Most Important Skills For An Investment Banking Associate At A Global Investment Bank
Trent, an Investment Banking Associate, highlights a crucial "toolkit" of skills for success, emphasizing both financial expertise from coursework like "corporate finance" and "evaluation courses," and strong interpersonal abilities. Effective time management, clear communication—"responding in email saying that I received it"—and relationship building with diverse individuals, from executives to investors, are equally vital for navigating the multifaceted demands of the role.
Financial Expertise, Time Management, Communication, Relationship Building, Adaptability
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Trent Hammond
Investment Banking Associate
Global Investment Bank
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - 2017
UCLA Anderson School of Management - MBA
Finance
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
Took Out Loans, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Financial expertise from coursework (accounting, corporate finance, etc.)
2. Time management and prioritization skills to juggle multiple deals and deadlines
3. Excellent communication and relationship-building skills to interact with various stakeholders
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
There are many responsibilities, so you need a whole toolkit of skills. A lot of this will involve financial expertise.
This can come through classes, like accounting or specific finance courses such as corporate finance, takeovers, or valuation.
In addition to that, time management is huge. You're working on so many different deals with different expectations for when deliverables are due. Being able to manage your time and prioritize action items is important.
When prioritizing action items, you have to have clear communication with your deal teams. This can be as simple as responding to an email to confirm receipt.
It's also important to ask if a specific deadline is possible. This is extremely important.
Relationship building is also key, as it's a people business. While you need financial skills, you'll also be speaking with other bankers and companies. You'll interact with various levels, from executives down to analysts.
You'll also work with different types of investors. This could be a competitor, a company within the same industry, or a financial sponsor like a private equity firm.
Having the ability to adapt to who you're speaking with, combined with clear communication, is extremely important.