Investment banker
Help businesses raise funds for expansion by connecting them with other companies or wealthy people who have money to invest.
Also known as: corporate investment banker, investment manager, merchant banker
About the job
What it's like
You would help businesses raise funds for expansion and growth by connecting them with companies or wealthy people who have money to invest.
You would advise investors whether to put their money into a business project. Investors are usually either rich individuals or companies like pension funds or insurance companies which have large amounts of money. If the project succeeds then they will get more money back than they originally invested.
When a business tries to take over or merge with another company you would examine the proposal to ensure your clients will profit from the deal. Mergers and acquisitions can be very complex. You’d need to be able to focus on details and understand a lot of information at once.
You would:
Research markets
Find business opportunities
Help companies plan their long-term strategies
Help companies get the funds to set up or expand
Decide when a business should offer shares for sale and at what price
Help companies to get loans
Suggest new business deals to companies and investors
Work out the best arrangements – the structure – for a merger or acquisition
You would work closely with lawyers, accountants, finance officers and chief executives. You’d need to keep up to date with financial and legal regulations.
You might specialise in a particular industry or type of investment. A growing area is social investment, where you’d connect investors with companies that are not just profitable but which have a positive impact on individuals, society or the environment.
You’d need to be persuasive and a good negotiator. You’d also need to be confident in making decisions involving very large sums of other people’s money.
Explore more information about this job
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
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Financial and professional services
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- negotiating
- making decisions
- filtering
- researching
- working with numbers
- problem solving
- written communication
- verbal communication
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Accounting
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Business
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Business in Practice
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Economics
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Maths (Mathematics)
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Skills for Work: Financial Services
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Statistics
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Financial Services
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Accountancy
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Applications of Mathematics
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Most applicants normally have an honours degree (SCQF level 10) or a professional qualification or both.
An honours degree (SCQF level 10) at 2:1 or above is often required for entry to a graduate training programmes which is generally the most common route in. Entry on to these programmes is very competitive. You can also apply with qualifications and experience gained in other finance jobs.
Though you can apply with any degree, qualifications with a numerate, business, ICT or legal focus can be valuable.
To enter a degree usually requires National 5 qualifications and at least four Highers or a relevant Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8). Some universities require that you gain your Higher qualifications in one sitting.
Glasgow University offers an Investment Banking and Finance postgraduate qualification (SCQF level 11).
Relevant work-based experience and qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Providing Financial Services (SVQ level 2/3) and be willing to work towards qualifications once in a job.
Knowledge of a second language is useful.
Once in the job you must gain Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approved qualifications.
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