M&A Jobs - A 360-Degree Approach to Prospecting Boutique Banks

Lazard and Evercore Partners are part of a slew ofyou down but you could land a job in the corporate
boutique banks reporting healthy upticks in revenue.finance department of its biggest client.
Deals are flowing, earnings are up and everyone is inNext, consider jobs that will help you move up as the
a jovial mood. This is a good time to introduceeconomy picks up and the demand for M&A
yourself to the boutique banks you want to workstaff grows. Is there a summer research assistant
for. But heed my advice and do not become overlyjob open in the equity research department?
complacent. In a market where I am seeingAnalysts were the first to be cut during the
applicants from bulge bracket families knocking fordownturn but the big and boutique banks alike are all
months on investment banking doors, considerstaffing up on analysts. The corporate finance
employing a comprehensive 360-degree job strategy.department is a good place to be if you have
360-degree thinking is an increasingly popular methodM&A ambitions, and they always need
of improving effectiveness from the manufacturingaccounting staff. Cut your teeth helping crunch
floor to workplace culture. It recognizes thenumbers on equity and bond financings, acquisitions
importance of decision making that involves andand divestitures. In the secondary market, consider
impacts all levels of an organization. In 360-degreeslicing up tranches and selling securities. You will gain
job hunting, we focus on impacting all levels of yourimportant knowledge of securities valuations and risk
position sphere - the job position you are targetingprofiles of investors in the secondary market, which
and opportunities above, below and parallel to it. Let'swill be an asset when structuring and valuing
say your target job is a junior investment banker. Itcorporate financings.
looks easy. Send in the resume. Trouble is, severalAiming your job search higher may appear more
intermediate bankers from Goldman Sachs, Lehmanchallenging. The upper echelons can provide
Brothers and Bear Stearns also have their resumes in.unsurpassed opportunities if you are realistic. Consider
Let's do a 360. First, let's spin around from side tomore junior positions working alongside more senior
side. What other opportunities are open in the firmsplayers. You can gain invaluable experience and
you are applying to? Consider looking at analystcontacts - and a little clout - working as an assistant
opportunities. Good experience as a technologyto a managing director of mergers and acquisitions.
analyst will help you make a lateral move as theWall Street was built by modest bankers who
M&A technology market, which is heating up,worked their way up from the mailroom.
continues hiring. Boutique banks are gaining businessConducting a 360-degree job search is an opportunity
by emphasizing specialized services such as financialto become master of your universe. When you do
advisory. This implies that they will need to bolsterland the junior M&A banking interview, you will
their pool of analysts. Asset management andhave a repository of knowledge and contacts from
restructuring are other core services increasingly ininformational interviews at all levels of the investment
demand from boutique banks. What opportunitiesbank and its corporate clients.
exist in corporate M&A? The bank may turn