What does the work of an investment banker look like?

Investment bankers design funding options for large businesses. Lots of research on businesses, number crunching on business models and funding, lots of meetings and lots of presentations. The junior bankers do the number crunching and prepare the meeting materials. The senior bankers find the deals, manage the relationships with the clients, direct the research and analysis, land the deals and get the qudos!

Long hours, high stress, demanding bosses and colleagues - all of which can consume you. It will provide excellent pay, excellent training, great career opportunities in the traditional sense.

It's a career that is tough but financially rewarding - for as long as you have the motivation and drive to work it and the business you work for has the jobs. This is an industry that fluctuates - there are cycles of upturn and downturn. In the upturns businesses grow and need to fund that - the work is plentiful. On the downturns, the banks downsize to keep costs in line with their revenues and investment bankers lose their jobs. Many who lose jobs in mid career make a career change at that point.

Investment banker has to be the go-getter for their clients. Well versed with previous and present financial markets and should be able to predict the future market as well. Lot of pressure when it comes to dealing with big clients and high investments. Numbers should be accurate ( no guesses ) and have to make good judgements for the investments. That's how they can attract more clients for investing.Should have an eye for sectors which can boom in the next coming years ( new markets are good terrain but risky too ).