Why you should work in M&A when you graduate, by a former analyst at Lazard

For many students who graduate from university, finance careers are an accessible dream. And none more so than M&A jobs, which are among the most competitive of the lot.

What makes M&A so appealing? 

1. M&A is a prestigious job for young graduates

Most students don’t know which career to pursue after university. People wil talk about marketing, sales, strategy and finance. A lot of students simply study M&A because it’s a sign of excellence. – And this is true. If you begin your career in M&A, it’s a very positive signal on your CV. It’s a signal that will follow you throughout your career, a bit like studying at a top university.

2. M&A is a very formative career for young graduates

M&A advisory careers are very demanding, but also a very good training for the future. The days are long and you will regularly work into the evening and the night. The counterbalance to this is that you will an excellent training in the first few months.

A junior M&A banker works hard and therefore learns very fast. You will learn how to be rigorous in your analysis, resistant to pressure and how to work very hard indeed.

3. M&A is a job that can open much bigger doors

M&A is an excellent path into other sectors. The classic career paths after working in M&A in a bank include moving into private equity or a large corporate, or even launching your own start-up. A graduate job in an investment bank is also an excellent way of growing your professional network.

Many banks are recruited by their clients after they’ve worked on successful transactions. Others use their experience at leading banks throughout their careers. France’s President Macron is a Rothschild alumnus, for example. 

4. M&A is a career that pays well

It’s no secret that M&A jobs are very well paid. Whether you work for a large bank or a smaller M&A boutique, you can easily earn more than £78k ($100k) in your first year of work. Needless to say, this is quite rare for graduates in other sectors.

5. M&A is a stimulating job

Everyone dreams of working for a close-knit team that’s known for its extraordinary capabilities.

6. When you work in M&A, the intense workload and long working hours create strong bonds between junior bankers and create a collective work environment that is difficult to find in a different context.

Try it for yourself, an M&A career makes sense.

Former Lazard banking analyst, Guillaume Pommier founded Training You.