Month: March 2021

M&A Jobs – A Wealth of Opportunity Awaits You in Corporate M&A

Envision yourself sitting across the desk from Steve Jobs and being asked to justify your latest strategic acquisition in the touchscreen space. It may seem like a dream job but it is not outside of the realm of possibility. In a fierce battle with Google, Apple is picking up the pace of its acquisitions. Last year, Apple brought in its first dedicated M&A person, Goldman Sachs’ Adrian Perica. Other acquisitive mobile players include Nokia and Rim.

Young investment bankers often overlook opportunities in corporate M&A. As investment banks gear up for a more aggressive hiring season corporate M&A can provide invaluable experience. As recent news reports confirm, investment banks are first hiring back seasoned Wall Street deal makers who can immediately add value. You may lose out on a job due to their experience but why not work with these seasoned pros on the other side of the deal?

Corporate M&A jobs provide an opportunity to work with experienced investment bankers but rather than court them for jobs they will be chasing after your business. They are more likely to view and treat you as a colleague sitting across from them in a board room – even if you are just taking notes for your boss — than the summer underling doing the grunt work on deals.

Following the recession, many companies have hit a limit in terms of organic growth, having rationalized operations through cost cutting and efficiency improvements. They are lean and seeking growth opportunities through acquisitions. Corporate finance departments provide a vast wealth of experience. You may find yourself negotiating the terms of loans with commercial banks, working on securities offerings and acquiring and divesting businesses.

The working culture in an Apple or Google, or any progressive workplace today, will be remarkably different from the long shifts put in at investment banks. Google will even allow you to work on your own projects, for a small percentage of your time, although if it is not related to helping the search giant finance its next play, your tenure may be shortened.

The average deal size is smaller but more are getting done, which is why corporate finance departments need you. Do not eschew entry level positions. Research assistants and analysts positions are open. There is unlimited potential to tap into the growing M&A market. In the first quarter of 2010, $16 billion in deals were sitting in the M&A pipeline, according to PriceWaterhouse, representing 344 deals versus 21 at the same time the year before.

Consider starting your search in the technology sector, which is the most active M&A sector today. It could be a lot of fun. Cloud computing, mobile, gaming and virtualization technologies are being swallowed up. The resource sector is also active. Do not overlook financial services. Stocked full of M&A experts from Wall Street and well positioned to capitalize from an M&A boom, boutique banks are acquiring boutique banks. In your search for a corporate M&A position, you may land your dream job in investing banking after all.…

Why Real Estate Land is Valuable to People?

Land is land and if you get it cheap, it usually can do nothing but rise in value. Some of the biggest bargains around today are in raw land.

The major reason why land is valuable to people is:

Land is limited-availability commodity because there is only a certain amount of land available and there is growing demand for land almost everywhere.

Whenever you have a situation in which there is only a limited amount of a commodity available, and a growing demand for this commodity (such as land), the price of that commodity will rise. And the longer such a commodity is held, the higher (in general) its price will rise. So you can’t lose on raw-land investments if you:

o Pick your land carefully, after youo Analyze the direction of development,o Study the speed of development, ando Wheel and deal for the lowest price.

Towns and cities usually grow in population as time passes. This growing population needs space-that is, land. To satisfy the demand for more space, almost all communities expand horizontally. To expand horizontally, or on the flat, land must be developed, that is, subdivided into:

o Lots, witho Access roads ando Side streets, havingo Sewers, ando Water supply, ando Electricity

If you can predict the probable direction of horizontal expansion of a town or city, you can make big profits by:

o Buying raw land in the path of the community growtho Holding the land until the growth reaches youo Selling out to developers at a suitable price

Or you can, if you wish:

o Hold onto the land, instead of selling ito Develop the land yourselfo Sell the developed raw land to builderso Go into the construction business and build houses or other structures on your developed land

Thus, you can see that your potential is almost unlimited – if you buy in the direction of growth.…

Optimum Tips for Safe Internet Banking

As technology progresses, ways of banking has also advanced along with it, gradually. And now each and every bank provides Internet banking service to its customers. Since the inception of Internet banking service, anyone with a bank account in any bank can access his account online via his bank’s website. In fact, nowadays people love to use internet banking more often, as it saves their time, and they do not need to depend on banking professionals for services such as funds transfer, account statement, check book request, demand draft, etc. However, as the trend of internet banking is growing day by day, the risks involved in using it is also surging at good speed. But you don’t need to worry if you too uses online banking service, as this article will tell you about the secret and safe internet banking tips.

