These are perhaps the most prestigious internships in financial services. An internship at a major investment banking or private equity firm indicates that the individual has had excellent exposure to the financial analysis.

All of the major investment banks have formal summer internship programs that you may apply directly to. Most will interview more...

These are perhaps the most prestigious internships in financial services. An internship at a major investment banking or private equity firm indicates that the individual has had excellent exposure to the financial analysis.

All of the major investment banks have formal summer internship programs that you may apply directly to. Most will interview on campus at targeted schools.

You should apply to positions in areas of the bank that include:
- Corporate Finance
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Capital Markets
- Research
- Real Estate
- Private Equity / Venture Capital
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The financial analyst position at a major investment bank is highly respected job within the financial services business. There are several areas within this division that provide outstanding exposure to the capital markets, mergers & acquisitions and fundamental financial analysis. All of the major investment banks have 2-3 year financial analyst programs. more...

The financial analyst position at a major investment bank is highly respected job within the financial services business. There are several areas within this division that provide outstanding exposure to the capital markets, mergers & acquisitions and fundamental financial analysis. All of the major investment banks have 2-3 year financial analyst programs. Typical areas include:
- Corporate Finance
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Capital Markets
- Research
- Real Estate


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Having exposure to the complexities and intricacies of mergers and acquisitions is an important skill set. Understanding the financial analysis, valuation techniques, tax consequences, financing strategies and compensation issues is critical to understanding whether any transaction is a good one. You can get this type of experience through:
- M&A departm more...

Having exposure to the complexities and intricacies of mergers and acquisitions is an important skill set. Understanding the financial analysis, valuation techniques, tax consequences, financing strategies and compensation issues is critical to understanding whether any transaction is a good one. You can get this type of experience through:
- M&A department within an investment bank
- Private equity or venture capital firms
- M&A area of a large corporation
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The three most common ways in which investment banks value companies is comparable company analysis, discounted cash flow analysis and pre-paid transactions. Pre-paid Transactions is the analysis of the multiples (e.g. price to earnings, asset value to EBITDA, etc.) for which comparable companies were sold in the market place including both mergers and acqui more...

The three most common ways in which investment banks value companies is comparable company analysis, discounted cash flow analysis and pre-paid transactions. Pre-paid Transactions is the analysis of the multiples (e.g. price to earnings, asset value to EBITDA, etc.) for which comparable companies were sold in the market place including both mergers and acquisitions. Such analysis will often show private companies sales for which purchase data is less readily available.
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Getting tangible experience in different valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis (DCF), comparable company transactions and comparable trading analysis is extremely important when pursuing opportunities in this field.
It is important that you understand how to value an asset of a company. Valuation methodologies vary by industry or th more...

Getting tangible experience in different valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis (DCF), comparable company transactions and comparable trading analysis is extremely important when pursuing opportunities in this field.
It is important that you understand how to value an asset of a company. Valuation methodologies vary by industry or the asset class being considered. Make sure you understand the types of valuation methodologies typical to the industry you are targeting. You don’t have to have finance-oriented work experience to learn valuation techniques, although that’s certainly a good place to get some real-world experience. There are many classes and books that will give you good exposure. Here are some suggestions for classes: Read the syllabus of investment and corporate finance classes at your school or a local community college. If the description does not mention valuation explicitly, but references the analysis of companies, stocks, or other assets, it will probably cover valuation analysis, but check with the professor to be certain. Talk with a finance professor or check online bookstores for top-selling and/or highly recommended books on valuation. Consult your campus career services office for internships or work opportunities in investment banking, private equity, venture capital, mergers & acquisitions, strategic planning, or real estate cash flow analysis.
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The income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements are the primary components or financial underpinnings of any company. You should be able to look at these financial statements and with some calculations, draw accurate conclusions about the operations of a company, identify inconsistencies, problems and opportunities. This analysis also includes  more...

The income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements are the primary components or financial underpinnings of any company. You should be able to look at these financial statements and with some calculations, draw accurate conclusions about the operations of a company, identify inconsistencies, problems and opportunities. This analysis also includes calculating basic ratios such as return on equity, return on assets, days receivable, etc. Production of a financial forecasting model that projects a company’s income statement, balance sheet and cash flows 3-10 years is quite important. Producing a model that integrates all three financial statement into each other and is driven by a set of changeable assumptions will give you an incredible understanding of each line item on a financial statement. Take a course covering financial accounting and another with a heavy emphasis on financial statement analysis. Seek finance-related work experience.
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