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MBAGuide
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Joined: 24 Jul 2019
Last visit: 11 Nov 2025
Posts: 2,282
Own Kudos:
942
Given Kudos: 28
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)
Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)
Posts: 2,282
Kudos: 942
Can You Switch to IB Without Finance? 28 Apr 2025, 05:25
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I often speak with engineers who suddenly decide they want to break into investment banking!
One of them, Rohan(name changed), a mechanical engineer by background, put this idea midway through his application. The problem was he had zero finance experience, no modeling skills, and no clue how to talk about EBITDA.

Rohan’s situation isn’t unique. Every MBA cohort sees a wave of career switchers drawn to investment banking, driven by its prestige, salary potential, or the sheer excitement of billion-dollar deal-making!

But IB isn’t a fantasy land you can simply stumble into. It is a highly structured, deeply networked world that favors those who have put in the work both inside and outside the classroom. That’s why it is important that applicants deeply deliberate on the relevance of their pre-MBA experience to their target industry. If you are serious about IB, you must be clear about what skills you bring to the table, what kind of deals or sectors you are passionate about, and how you plan to bridge any experience gaps.

Business schools, and later, recruiters, are looking for candidates who show an action-oriented mindset, not just those who hope the MBA will be a magic ticket into a completely different career.


The Traditional Route: Why Investment Banking Is a Closed Club

You could think of IB recruiting like an exclusive club where most members started preparing in their early 20s. The classic path would be
  • Undergrad in finance or economics
  • A couple of summer internships at bulge bracket or boutique banks
  • Mastery of financial modeling before graduation
Now enter YOU from a non-traditional background, say, a doctor or a software engineer, and you realize quickly that you are several chess moves behind. The club doesn’t exclude you on purpose, it just doesn't know what you bring to the table unless you show them.



The MBA is A Golden Opportunity (If You Use It Right)

For career switchers, the MBA is your moment, your launchpad. But an MBA won’t magically rewrite your story.

Leila(name changed), a public policy professional joined a top-15 MBA program in Europe. Early on, she realized her background wasn’t “banking material”, but she had grit. She took extra finance electives, cold-emailed alumni in London and Paris, and enrolled in a private financial modeling bootcamp on weekends. By the time summer internship recruiting began, she knew her pitch and her pitchbook.
She didn’t get Goldman, but she landed an offer at a mid-market IB in Frankfurt. And yes, she is killing it now.

So whats the key takeaway? The MBA gives you the access, but the hustle is on you.


What should be your Pre-MBA Moves (Plant Seeds Early)

The uncomfortable truth is that many candidates decide too late that they want to switch to IB.
If you are still pre-MBA and flirting with the idea, now is the time to prepare.

So What Can You Do Pre-MBA?
  • Intern with a boutique investment bank, even if it's unpaid. Just getting deal exposure counts.
  • Complete Wall Street Prep or Breaking Into Wall Street (BIWS) courses.
  • Start networking, yes, even before you get to B-school. Reach out to alumni who have made the switch.
  • Learn the lingo: DCF, LBO, comps. They are your ticket to table conversations.
Build your Technical Arsenal: You Need More Than Just Passion

Bankers don’t care how badly you want the job, they care whether you can do the job.
Imagine sitting across from a VP at Lazard, who asks: "Walk me through a DCF."
You can’t say, "Well, I haven’t learned that yet but I am passionate."


You need to:
  • Master Excel shortcuts blindfolded
  • Understand how to build and interpret a 3-statement model
  • Know how to explain valuation multiples like EV/EBITDA without blinking
If this sounds overwhelming, start small. Build a basic DCF on Tesla. Read “Investment Banking” by Rosenbaum & Pearl. Solve one financial case a week.


Networking: The Lifeblood of a Career Switch

Tanya (name changed), an architect turned MBA student, was ignored by every bank she applied to... until she cold-called a Deutsche Bank alum from her school. He gave her one shot, a weekend case comp on real estate finance.
She over-delivered. He passed her name to HR. One month later, she had an interview!

Never underestimate the power of networking:
  • Join your school’s finance or IB club (if you still can)
  • Go to every coffee chat, even if it’s virtual
  • Ask thoughtful questions, not just “how can I get in?”
IB recruiting is not just resume-driven, it is in most cases referral-driven. Every informational call is a potential door.

Your background may not scream “finance,” but it can speak volumes—if you know how to tell the story.

Assuming that I worked in supply chain at a consumer goods firm, I would highlight how:
  • I managed $10M in vendor negotiations
  • I led cost optimization efforts that mirror IB-style analysis
  • I worked under high-pressure deadlines, just like IB
I would create a compelling case that shows why this move is the logical next step. A good story beats a generic resume every time.

But... Is IB for You?

Before you jump in headfirst, ask:
  • Do you truly enjoy finance?
  • Are you okay with 80+ hour weeks for the next 2–3 years?
  • Are you chasing prestige or passion?
IB isn’t for everyone and that’s okay. But if you still want in, make sure your reasons are rock solid.




Wondering how your profile stacks up? Get a free profile evaluation and discuss a tailored MBA plan that aligns with your goals.


Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­