Any investment bankers out there?

[PackDaddy]

Going into my senior year of college and shooting for corporate finance. Is there any one out there who wouldn't mind answering some questions?

 

[sharkbeat]

You should read the DJ Bible, you will get your questions answered

 

[Tictac]

I'm in the advisory side now but have been in finance since the 80's.

Ask away.

 

[The_411]

Depends on what you want to do. Corporate finance is too broad of an area. What aspects of finance do you like? Few more specifics would be helpful.

There are three key things about career advancement

1. Degrees/Certifications
2. Who you know - Contacts
3. Resume

#2 is ultimately the most important because even without #1 or #3 you can still get good work, but in order to maximize number #2 you usually need #1 and #3

 

[AAAgent]

I work with bankers, lawyers, corporate finance, PE guys, etc. Anything involving M&A basically.

 

[Married Buried]

I am not one but my cousin is an investment banker in Saudi Arabia. He went there to make the money. He makes 500 grand a year. Here in the States he would make a fraction of that. He lives in a compound.

My advice? Go work in Saudi Arabia.

 

[carrot]

Any american companies that hire or full commission to work with American Companies in SA ?

Any pointers
Thanks

I am not one but my cousin is an investment banker in Saudi Arabia. He went there to make the money. He makes 500 grand a year. Here in the States he would make a fraction of that. He lives in a compound.

My advice? Go work in Saudi Arabia.

 

[Married Buried]

Any american companies that hire or full commission to work with American Companies in SA ?

Any pointers
Thanks

I can't remember the name of the institution he works for. But he can speak fluent Arabic and several other languages so I'm sure that helps. He came to visit a few months ago and he told me about it. He is making serious bank. I don't talk to him except for that one visit.

 

[PackDaddy]

I'm interested in M&A. I'm wondering if any of you guys might have any pointers for a non-target college senior. I interned at a boutique M&A shop for a year. I want to get into a bulge bracket if possible though. I'm also a finance major and accounting minor. Any pointers?

I'm not sure what the best route to making connections is.

Oh, and I also interned for Deloitte in their audit practice this summer (hated it-hate accounting).

 

[dasein]

Wanted to add to the above excellent post to include PE, VC, hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, turnaround, accounting, law and commercial real estate firms in your self-promotion, networking and job search efforts. Anyone you know or get to know in those areas can be tapped for connections if not actual jobs themselves.

If I had it to do over again, would try to get an entry level job in a deal oriented accounting firm, paralegal for a law firm deal department (corporate, rl estate or insolvency doesn't matter), or corporate law department in a company that does lots of M&A out of college, rather than a position with an Ibank. Then go back to business school in a couple years, then hit up the banks. The experience in a deal infrastructure firm in law, accounting, etc., would be better than entry level in a bank IMO. If you could enter business school being able to close a deal and understanding all the logistics and stages of it, that would be a huge advantage. Also use those interim years to either learn or polish a language skill in serious ways. Good luck.