M&A is a process that’s been around for years, but recently it has increased dramatically. The reasons are varied: the global economic downturn and related restructuring; technological advancements in communications; changing societal expectations of what constitutes success at work. This blog post walks through some typical ways knowledge workers can go about learning more about M&A-related topics: reading financial articles on news sites, watching videos on YouTube or Bloomberg TV channels, talking to experts in person and online.
The “mergers and acquisitions career path” is a process that many people are looking to break into. The process of becoming an expert in mergers and acquisitions, will require you to have a good understanding of the industry and its history.
Many people are unaware that some of the world’s most successful businesses owe much of their success to the mergers and acquisitions professionals who work for them. These professionals are in charge of merging two firms – including all of their assets – which requires specialized knowledge and abilities to guarantee that everything goes well.
So, if you’re considering a career in mergers and acquisitions, you should realize that it won’t be simple, particularly because there are a few crucial steps you’ll need to do before getting started. Let’s have a look at what these pros perform before we share the suggestions that will make the whole procedure easier:
M&A Experts: Explained
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As an M&A expert, an individual is responsible for advising their clients on mergers (the process of joining two organizations into one) and acquisitions (the process of one organization taking over an entire or part of another company). This basically means that they advise their clients on how to properly combine two companies in a cost-efficient way, while at the same time, they can ensure capital growth and expansion.
Although it seems like anyone can do it, being an M&A expert can be daunting, since even the slightest mistake can lead to financial ruin for a company. Because of this, any person working in this particular field has to have a specific set of skills, they must know how the industry works, and they also must be licensed! The steps you’ll need to take in order to start working in this field are the following:
1. You must get a college diploma.
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The first thing you’ll need is a college diploma. Fortunately, various disciplines, such as economics, business, accounting, and, of course, finance, can prepare you for the field. Most individuals choose a finance degree since it covers a broad range of disciplines and themes, but any of the aforementioned alternatives may help you move closer to being a merger and acquisition specialist.
It’s worth noting that regardless of the degree program you choose, it’s essential that you acquire training, which in most instances involves securing an internship. Most companies prefer to recruit people who have previous work experience, so acquiring some work experience is essential if you want to acquire a job as quickly as feasible. There are a number of firms that provide such services, so look into them.
2. You’ll Require a Work Permit
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Once you obtain your bachelor’s degree, your next step is getting licensed, which is something that you’ll need if you want to start working in the industry. The entire process will require you to pass several exams, and there are also various classifications that you can choose from – all of which will require you to take exams. When talking about M&A experts, they’re categorized as limited representatives of a corporation, thus, they’ll have to pass the Series 79 exams.
Keep in mind, that all applicants have to be sponsored by an individual registered with the M&A association, which is also one of the reasons you might want to opt for an internship program. The exams will take 5 hours to finish and they’ll require you to answer 175 multiple-choice questions. The questions will be diverse and could include topics such as data collection, commission rules, underwriting, and so on.
3. You Must Have a Certification
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It’s worth noting that although this is a fully optional step, acquiring certification from a mergers, acquisitions, and alliances institution is critical if you want to advance in your career. Again, there are several possibilities from which to pick; thus, it is critical that you investigate the subject and become knowledgeable about your options before making a decision. There are also many online institutions that give similar certifications, such as Imaa-Institute, so check them out as well.
4. Your license and certificate must be kept up to date.
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Did you know that you’ll need to maintain your certifications and license through FINRA? Yup, just because you obtained it once, it doesn’t mean that it’ll last forever. Instead, you’ll need to go through an education program every three years, and by doing so, you’ll gain new knowledge and insights into the field of M&A. Keep in mind, if you obtain your license recently, you’ll have to take an exam two years after.
Additionally, if you have a certificate from several institutions, you’ll need to recertify, which means you’ll need to take the examinations on a regular basis to keep your certification. Though this may seem frightening, it is vital and crucial, particularly if you want to advance your career and get a better and higher-paying job at the firm you work for.
5. You Should Never Stop Learning
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Last on our list of advice, but definitely important is the fact that you should never stop learning. What does this mean? Well, it’s simple to understand – you must always stay updated on all the changes and trends happening in the mergers and acquisition industry. This is something that is important for every single career out there, but since M&A is hard, you must never stop learning about the things happening in the industry.
Conclusion
Although you may believe that becoming a mergers and acquisitions specialist is simple, it is not. This is due to the several steps that must be completed before entering the sector.
You may make the whole procedure simpler and easier for yourself by following the steps and advice we’ve provided above!
Since you’re now well aware of the things you’ll need to do in order to become an M&A expert, you shouldn’t lose time reading articles similar to this one. Instead, if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in one of the fields we’ve mentioned, start thinking about which major might be best and most suitable for you!
The “careers in mergers and acquisitions” is a career that can be difficult to break into. However, there are many ways to become an expert in this field.
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