{"id":1018,"date":"2022-08-08T19:53:28","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T19:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/?p=1018"},"modified":"2024-07-22T16:54:07","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T20:54:07","slug":"investment-banking-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/skills\/investment-banking-skills","title":{"rendered":"Investment Banking Skills for Your Resume"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/basics\/hard-vs-soft-skills\">hard and soft skills<\/a> you need in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/investment-banking\">investment banking<\/a> include understanding complex formulas and having the dedication to tackle the long, sometimes stressful hours required in an investment banking career. Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/basics\/how-to-write-resume\">resume<\/a> should show potential employers that you have the skills, experience, and knowledge necessary to succeed as an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/investment-banker\">investment banker<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-required-financial-knowledge-for-investment-banking\">Required Financial Knowledge for Investment Banking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As with any job, you must have the skills to know what you&#8217;re working with. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/companies\/investment-banking-companies\">investment banking companies<\/a>, this means understanding financial markets, working with specific types of documents, and knowing how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/what-is-research\">research<\/a> and analyze the information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Important general skills and knowledge needed for investment banking include:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Knowledge of financial markets and economic trends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Understanding of the types of debt, present and future value, project finance, and leveraged finance&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ability to read and understand financial documents, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/profit-and-loss-statement\">income statements<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/balance-sheet\">balance sheets<\/a>, shareholder equity statements, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/cash-flow-statement\">cash flow statements<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Familiarity with legal regulations in the investment banking industry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strong <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/what-is-research\">research skills<\/a> to be able to find and analyze information<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card\">\n\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__inner\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__col\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Depositphotos_535677528_L-150x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Citibank, citigroup logo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Depositphotos_535677528_L-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Depositphotos_535677528_L-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Depositphotos_535677528_L-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Depositphotos_535677528_L-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Depositphotos_535677528_L-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Depositphotos_535677528_L.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"forage-core-course-card__name\">Citi Investment Banking<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"forage-core-course-card__description\">Fast track your investment banking career using this free Citi job simulation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__button forage-core-course-card__button--desktop\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/simulations\/citi\/investment-banking-9wcw\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"forage-core-course-card__time\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"label\">Avg. Time:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5 to 6 hours\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"forage-core-course-card__skills\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"label\">Skills you&#8217;ll build:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPowerPoint, enterprise value, company research, Excel, financial modeling, forecasting, valuation, comparison analysis, critical thinking, reading comprehension\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__button forage-core-course-card__button--mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/simulations\/citi\/investment-banking-9wcw\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hard-skills-for-investment-banking\">Hard Skills for Investment Banking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/investment-banking-career-path\">investment banking career<\/a> involves a lot of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/basics\/hard-skills\">hard skills<\/a>: doing specific calculations, using computer programs, and analyzing complex financial data sets are core parts of the daily workload. Highlighting these skills on your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/basics\/what-is-resume\">resume<\/a> lets a potential employer know that you can manage the technical aspects of working in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/companies\/what-companies-are-in-the-finance-field\">finance field<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt;&gt;MORE:<\/strong> Build your skills with our picks for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/investment-banking-job-simulations\">top investment banking job simulations for 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Computer Programs for Investment Banking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/what-is-microsoft-excel\"><strong>Excel<\/strong><\/a>: Create financial models, analyze a company&#8217;s financial data, and do calculations for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/business-valuation\">valuation<\/a>, forecasting, and modeling.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>PowerPoint<\/strong>: Use multiple aspects of PowerPoint to build clear and effective presentations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Word<\/strong>: Use Word to create accurate and consistent financial documents for internal and external use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Power BI<\/strong>: Create interactive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/virtual-internships\/prototype\/hzmoNKtzvAzXsEqx8\/Data%20Analytics%20and%20Visualization\">data visualizations<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>PitchBook<\/strong>: Source and analyze private and market capital data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/companies\/working-at-bloomberg\"><strong>Bloomberg<\/strong><\/a><strong> Terminal<\/strong>: Access real-time market data and keep up-to-date on shifts and trends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-need-to-know-calculations-nbsp\">Need-to-Know Calculations&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the day-to-day work in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/careers-in-finance\">finance careers<\/a> involves crunching numbers. Your resume