What Happens After You Accept an IB Offer (Pre-Start Guide)

You've accepted your investment banking offer—congratulations! But the journey from signing your offer letter to your first day on the desk involves several important phases that many candidates don't fully understand. The months between acceptance and start date aren't just a waiting period, they're a critical transition where you'll complete onboarding, prepare for intensive training, and position yourself for success.

Understanding what comes next helps you navigate pre-start requirements smoothly and arrive prepared. Most full-time analysts accept offers in the fall of their senior year and start the following summer, creating a significant gap where strategic preparation makes a real difference. This guide covers the complete timeline, what your firm expects from you, and how to maximize this transition period.

Whether you're starting as a summer analyst or full-time analyst, knowing the pre-start process reduces anxiety and lets you focus on building the technical and professional foundation you'll need to excel in your new role.

The Immediate Post-Offer Period

The first few weeks after accepting your offer involve administrative tasks and initial communication from your future employer. Within days of signing, you'll typically receive a welcome email from the HR or campus recruiting team confirming your start date and outlining next steps.

Most firms immediately assign you to their recruiting database, which triggers automated communications throughout the pre-start period. You'll receive periodic updates about your cohort, training schedule, and administrative requirements. Make sure the email address you provided is one you check regularly, as missing these communications can create unnecessary complications.

During this initial phase, you should also expect to receive:

The relationship between you and your future employer shifts from recruitment to onboarding. You're no longer a candidate—you're a future employee, and the firm's focus transitions from convincing you to join to preparing you to contribute effectively.

Background Checks and Compliance

One of the first concrete requirements you'll face is the background check process, which all major financial institutions conduct before allowing new employees to start. This typically begins within two to four weeks of offer acceptance and can take several weeks to complete.

The background check usually includes:

Be completely honest and accurate in all background check documentation. Discrepancies between your resume and verification results can lead to offer rescission, even for seemingly minor issues. If you embellished dates, titles, or responsibilities during recruiting, now is the time to clarify with HR before they discover inconsistencies.

For international students or candidates who've lived abroad, expect additional requirements like international background checks that can extend timelines significantly. Start this process immediately when requested, as delays here are one of the most common reasons start dates get pushed back.

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Some firms also require regulatory registrations before you can start, particularly if you'll be working in certain groups or jurisdictions. You may need to register with FINRA or other regulatory bodies, which involves fingerprinting and additional disclosure requirements. Your firm will guide you through this, but it adds time to the pre-start process.

The Pre-Onboarding Phase

Once administrative requirements are underway, you enter what firms call the "pre-boarding" or "pre-onboarding" phase, typically spanning from offer acceptance until a few weeks before your start date. This period involves ongoing communication designed to keep you engaged and informed.

Many firms now use dedicated onboarding platforms or portals where you can track your progress through various pre-start requirements. You might find yourself completing:

Throughout this phase, communication is constant. Firms want to maintain your enthusiasm and ensure you feel connected to your future employer. You may receive invitations to informal events, virtual meetups with other incoming analysts, or newsletters about firm developments.

The quality of pre-onboarding varies significantly by firm. Bulge bracket banks typically have highly structured, technology-enabled processes with clear timelines and requirements. Boutique firms may have more informal, personalized approaches. Neither is better—just different in style.

Formal Training Programs

The most significant element of your pre-start experience is the formal training program, which typically runs for four to six weeks and begins shortly before or immediately after your official start date. For full-time analysts starting in July or August, training usually launches in late June or early July.

Training programs vary by firm but generally follow a similar structure:

Week 1: Orientation and Foundations The first week focuses on firm culture, administrative setup, and basic finance fundamentals. You'll meet your analyst class (often 30-100+ people depending on firm size), complete remaining HR requirements, receive your laptop and equipment, and attend presentations from senior leadership about the firm's strategy and values.

Content typically covers accounting basics, financial statement review, and an introduction to corporate finance concepts. Even if you have a finance background, expect to start from foundational concepts, as firms want to ensure everyone has the same base knowledge.

Weeks 2-4: Technical Skills Development The core of training involves intensive technical instruction in the tools and methodologies you'll use daily. This includes:

The pace is extremely intensive. You'll typically have lectures or workshops during the day, then problem sets or practice exercises at night. Most programs operate on the principle that you learn by doing, so expect to build multiple practice models from scratch.

Weeks 5-6: Deal Simulation and Specialization The final weeks often involve applying what you've learned to realistic deal scenarios. You might work in teams to pitch a hypothetical transaction, complete a full valuation analysis, or prepare mock pitch book materials under time pressure.