Internet Banking URL or web address: Each and every bank uses HTTPS in the beginning of its internet banking URL. This HTTPS means Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure, which ensures that you are on the authentic website, for example; “https://”

Unsolicited emails: Any bank in the world never sends an email to his customers asking them to log in to their respective bank accounts to change their password using the link mentioned in the email itself. So plays stay away from that kind of emails to be on the safer side, in fact mark those emails as spam, and you can also report it to your local police department or FBI.

User ID and Password: Never share your internet banking USER ID and PASSWORD with anyone be it your best friend, your spouse, girl friend, or even kids. Additionally, change your password at regular intervals, and always use alpha numeric password with special keys as well.

Never access from cyber caf?� or public PCs: You should avoid access internet banking from cyber caf?� or public PCs, as you never know if they contain spyware and key logger, which are used by hackers to steal the information from computers and note down your keystrokes.

Use antivirus software: Always keep your system clean from virus, spyware, malware, and key logger. For this, you must use the best antivirus protection software only, as it will have various latest features like internet security to keep you safe from such threats.

You might think that these tips are very general and you already know all of them, but on many occasions, it has been found that people forget these necessary tips and end up losing their money to hackers.…

Tips For Safe Internet Banking

In the last decade or so Internet banking has picked up to the levels when number of people using internet banking in day to day routines has arisen exponentially.Along with the rise of internet banking, there has been a significant increase in the online thefts, hacking has been the predominant activity behind these thefts.

Hackers create programs having hidden section which in turn infect computers and are used intentionally to decode the account credentials. Along with that, there has been a surge in an intelligent kind of hacking called Phishing of late as our society has come across many varieties of Phishing out of which email attacks have been the top choice as

Phishing emails having the links to fake websites which look same as the original bank website.

Phishing emails pretending to have come from legal agencies and asking for credentials in many ways.

How to avoid Internet Banking thefts

In practice usually no banks ask for user ID and password, so it should never be compromised. Do a great deal of inquiry with your bank in the worst cases.

Do not use internet cafe or shared computer for your internet banking access, to avoid unauthorized access to your account. Its always a good practice to clear the cache, cookies, saved passwords, files, user names in the browser.

Always memorize your password or personal identification numbers, do not write it anywhere, and specially do not write in your PC document files.

We should always keep changing the password periodically so that the chances of unknowingly compromised passwords being exploited are reduced.

Prefer not to use same password for your financial account which you may use for other internet connection.

Always try accessing the bank website by correctly typing the URL in address field as there can be websites having almost similar names(to capture the typing mistakes) and looks (to create illusion) as the original bank website. Practice some caution here.

When you finish with your internet banking stuff, always logout from the menu and clear the temporary files, cache, cookies etc.(Usually you can do it by going to TOOLS-> INTERNET OPTIONS in your browser)

Delete suspicious mails in particular if they contain attachment and share the incident with other in your reach. (You may save someone from being victim of these emails.

Prefer not to open any email received from someone you do not know.

Must scan all your new files and software’s before installations.…

Banks Vs Insurance Companies – Which One Is Safer?

People around the globe are asking themselves if they should put their money into banks or insurance companies. In a global economy, banks have institutions all over the world just like insurance companies. Banks share information and process loans, lend cash, make deals, and keep the flow of money moving faster than ever before. Insurance companies on the other hand, tend to be more conservative with their investments. Here are some of the differences.

Bank Pros:

One of the nice things about putting money with your bank is that they probably have a local branch for you to drive or walk to. It is easy to process your deposits, get cash, and to get a loan for a vehicle or a home. If you buy a certificate of deposit, you can simply drive down to your local branch and talk to a live person who will assist you with new products and rates. Banks now are taking their business online and you can process many of the same features as your local branch from the comfort of your home. Banks in the United States are covered up to $250,000 by the FDIC.