should show that you understand specific calculations for valuation, modeling, and forecasting, such as:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/dcf-valuation\"><strong>Discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation<\/strong><\/a>: Forecasting free cash flows (FCF) and then converting them to a present value based on the weighted average cost of capital (WACC)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/cagr\"><strong>Compound annual growth rate (CAGR)<\/strong><\/a>: Determining how much an investment will grow over a specific period of time<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book building: <\/strong>Determining the price for an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/ipo\">initial public offering (IPO)<\/a> based on bids from potential <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/investor\">investors<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Equity value<\/strong>: Figuring out how much a company is worth by multiplying the company&#8217;s number of outstanding shares by the latest price of the stock&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/wacc\"><strong>Weighted average cost of capital (WACC)<\/strong><\/a>: Shows how much the company is expected to pay to finance its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/asset\">assets<\/a> and is a key factor in DCF valuation&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unlevered free cash flow (UFCF)<\/strong>: Calculating the amount of money a company has before paying for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/capex\">capital expenditures<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/understanding-operating-expenses-definition-and-examples\">operating expenses<\/a>, as opposed to <strong>free cash flow (FCF)<\/strong>, which is how much a company has left over after covering their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/expenses\">expenses<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Growth rate<\/strong>: Displaying how much a company has grown in a specific time period<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/comparable-company-analysis\"><strong>Comparable company analysis<\/strong><\/a>: Determining the value of a company by comparing it to similar companies in the same industry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/npv\"><strong>Net present value (NPV)<\/strong><\/a>: Showing the present value of cash flows over the life of an investment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card\">\n\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__inner\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__col\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/working-at-bank-of-america-150x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Working at Bank of America\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/working-at-bank-of-america-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/working-at-bank-of-america-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/working-at-bank-of-america-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/working-at-bank-of-america-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/working-at-bank-of-america-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/working-at-bank-of-america-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/working-at-bank-of-america.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"forage-core-course-card__name\">Bank of America Investment Banking<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"forage-core-course-card__description\">Learn the skills investment bankers use every day with this free job simulation from Bank of America.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__button forage-core-course-card__button--desktop\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/simulations\/bank-of-america\/investment-banking-bwp7\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"forage-core-course-card__time\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"label\">Avg. Time:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t4 to 5 hours\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"forage-core-course-card__skills\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"label\">Skills you&#8217;ll build:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSWOT analysis, financial analysis, M&amp;A screening, ECM, DCM, financial modeling, discounted cash flow analysis, business valuation, communication, presentations\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"forage-core-course-card__button forage-core-course-card__button--mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/simulations\/bank-of-america\/investment-banking-bwp7\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-soft-skills-needed-for-investment-banking\">Soft Skills Needed for Investment Banking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Banking and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/financial-services\">financial services<\/a> careers require <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/investment-banking-hours\">long hours<\/a> and careful calculations. Some of the most important <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/basics\/what-are-soft-skills-definition-and-examples\">soft skills<\/a> for investment banking are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/analytical-skills\"><strong>Analytical skills<\/strong><\/a><br>Entry-level investment bankers are called &#8220;analysts&#8221; for a good reason: investment banking primarily involves analyzing data and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/problem-solving-skills\">problem-solving<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/attention-to-detail\">Attention to Detail<\/a>&nbsp;<\/strong><br>Investment banking involves analyzing a company&#8217;s real finances, and any mistakes in calculations or information can have real-world negative consequences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/collaboration-skills\"><strong>Collaboration<\/strong><\/a><br>&#8220;Investment bankers are typically required to work in synergy to fulfill professional objectives. Consequently, underperformance from any single team member can significantly impede the project&#8217;s momentum,&#8221; says June Jia, investment banker at GF Securities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/communication-skills\"><strong>Communication<\/strong><\/a><br>Whether it&#8217;s explaining a financial model to a client or running a meeting with your teammates, communication is key in the investment banking world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dedication<\/strong><br>Investment bankers work very long, busy days, so having the drive and dedication to do the work is necessary to succeed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/negotiation-skills\"><strong>Negotiation<\/strong><\/a><br>Communicating important details to others to reach mutually beneficial agreements is a core skill needed in investment banking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Organization<\/strong><br>The day-to-day in an investment bank often involves balancing several projects at a time, so staying organized is key to keeping everything on track.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/skills\/time-management\"><strong>Time Management<\/strong><\/a><br>&#8220;Given the notoriously demanding nature of investment banking, professionals in this field often grapple with overlapping projects and impending deadlines,&#8221; says Jia. &#8220;Insufficient time management skills could lead to errors, while inadequate stress management might contribute to mental exhaustion under such high-pressure circumstances.