There’s an adrenaline rush to finance. Perhaps it’s because finance is primordial, being as old as civilization itself. Or perhaps it’s because there is a subconscious connection our mind makes with eccentric mathematical geniuses and charming stock market crooks when it thinks of finance. Think Jordan Belfort from The Wolf of Wall Street. Think Michael … Read more
Traditionally, finance (and especially investment banking) has captured the cream of the fresh MBA graduate population. As much as even a decade ago, according to what can be perceived from GMAC’s corporate recruiter surveys published each year, consulting and finance shared the most hires with information technology somewhere in the lower mix. But with changing … Read more
In business school jargon, ‘feeder’ or ‘target’ programs are those that you can target to get into specific industries such as investment banking, consulting, technology or any other sector you may have in mind. In contrast, non-target or non-feeder schools are those that aren’t considered primarily for their focus on a particular sector you’re targeting. … Read more
What’s the best masters degree after BCom? Traditionally, most would choose Masters in Commerce (MCom) without thinking much, since that was what everyone around them has been doing for decades. But things have changed now. Many ambitious commerce graduates have global dreams. This opens up the opportunity to consider international masters degrees such as Masters … Read more
An investment banking internship on Wall Street with a bulge bracket bank is a dream opportunity for many MBA students. What does it take to get an I-banking internship? How does the process work? What are the challenges to be aware of? Navdeep Garg, an MBA student at the Duke Fuqua MBA program, offers valuable … Read more
Private Equity (PE) is one of the most lucrative careers in finance. It involves using investor money from “Limited Partners” who are generally Monsieur Big-Pockets, to invest in big companies that are in need of capital. That is, they are either failing or hit with the flu. But with the potential to a recovery and … Read more
Private equity firms raise capital from institutions and high-net-worth individuals and invest these funds to obtain equity in companies with potential. What are the world’s biggest PE firms? What are their investment products and work culture? How many employees do they have? We try to answer these questions in this article. The top private equity … Read more
At first glance, private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) firms look alike: they both represent firms that invest in companies and exit when the time is ripe and they can make good returns. But there are differences – they buy stakes in companies of different types and sizes, make different levels of investments, and … Read more
You’ve got great grades in math and economics. You’ve done half-a-dozen internships. You’ve been interested in investment banking since entering university. You are truly motivated and will give your right hand to get into Goldman Sachs.
What do the terms “sell-side” and “buy-side” mean in the world of finance? Let’s try to demystify them. Difference between sell-side and buy-side What does a sell-side firm do? The sell-side comprises professionals who represent companies that need to raise capital by selling securities. Sell-side institutions include investment banking and commercial banking firms, … Read more
Most people think of hotel receptions when they are asked what “front office” means. And “back office”? Isn’t that the rather remote and unglamorous place where administration and accounts people sit? OK, “middle office”? Who knows! If you are planning to apply for a job in investment banking (IB), you should surely know much better. … Read more
From afar, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) divisions of investment banks look extremely glamorous for job-seeking graduates. M&A is also one of the most difficult area to break into at the graduate level. What are the qualifications required? What about specific skills that banks seek?