Top tips for navigating the world of finance, from a career perspective

We all know how competitive it is to break into Investment Banking (IB). You might be a highly motivated student with excellent grades—and like in my case—not make it to Investment Banking but secure an internship in a different area of a bank.

So you may be wondering: Is it possible to internally move teams into IB?

In short: It is possible, and I did it—but it was painful. It is certainly not as straightforward as you may think.

🤔 What is the easiest way into IB?

The summer internship!

Being proactive and on time can help secure a spot in a summer internship—which is, by far, the easiest way to land a full-time IB Analyst role.

While all hope isn’t lost if you missed the summer internship (like I did), be aware that most graduate IB spots are usually filled by the previous year’s summer interns. Only a handful of spots remain open for direct applicants through graduate schemes.

So if you’re interested in a career in Investment Banking, your quickest and statistically most likely way in is through the Summer Internship.

🔃 How did I transition internally to IB?

In short: I had to reapply.

I completed a summer internship in a different 'Back Office' Finance team and even started a full-time position in that team after university. But even being inside the firm, it was not easy. I had to reapply and go through the entire hiring process from scratch.

And my time or seniority didn't matter—when I joined the IB team, I started from zero, just like any junior Investment Banking Analyst.

While I found my internship and experience useful, if you really want to make it into Investment Banking, I strongly recommend applying directly.

Trying to join a different team first and then internally transfer is not easy, and you’ll still have to jump through the same hoops as any external candidate.

I did it—and so can you. But if IB is your goal, I’d recommend going straight for it.