An investment banker is an individual who often works as part of a financial institution and is primarily concerned with raising capital for corporations, governments or other entities.

Investment bankers often work at investment banks, the largest of which are Goldman Sachs (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAC) and Deutsche Bank (DB).

Whether or not an investment banker is affiliated with such a firm, he or she will assist in large, complicated financial transactions.

These may include structuring an acquisition, merger, or sale for a client or group of clients. A core task also includes the issuing of securities as a means of raising money.

This involves creating detailed documentation for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), necessary for a company to go public.

An investment banker can save a client time and money by identifying risks associated with a particular project before a company moves forward.

The investment banker is an expert in his or her field, who has a finger on the pulse of the current investing climate.

Businesses and non-profit institutions often turn to investment bankers for advice on how best to plan their development.

Skills and Requirements to Be an Investment Banker:

The investment banking field has gained interest over the years as investment bankers are generally very well-paid.

These positions require specific skills and professional certifications, like excellent number-crunching abilities, strong verbal and written communication skills, and the capacity to work very long and grueling hours.

Investment bankers are required to abide by their firm's stipulated code of conduct and will generally sign a confidentiality agreement, given the sensitive nature of the information they receive.