How would you go about becoming an investment banker once graduating from university with your degree?

I have just got into a top university- London School of Economics to take an accounting and finance degree. It is my dream to become an investment banker. Once I graduate, what is the best way of becoming one?

Once you graduate is *way* too late - you need to get an summer internship at an investment bank after your penultimate year. But getting that internship will be tricky too, you'll need to have decent work experience, strong grades, and strong activities.

Start now, by getting a summer job before uni (or if you're off travelling that's ok too, but make sure you get a summer job after your first year). It doesn't really matter what the job is at this stage (i.e. it can be McD's, obviously something relevent would be better - but you'll learn plenty of invaluable skills in retail as well).

At uni get involved with societies/sport clubs/student paper (take your pick) in your first year, with the plan of getting onto the committee that runs it in your second year (getting an elected role like president, treasurer, etc. looks good on your CV).

Most of the people you'll be competing with to get jobs at the investment banks will have all of the above, so if possible do something that makes you really stand out from the crowd (something like doing volunteer research work for a think tank, etc. which is unusual but shows your skills) .

Read a lot about invesment banking, follow the financial news. There are lots of biographies of investment bankers - read them. Check out financial websites - efinancialcareers.com has a students advice section for getting into IBs. Start reading it now - by the time you're applying for internships you want to be in the top 1% of people applying in terms of knowledge.

The internship really is the key - if you complete an internship at a top IB then getting into a bank after you graduate is a _lot_ easier.

1. Make sure to keep your GPA as high as possible. Firms look at grades as much as what classes you are taking. If you're going to get less than a B+ in a class, drop it. Find out which profs are easy graders. One man's cynical and opportunistic behavior is another man's idea of good planning.

2. Get in the habit of reading the business section of the WSJ or (even better) the FT. Having a sense of what the big deals are, and what the big financing trends are (IPOs, M&As, LBO's) shows that you are interested and knowlegable about the industry. You never know when you're going to meet someone who can help you.

2b. Books. There are several books that invole Investment banking and trading culture, and everyone who applies is supposed to have knowlege of them. These include Bonfire of the Vanities, Liars Poker, and Barbarians at the Gates. There are probably some more recent selections.

3. Join whatever "evil capitalist club" your university has. Many have and investing club, or something of that sort. Also, check into whatever the LSE version of the fraternity system is. If you find one that shares your interst you'll meet upper classmen who can get you interviews when you're leaving school. Plus its a good time.

4. Summer Internships. You will be on your own until junior year, then the formal internship program will begin on campus recruiting. In order to set yourself apart, find something in the preceding summers that is financial services related. You want to have a work history that documents your interest in the field and ability, to the extent possible.

5. Interviews. There are books out there that describe in detail what to expect and how to prepare for an interview. Your on campus recruiting staff can help you find them. Get the most recent one as practices change every year.

Landing a good summer internship after your junior year is the best thing you can do. At the end of that, if you do well, you'll get an offer, which you can in turn use to leverage offers from even better places.

Good Luck!

Have your compassion and human feelings surgically removed