Some firms also introduce group-specific or product-specific training during this phase, especially if you've already been assigned to a particular coverage group or product team. This provides more targeted preparation for the actual work you'll be doing.

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What the Training Program Actually Feels Like

While firms present training as educational and supportive, the reality is that it's intense, exhausting, and socially significant. Understanding what to expect helps you prepare mentally and strategically.

The days are long, typically running from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM or later with formal sessions, plus additional hours for homework assignments or practice problems. You're expected to be present, engaged, and professional throughout, even when covering material you may already know.

Social dynamics matter enormously during training. This is when you form friendships and alliances within your analyst class that will provide support throughout your time at the firm. The people sitting next to you during training will become your study partners, your commiseration companions during tough staffings, and potentially lifelong friends and professional contacts.

Many firms evaluate your performance during training through tests, exercises, or modeling competitions. While failing training is rare at major firms (they've invested too much to let you go at this point), your performance creates first impressions that follow you. Strong performers during training often get better initial staffings or more attention from senior bankers.

The training environment also reveals firm culture in ways that recruiting events never could. You'll see how the firm actually operates, how senior people treat junior people, and whether the culture matches what was advertised during recruiting. Pay attention—this is valuable information as you navigate your first year.

How to Prepare Before Your Start Date

The months between offer acceptance and training are your last opportunity for unstructured preparation time before the demands of the job consume you. How you use this period can significantly impact your training performance and early career trajectory.

Technical preparation should be strategic, not obsessive. Many incoming analysts worry they need to become Excel wizards or modeling experts before training starts. In reality, training programs are designed for people with minimal technical background, so you'll learn what you need to know. That said, some preparation reduces stress and lets you focus on harder concepts during training.

Consider focusing on:

Avoid going too deep on any single topic. Training will be most effective if you arrive with solid fundamentals and let the program take you from there rather than trying to learn everything independently first.

Lifestyle and Personal Preparation

Beyond technical preparation, use your pre-start period to prepare your life for the demanding schedule ahead. Investment banking will consume most of your waking hours, so set yourself up for success in advance.

Living situation is critical. If you're moving to a new city, find housing that minimizes commute time and is in a neighborhood with basic amenities (grocery stores, restaurants, gym, dry cleaning) within walking distance. Many analysts underestimate how little time they'll have for errands during the week. Your daily schedule will be unpredictable, so proximity to work and services matters enormously.

Consider preparing your wardrobe for professional office life. You'll need multiple business professional outfits (suits for men, professional attire for women) that fit properly and look polished. Get clothes tailored if needed, buy enough shirts and blouses to go a full week without laundry, and invest in comfortable professional shoes since you'll be wearing them 12+ hours daily.

Health and wellness infrastructure should be established before you start. Find a gym near your office or apartment, schedule any medical appointments you've been postponing, get a physical exam, and stock up on any medications or supplements you use regularly. Once work begins, you'll struggle to find time for these things.

Build a support network in your new city if you're relocating. Reach out to friends, classmates, or contacts from networking who already live there. Having people you can call for recommendations, social plans, or just venting about work makes a huge difference in maintaining sanity during intense periods.

Pre-Start Communication and Relationships

Throughout the pre-start period, you'll likely have opportunities to communicate with future colleagues, other incoming analysts, or HR representatives. How you handle these interactions creates early impressions that matter.

Many firms organize informal events or gatherings for incoming analysts before the formal start date. These might include happy hours, networking dinners, or casual meetups. Attend these if you can—they're low-pressure opportunities to start building relationships with your class and show genuine interest in joining the firm.

Some incoming analysts try to reach out proactively to bankers they'll be working with or senior members of groups they're interested in. This can be effective but requires careful judgment. A brief, professional email expressing enthusiasm for starting and asking if there's anything you should read or prepare is usually well-received. Lengthy messages asking for career advice or trying to discuss specific deals come across as try-hard.

Your future analyst class is worth investing in during the pre-start period. Many incoming classes create group chats, organize informal gatherings, or share information about housing and logistics. Participate authentically—these are your peers and future support system, not competitors you need to impress.

Avoid the temptation to brag or humble-brag about your preparation, previous internships, or connections within the firm. Banking culture values competence and confidence but punishes arrogance or self-promotion. Let your work speak for itself once you start.

International and Visa Considerations

For international students or candidates requiring work authorization, the pre-start period involves additional complexity around visa processing and documentation. This is one area where proactive communication and careful attention to deadlines is absolutely critical.

