From Traditional Banking to Investment Banking: How Amrit Kaur Turned Curiosity into a Career in Valuation

Meet Amrit Kaur, someone whose journey reflects persistence, discipline and the courage to upskill when things got tough. From her college days Amrit was curious about how numbers could tell the story of a business. That curiosity grew stronger when she pursued her PGDM in Finance at FOSTIIMA Business School where she explored everything from sector analysis to financial forecasting.

After completing her post-graduation in 2024 she began her career as an Elite Relationship Manager at Kotak Mahindra Bank. Handling over 350 high-net-worth clients, cross-selling products and driving portfolio growth gave her strong client-facing exposure. But deep down she knew this was not the final destination. Every time she spoke to a client about investments or portfolios she felt an urge to dig deeper, to analyze companies, build models and understand valuation from the inside out.

Her earlier internships at SMC Global and Praedico Global Research had given her a glimpse into equity research and financial markets where she built models and created reports. But the reality of the job market soon hit her. Despite a finance degree and corporate experience, breaking into core analytical roles in investment banking or equity research was not easy. Recruiters wanted proof of technical skills, the ability to actually build financial models, not just talk about them.

That gap pushed her to pause and invest in herself. She enrolled in a Financial Modelling and Valuation course. For months she immersed herself in Excel drills, DCF models and real-world valuation case studies of companies like Kraft Heinz and Hindustan Unilever. The journey was not smooth. There were nights when formulas broke down or assumptions did not add up. But each mistake sharpened her clarity.

Today Amrit looks back at those months as a turning point, a phase where she rebuilt her confidence, aligned her career with her true interests and prepared herself for the world of investment banking and valuation with a stronger foundation.

Here is Amrit’s journey in her own words…

1. Let’s start with your journey. What was your academic and professional background like before you decided to join this course?

I did my post-graduation in Finance in 2024, but honestly even before that I was always leaning towards a career in core finance. After completing my degree, I joined Kotak Mahindra Bank as a Relationship Manager. That role gave me a lot of exposure as I was handling clients, doing portfolio discussions and learning how relationship management works in the real world.

At the same time, I could feel a gap. For example, if a client asked me something deeper about how the valuation of a company is done or how markets would react to certain financial moves, I couldn’t answer confidently. I also did an internship with SMC Global earlier, which gave me some introduction to the stock market and financial products. That internship was useful, but again, it was more about observing the market than actually building models or analyzing companies. So, while I was learning practical things in these roles, I knew I wanted to move to the analytical and valuation side of finance, something more challenging, where I was actually building numbers and stories around companies.

2. Interesting. So back then, what were your career plans? Were you already clear that finance was the path for you, or were you still figuring it out?

Honestly, I was very clear from the beginning that I wanted my career in finance. Not just any role, but specifically in valuation and investment banking. Even in college, whenever we had case studies or finance projects, I enjoyed working on the valuation part the most.

But clarity alone wasn’t enough. My earlier roles gave me confidence in dealing with people and handling portfolios, but I felt stuck because the roles weren’t very technical. For example, if you work in a client-facing role at a bank, your skills are more about communication and sales. Recruiters in core finance, especially IB or equity research, don’t just ask about sales, they ask you to break down a company’s financials, build a DCF model or explain why a certain deal makes sense. I knew I wasn’t prepared for that, and that’s what pushed me to upskill myself and actually start working on the technical side through financial modeling.

3. There are so many options in finance like CFA, MBA and other certifications. What made you pick financial modeling in particular? And did you face any major challenges while trying to get into finance roles before or after the course?

That’s a really important question. I did consider CFA and MBA. In fact, most of my peers were either preparing for CFA or applying for MBA programs. But what I realized is, both of them are either very theory-heavy or time-consuming. MBA requires two years and a huge fee. CFA is great, but it takes years to complete all levels, and honestly, recruiters want skills that you can use on day one.

Financial modeling felt different because it’s more hands-on. You’re not just reading about valuation techniques, you’re actually doing it on Excel, solving real-world case studies. That’s what attracted me.

The biggest challenge I faced before joining was exactly that I had a finance degree, but no recruiter was ready to give me an IB or valuation profile because I couldn’t prove my technical skills. I remember applying for an equity research internship once and in the interview, they asked me to prepare a basic financial model of a company. I had no clue how to even start. That rejection hit me hard.

After the course, things changed. Now, I could confidently build and explain models. In interviews, when they asked me to walk them through revenue assumptions or valuation logic, I actually enjoyed explaining it. That confidence was missing earlier.

4. When you enrolled, you must have had certain expectations. How did the actual experience compare with what you imagined?

To be honest, I thought it would just be another course where we learn some Excel shortcuts and basic formulas. But the experience was way beyond that.

The Excel drills were intense. I remember sitting late nights re-doing them because if you missed one formula, the whole sheet went wrong. Case studies were another level. We weren’t just studying companies but were actually building entire models from scratch, like a real analyst would do.

One of the best parts was the mock interviews. Initially, I used to get really nervous. In fact, I still remember fumbling through my first mock when they asked me about EV/EBITDA multiples. That interview was actually taken by Himanshu Sir himself and even though I was nervous, the way he gave feedback made me realize exactly where I was going wrong and how to approach such questions better.

 That moment stayed with me because it completely changed the way I prepared for interviews.

The faculty guided us not just on the technical answers, but also on how to structure our responses confidently. That “why” behind every model was drilled into us.

The placement support also gave me a lot of confidence. Before that, interviews used to feel like a nightmare. After the practice sessions, I could handle questions much more calmly. Looking back, the actual experience was way tougher than what I expected but in a good way, because it really prepared me for the industry.

5. Looking back now, what would you say to students who are considering financial modeling as a career path?

My honest advice would be that don’t take it lightly. If you’re serious about building a career in investment banking, equity research, or valuation, then a practical program like this can really bridge the gap between academics and the industry.

But it’s not magic, you’ll have to put in the effort. I’d say stay consistent with the Excel drills, even when they get frustrating. Focus on building clarity in concepts rather than just memorizing formulas. And don’t shy away from pushing yourself. For me, there were days when I felt stuck, like I’ll never be able to build a full model on my own. But once you push past that, it’s a great feeling when you clear interviews and realize you’re actually ready for the role you wanted.

At the end of the day, the struggle is worth it when you land a job in the exact profile you’ve been aiming for.

Amrit’s journey was not without hurdles, but it was real. From handling clients in banking to struggling with rejections and then pushing herself through late-night Excel drills, she kept showing up. Her story shows that consistent effort and the willingness to learn can turn setbacks into stepping stones.

You can connect with her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrit-kaur-66060b188/