For those looking for a foot in the door in the competitive investment banking industry, New York seems to be the first choice considering that it has been the epicenter of financial activity with the most sought-after jobs on Wall Street. It also houses some of the largest investment banks in the world.
Though New York has enjoyed an unbeatable top position in this industry, it’s not the only place to be. In Europe, London has a similar reputation for being the hub for investment banking and the financial industry. London offers the maximum number of jobs and internship opportunities in the investment banking industry.
Top names including Goldman Sach, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Credit Suisse, BlackRock, UBS, Deutsche Bank, Citibank, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch have their presence in London, so we could say that it would be the best bet for investment banking opportunities.
Changing scenario of investment banking in Europe
How would Brexit impact the investment banking industry?
Once the Brexit kicks in, it would mean loss of passporting rights for UK based financial firms, looking to sell services to clients across the EU. For this, they would have to set up local subsidiaries within the EU and apply for a local licence. So, it would see part of businesses move to other cities in the EU.
According to a Reuters survey, among the various contenders, Paris surprisingly, is at the top for London-based banking jobs. According to the survey, 2,280 roles might move on to Paris. Frankfurt bagged the second position by gaining 1,420 roles. The next city on the list was Dublin with 612 roles followed by Luxembourg at 407 as per the report.
Other cities that are being considered include Milan, Berlin and Madrid.
Stratfor reported the choices of cities for companies planning to make a partial move out of London.
| Company name | Choice of city for relocation | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | HSBC | Paris |
| 2. | USB | Frankfurt |
| 3. | Barclays | Dublin |
| 4. | JPMorgan | Dublin, Frankfurt and Luxembourg, |
| 5. | Goldman Sachs | Frankfurt and Paris |
| 6. | Deutsche Bank | Frankfurt |
ESSEC Business School shares tips to get into investment banking in Europe
MBA Crystal Ball interviewed Claire Gaudissart, Head of the Career Empowerment Team (left pic) and Marie-Laure Dahan, Career Booster Manager (on the right) from ESSEC Business School, which has a campus in Paris (France), Singapore and Morocco. Here are some of the insights they offered about the investment banking industry.
MBA Crystal Ball: What are the top recruiting investment banks in Europe?
ESSEC: The top investment banks in Europe that recruit from business schools are listed below.
- Barclays
- Bank of America
- BNP Paribas
- Citi
- Credit Suisse
- Deutsche Bank
- Goldman Sachs
- JPMorgan
MCB: How many ESSEC students get into investment banking each year and what degrees do they have? What roles do they join in and what are their average salaries for these positions?
ESSEC: 70% are Master in Finance students and 20% are MIM students.
The roles and salaries offered to them by the investment banks in Europe are as follows.
| Roles | Average salaries | |
| 1. | Mergers and Acquisition | € 89,600 |
| 2. | Trading / sales / structuration | € 77,100 |
| 3. | Financial analyst | € 46,800 |
MCB: What do investment banks in Europe look for in their recruiting process for internships and full-time positions?
ESSEC: Some of the top traits and qualities that investment banks in Europe look for include:
- Strong technical skills (mathematical, analytical and accounting skills, familiarity with IT systems)
- A positive attitude, interesting personality, hardworking.
- Humility
- Confidence
- Understanding of the industry and trends
- Team Work/ Leadership qualities
- Interfacing with other departments / communication with senior management
MCB: How does the careers team at ESSEC help students? How does the process vary depending on their degree?
ESSEC: Career consultants meet in individual appointments with students to help them define their career plan, set up an action plan, review their CV, their cover letter, and prepare for interviews.
In addition, as the field has very specific requirements, we have external finance experts train our students (training seminars/workshops) and review their applications (CV, mock interviews).
The Career Services organize on-campus (job fairs, company presentations, round tables, seminars…) and off-campus events in finance (London and New York trips).
We also connect students with the ESSEC alumni community through events.
MCB: What are the common mistakes people make in investment banking interviews?
ESSEC: Here are a few common mistakes:
- First and above all: lack of preparation
- They forget to refresh on mental math, which is KEY for the brainteasers
- They do not do enough in-depth research about the company to make sure they match their needs and FIT in (and can prove it)
- They forget that half of the so-called “technical interview” is based on accounting knowledge.
- They show over-confidence.
- Asking questions you should have found answers to while doing your research
MCB: Can you provide some general tips for investment banking interviews?
ESSEC: Here are our top tips for investment banking interviews.
- PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE
- Know why you are targeting this industry and this bank specifically
- Network beforehand in order to be able to mention names of people in the industry / company (through your school alumni network, LinkedIn, or in recruiting forums)
- Master your skill set and have examples to prove what you say
- Show your dedication and willingness to adapt to the work culture which includes working for long hours and under pressure.
