Career Profile: Investment Banking
 Investment banking is not for the weak of heart. Long hours, heavy competition, miles of Excel spreadsheets and constant pressure to perform well are all but a few of the characteristics that make up the profession. Nonetheless there are handfuls of MBA graduates and experienced professionals who are looking for the chance to work their way up the corporate ladder and earn the windfall bonuses that are legendary in investment banking.
The industry as a whole is not related to only one particular area of expertise. Instead it represents an array of functionalities to corporations, individuals, and government that includes anything from mergers and acquisition, managing assets to financial advice. Investment banking, in a sense, has service sectors that encapsulate and unite each of the utilities that fall under the umbrella term. As a financially oriented profession, investment banking finds its hub to be on Wall Street and on occasion in a few other metropolitans such as San Francisco.
The industry is, as with any other financially related business, highly exposed to the whims of the market and subject to the changes it represents. Over the years it has consolidated to the point where only a handful of banks are involved in investment banking. Companies like JPMorgan, Chase, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley are leading the industry amongst the presence of smaller, boutique firms.
Experienced investment bankers and recent MBA grads alike can attest to the highly competitive nature of the industry. Those who do best in investment banking are professionals who are analytical, adaptive to change, enjoy working in fast-paced environments, and have a sincere interest in banking. Hard work is highly rewarded to those who perform well in investment banking through year-end bonuses that can go upwards into the millions of dollars.
Since investment banking does provide services in several different areas, career paths remain diverse. Opportunities such as working in corporate finance where bankers consult with corporations on financial strategy, working in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) providing recommendations on company buy-outs, to working in public finance providing similar services as in private industry but tailored to the needs of public entities.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics anticipates that banking as a whole will witness only about 4% industry growth through 2016 as compared to 11% growth predicted across all other industries. Even so, investment banking remains a viable career path for many, in particular those who possess the talent and energy to keep pace with the demands of the job and can effectively ride the ups and downs working in banking exposes them to.
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