Bank Cons:

One does not have to look very hard to see the cons in the banking system. The 1920’s crash, the Savings and Loans Crisis, and the 2008 Market Crash are due to Banks, Wall Street insiders, and Government not looking out for the people. These crashes were due to one thing, “Greed.” Ever heard of the phrase “To Big to Fail?” Banks can also leverage money. If you give them $1, they can loan out $30 or more.

The FDIC Seized:

25 Banks in 2008

140 Banks in 2009

157 Banks in 2010

11 Banks just in January of 2011

The FDIC is broke and the American Tax payer is on the hook for all of these banks because of their loan practices.

Insurance Company Pros:

When you purchase an annuity or a cash value life insurance policy, your money is invested in to Bonds and Options. Insurance companies are required by law to keep a certain amount of their money into reserves. These companies are heavily regulated federally and by the individual states. Insurance companies helped bail out the Government and Wall Street firms in the 1920’s.

Insurance Company Annuities and Cash Value Life Insurance are protected:

Each state offers a State Guarantee Association. What that means to you is that anywhere from$100,000-$250,000 of your deposits are also covered, just like the banks. In addition, your money will have protection from creditors (State Limits Apply) and your money in annuities and cash value life insurance will go probate free to your loved ones or beneficiaries.

Insurance Company Cons:

Depending on the type of policy you have, you may have early surrender charges should you take money out of your policy early similar to a bank certificate of deposit. Annuities are retirement vehicles and if you take money out prior to attaining 59 A�, you may have an IRS penalty.

In the end, you have to make the best choice that fits your needs. Make sure to check your bank rating and insurance company rating prior to putting your money into either institution. Banks may come or go, but insurance companies could be a good alternative for your safe and conservative investments.…

Investment Banking Interviews – No One Would Ever Tell You This

Interviewing for a job as an investment banker is a form of negotiation. The most successful negotiators are the usually the ones with the most information on the other side that helps them to prepare and to succeed at the negotiating table. If you want to stand out from the crowd of other potential applicants you have to be prepared for your interview. There is plenty of information written about the two types of questions you will be asked – fit and technical knowledge. Other information tells you how to dress. But there is some information that nobody will ever tell you, that, if you know, it would make all the difference in getting the job. I am going to share with you those secrets that will help you ace your investment banking interview. Here are 3 secrets that you will never be told.

Secret 1: Don’t claim you want to go into management

It is okay to have drive and ambition but do not set the expectation that you deserve to be in management shortly after graduating from university. Recent university graduates fail in job interviews when they flaunt their desire to join a firm and start making decisions right away. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to be a manager if you do not understand how the business operates. You must first understand the company’s policies, future directions and corporate goals before you can start making decisions. If you express a desire to be in management during your interview, you are showing your lack of knowledge of how a business operates. This is the best way to NOT get a job.

Secret 2: Don’t overstate your goals

A common question you might be asked is to state where you expect to be in five years with the company. A frequent response is to state that you expect to be a Vice President or running the company in five years. This would be a mistake. How can you know where you will be in five years if you have never worked a day for that company? A better answer to this question is to stress that you expect to be in a position that rewards you for your dedication and allows you to apply the skills that you have learned. This is a much more realistic answer to this type of question.

Secret 3: It is not the question; it is the answer that is the problem

It is not unusual for potential applicants to be asked quite a few trick questions during the interview. These are known as impossible questions. They are asked to gauge the resourcefulness or out-of-the-box thinking of the potential applicant. People are hired or not hired based on their answers to these types of questions. Employers are looking to see how well you can solve the question under stress because this determines how well you can survive it today’s hypercompetitive work environment. You are not expected to know the answer to the question. You are judged by how well you might arrive at the answer to the question.

