Several learners are allocating their time to search for Top Investment Banking Courses in India. One of the reasons for this is the scope of opportunities in the investment banking field. If you choose a course from the below-mentioned list of Top Investment Banking Courses in India, you will become industry-ready to serve any investment research firm. Let me share a few basics of investment banking and the benefits of pursuing a career in the stream before we know the list of skills to become an investment professional.
What is Investment Banking?
Investment banking is a part of the financial sector where financial instruments are involved to help organizations and individuals raise capital along with offering consultancy services. Investment banks are intermediaries between investors and security issuers and assist budding firms to go public. They are known to either sell stocks on behalf of the issuer or buy stocks at a price with the intention of reselling them to the public. When investment banks choose to sell the stocks of a company, they charge a commission for the same.
Now, let us look at the different kinds of financial instruments before learning about the Top Investment Banking Courses in India.
Derivatives: As the name suggests, instruments whose value can be ascertained from underlying entities like resources, assets, interest rates, and currencies are called derivatives. Their value depends on their performance in the market. Financial securities like shares and bonds can be linked to derivative securities. Derivative financial instruments can be cleared over the counter or exchange-traded.
Cash instruments: These are the kind of instruments that are considered easy to value and transfer in the market. Another distinguishing feature of these instruments is that they are influenced and formed in the markets. Deposits as well as loans are prime examples of cash instruments. Both parties - borrowers and lenders must agree to perform the transaction. The monetary value of the loans and deposits binds the parties involved.
Foreign Exchange Instruments: These types of instruments revolve around derivatives and currency agreements. The investment banks can represent them in the foreign market. These are further classified into outright forwards, currency swaps, and spots. Foreign exchanges are the platforms for trading international currencies and derivatives. These are the largest and most liquidated markets for trading volume. Many brokers, banks, and financial institutions deal with these instruments as the forex market.
Types of Asset Classes of Financial Instruments
Financial instruments are divided into equity assets and debt.
Debt-based Financial Instruments: These are usually in the form of bonds with a maturity of more than 12 months. Exchange=traded derivatives and cash equivalents like loans are some of the examples of debt-based instruments. Exotic derivatives, caps & floors, interest rate options, and interest rate swaps are examples of OTC derivatives. Monetary instruments like exchange-traded derivatives and certificates of deposits (CDs) are also covered under his category.
Equity-based Financial Instruments: These instruments include shares and stocks. Stock options and equity futures are exchange-traded derivatives included in this category. The OTC derivatives with exotic stock options are available in forward contracts, currency swaps, and currency options. Foreign exchange-traded securities are excluded from this category. Cash equivalents are in the form of spot currency with the current market rate.
Investment Banking Career Benefits
Is it not important to know why many people are interested in becoming an investor banker? It is very crucial to learn the reasons behind thousands of individuals' career choices.
High-earning potential: The finance industry is one of the lucrative career choices. The average salary of an employee working in investment banking is higher than professionals working in other fields. If you become a successful investment banker, you will receive significant commissions and increased salaries from your employer. This aspect of investment banking attracts many candidates who are determined to earn higher salaries.
Driven peers: One of the reasons for individuals to join the investment banking industry is because they are highly ambitious. It means investment banks have successful employees who have vast knowledge and a range of skills. In simple words, you will have highly talented and efficient individuals as your peers. You will have the opportunity to experience their analytical abilities and hard-working nature in completing the assigned tasks. When you work with such determined and driven individuals, you are bound to challenge yourself and become better at what you do.
Powerful networking: Believe it or not, investment bankers communicate with senior officials for various purposes. It means you will have the chance to build professional and personal relationships with senior officials. When you have high-ranking officials in your life, you get access to building your professional network. When you have access to more career opportunities, you can grow in the field. Your connections with powerful people will allow you to unleash hidden options and apply to them progress in the sector.
Continued development: The financial markets are dynamic. It means you have to keep observing the trends and learning new skills to handle them. There is no end point for evolution in the financial industry. This point sheds light on the requirement to regularly acquire new skills and knowledge from workshops, certification programs, and other related activities to sustain in the field. There is no scope for boredom. You may be involved in the generation of new ideas to contribute to the development of investment banking.
Investment Banker Skills
It is now time to learn what skills you need to rock the investment banking world. Let us look at the essential faculties for investment bankers.
