Which Language Should You Learn to Break Into Investment Banking?

Right after the merits of the CFA, GPA rounding, and the ranking of schools and banks, the question that spawns the most debate is which language you should learn to break into investment banking.

And there are many candidates, each supported by a combination of logic and zeal:

• Spanish: Latin America!
• Portuguese: Brazil!!!
• Mandarin: China!!!!
• Arabic: The Middle East!!!!

So which one should you learn to maximize your chances?

Or is the real answer not even on this list?

48 Hours in the Life of a Sales & Trading Intern

The following takes place between 6 AM and 6 AM, at a large investment bank in Tokyo.

Events occur in real time.

6:00 AM: The alarm goes off. I really want to snooze but via sheer willpower I jump out of bed – need to impress my boss and co-workers.

6:30 AM: For my breakfast, I buy bottled tea and onigiri (rice balls) at a convenience store. I listen to the Nikkei Shimbun (analogous to the Wall Street Journal) podcast while walking to work.

6:50 AM: I am one of the first people at the office. I breathe a sigh a relief after confirming that my boss isn’t here yet – sometimes he comes in early too.

No Matter How Badly You Fail Your Investment Banking Interviews, You Can’t Do Worse Than This

Forget about conquering your interviews and fixing all your mistakes.

Sometimes it’s fun to sit back and laugh at how badly you failed.

Or at least to engage in some schadenfreude.

Story #1: Holla Back, Office

This one took place when I was interviewing for every single position under the sun: banking, sales & trading, hedge funds, consulting, and reality TV hosting.