Be aware of these three secrets as you prepare for your investment banking interview. How you handle these may determine if you are hired or not.…

Online and Mobile Banking – Lowering Channel Costs and Enabling More Self-Service

Despite the fact that roughly 75% of American consumers have Internet access, adoption of online banking remains much lower. Numerous studies show that fewer than half of US consumers use online banking, with some reports putting the number as low as 38%. Mobile banking is also currently in its infancy but is steadily growing and expected to reach 1 in 5 adults by 2015.

One of the main reasons both online and mobile banking have not already achieved greater adoption is a concern around security. Approximately 30% of consumers NEVER bank online due to security concerns and an additional 48.5% do some online banking but say they are still concerned about the security of it.

Financial institutions can significantly lower operational costs while simultaneously boosting revenues and up-selling additional services by convincing existing customers to conduct more of their banking online, and by attracting new customers through convenient online and mobile services. A transaction that costs the institution $4 when a customer conducts it at a branch location, costs just 17 cents if the customer does it online, or just 8 cents if done via mobile. In addition to the large savings in operational costs, moving customers to online or mobile channels gives financial institutions greater opportunity to market additional products or services – such as online bill pay which increases customer retention and loyalty.

So how can financial institutions overcome customers’ security concerns while simultaneously improving their online experience? By achieving a balance between strong security and ease-of-use so customers recognize they’re in a highly secure environment without being inconvenienced.

One of the best ways to achieve this balance is to improve the authentication process. Strong authentication has traditionally meant sacrificing usability. Users either relied on insecure passwords and challenge questions or they carried hardware tokens and smartcards, which are inconvenient for customers and too expensive for institutions to purchase, distribute and maintain for anyone other than their most high-value customers.

To solve the trade-off between security and usability, Confident Technologies introduced image-based authentication solutions for websites and mobile devices. Our unique technology creates one-time passwords simply by having users remember a few secret categories and identify pictures that fit those categories. It can be used for secure logins, self-serve password resets, anti-phishing, or as a second layer of authentication to authorize transactions or replace security challenge questions. Because it creates a one-time password each time authentication is needed, it’s much more secure than traditional passwords or challenge questions. At the same time, its intuitive image-based interface is much easier for consumers – especially those using mobile smartphones or tablet devices – and there is nothing for them to download or carry.

Image-based authentication can also be used on smartphones for a more secure approach to out-of-band, two factor authentication. To authenticate, the consumer correctly identifies their secret image categories on the phone to create a one-time passcode. It’s much more secure than sending a clear text, one-time passcode as an SMS message and the entire authentication process remains out-of-band from the Web session.

Providing customers stronger security while at the same time improving the user experience will help move more customers to online and mobile banking channels – thereby reducing operational costs and providing an opportunity to market additional products and services. Image-based authentication is cost-effective and flexible solution to increasing security while improving usability.…

Automated Bio-Banking

Bio-banks hold collections of biological samples and associated information. The advances in technology make it now possible that samples are collected, stored under suitable conditions and delivered when needed. Bio-banks have multiple purposes, from preserving and allowing easy access to genetic resources, to helping medical research being conducted more easily. Bio-banks are mostly employed by pharmaceutical companies and academic laboratories. Research organizations in various fields need to store large numbers of biological samples in bio-banks. Instead of having their own internal bio-banks, pharmaceutical companies normally outsource this to companies that are specialized in automated bio-banking and sample management; professionals will see the samples through all the stages of bio-banking, making sure they are kept in the best conditions.

The automated bio-banking domain also concerns the government and academic and commercial organizations as well. All these institutions need large-scale automated instruments for preserving biological samples for a long time. These biological repositories can contain samples of human blood, tissue, plasma and DNA and be available for certain medical researchers to develop new ways of diagnosing and treating illnesses.

Bio-banking systems are designed to store for short term or long term biological materials, including human, animal, and other biological samples. The samples need to be correctly maintained to prevent deterioration over time, since they need protection against any type of damage.

Using special software, the sample information is recorded in databases, so they can be easily located at anytime. There is an automated system performing all tasks, so automated bio-banking handles all sample loading and retrieval tasks. The sample integrity is assured by using dedicated robotics for working in a specified temperature range. Access to individual tubes and plates is allowed by special sample cherry picking techniques that leave the other samples secured in their location. Dedicated software allows real-time video monitoring of sample storage and retrieval.

