u/ankur9212

Most people think that major IB decisions happen in a meeting room with senior bankers making the final call. But a lot of the real work starts much earlier with junior IB . They are the one's building models, checking the numbers, and pulling together all the details that help everyone understand what a deal actually looks like. If their work is off, the discussion that follows is already on weak ground. They also spend a lot of time putting together the slides and reports that get used in client meetings. These are the same slides where billion-dollar decisions are being discussed, so even small mistakes or unclear explanations can change how something is viewed. They might not be in the spotlight, but their work is constantly feeding into the decisions being made. A lot of the time, they are working late just to make sure everything is accurate and ready for review. It’s not always visible, but it matters more than people think.

So it makes you think, in IB, where do you really draw the line between “support work” and actually shaping the decision itself?

One investment banking myth I really believed at first was that only students from top colleges can get into IB. When I started learning about investment banking, I used to feel very underconfident because my background was not fancy and I did not know anyone in finance. Online, people make it seem like if you are not from a big college, you have no chance. I would constantly compare myself to people with better resumes, better colleges, and more connections, and it honestly made the industry feel impossible to break into.

But after spending more time learning and speaking to people already working in finance, I slowly realized that skills matter much more than I thought. I started focusing on learning financial modelling, valuation basics, accounting concepts, and improving my communication instead of comparing myself to others every day. Little by little, I became more confident and started understanding how the industry actually works.

I have also seen many students from regular colleges get internships and placements because they stayed consistent and serious about learning. Most people quit too early because they believe they are already behind. Investment banking is definitely competitive and demanding, but it is not limited to only one type of student like social media sometimes makes it look.

What is one investment banking myth you used to believe before learning more about the industry?

A lot of students think that IB and high finance are only for people from top colleges, but most strong profiles are actually built gradually during college. One common thing is decent academics. Not necessarily perfect grades, but consistent performance over time. Another thing that shows up often is practical exposure — internships at finance firms, startups, CA offices, valuation firms, or equity research companies. Many students start with small opportunities and slowly move toward bigger roles later. Finance-related activities also seem to play a big role. Finance clubs, case competitions, stock market simulations, research projects, and certifications like CFA or FMVA are pretty common among students targeting finance careers. Technical skills like Excel, accounting, valuation, and financial modeling also become important very quickly. Networking is another major factor people usually realize much later. A lot of opportunities come through seniors, alumni, referrals, LinkedIn connections, or simply staying active in finance communities. What stands out most is that strong profiles usually aren’t built overnight. They’re often the result of small but consistent efforts throughout college rather than one big achievement at the end.

What do you think matters the most for building a strong finance profile in college — internships, college brand, networking, or technical skills?

People often think IB is all about fancy presentations, big meetings and billion dollar deals. But behind almost every major every decision in finance, there is usually an Excel sheet open somewhere. Even Ai tools and and advanced software growing fast, Excel is still the backbone of investment banking and honestly, it is hard to imagine the industry without it.
From financial modelling and company valuation to budgeting, forecasting and analyzing mergers, bankers rely on Excel every single day. It is not just about entering formulas. Excels help analysts break down businesses, understand numbers deeply, and turn complex financial data into something decision makers can actually use. huge part of analyst job is spent building, checking and improving spreadsheets. One reason Excel has survived for so long is flexibility. Every deal is different, and Excel allows bankers to customize models exactly the way they need. It also becomes a common language across finance teams, clients, and firms around the world. No matter how advanced technology gets, strong Excel skills still signal that someone understands the fundamentals of finance and can work efficiently under pressure. For students trying to enter investment banking, learning Excel is honestly one of the best places to start. It may seem simple at first, but mastering it can make a huge difference in internships, interviews, and eventually on the job itself.

IB burnout doesn't hit suddenly it builds slowly overtime. At first everything feels exciting and intense and long hours feel like a part of the learning curve. After a while the excitement fades. The workload stays heavy but becomes routine and you start working on autopilot instead of enthusiasm. Eventually it turns into quite emotional fatigue. You are not constantly stressed just consistently drained and at that point people either adapt or start thinking about leaving. What makes it harder is that it doesn’t always feel like burnout in the beginning. It just feels like being tired all the time. Many don’t notice it until motivation has already dropped. The real challenge in IB is not just handling the work but managing how long you can stay mentally engaged in it. Have you seen this kind of shift in high pressure jobs or experienced it yourself?

