As a freshman exploring the various avenues that a business-school degree can provide, one can get overwhelmed. Luckily, Villanova's many business societies provide opportunities and events to learn more about the many specializations of business. Such events bring together professionals from a range of positions in specific fields to share experiences, advice, and outlooks on their professions. Not only do these events provide new perspectives to students, but bring insider answers to the numerous questions that first-year students may have.
In recent weeks, I have had the pleasure of attending the Mergers & Acquisitions Society Investment Banking Panel. The Mergers & Acquisition Society hosted an Investment Banking panel discussion focusing on an overview of the sector, recruiting, and day-to-day life as an investment banker. The panel included alumni from a variety of prestigious companies such as Barclays, BMO, Goldman Sachs, Jefferies, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley.
The event followed an interactive format where first, a moderator posed questions to the panelists, followed by an open forum for student questions. Panelists were asked to discuss topics ranging from their paths at Villanova, the day-to-day activities, and what led them to follow the path in business that they did. Students inquired about the hours, workload, and routes that they could take to arrive in the investment banking field at some of these major companies.
The panelists kept their responses informative, honest, and insightful. Though they boasted the many benefits of investment banking, such as competitive pay, adaptable skills, and dynamic working environment, they were honest in terms of the less-favorable aspects of the career. They discussed the long hours, rigorous workload, unequal work-life balance, and repetitiveness as some of the reasons that investment banking is not for everyone. Additionally, they compared and contrasted their daily tasks and workload, considering that their positions ranged in seniority. Overall, the diversity and range of positions on the panel helped to provide multiple perspectives and a good picture of how the role changes throughout one's career. Furthermore, they included their perspectives on how investment banking will devolve in the future so that students would have an idea of what to expect. Examples they provided included tech developments in the world of finance and gender equality in the field.
This event was beneficial, especially to students who might not have known what investment banking entailed. The panelists were able to provide a new perspective, one unable to be replicated in the classroom with professors who may not have had that experience. It is a great benefit to students to be able to attend such events, especially students who are not in business and might not have the same resources as those who are. I would recommend attending such an event for anyone who desires to learn more about the world of finance.
Though this year's panel is not available yet, feel free to watch the panel from 2018 here, available to all students interested in learning more about investment banking.
