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Happy New Year! And December 2007: Month In Review

Happy 2008 everyone! If you’re looking for an investment banking summer internship, your New Year’s Resolution may be to find one this month. And if you’ve already accepted a full-time offer, you may be looking for tips on starting your job successfully and adjusting to the working life. Over the next month you’ll find answers to both those topics on this site.

After launching in late November just after Thanksgiving and explaining what exactly investment bankers do, Mergers & Inquisitions featured a variety of posts in the month of December.

For those looking to switch into finance and investment banking from other careers such as engineering and law, parts I and II of the series “Breaking And Entering Into Finance” featured some tips and advice:

Becoming A Banker With An Engineering Background

Becoming A Banker With A Law Background

I’ve received questions on getting in from several other professions, including accounting, consulting and industries like pharmaceuticals, so look for “Breaking And Entering Into Finance” to continue this year. Each article actually takes considerable time to research since I’m not an expert on all (or any) of these.

Mergers & Inquisitions also featured several posts in December 2007 for those of you out there trying to get a better handle on what the job entails and how to survive and stay healthy/sane in the world of finance:

A (Bad) Day In The Life Of An Investment Banking Analyst

When I started this blog I hadn’t even thought of this idea, but a reader suggested it to me and I immediately liked the concept. This details one of the worst days I’ve had in this job - stay tuned for an account for one of my best days, which will hopefully be nearly as entertaining.

How To Stay Healthy As An Investment Banker

This one was derived from a popular thread over on Wall Street Oasis about fitness tips and whether it’s possible to stay in reasonable shape as a banker. The short answer: yes, but it takes dedicated effort and you’ll probably be less fit than you were at the beginning no matter how diligent you are.

How To Pick Your Team At An Investment Bank

A guest post by Proud Ex-Analyst, this article featured some tips on selecting your group at a bank. People often like to think in terms of investment banking exit opportunities, but the reality is if you have good experience and have worked hard, you’ll get a good job afterward. Your co-workers matter a lot more than the “prestige” of the group.

Vacation Time In Finance Jobs

Can you actually take a vacation as an investment banking analyst? Does anyone ever take time off? Yes and yes, contrary to a lot of what you’ll read out there. This article explains when and how.

I also decided to start a weekly reader Q&A and post answers to some of the questions I receive from readers each week if the questions apply to a large set of people (e.g., if you’re not asking how to get into banking after having been a monk in Nepal for 5 years and having circumnavigated the Earth by swimming and walking on your bare feet).

Q&A On Questions For Senior Banking Hires, Cover Letters And How Old Is “Too Old” To Switch In

The types of questions to expect if you’re interviewing for something other than an Analyst position, cover letter tips (hint: we barely read them) and changing careers when you’re over 30.

Q&A On Low GPA Issues, Internships For Freshmen And Saving As An Analyst

How to overcome a low GPA when applying for investment banking jobs, getting an internship even as a freshman and how much you can expect to save as an analyst.

If you want to be featured in one of these weekly Q&As or if you have any questions for me, email me and I’ll answer anything (assuming I can answer it, some of the questions I’ve been getting lately are tough).

Finally, just for fun I posted the other day a couple of reasons NOT to do investment banking. Hint: don’t say you’re in it for the “models and bottles”, because you want to start a company or to see if you can handle it.

Happy New Year everyone and stay tuned for more posts coming up this week and next!

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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