volunteer and guest lecturer at several reputed institutions, there are few people better placed to advise prospective monkeys. So without further ado, I present to you Mr. Biharilal Deora in the very first of Bateman Interviews:

Myth Busters - Investment Banking

Now that you know what investment banking is all about, this post will tell you what investment banking is not about. I have heard of so many “definitions” of investment banking while talking to people in India, that I felt a separate post was necessary just to dispel some myths about this world.

Investment Banking 101

This is the first in a series of posts that will briefly describe the various areas of the Finance industry

While this blog is not intended for theoretical education, I felt that a short description of each part of the Finance industry is warranted. Therefore, if you already are well aware of what IB is, feel free to skip this one.

About the Blog

Welcome to Bateman Begins.

Bateman Begins is about life in high finance - not stock tips and clueless musings on the economy - but about the elusive world of Private Equity and Investment Banking. It's about a world which very, very few people get to experience. Read on, and Bateman Begins will arm you with some unusual tips on breaking in, exclusive, inside-view interviews with industry professionals and much, much more.

What makes this blog different from a truck load of other finance blogs out there?
For the very first time in India, Bateman Begins gives you a peak into what some call "high finance". Every other blog out there in India focuses on investing, money management and the economy. While there are other websites and blogs on private equity, investment banking and hedge funds, they are all based in developed markets, where the practices are radically different from what we find in India. Bateman Begins attempts to plug the gap.

Feel free to comment or ask questions. And of course, it goes without saying – if you like what you read, spread the word around by sharing. Happy reading!

Click here to go to the Bateman Begins Facebook page.

About the author:
I am a Chartered Accountant who broke into Private Equity as a fresher. I started this blog soon after I received my offer from the PE firm. Considering the number of hours that I work, it’s a matter of time before I go full American Psycho. And hence the name of the blog, Bateman Begins.

Disclaimer: I am heavily inspired by Brian DeChesare’s www.mergersandinquisitions.com. While an excellent website, its data on Indian IB/PE industry is limited; as is the case with every other website on the net. This is what motivated me to start something of the sort with an exclusive focus on India.