INVESTMENT BANKING SURVIVAL GUIDE 101 If you are a recent college...
Boring_Business@BoringBiz_
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Jun 07, 2025
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INVESTMENT BANKING SURVIVAL GUIDE 101
If you are a recent college graduate or intern starting in investment banking in the next few weeks, this thread is for you
Some unsolicited advice from me
🧵
If you are a recent college graduate or intern starting in investment banking in the next few weeks, this thread is for you
Some unsolicited advice from me
🧵
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1/ PAY ATTENTION TO SEAMLESS MEALS
As a young banker, most of your time is spent eating outside. That includes lunch, dinner, dates. Watch the calories
This is #1 because without good health, everything else is meaningless. If you feel bad, nothing else matters.
As a young banker, most of your time is spent eating outside. That includes lunch, dinner, dates. Watch the calories
This is #1 because without good health, everything else is meaningless. If you feel bad, nothing else matters.
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2/ MAKE THE JOB EASIER FOR SENIORS
The easiest hack to become a top bucket analyst: look at what your Associates and VPs hate doing (probably the grunt work) and love to do them
Make your senior's lives easier and everything else falls in line
The easiest hack to become a top bucket analyst: look at what your Associates and VPs hate doing (probably the grunt work) and love to do them
Make your senior's lives easier and everything else falls in line
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3/ BUILDING RAPPORT WITHIN THE TEAM IS KEY
The first 6 months on the job will suck. No one will trust you. Everyone has to check your work 3x. They spend more time explaining the work to you vs doing it themselves.
Once you build rapport, everything changes. You gain leeway
The first 6 months on the job will suck. No one will trust you. Everyone has to check your work 3x. They spend more time explaining the work to you vs doing it themselves.
Once you build rapport, everything changes. You gain leeway
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4/ LEARN TO TAKE GOOD NOTES
Good notetaking is a skill set that I now admire deeply. Taking good notes during a call might save the team hours vs having to ask the client again for information that was already mentioned on the call
This applies to any career, in my opinion
Good notetaking is a skill set that I now admire deeply. Taking good notes during a call might save the team hours vs having to ask the client again for information that was already mentioned on the call
This applies to any career, in my opinion
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5/ KEEP PEN AND PAPER WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES
Keep a notebook around your desk that you carry whenever you walk into an MD or VP's office. Jot down things that are important. Also great for when you are screen sharing on Zoom and need to write down something really important
Keep a notebook around your desk that you carry whenever you walk into an MD or VP's office. Jot down things that are important. Also great for when you are screen sharing on Zoom and need to write down something really important
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6/ KEEP A MASTER SLIDE DECK
Day 1 of the job create a new PPT file and add in template slides to it with each deal you work on. These are slides that your team regularly uses. Whenever you need a slide, you look back to this master slide deck. Will save you tons of time.
Day 1 of the job create a new PPT file and add in template slides to it with each deal you work on. These are slides that your team regularly uses. Whenever you need a slide, you look back to this master slide deck. Will save you tons of time.
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7/ KEEP A MASTER MODEL
Similarly, keep a folder with all the completed models that your team has worked on. Maybe one for each vertical or product your team works on (an M&A model, LBO deal, Spin-Offs etc.)
Staffed on a new deal? You know where to reference to build the model
Similarly, keep a folder with all the completed models that your team has worked on. Maybe one for each vertical or product your team works on (an M&A model, LBO deal, Spin-Offs etc.)
Staffed on a new deal? You know where to reference to build the model
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8/ COMMUNICATE WITH STAFFERS
This is so crucially important. Sometimes you will be staffed on pitches or deals that come back on a random Friday evening out of the blue. Your staffer might have no idea. Communicate it. Let them know about vacations ahead of time. Help them plan
This is so crucially important. Sometimes you will be staffed on pitches or deals that come back on a random Friday evening out of the blue. Your staffer might have no idea. Communicate it. Let them know about vacations ahead of time. Help them plan
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9/ SEEK OUT MENTORSHIP
Do not become that analyst that just responds "sounds good, will do" on email. Go out of your way to ask people questions and seek mentorship. People around you are good at what they work on. Banking gives you access to a great network. Make use of it.
Do not become that analyst that just responds "sounds good, will do" on email. Go out of your way to ask people questions and seek mentorship. People around you are good at what they work on. Banking gives you access to a great network. Make use of it.
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10/ KEEP THE ALPHABETS NEAR YOU
This is an odd one but worked for me. I hated aligning logos because I would recite back the alphabets in my head. I saved down a picture of the alphabets on my laptop and would have it up whenever aligning logos. Helped some people I know
This is an odd one but worked for me. I hated aligning logos because I would recite back the alphabets in my head. I saved down a picture of the alphabets on my laptop and would have it up whenever aligning logos. Helped some people I know
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11/ DOUBLE CHECK THE COMMENTS
Never be too arrogant to send work back to seniors without checking it first. We get it. Everyone is smart and had good grades from a good school.
But... mistakes happen, especially when you are working late nights. Check your work (twice, thrice)
Never be too arrogant to send work back to seniors without checking it first. We get it. Everyone is smart and had good grades from a good school.
