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Areas of finance

Five areas of finance, in plain English

Finance is more than investment banking. Each area does a different job, asks a different question and needs different skills. Choosing one, with a reason you can explain, is what every application asks for.

01 / 05

Global Markets

Sales and trading

The question it asks
“What will move this market, and who needs to know?”

The job

Firms buy and sell financial products for clients. Sales looks after the clients; trading prices the products and manages the risk.

Skills that matter

  • Markets knowledge
  • Quick numbers
  • Communication under pressure

How people get in

  1. Spring week
  2. Internship
  3. Graduate offer

Matching programmeSpring Week Programme →First year, then the Internship Programme in penultimate year

02 / 05

Investment Banking

M&A and capital markets

The question it asks
“What is this company worth, and what should it do next?”

The job

Advising companies on mergers and acquisitions (M&A: buying, selling or combining companies) and on raising money.

Skills that matter

  • Financial modelling
  • Attention to detail
  • Stamina
  • Client manner

How people get in

  1. Spring week
  2. Internship
  3. Return offer

Matching programmeSpring Week Programme →First year, then the Internship Programme in penultimate year

03 / 05

Asset Management

Investing for the long term

On our team, has done the job
The question it asks
“Where should this money be invested for the long term?”

The job

Investing money for pension funds, insurers and individuals, and explaining those decisions to the people whose money it is.

Skills that matter

  • Research
  • Judgement
  • Writing

How people get in

  1. Insight programmes
  2. Internships

Matching programmeInternship Programme →Penultimate year. In first year, the Spring Week Programme

04 / 05

Quant and Trading

Maths and code

The question it asks
“Can we model this, and is the edge real?”

The job

Using maths and code to price products, trade and manage risk. The “edge” is a small, repeatable advantage a model finds.

Skills that matter

  • Maths
  • Statistics
  • Programming
  • Probability

How people get in

  1. Internships
  2. Trading competitions
  3. Quant challenges

Matching programmeInternship Programme →Penultimate year, including technical and case interviews and a mock superday

05 / 05

Professional Services

Big 4 and advisory

Routes from sixth form
The question it asks
“Is this business sound, and how can it improve?”

The job

Audit, tax, deals and consulting for companies. The Big 4 are the four largest accounting and advisory firms.

Skills that matter

  • Structured thinking
  • Client communication
  • Rigour

How people get in

  1. Insight days
  2. Internships
  3. School leaver and degree apprenticeship schemes

Matching programmeUniversity Programme →Years 12-13, including the degree apprenticeship route. At university, the Internship Programme

How people get in

Five areas, different doors

The usual ways in for each area. Most doors open a year or more before the job, which is why the plan comes first.

AreaInsight days and programmesSpring weekInternshipSchool leaver and degree apprenticeshipCompetitions and challenges
Global MarketsNot a usual routeSpring weekInternshipNot a usual routeNot a usual route
Investment BankingNot a usual routeSpring weekInternshipNot a usual routeNot a usual route
Asset ManagementInsight programmesNot a usual routeInternshipNot a usual routeNot a usual route
Quant and TradingNot a usual routeNot a usual routeInternshipNot a usual routeTrading competitions and quant challenges
Professional ServicesInsight daysNot a usual routeInternshipSchool leaver and degree apprenticeship schemesNot a usual route

The usual routes, not the only ones. Your plan maps the deadlines for the firms on your list.Live deadlines on onTime →

Insight day or programme
a short introduction to a firm, often a day or a few days.
Spring week
a one-week insight programme at a bank or trading firm for first-year students, and often the route to an internship.
Internship
a summer job in the penultimate year, and the main route into a graduate role at large banks and trading firms.
Return offer
a graduate job offered at the end of a summer internship.
Degree apprenticeship
a paid job with a degree built in, straight from sixth form.
Not sure yet

Choosing is a skill, and we score it

Choose is one of the six strands of the Desk-Ready Framework. Every programme ends that work with a written route decision: which area, which route and why.

What good looks like: ChooseScored 1 to 5
1No clear interest yet5An evidenced reason, consistent in every application
Daniel K.
Barclays FX Sales internship
“I finally understood which role suited me and could articulate it confidently in every interview.”
Daniel K., King’s College London
Firms named to show experience only.See all results →

Not sure which area fits? Start with a free 30-minute call.

What happens on the call
00:00Your stage, subjects and goals
00:10The areas of finance that could fit, in plain English
00:20Honest next steps, and your questions

Within 24 hours you receive a written plan with the programme, the timeline and the offer it prepares for.

Free call first · Full refund before coaching starts · onDesk Promise

Advisors’ firms named to show experience only.

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