How hard is it to become an investment banking analyst?

To become an investment banking analyst, you need the right education. Investment banking firms recruit top-performers from the most prestigious schools, preferring a select few schools. Roughly 15% of investment banking analysts earned their bachelor's degrees from New York University.

The right education is more than just the right school. You also need the right degree: 35% of investment banking analysts studied finance. Economics, business administration, and accounting are also popular degrees. Your degree should provide you with strong financial expertise.

In addition to the right education, to become an investment banking analyst, you need the right connections or the ability to develop them. Many investment banking professionals have relevant connections within their families and communities. If you do not, you will need to work twice as hard to build your network.

To become an investment banking analyst, you need the right personality. You should be a tenacious go-getter willing to dedicate upwards of 80 hours per week to your work. You should have unrivaled interpersonal skills, with specific strength in persuasion and presentation. You should be able to sell sawdust to a sawmill.

Investment banking careers are highly lucrative and elite roles reserved for those who get the right education, know or get to know all the right people, and have the right personality.