Finance
Investment Banking
Advise companies on raising capital, buying, or selling — with heavy modelling and long hours early on.
What you'd actually do
- Build and update valuation models for a live transaction.
- Assemble pitch books and management presentations under deadline.
- Run diligence workstreams and coordinate lawyers and accountants.
- Prepare the analysis behind the recommendation a client acts on.
Common job titles
Entry level
- Investment Banking Analyst
- Valuation Analyst
Mid-level
- Associate
- Senior Associate
Senior
- Vice President
- Director
- Managing Director
Broad U.S. compensation context
Entry level
$110K–$175K with bonus
Mid-career
$200K–$300K with bonus
Senior
$400K+
Varies by level, location, company, and date; use as directional context.
Common employers
Goldman SachsMorgan StanleyJ.P. MorganEvercoreLazardAtlassianShopifySpotify
Core skills
Three-statement modelingDCF and comparable-company valuationAccounting fluencyPresentation buildingExtreme attention to detailComposure under deadline
Common backgrounds
- Finance, accounting, or economics degree programs
- Target and semi-target school recruiting pipelines
- Valuation, transaction services, or Big Four advisory roles
- MBA programs for associate-level entry
What success looks like
- Their model ties, and the footnotes explain every assumption.
- They anticipate the next question the client will ask.
- They stay accurate at hour twelve.
Career path
- Analyst
- Associate
- Vice President
- Director
- Managing Director
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