About

Work Experience

I launched Mergers & Inquisitions in November 2007 after realizing that the web lacked good resources on investment banking and the financial services industry.

There were plenty of sites discussing the stock market and deal-making, but there was nothing on how to break in or what the lifestyle was like.

My motivation for the site was my own story: coming from an engineering background, I successfully broke into investment banking and worked in a Mergers & Acquisitions group at a major investment bank (hence my inspiration for the title).

In a former life, I worked at startups, large companies and nonprofits in both the US and Asia. Some might call this a random career path, but it has given me insight into what you need to break in from a variety of backgrounds.

I’ve lived on both the East and West Coasts of the US, as well as in Taiwan and Japan before.

I now own and operate my own businesses, including this site.

In addition to the free content and nearly over 100 articles on this site, I offer resume editing and mock interviews to prospective bankers.

Education

I attended a well-known 4-year university (yes, it was a “target” school).

Skills, Activities & Interests

My hobbies include M&A, sailing, modeling, squash and aggressive spending working out, swimming, traveling and aggressive spending (I admit it).

Need to contact me? Submit your question through the contact page.

Mergers & Inquisitions Core Content

What is Investment Banking?: Ari Gold: What Bankers Actually Do, Why NOT Do Investment Banking

Investment Banking Lifestyle: A Day in the Life - Worst Day and Best Day, How to Stay Fit, Investment Banking Wardrobe for Men, Investment Banking Lingo Part 1 and Part 2, A Week in the Life (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

Breaking into Finance: How to Get an Investment Banking Job, Networking into Investment Banking, Recruiting in a Tough Market, Breaking in from Engineering, Breaking in from Law, Breaking in from the Back Office

Investment Banking Resumes: How to Write an Investment Banking Resume, How Investment Bankers Read Resumes

Investment Banking Interviews: Investment Banking Interview Guide, The Interview Selection Process, How to Close Your Interviews

Summer Internships: Summer Intern Success Guide, How to Dominate Your Summer Internship, Tips from a Former Summer Analyst, What You Do as a Summer Analyst, 10 Summer Internship "Don't's", How Summer Interns Get Full-Time Offers

Investment Banking Salaries: Investment Banking Salaries vs. McDonald's, Why Investment Bankers Make So Much Money, 2008 Analyst Bonuses

Private Equity / Buyside Jobs: Private Equity Resumes, Private Equity Interviews, The Myth of the Buyside Job, Headhunters: Friend or Foe?

Specific Groups: UBS LA, Boutiques, Restructuring, The Back Office

Quitting Finance: The Conference Room: How You Get Fired, The Farewell Email, A Day in the Life of a Former Investment Banker