But... mistakes happen, especially when you are working late nights. Check your work (twice, thrice)
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12/ GET COMFORTABLE WITH NUMBERS
As an analyst, a lot of your time will be spent looking at numbers on a screen. Learn to get comfortable with numbers and modeling. You will make mistakes early on. Do not let that stop you from trying again and again till you have it cold
As an analyst, a lot of your time will be spent looking at numbers on a screen. Learn to get comfortable with numbers and modeling. You will make mistakes early on. Do not let that stop you from trying again and again till you have it cold
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13/ STAY CURIOUS
Do not be a mindless PPT and excel monkey. As you work, ask what you enjoy about each deal. Whenever you meet someone, ask yourself if you would want that to be you.
It will help navigate your career and find what you like doing.
Do not be a mindless PPT and excel monkey. As you work, ask what you enjoy about each deal. Whenever you meet someone, ask yourself if you would want that to be you.
It will help navigate your career and find what you like doing.
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14/ BE ON TIME WITH WORK
The worst reputation to have as an analyst is someone who does not complete the work on time. People are busy and they expect you to respect their schedules. Missing deadlines is a huge no in banking, especially if you have not communicated ahead of time
The worst reputation to have as an analyst is someone who does not complete the work on time. People are busy and they expect you to respect their schedules. Missing deadlines is a huge no in banking, especially if you have not communicated ahead of time
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15/ BE ON TIME TO WORK
Just as importantly, do not be the analyst that shows up after everyone else. Everyone has the occasional late night. Make sure to communicate why you are coming late. Do not have to reputation of being late to the office always, especially as an analyst
Just as importantly, do not be the analyst that shows up after everyone else. Everyone has the occasional late night. Make sure to communicate why you are coming late. Do not have to reputation of being late to the office always, especially as an analyst
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16/ PROFESSIONALISM MATTERS
Always act as if you are talking to a client. This is a simple thing that a lot of young people mess up on. Seniors like knowing that they could have you lead a meeting if needed. Keep that professionalism all the time, especially in the office
Always act as if you are talking to a client. This is a simple thing that a lot of young people mess up on. Seniors like knowing that they could have you lead a meeting if needed. Keep that professionalism all the time, especially in the office
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17/ DO NOT SPEND ALL YOUR MONEY ON RENT
Do not try to rent out the most expensive or cool apartment as an analyst. Get roommates, save some money. Invest that money. Save some cash. You will get plenty of opportunity to splurge in the future
Do not try to rent out the most expensive or cool apartment as an analyst. Get roommates, save some money. Invest that money. Save some cash. You will get plenty of opportunity to splurge in the future
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18/ KEEP TRACK OF PERSONAL FINANCES
You will land into a lot of money right out of college in this path. Learn how to manage it, not just make it. Regularly invest, sign up for 401Ks, HSAs. Do not blow your bonus on a watch right away
Invest first, spend second
You will land into a lot of money right out of college in this path. Learn how to manage it, not just make it. Regularly invest, sign up for 401Ks, HSAs. Do not blow your bonus on a watch right away
Invest first, spend second
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19/ TRY STAYING CONNECTED
Try staying connected with family and friends. It is difficult. Schedule is unpredictable, impossible to make plans. You will inevitably lose touch with some people. But people who are willing to work around your schedule... they care about you.
Try staying connected with family and friends. It is difficult. Schedule is unpredictable, impossible to make plans. You will inevitably lose touch with some people. But people who are willing to work around your schedule... they care about you.
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20/ DO NOT BECOME "THE" BANKER
Being a banker should not be your personality. If that is your starting line for talking to girls at a bar, you are doing life wrong.
It is a job at the end of the day. It consumes most of your life, I bet. Still a job.
Being a banker should not be your personality. If that is your starting line for talking to girls at a bar, you are doing life wrong.
It is a job at the end of the day. It consumes most of your life, I bet. Still a job.
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21/ CREATE EXCEL AND PPT SHORTCUTS
PPT >> File >> Options >> Customize Ribbon. Same for excel. Use this to customize some shortcuts for yourself.
Middle aligning logos, grouping ppt shapes together, changing color, removing backgrounds. Automate it as much as you can
PPT >> File >> Options >> Customize Ribbon. Same for excel. Use this to customize some shortcuts for yourself.
Middle aligning logos, grouping ppt shapes together, changing color, removing backgrounds. Automate it as much as you can
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22/ TECHNICAL SUPPORT IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
Late night struggling at the office to figure out a FactSet formula? Call them up.
Not sure how to pull the yield to maturity of a foreign CUSIP on Bloomberg? IM their help desk
Take advantage of all resources available to you
Late night struggling at the office to figure out a FactSet formula? Call them up.
Not sure how to pull the yield to maturity of a foreign CUSIP on Bloomberg? IM their help desk
Take advantage of all resources available to you
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23/ YOU REALIZE MONEY DOES NOT MAKE YOU HAPPY
I grew up poor for most of my life. I thought going into banking would solve my problems.
After 1 year, I would have agreed to given up a bit of my bonus for some non-interrupted time with friends or family. Changed my perspective
I grew up poor for most of my life. I thought going into banking would solve my problems.
After 1 year, I would have agreed to given up a bit of my bonus for some non-interrupted time with friends or family. Changed my perspective
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24/ If you found this interesting, please share with someone else who might find it helpful as well
DMs also open for any questions!
DMs also open for any questions!
