Investment banking as a career can be an exciting path to walk onto, both in terms of making money and career growth. But, to the surprise of many, it’s a challenging industry to survive into, let alone thriving. It’s true that the remunerations are big in the said industry, but much bigger are the day-to-day challenges pertaining to job responsibilities. Individuals who are genuinely interested in the financial markets, and have a knack for the same, should definitely enter the banking domain, as their chances are much higher to succeed than those who seek entry, just to reap monetary benefits.
Investment Banking is a Highly Challenging Industry to Survive Into
A majority of candidates appearing for the banking jobs across the globe are unaware of the hard work the said industry demands. They are primarily attracted to the monetary benefits and the big million-dollar deals that happen frequently within the investment banking sector. Those serious towards making a mark in the industry are busy accumulating professional credentials such as investment banking certifications, internships, undergraduate, and master’s degrees. It’s only the skills that will help you enter, as well as survive, in the said domain.
Will Acquiring an MBA Degree Make Your Case Strong?
Coming to the D-Question, will an MBA degree help securing an investment banking job? Or, will it be feasible for me to acquire an MBA to break into the banking domain?
Taking generally, yes, it would help you bag your first job in the said sector, but then, it’s highly subjective, and the answer would change for every individual, depending on factors such as educational background, and career aspirations. Although having an MBA is not a necessity, but in some cases, depending on an individual’s end goal, it becomes a mandate to hold a master’s degree in finance.
Let’s Delve Deeper Into the Subject…
There are a number of factors that decide whether you need an MBA degree or not. Let’s discuss educational background first, as it serves as the biggest element in the said scheme of things. We will try to understand things by taking an example. Let’s consider two banking aspirants with completely different educational backgrounds, namely A & B. Here, A had always been inclined towards financial markets and the ongoings associated with the same, whereas B developed an interest in the said industry quite late, i.e. after completing his undergraduate degree course in engineering. Please note that here, A is possessing an undergraduate degree in finance.
A, is undoubted, more equipped, and preferable to recruiters for an investment banking entry-level job role, as he is aware of the fundamentals of banking and the financial markets. A will easily beat B in most of the cases when it comes to bagging an investment banking role when both A & B are to be interviewed for the same job role.
Role of MBA and to Whom It Will Be Advantageous
People like B, who has a different educational background than what’s most suitable, can definitely benefit from an MBA in finance or a related subject domain. A finance-specific degree will help fill the knowledge-gap for individuals that fit into the category of ‘B’. However, it’s not that those who fall in the category of people like ‘A’ should refrain from getting an MBA, as a master’s degree will further help them secure a high profile banking role that will pay even more. But, people falling in the category of ‘A’ don’t necessarily need to go for an MBA. They can do without it too, and can instead opt for less time-consuming and cost-effective banking certifications in place of a master’s degree.
Concluding Words
To conclude, we would say that if you have a well-suited educational background, you don’t necessarily need an MBA degree to bag an entry-level job role in the banking sector. But then, if you aspire for a high profile banking job role, holding an MBA becomes a mandate, no matter how inclined is your educational background to the investment banking industry. In case, you have decided to transition from a non-finance industry to banking, you would certainly need an MBA course that is banking-centric.