Feels like the competition has become way more intense. Earlier, having stronger academics and decent internships could already make you competitive. Now it feels like everyone has finance internship, certifications, networking experience, technical prep, and polished resumes from day one. At the same time, the number of truly front-end IB seats still feel extremely limited, especially outside top top target schools and elite profiles. A lot of students are chasing the same fewer opportunities because of how glamourized IB has become online.
But I also think that the industry itself has changed. Firms seem to value communication, adaptability, and genuine interest much more now instead of technical knowledge. With Ai and automation slowly entering finance too, the expectations from candidates are only evolving quickly.
Curious to hear from people already in the industry. Do you think breaking into IB is genuinely harder than it was 5 years ago, or has the process just become different.

Everyone talks about technical skills, Excel, valuation, and financial modeling when it comes to investment banking, but I honestly feel the hardest part is probably handling the pressure day after day without burning out. The long hours, constant deadlines, lack of sleep, and pressure to always be “on” seem mentally exhausting in a way most students don’t fully understand beforehand. I feel like skills like staying calm under pressure, recovering quickly from mistakes, communicating well, and just being someone reliable to work with probably matter way more than people realize. Even having a good attitude at 2am after a brutal week sounds underrated. For people who’ve actually worked in IB, what skill ended up helping you survive your first year that nobody really talks about enough?

I always hear people talk about technical skills, networking, excel and internship when it comes to IB, but I feel like there are probably a lot of college experience that end up mattering more than expected. Maybe it was surviving terrible group projects, learning how to work under pressure during exams, giving presentations, balancing multiple deadlines, dealing with difficult people, or even just learning how to stay calm when exhausted.
For people already in banking, what’s something from your college life that unexpectedly prepared you for the reality of the job? Looking back, was there a moment where you realized, “wait… college actually trained me for this”?

I have been thinking about this a lot because IB feels like it is changing pretty quickly with AI, automation, and the way deals are evolving. A lot of repetitive analyst work is getting faster, so I am wondering that the skills that make someone successful in IB are starting to change too.

Do you think technical skills like modelling and accounting will still matter most, or are communication, commercial thinking, and relationship building becoming even more important now? It also feels like understanding industries and being able to think strategically matters more than before, especially with how competitive the industry has become. For people already working in banking, what skills actually make someone stand out long term, and what do you think students entering IB today are underestimating the most?

Des anyone feel like companies sometimes care more about your college or resume name more than your actual skills? I have seen really talented people work hard, learn a lot, and genuinely try to improve themselves, but still struggle to get noticed just because they are not from a top college or big background. I understand why companies prefer certain colleges, but it can feel pretty frustrating when it feels like people judge your resume before they even give you a chance to show what you can actually do.

Sometimes it makes you question yourself even when you know you’re capable. Feels like some people have to work twice as hard just to get the same opportunity.

Do people actually enjoy working in Investment Banking or just push through it for the rewards? From the outside it looks intense with long hours, tight deadlines and constant pressure. But at the same time some people seem to like being in that environment.
I wonder if the enjoyment comes from the work itself or more from being close to big deals and opportunities.
And in the early years especially, does it feel meaningful or mostly repetitive or exhausting?
With other careers now offering good pay and better balance, it makes me question this even more.
Is IB something people grow to enjoy over time, or is it mostly something you tolerate for few years.

I have been thinking about this as IB has a reputation of of being the fastest way to make serious money early on in your career. And i mean it still does pay really well, especially in your early 20s. But the hours are intense, and it pretty much takes over your life for a while. At the same time, I keep seeing people in tech and other roles earning similar numbers without that kind of lifestyle.
So I am honestly wondering, if money is the only goal, is IB still the best path or just the most obvious one people default to? And when you actually factor in time and stress, does it still make sense? Would love to hear real opinions on this.