Job Descriptions: Banking Analyst

Banking Analysts are responsible for providing the data, research and insight to other departments in investment banks and similar financial institutions to inform intelligent and profitable decisions, investments or trades.

Banking Analysts, sometimes called Investment Analysts or simply Analysts, are responsible for using in-depth data and research to come up with the information and instructions to help other departments in investment banks to make decisions related to investments and trading or similar financial actions. The research they undertake and the information they provide enables others in the bank or financial firm to work with accounts, clients and their portfolios to ensure returns on their investments.

As with many other roles in the Banking and investment banking world, the role is highly pressured but the rewards are there for the taking. To be successful as a Banking Analyst, or Investment Analyst, graduates need to have superb numerical skills, high levels of attention to detail and be able to thoroughly research and come to conclusions using a range of forms of data, from current events to statistics or financial information such as revenue figures.

Banking Analyst Salaries

The average starting salary for a Banking Analyst is £27,630. This is far beyond what other graduates can expect to earn in their starting positions, but is also quite short of what graduates can expect to earn as a Banking Analyst once they have got their feet under their desk. As a Banking Analyst, once graduates have adjusted to the fast paced and high pressured nature of the job, graduates can see the salaries enlarge rapidly.

The salaries listed here are above those of similar positions and graduates looking to pursue a career in the Banking sector and start out as an Analyst will see their salaries outstrip nearly all other financial related careers and most other sectors too. Many people in Banking start out as an Analysts, but they can expect to move into different areas of their institutions, watching their pay increase, as they move up the career ladder.

The Daily Duties of a Banking Analyst

Much of the work undertaken by Banking Analysts is to help other areas of the firm or institution make more informed decisions and provide more informed directions for people like Fund Managers or Investment Managers. So here are some of the duties that graduates can expect to undertake as Banking Analysts:

• Research - Much of the work undertaken by Banking or Investment Analysts is revolved around researching companies, markets, industries and growing sectors. Analysts are responsible for putting the leg work in to discover how viable a particular company is, whether this means looking at their growth or development over time. Graduate Analysts can be expected to conduct thorough and complex research to ensure the information they provide other departments with is not only highly detailed but also incredibly accurate.
• Financial analysis - Similarly to the research-heavy side of the role, Banking Analysts are expected to thoroughly examine the financial records of certain companies or the financial background to certain sectors. This means looking at things like year on year growth, profit margins and other information that will help the other departments make more informed decisions on whether they should invest or trade, for example.
• Drafting reports - After putting in exhaustive research, Analysts have to then instruct the relevent parties on their finding. This means being able to prepare, highly detailed, concise and clear reports that can outline important information for the appropriate party. Analysts need to make sure that the information they provide is both relevant, detailed and easily consumed.
• Keeping up to date on markets and trends - An important part of being an Analyst is being aware of developments across the business and economic spectrum. This requires graduates to be in the know when it comes to developing markets, growing organisations and whatever area their particular firm specialises in.

Life as a Banking Analyst or Investment Analyst is difficult, highly pressured and requires the most precise and intelligent graduates to be successful. However, those prepared to work hard can certainly reap the rewards. The work that Banking Analysts undertake requires high and consistent levels of application and concentration because the research they are undertaking has impacts on large financial transactions and trades.