Financial skills: As an investment banker, you will participate in large-scale financial transactions on behalf of your clients. You may be involved in IPOs, mergers, and acquisitions. Having a strong grip on mathematics, accounting, and economics will help you perform your duties efficiently. Apart from these, developing curiosity to grasp as much as knowledge on investment-related subjects can assist you in advancing your career. Gain knowledge and skills related to financial modeling, statistical analysis, data interpretation, risk management, credit management, regulatory policies, legislative procedures, and investment products like futures, commodity markets, derivatives, stocks, and foreign exchange.
Analytical skills: You may assume that only data analysts and scientists deal with large sets of data but investment bankers do too. They use data to make financial decisions and solve problems. They gather, evaluate, and analyze data to make better decisions. All of this requires strong analytical abilities. This is why employers search for candidates with strong analytical abilities. This kind of skill allows you to easily understand complex information and accordingly apply techniques for processing it. Having intellectual curiosity in addition to analytical skills will assist you in efficiently absorbing data, managing projects, making informed decisions, and achieving business goals.
Teamwork: An investment banker role requires you to collaborate with financial experts including data analysts. The ability to coordinate and communicate with the relevant teams will make you a good fit for the job. This also means that you should gain linked skills such as leadership abilities and efficient teamwork to become a manager in the field.
Dedication and discipline: As we discussed in the cons section of investment banking, it is crucial to have discipline to work long hours and complete tasks. Dealing with important transactions such as acquisitions and mergers requires you to have dedication in finishing off the duties without fail. Investment banking is a field filled with growth opportunities, however, the stress levels are equally high. You must not miss a deadline and be responsible for your work.
Communication: This skill is not just applicable to the investment banking sector. Strong communication skills will allow you to prosper in any position and in any company. As an investment banker, you will have the responsibility to regularly share updates with clients, potential investors, and team members. You can clearly share your opinions and thoughts with them only when you know how to correctly use words, tone, and presentation skills. As a matter of fact, financial information is complex in nature, and being able to explain the concepts and relevant information to the concerned parties is not an easy job. One misuse of a word and agenda of your meeting is lost. Communication can be verbal, written, visual, nonverbal, and listening. So ensure to develop good communication skills and succeed in the industry.
Resilience: One of the important questions to ask yourself is "Can I work under pressure without feeling overwhelmed?". This is because investment banking is a field of work that requires you to dedicate long hours for work. When you have resilience, nothing can stop you from becoming the best investment banker; you can finish off any task within deadlines and lead a peaceful professional life. This point sheds light on the balance between professional and personal life. The challenging scenarios you go through can make you stronger and help you impress your future employers.
Interpersonal skills: A positive attitude and confidence is a must to meet deadlines. You will have to deal with a number of clients. This means each client has different demands and you must meet them. The only way to achieve that is by having belief in yourself and the ability to work under stress. Apart from that, as discussed previously, you will have the opportunity to communicate with high-ranking officials such as department heads, clients, team managers, and C-suite executives. Having the right set of interpersonal skills will improve your relationship with them and lead to a progressive career.
Leadership skills: You will begin your career in investment banking as a financial researcher or a junior analyst. You will eventually be promoted to a senior management role where you have to lead people. In simple words, you will become an investment advisor or related professional as per your experience and skills. But if you are really interested in being at the top of the investment banking hierarchy, ensure to gain management and leadership skills. Demonstration of your management and leadership potential will make it easier to get to the top of the management levels.
Time and project management: You will be given the responsibility to handle the accounts of many high-profile clients. You must have the ability to correctly allocate time to the projects and complete them within deadlines. Being able to finish tasks on time is only possible when you are good at managing time and projects. This is why you must avail yourself of tools that can help you learn these two skills.
Top Investment Banking Courses in India
We have learned about investment banking, benefits of pursuing a career in the field and essential skills to become an investment banker. Now, it is time to know about the Top Investment Banking Courses in India that will prepare you for the future.
1. IIM SKILLS:
IIM SKILLS's certified Investment Banking Course is one of the Top Investment Banking Courses in India. Many potential investment bankers have availed of the program and have become employees in the relevant firms. This program is for 3 months (including a one-month internship). It is an online program; you don't have to travel to the institute. You can attend live classes and submit your assignments from your home. You can even clear your doubts online; utilize the 20 hours dedicated to resolving your queries.
The practical assignments will help you understand the level of your skills and knowledge in the subject. You will receive feedback to work on your performance. More than 10 templates are accessible for learners like you. The course includes more than 5 case studies to assist you in grasping the concepts at a faster pace. The guaranteed internship is what attracted many learners toward IIM SKILLS as it gives them exposure to real-life scenarios. The best part about this institute is that it offers job assistance to all its learners. If you want to get hired, enroll in the program now.