The automated bio-banking management systems are required to meet rigorous standards for reliability, sample integrity, also high capacity. The sample libraries usually contain from hundreds of thousands up to tens of millions of individual sample that require storage at -80A�C or colder.

The samples require careful management all the time. There also should be a backup plan to protect samples against facility power outages.

In conclusion, using automated bio-banking facilities is now a necessary must for every major pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide. However, it should meet several standard qualities. The operations should be easy and reliable, assuring the sample integrity; the samples need to be carefully managed and protected, software control and tracking should be available. The cost-effectiveness is also important.…

Banking Interview Question With an Answer – What Would You Do If I Gave You $100,000?

“If I gave you $100,000 right now, what would you do with it?” Ah the classic “does this kid have a brain?” question. It’s got to be one of the easiest investment banking interview questions you’ll ever get and quite fun once you’ve nutted out your 5-part answer.

But in order to crush it you must avoid the one answer-killing mistake that about 2/3rd of students make; they think the banker is asking them what they would do with the $100,000 if they personally had it.

And although the question seems like it is aimed at you and your personal situation, it is not. It’s also not aimed at the banker interviewing you.

How are you meant to handle this question then? Like a budding consultant you need to first answer this question with a question

“Who is the investor and what are their goals, risk profile etc.?”

Yeah that’s right. Put on your $60k-a-year financial planner hat and enquire about the type of return the mythical investor wants, cash flow requirements over time, their personal tax situation, preferred asset classes, favorite industries etc.

PS Unlike management consulting case interviews, don’t expect a banker to offer you that much extra information – 2 or 3 points and they’re usually done. This is after all but one small question in investment banking interviews.

Based on this new information you can explain what you would do. Suggesting an investment strategy that even remotely takes into account this new information will earn you an A here.

If you want to bring your answer to an A+ level…

Put together a diverse portfolio of stocks, bonds, real estate, cash and other alternative asset classes. Students who fail to combine asset classes and instead offer up just one in a “Oh, risk averse, then I’d invest the money in bonds” fashion, are idiots. That is a blunt investment strategy with zero ounces of finance finesse – different asset classes deliver different risk / return / cash flow / tax consequences etc, so mix & match with that in mind.

Mention how much of each in $ amounts, not % – this is a small point, but it can make a big difference to bankers.

And explain the allocations using the investor’s personal information – particularly their risk profile, income requirements over time, lifestyle goals and personal tax situation.

But when all is said and done, don’t get so sophisticated that you confuse yourself! Wondering aloud “Oh, but hang on, maybe…” like your Drew freaking Barrymore will undo all your hard work in an instant.

PS If the bankers turn around and says the mythical investor is in fact you – and thus what would ‘you’ do with $100,000 – use the same answering strategy as above, but tailor it to your youthful circumstances. Hint: a 40+ year time horizon = heavy in stocks!…

All About Business Banking Account Comparison

When you are wanting to start up a business and you would like to get a bank account that suits your business, then you may want to look into business banking comparison.

When choosing the right type to open for your business, you want to make sure that you are getting all that you can from your bank. When comparing them to use for your business banking be sure to check everything. What this means is that you will need to go over the type you are looking for, any fees that are associated with them, the terms and conditions and so on. By taking everything into consideration you can then choose one that will do what you need it to for your business.

To compare the different accounts you may need to go to your local bank that you will be dealing with, and ask them for a list of what they have to offer and all the information that is applied with opening one. Most banks have many different banking systems that are suited for different things like savings, loans, businesses and so on. Most will have fees but depending on the bank and what you may open, sometimes you can gain a fee free account but these are usually for saving purposes.

When comparing the different types be sure to ask the bank if you do not understand anything. Do not set up one if you do not fully understand everything. This may lead you to higher payouts in fees when you may not need to be paying that much and so forth.

So if you are considering opening up an account for all your business banking needs, then why not ask for the information at your local bank so you can compare them to see which one suits your requirements.…