- Prepare proof that you are a team-player and a hard worker
- Prove that you have strong technical skills as well
- Prepare well for accounting questions, brainteasers, logical problems, and mental math
- Smile genuinely and make eye contact
- Be confident but not over-confident
- Listen well and ensure you answer the question
- Be short and to the point
- If you are applying to boutique investment banks, mention that you could start on projects immediately
The investment banking industry offers a variety of roles – front office, middle office and and back office. Read this article to learn more about the responsibilities and skillsets needed to take up each of these roles.
Though the investment banking field may sound glamorous and you may be in awe of the fantastic salaries associated with the field, it’s important you’re well aware of the work pressure, extended work hours, extensive travel and the stressful lifestyle involved before you decide that you’re carved out for handling such roles.
Learn more about the dark side of investment banking.
Also read investment banking salary in USA, UK, Canada, India: How much do investment bankers make?
How to get into investment banking in Europe
Getting into this highly competitive industry is definitely not easy. For undergraduates in Europe, many banks offer ‘A Spring Week’, or ‘Insight Week’ usually meant for first year students of a three year course or second year students where the course duration is four years.
This internship opportunity can be used to gain industry exposure, pick up some valuable skills and of course, networking. Then therere are longer summer internship opportunities also available. Showing your potential during these internships may help you land a full-time job once you complete your program.
A CFA qualification and a Masters in Finance can also help get into investment banking. An MBA program, though the most expensive route to get there, also sees top recruiters hiring out of the reputed business schools.
Your alumni network can be of great help. If you do not have any prior related work experience in this field, it would be worthwhile doing an internship before commencement of your program.
Read how to become an investment banker and Investment banking resume with no experience.
Investment bank recruitment in Europe
Here’s how the process works – Applications usually require you to fill in details related to personal information, academics, work experience and the role for which you’re applying.
Competency questions:
In this round, you’d be required to answer questions through which you ‘d have to demonstrate that you’re a right fit for the job. Be very careful to avoid grammatical and spelling errrors while answering.
Next would be an online test to assess your verbal and numerical skills, it may include testing your logical reasoning skills as well.
Assessment center:
Next comes the biggest challenge – the assessment center (comparable to the Superday in the US) where you’ll be assessed along with other short-listed applicants. Candidates are expected to spend at least one full day here where they would be required to complete case study (and role play), presentations, group exercise and interview rounds.
The time you spend at the assessment center is quite crucial, as you might be observed and judged for multiple aspects, based on which the final decision would be made.
So, give yourself enough practice with sample interview questions so that you are familiar with the structure and the length of the responses; let the answers be succinct instead of lengthy narrations.
Your body language, the content of your responses (especially focussing on what sets you apart from the rest) and the way you communicate can make a huge difference.
Read how to get into Goldman Sachs.
Keep your CV updated and customise it to line up with the job profile you’re applying for.
Keep your cool throughout the process and give it your best shot!
Read more about the top bulge bracket investment banks.
Also read asset management vs investment banking: Career choice
hi,
I did my b.tech in 2013. I joined the Armed forces after clearing the SSB in 2014 and resigned due to medical condition. I fought back, cleared GATE and got into IIT for my masters in 2015 but was forced to leave it because of another health issue. I am slowly recovering now and planning to give CAT in 2019 and pursue an MBA to find a new way in my career. I’m 27 now and yes I do not have any work experience due to my own reasons. But all I have is hope and confidence. With all your experience, can you suggest me if it is a good option to consider ?
Dear swati
I did my MBA hr from Amity and currently working in MNC for the last 4 years . I feel growth is slow and static Kindly suggest a course that can give me an edge …
Hello Swati.
My name is Yesha. I have completed MBA in Finance in India and then I moved out to the USA and now so confused about what should I go for next in The USA. I have 4-5 years of experience in it. Looking forward for your reply ASAP. Thank You.
shall we select any kind of work experience re is there any mandatory to work in the same field of our degree. For example a computer science student hate to work in software? Or else can i work as a teacher also
Hi,
I am about to complete CA and am interested in going into investment banking are there any IB courses in Europe which gives me
an opportunity to get a job there or will a master’s degree from any European university increase my chances..
@Vedanth: Hope your health is better now. Rather than chasing a degree, it may be better to find a job and get some experiece. You already have a BTech degree that you can use to get a decent role at the junior level. You can work your way up, and re-evaluate the need for a degree after 3-4 years.
@Zaran: Here are some good courses to do after completing your MBA: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2016/03/04/courses-after-mba/
@Yesha: You haven’t shared how you moved to the U.S. Was it after marriage? If so, you’d need an H1B visa to work in USA, and a company to sponsor you for it.
@Bhanu: People change their fields all the time. There’s no compulsion for you to continue in a field that you don’t like. Just make sure the new field you choose, isn’t a short term infatuation.