The course curriculum covers MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, Financial system fundamentals, market fundamentals, derivatives market. investment banking technicals, marketing collaterals, financial modeling technicals, and business valuation.
Course highlights include master certification, instructor-led training, all-time faculty support, access to study material for free, capstone projects, and preparation of resumes for interviews.
2. DataTrained:
DataTrained offers one of the comprehensive investment banking courses. The program is included in the list of Top Investment Banking Courses in India because it is a postgraduate course that will allow students to enter the investment banking field. The placement guarantee is one of the reasons for learners like you to become a student of DataTrained. The course syllabus includes basics of finance, financial statements, economics, investment banking, financial modeling, valuation, advanced Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, discounted cash flow valuation, cost of capital, relative valuation, start-up valuation, merger & acquisition with LBO, financial management, and case studies.
3. EduBridge:
Edubridge has one of the Top Investment Banking Courses in India. The certification program is 100% online. The EMI facility helps you choose a plan as per your convenience. The inclusion of doubt-clearing sessions, 2 certifications, case studies, projects, and study material in the program makes it different from other ed-tech companies. A graduate or a professional with 0-3 years of experience in the relevant field can avail of this course and benefit from it. The course syllabus includes financial planning, money market, value investing, trade life cycle, fixed-income securities, and financial modeling. Projects that include work from HDFC Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup are key highlights of the course.
Challenges in the Investment Banking Field
We have learned why many individuals choose investment banking as a career. Now, let us understand what some of the challenges are when you opt to work in investment banks.
Long working hours: Though being an investment banker allows you to enjoy higher salaries and other benefits, it can be challenging for a few. Some people may find it hard to survive in the field because the role requires the employees to dedicate extra hours to finish the assigned tasks. You may be requested to attend the office on weekends and work overtime during the week. That being said, the high-salary aspect compensates for the same.
Increased availability: Clients of the investment banker may place a request to the management about having on-call support during non-traditional working hours. This also means that the employer may request the employee to stretch and fulfill the client's needs by making phone calls or researching a topic and submitting the findings to them. Your presence will add value to the service and help you become a reliable team member. It also signifies that you will be considered for promotions in the future. However, if you are not a fan of spending a few additional hours at work, this role is not for you.
High competition: As mentioned earlier, the salary aspect in investment banking is the most appealing benefit to aspiring bankers. This makes it hard to thrive in this industry because every professional gives their best and is constantly in a rush to acquire skills that will add value to the resume. Some of them even spend additional time and seek training and advice from their peers. This is why it is important to ask yourself if you can work under pressure to succeed. A positive response will allow them to gain an edge over the rest.
Repetitive work: Though we have said that the markets in the industry are ever-changing, most of the work is repetitive. For example, report compilation and submission of research reports on companies are common tasks for an investment banker. The responsibilities of an investment banker are the same in almost every company. If you are interested in learning new things every day or prefer a dynamic workspace, this sector can be a disappointment for you. However, if you love to have consistency in work patterns, this stream is the perfect choice for you.
Conclusion
A field with several growth opportunities for ambitious students is in the limelight now and it is the investment banking sector. No wonder the demand for the list of Top Investment Banking Courses in India is higher than usual. An individual who enters the realm will have the privilege of enjoying higher salaries, networking with high-ranking officials, learning continuously, and a scope to explore a wide variety of career options. It is essential to apply to a program from the Top Investment Banking Courses in India to gain Financial skills, Analytical skills, Team player capability, dedication & discipline, communication, resilience, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, time management, and project management skills.
Gaining the crucial skills for an investment banker will direct any individual toward success in the chosen stream. You can pick IIM SKILLS, DataTrained, or EduBridge to become industry-ready. Names of these institutes are mentioned because they offer the Top Investment Banking Courses in India.
FAQs
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What are the names of institutes that offer the Top Investment Banking Courses in India?
There are many training entities that provide Top Investment Banking Courses in India. However, IIM SKILLS, DataTrained, and EduBridge are considered the best choice for ambitious students. That being said, you can research and find training entities that suit your career, financial, and personal goals and become an investment professional in one of the leading firms.
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Can I become an investment professional after completing an investment banking course?
Yes, you can become an investment banker if you complete a comprehensive course with dedication. Your choice of institute plays a major role in shaping your career. So, it is a must for you to select only reliable entities for gaining knowledge and skills in investment banking. Entering the wrong college may eat away your time, energy, and efforts to become an investment banker.
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What are the different kinds of asset classes of financial instruments?
Debt-based financial instruments and equity-based financial instruments are the classified versions of the asset classes of financial instruments.
