Bull's Balls (Preview): Investment Banking 2016 Recruiting/ Interview Guide (Charging Bull)

Now that you are decided to be part of the i-bankers family, it does not matter if you process the skills as the rocket scientists or as the next Shakespeare. There is only one thing that need to be successful in diving into the IBD industry - BALLS. Throughout the recruiting cycle, every steps and activities that you do is as simple as having the balls. If you do not have the balls to network or cold cold, you may re-consider if i-banking is really for you (i.e. even if you are lucky enough, will you able to survive?)

The Charging Bull's Eyes is the first book of The Charging Bull. It covers the overview IBD recruiting process for 2016 and guidance upon how to navigate it with success. It also covers M&A related updates such as big bucket information (fyi big buckets (if you do not even know what big buckets are are this stage, you are pretty behind the curve yet never says never...), 2015 League Table and historical notable M&A deals that are intended to assist aspiring IBD candidates to stand out from the crowd.

Charging Bull Series
Arturo Di Modica’s Charing Bull, also known as the Wall Street Bull, is a bronze sculpture that has stood in Bowling Green Park in Manhattan, New York City since December 21st, 1989. For almost two decades, this brass bull sculpture is the symbol of aggressive financial optimism/prosperity and, above all, Wall Street and the Financial District. Within the Financial Elite community, it has long been believed that rubbing its eyes, horns and balls (testicles) will bring one good luck and fortune on the first day of their job.

Consider as one of the most glamorous and well-paid jobs, investment banking (or namely IBD) has attracted thousands, if not millions, of undergraduates and graduates from all majors around the globe to apply each year. Its recruitment process is one of the most structural and standardized interviews among all professions. Just as one can imagine the chance of getting an interview for the IBD role, both summer intern and full-time, is equivalent to the odds of being struck by the lightening (a good and common brain teaser question during real interview), let alone being hired.

Whether you are at target or non-target schools, no one can deny both luck and skills are required to be the next IBD hired. The Charing Bull series is written to boost both LUCK and SKILLS for IBD potential candidates. Instead of being superstitious asking young inspires to head to Wall Street to rub the eyes, horn and balls to be lucky, mastering The Charing Bull series will increase candidates’ luck (i.e. probability) of being hired in a practical way. Instead of asking potential candidates to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on in-class/ on-line training courses which teach one nothing but Excel shortcuts or impractical financial model to boost their confidence, it covers all the essence (IBD is no rocket science) one needs to be candidates with sufficient REQUIRED SKILLS on the interview.

This series is NOT a book about what Investment Banking is nor about how to get into Trading/Asset Management. This series is solely written for Undergraduates/Graduates looking to head into traditional IBD summer internship/ full time. Once you are determined to be THE i-banker as your career path, you should worship this Charing Bull as early as possible. The earlier you master this Charing Bull, the higher chance you are the next hire. May the author wish through mastering the Charing Bull’s balls, eyes and horns one will equip with both luck and skills; and above all, be the next IBD hired.