Why do you actually want to be an investment banker?
If you ever hope to enter the field, you'll need to have a great answer to this question - because it's something that every single interviewer will ask you.
But you probably have a poor idea of how to answer this one, at least if you've read other guides.
-You like learning.
-You like finance and accounting.
-You like a fast-paced environment.
And if you want to sound exactly the same as everyone else, feel free to use these types of responses.
But to succeed, you'll need make the interviewer think you're an interesting person and remember who you are.
You should use either the "Big Picture" or "Slice of Life" method to accomplish this.
Use the "Big Picture" method if you're a career changer, you don't have a finance background, or you don't have a specific story that made you interested in finance.
The basic idea is: Background in One Field + Finance Experience = Long-Term Success.
Maybe you're a healthcare policy analyst and you want to combine your industry knowledge with investment banking so you can advise companies one day; or maybe you're an engineer who wants to go into venture capital, combining technical knowledge with finance.
If you don't have "long-term goals," then make up some to fit the situation - just make sure you're consistent with what you tell interviewers.
The "Slice of Life" method is better if you've had solid finance experience.
With this method, you mention a specific person, story, or event in the beginning, and explain how your interest developed from that.
-You saw your parents day-trading when you were younger, so you then decided to start trading your own account, following the market, and doing a few investment internships.
-You had the opportunity to meet female executives at banks during a leadership retreat and that sparked your interest.
Feel free to combine both of these methods, as well - just make sure your story doesn't go on for 5 minutes.
Aim for a 20-30 second elevator pitch and you'll be ahead of 90% of prospective bankers. - 29969
If you ever hope to enter the field, you'll need to have a great answer to this question - because it's something that every single interviewer will ask you.
But you probably have a poor idea of how to answer this one, at least if you've read other guides.
-You like learning.
-You like finance and accounting.
-You like a fast-paced environment.
And if you want to sound exactly the same as everyone else, feel free to use these types of responses.
But to succeed, you'll need make the interviewer think you're an interesting person and remember who you are.
You should use either the "Big Picture" or "Slice of Life" method to accomplish this.
Use the "Big Picture" method if you're a career changer, you don't have a finance background, or you don't have a specific story that made you interested in finance.
The basic idea is: Background in One Field + Finance Experience = Long-Term Success.
Maybe you're a healthcare policy analyst and you want to combine your industry knowledge with investment banking so you can advise companies one day; or maybe you're an engineer who wants to go into venture capital, combining technical knowledge with finance.
If you don't have "long-term goals," then make up some to fit the situation - just make sure you're consistent with what you tell interviewers.
The "Slice of Life" method is better if you've had solid finance experience.
With this method, you mention a specific person, story, or event in the beginning, and explain how your interest developed from that.
-You saw your parents day-trading when you were younger, so you then decided to start trading your own account, following the market, and doing a few investment internships.
-You had the opportunity to meet female executives at banks during a leadership retreat and that sparked your interest.
Feel free to combine both of these methods, as well - just make sure your story doesn't go on for 5 minutes.
Aim for a 20-30 second elevator pitch and you'll be ahead of 90% of prospective bankers. - 29969
About the Author:
Riyan Richter blogs about the career development process, how to successfully network, and how to get into the finance industry at Mergers & Inquisitions, the internet's leading resource for investment banking and answering the why investment banking question in interviews.
