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Industry Guide

Finance IndustryCareer Guide

Your comprehensive guide to breaking into Wall Street. From investment banking to private equity, learn about roles, compensation, and how to ace your finance interviews.

$150K+
IB All-in Comp
80-100
Hours/Week (IB)
3.7+
Target GPA
6-8
Interview Rounds

Finance Roles for New Grads

Explore the most sought-after finance positions, compensation packages, and career paths.

Investment Banking Analyst

$100,000 - $150,000 (+ bonus)

Advise companies on mergers, acquisitions, and capital raising.

10% (Faster than average)
Key Skills:
Financial ModelingValuationExcelPowerPoint
Top Employers:
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Bank of America

Financial Analyst

$65,000 - $95,000

Analyze financial data and provide insights for business decisions.

9% (Faster than average)
Key Skills:
Financial AnalysisExcelSQLBudgeting
Top Employers:
Fortune 500 Companies, Big 4 Accounting, Financial Services, Consulting Firms

Private Equity Analyst

$90,000 - $130,000 (+ carry)

Evaluate and execute investments in private companies.

15% (Much faster than average)
Key Skills:
LBO ModelingDue DiligencePortfolio ManagementValuation
Top Employers:
Blackstone, KKR, Carlyle, Apollo

Equity Research Analyst

$85,000 - $120,000

Research and analyze stocks to provide investment recommendations.

6% (As fast as average)
Key Skills:
Financial ModelingIndustry AnalysisWritingValuation
Top Employers:
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Bank of America

Quantitative Analyst

$100,000 - $180,000

Develop mathematical models for trading and risk management.

25% (Much faster than average)
Key Skills:
PythonC++StatisticsMachine Learning
Top Employers:
Two Sigma, Citadel, DE Shaw, Jane Street

Risk Analyst

$70,000 - $110,000

Identify and assess financial risks for organizations.

8% (Faster than average)
Key Skills:
Risk ModelingVaRStress TestingRegulatory Compliance
Top Employers:
Banks, Insurance Companies, Asset Managers, Consulting Firms

Must-Know Technical Concepts

Master these fundamental concepts before your finance interviews.

DCF Valuation

Discounted Cash Flow analysis values a company based on projected future cash flows discounted to present value.

Project free cash flows
Calculate WACC
Determine terminal value
Sensitivity analysis

LBO Model

Leveraged Buyout model analyzes returns from acquiring a company using significant debt financing.

Sources & uses
Debt schedule
Returns analysis (IRR, MOIC)
Exit scenarios

Comparable Company Analysis

Values a company by comparing it to similar publicly traded companies using valuation multiples.

Select peer group
Calculate multiples (EV/EBITDA, P/E)
Apply to target
Adjust for differences

Precedent Transactions

Values a company based on prices paid in similar M&A transactions.

Find relevant deals
Calculate transaction multiples
Consider control premium
Adjust for market conditions

Finance Interview Types

Prepare for these common interview formats in finance recruiting.

Technical Interview

30-45 minutes

Test your knowledge of finance concepts, accounting, and valuation.

Sample Questions:
Walk me through a DCF analysis
What are the three financial statements and how are they linked?
How does depreciation affect the three statements?
What's the difference between enterprise value and equity value?
Walk me through an LBO model

Fit/Behavioral Interview

30-45 minutes

Assess your motivation, teamwork, and cultural fit.

Sample Questions:
Why investment banking/finance?
Why our firm specifically?
Tell me about a time you worked under pressure
Walk me through your resume
What's a recent deal you've been following?

Case Study

45-60 minutes

Analyze a business scenario and present recommendations.

Sample Questions:
Should Company A acquire Company B?
How would you value this company?
What factors would you consider for this investment?
Present your analysis of this industry
Recommend a capital structure for this company

Modeling Test

1-3 hours

Build a financial model from scratch or fix an existing one.

Sample Questions:
Build a 3-statement model
Create a DCF valuation
Build an LBO model
Analyze this company's financials
Find and fix errors in this model

Finance Resume Bullet Examples

Use these proven resume bullets as templates for your finance applications.

Investment Banking

Executed $2.5B M&A transaction in healthcare sector, conducting due diligence and preparing management presentations for client board

Built comprehensive DCF and LBO models for 15+ potential acquisition targets, identifying $500M+ in value creation opportunities

Prepared 50+ page confidential information memorandum for $800M sell-side mandate, coordinating with legal and accounting teams

Conducted industry analysis and competitive benchmarking for IPO roadshow, supporting $1.2B equity offering

Managed data room with 1,000+ documents for cross-border M&A deal, ensuring timely responses to buyer due diligence requests

Private Equity / Venture Capital

Sourced and evaluated 100+ investment opportunities, leading to 3 deals totaling $150M in deployed capital

Conducted operational due diligence for $200M platform acquisition, identifying $30M in cost synergies

Built detailed LBO models and sensitivity analyses for portfolio company refinancing, optimizing capital structure

Monitored portfolio of 8 companies ($500M AUM), preparing quarterly board materials and performance reports

Led exit process for portfolio company, achieving 3.5x MOIC through strategic sale to industry buyer

Corporate Finance / FP&A

Developed annual budget of $50M across 5 departments, implementing zero-based budgeting methodology

Created automated financial reporting dashboard in Excel/Power BI, reducing monthly close time by 40%

Led variance analysis identifying $2M in cost savings opportunities, presenting findings to C-suite executives

Built 5-year financial forecast model supporting $100M capital investment decision approved by board

Managed quarterly earnings process including guidance preparation, analyst Q&A, and investor presentations

Top Finance Firms to Target

These are the most prestigious firms in finance. Research their culture before applying.

Goldman Sachs

Bulge Bracket
Prestige: Elite
"Intense, prestigious"

Morgan Stanley

Bulge Bracket
Prestige: Elite
"Collaborative, analytical"

JPMorgan

Bulge Bracket
Prestige: Elite
"Professional, diverse"

Evercore

Elite Boutique
Prestige: Elite
"Deal-focused, lean teams"

Lazard

Elite Boutique
Prestige: Elite
"Advisory-focused, global"

Blackstone

Private Equity
Prestige: Elite
"Excellence-driven"

KKR

Private Equity
Prestige: Elite
"Entrepreneurial, long-term"

Citadel

Hedge Fund
Prestige: Elite
"Quantitative, fast-paced"

Ready to Break Into Finance?

Start with our comprehensive guides to build a winning resume and ace your finance interviews.