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/basics\/work-ethic\"><strong>Work Ethic<\/strong><\/a><br>Being dependable and committed to doing a good job can help you stand out to your managers and is vital to being successful in investment banking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group forage__cta-pattern is-vertical is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Find Your Career Fit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Figure out what career is right for you with our free quiz!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/basics\/career-test\">Get started<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-tips-for-including-investment-banking-resume-skills\">3 Tips for Including Investment Banking Resume Skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-highlight-your-skills-using-concrete-examples-nbsp\">1. Highlight Your Skills Using Concrete Examples&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve helped to facilitate a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/mergers-acquisitions-good-career-path\">merger or acquisition<\/a> from start to finish, or have worked with a company to set up their initial public offering (IPO), give specific examples within your work history or internships section to show you have this experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;While many individuals may list proficiency in these tools [and skills] on their resumes, failure to execute complex tasks, such as financial modeling in Excel, would certainly deem them inadequate,&#8221; says Jia.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Giving examples can prove you have the skills needed to be a successful investment banker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt;&gt;MORE: <\/strong>Applying to investment banking roles? Download our free Superday guide below for exclusive insights on how to prepare for and ace these interviews.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"forage__premium-content\">\n\t<div class=\"forage__premium-content-cta\" style=\"visibility: hidden;\">\n\t\t<div class=\"forage__premium-content-cta-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"forage__premium-content-cta-message\">\n\t\t\t\t\tYou must log in or sign up to download this guide.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"forage__premium-content-cta-primary-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/login?redirectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ftheforage.wpengine.com%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F1018\">\n\t\t\t\t\tLogin\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"forage__premium-content-cta-secondary-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/student-signup?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Ftheforage.wpengine.com%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F1018\">\n\t\t\t\t\tSign up\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"forage__premium-content-inner\" style=\"visibility: hidden;\">\n\t\t\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\"  class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Banking-Superday-Guidance-5.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Banking-Superday-Guidance-5.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-f23941f0-9182-4ff7-b53f-4d8c784bf50b\" href=\"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Banking-Superday-Guidance-5.pdf\">Banking-Superday-Guidance-5<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Banking-Superday-Guidance-5.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-f23941f0-9182-4ff7-b53f-4d8c784bf50b\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-don-t-forget-to-mention-certifications\">2. Don&#8217;t Forget to Mention Certifications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some companies may require a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/chartered-financial-analyst\">chartered financial analyst (CFA)<\/a> designation, so be sure to include that on your resume. Also, you should display any exams you&#8217;ve passed from the financial industry regulatory authority (FINRA) on your resume. For example, if you are already registered with FINRA and have passed the Series 7 and Series 66 exams, clearly state that on your resume.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-focus-on-your-skills-not-just-your-degree\">3. Focus on Your Skills, Not Just Your Degree<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You typically need at least a bachelor&#8217;s degree to work in an investment bank, and many investment banks want people with degrees in quantitative fields, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/accounting\">accounting<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/is-finance-a-good-career-path\">finance<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/careers\/economics-definition-and-overview\">economics<\/a>. However, if you have the financial skills and the passion, it may not be that important to have a finance-focused degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, regardless of your degree, having &#8220;a comprehensive understanding of accounting [and finance] is crucial,&#8221; says Jia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just be prepared to prove that you have the required&nbsp; skills and knowledge, and explain your interest in investment banking in your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/blog\/basics\/how-to-write-a-cover-letter\">cover letter<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to see what being an investment banker is really like? Learn from top companies with Forage&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/simulations?careers=banking%2520%2526%2520financial%2520services\">free banking and financial services job simulations<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The hard and soft skills you need in investment banking include understanding complex formulas and having the dedication to tackle the long, sometimes stressful hours required in an investment banking career. Your resume should show potential employers that you have the skills, experience, and knowledge necessary to succeed as an investment banker. Required Financial Knowledge &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/skills\/investment-banking-skills\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Investment Banking Skills for Your Resume<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":826,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"forage_sticky_bar_enabled":true,"forage_sticky_bar_content":"Build career skills recruiters are looking for.","forage_sticky_bar_button_text":"Sign up","forage_sticky_bar_button_url":"https:\/\/www.theforage.com\/signup","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"forage_editor_id":17,"forage_reviewer_id":6,"forage_authors":[],"veps":[4026,4715,3995],"forage_sidebar":0,"forage_related_disabled":false,"forage_toc_enabled":true,"forage_toc_level":0,"modified":"2024-06-06T10:00:00","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.5 (Yoast SEO v24.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Investment Banking Skills for Your Resume - Forage<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Investment banking skills include communication and knowledge of complex formulas. 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