How to Get Started in Investment Banking After MBA? A No-Nonsense Guide to Breaking In
How to Get Started in Investment Banking After MBA? A No-Nonsense Guide to Breaking In
Blog Article
Picture this: You’re sitting in your MBA classroom, just a few weeks into your first semester. You hear classmates already talking about coffee chats with Goldman Sachs, prepping for technical interviews, and joining investment banking clubs. The pressure is real—and the clock is ticking.
If you’re wondering how to get started in investment banking after MBA, you’re not alone. Thousands of MBA students every year aim for a coveted spot at a top investment bank. But only a fraction of them make the cut.
Here’s your no-nonsense guide to improving your odds and making a real run for that six-figure starting salary.
Step 1: Understand the Industry Before You Jump In
Before diving into the how-to, take a moment to understand what investment banking really is. You’ll be working on high-stakes financial transactions—mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, restructuring deals, and large-scale capital raises.
But there’s a tradeoff: the hours are long, the work is intense, and the learning curve is steep.
The roles you’ll be targeting post-MBA include:
- Investment Banking Associate (typical MBA-entry level)
- Industry Coverage Groups (e.g., tech, healthcare, energy)
- Product Groups (e.g., M&A, Leveraged Finance)
Make sure your career goals and personality are aligned with this high-pressure, high-reward environment.
Step 2: Choose a School That Banks Trust
Let’s be real: where you go for your MBA matters—especially in investment banking.
Bulge bracket and elite boutique firms actively recruit from a short list of “target schools.” These include:
- Wharton, Columbia, NYU Stern
- Harvard, Booth, Kellogg
- LBS, INSEAD (for international candidates)
These programs have the infrastructure to help you succeed—recruiter access, alumni in IB, and student-run finance clubs that simulate the real thing.
If you're already enrolled in a non-target MBA, don't panic. You’ll just need to hustle harder in the networking game.
Step 3: Make Investment Banking Your Job—Before You Even Get the Job
The biggest rookie mistake? Waiting too long to get started.
By the end of your first semester, you should:
- Join the investment banking and finance clubs
- Attend all on-campus presentations and info sessions
- Start building relationships with second-year students
- Reach out to alumni in banking for informational interviews
- Get your resume investment-banking ready
Your goal by January: be fully prepped to crush internship interviews.
Step 4: Get Technical—Fast
Investment banking is a technical job. Yes, even at the associate level. And interviewers want to see that you can hang.
You’ll need to master:
- Financial statement analysis
- Valuation methods: DCF, comps, precedents
- Merger modeling basics
- LBO modeling
- Market updates and deal logic
Where to prep:
- Wall Street Prep
- Breaking Into Wall Street (BIWS)
- Investment Banking Interview Guides (WSO, Vault)
- Corporate Finance textbooks and YouTube walkthroughs
Also, don’t neglect behavioral prep. Your story, leadership experiences, and “why banking” pitch need to be sharp.
Step 5: Land the Internship—It’s Your Golden Ticket
Most MBA investment bankers begin their careers with a summer associate internship. Full-time offers typically go to summer interns, so this is your best shot.
Tips to secure the offer:
- Be strategic about which firms you target—apply to a mix of bulge brackets, boutiques, and regional firms
- Tailor your résumé and cover letter to each opportunity
- Practice mock interviews with classmates or second-years
- Be ready to do multiple rounds of interviews within weeks
If you land the internship—congrats. That’s 70% of the battle won.
Step 6: Treat the Internship Like a 10-Week Interview
During your internship, everything counts. Banks are watching closely to decide whether you’re full-time material.
Here’s how to stand out:
- Be detail-oriented—mistakes can tank your chances
- Stay calm under pressure and meet every deadline
- Build relationships with your team (analysts, associates, and above)
- Be the person who asks, “What else can I help with?”
- Show you want to learn—not just impress
The goal? Walk away with a full-time return offer in hand by the end of the summer.
Step 7: Have a Backup Plan—and Don’t Give Up
Not every MBA student lands a banking internship. And that’s OK.
Other ways to get into investment banking post-MBA:
- Lateral roles from private equity, Big Four transaction services, or corporate development
- Boutique or regional firms that hire off-cycle
- Alumni referrals who can get you into smaller, non-publicized roles
- Second-year recruiting for open associate slots
Keep networking. Keep studying. Keep showing you’re serious. Persistence is often the difference-maker in this industry.
Step 8: Stay Plugged In and Think Like a Banker
Even before you land the job, act like someone already in the industry. Stay current on market trends, read deal news, and analyze what makes a good transaction.
Follow these:
- Wall Street Journal – Dealbook
- Financial Times – Mergermarket
- Bloomberg Markets
- PitchBook, CB Insights (if you have access)
Being well-informed helps you sound sharp in interviews and makes you more effective once you’re on the desk.
Final Word: How to Get Started in Investment Banking After MBA?
It’s not just about being smart—it’s about being strategic. If you really want to break into investment banking after your MBA, here’s your blueprint:
Pick the right MBA program
Start networking early
Master the technicals
Land that summer internship
Convert it into a full-time offer
Keep pushing if plan A doesn’t work
Getting into investment banking post-MBA is hard—but it’s 100% possible for those who prepare, network, and never take their foot off the gas. Report this page