Mechanical engineer seeking career in IB

Question

Hey everyone,

I’d love some advice from people who’ve successfully transitioned into Investment Banking without a classic finance background. I’m currently studying Mechanical Engineering at a top-ranked university, and while my grades are strong, I don’t have the standard mix of finance internships or business coursework that many candidates seem to have.

Most of my experience comes from engineering internships with project management responsibilities, a leadership position in a student engineering association, and a short role at a tech startup where I helped with budgeting and some very basic financial analysis. I’ve started taking online courses to catch up on accounting and valuation, but I’m not sure whether that is enough to make my profile competitive.

I’m planning to apply for summer analyst roles at Bank of America, Citi and Jefferies, yet I’m uncertain how banks typically view candidates like me who have strong academics but very limited finance exposure. Do engineering students realistically stand a chance if they can demonstrate solid analytical skills and motivation, or is prior finance experience essentially mandatory? Would it be smarter to apply first for roles in equity research, valuations or corporate finance and transition to IB later?

Thanks!

Answer 1

You can absolutely apply for summer analyst roles at Bank of America, Citi and Jefferies, even with limited finance exposure. Strong academics and a clear analytical foundation count for a lot. Banks do not expect engineering students to come in with the same level of finance experience as business or finance majors, but they do expect evidence that you can learn the technical side and that you genuinely want the role.

Prior finance experience is helpful but not a strict requirement. What matters is that you can demonstrate commitment and show that you understand the basics of what an analyst actually does.

Here are a few points to focus on:

Technical preparation
Make sure you can discuss accounting fundamentals, valuation logic and simple modeling concepts. You should be able to explain them clearly.
Signals of genuine interest
If you do not have formal finance experience, highlight anything that shows commercial thinking, exposure to numbers or independent learning in finance. Even student projects or personal study can help if you present them well.
Related roles as stepping stones
Applying to equity research, valuations or corporate finance can be a good alternative path, but it is not mandatory. These roles strengthen your financial foundation and make a later move into IB smoother, yet many engineers go straight into investment banking from university.

Given your strong academics, it is worth applying directly to the summer analyst programs. Banks are used to hiring candidates from technical fields, as long as they show motivation and have prepared enough to handle the interviews.