Most US investment banks sponsor H-1B visas for international analysts, which involves a lottery system with applications typically filed in April for a start date in October. The timeline means most full-time international analysts can't start in July with their US classmates—they begin in October instead when their work authorization becomes effective.

If you're in this situation:

Firms are generally understanding about visa complexities since they deal with them regularly, but they expect you to manage the process responsibly and keep them informed of any issues. Don't assume HR is tracking everything—you need to be the primary owner of your visa timeline.

Summer Analyst Considerations

While this guide primarily addresses full-time analysts, summer analysts (interns) have a slightly different pre-start experience worth noting. Summer programs typically run 9-12 weeks, starting in early June and running through August.

Summer analyst training is condensed, usually lasting one to two weeks instead of four to six. The pace is even more intense, as firms need to get you productive quickly given the short program duration. Less time is spent on theoretical foundations and more on practical application.

The stakes during summer training are higher in some ways, as your performance directly impacts full-time conversion decisions. Firms are evaluating constantly, so engagement and effort during training matter significantly.

Pre-start preparation for summer analysts should focus on maximizing the short timeframe. Since you have fewer weeks to learn and prove yourself, arriving with strong Excel basics and accounting fundamentals lets you absorb advanced concepts faster during training and spend more time impressing people during actual work weeks.

Common Mistakes During the Pre-Start Period

Even during this transition phase, there are missteps that can create problems or start your banking career on the wrong foot. Avoid these common mistakes:

Missing deadlines or requirements: When HR sends forms or requests background check information, respond immediately. Delays here can actually push back your start date or create administrative headaches that follow you.

Burning bridges with your current school or employer: If you're still finishing classes or working in another role, maintain professionalism until the very end. Banking is a small world, and your future colleagues may have connections to your past experiences.

Overpreparing technically at the expense of life preparation: Some incoming analysts spend hundreds of hours on advanced financial modeling before training but show up exhausted, without proper housing, or with unresolved personal issues. Balance technical prep with practical preparation.

Creating drama within the incoming class: Avoid gossip, romantic entanglements, or conflicts with future classmates before you even start. First impressions are lasting, and training happens in a pressure cooker environment where social dynamics matter.

Making major life commitments: The pre-start period is not the time to adopt a puppy, commit to extensive volunteer obligations, or plan a destination wedding for your first month on the job. Banking will demand extreme flexibility, so avoid locking yourself into competing commitments.

Neglecting physical and mental health: Show up to training rested, healthy, and mentally prepared for intensity. Many analysts arrive exhausted from graduation celebrations or travel and struggle to adjust to the demanding schedule.

Key Takeaways

The period between accepting your investment banking offer and starting involves several distinct phases, each with specific requirements and opportunities. Understanding this timeline helps you navigate it smoothly and arrive prepared to excel.

Administrative requirements like background checks, compliance documentation, and onboarding paperwork must be completed accurately and promptly. Delays or errors here can impact your start date or create unnecessary complications.

Training programs typically run four to six weeks and provide intensive instruction in technical skills, firm-specific methodologies, and practical application through deal simulations. These programs are demanding but designed to take you from foundational concepts to job-ready analyst.

Strategic preparation during the pre-start period should balance technical skill development with practical life preparation. Building Excel fluency and reviewing accounting fundamentals helps, but so does securing appropriate housing, establishing health routines, and setting up your support infrastructure.

The social dynamics of training and your analyst class significantly impact your experience during your first year and beyond. Invest in building genuine relationships with your peers while maintaining professionalism and avoiding early missteps.

For international candidates, proactive management of visa processes and close communication with immigration teams is essential to avoid delays or complications.

Moving Forward With Confidence

Accepting your investment banking offer is a major achievement, but it's just the beginning of your journey. The months between offer acceptance and your first day represent a critical transition period where you shift from candidate to future banker.

Approach this period with intentionality and preparation rather than anxiety or complacency. Complete administrative requirements promptly, prepare strategically for training, and set up your life to support the demanding schedule ahead. The investment banking lifestyle requires significant adjustment, and thoughtful preparation during this transition period makes that adjustment much smoother.

Remember that training is designed to prepare you, regardless of your background. Show up engaged, professional, and ready to learn. The technical skills will come through the program. What you need to bring is work ethic, intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, and genuine enthusiasm for the work.

Your analyst class will become an important part of your professional network and support system. Invest in those relationships authentically during training and your first year. These people understand what you're going through in ways no one else can, and those bonds often last throughout your career.

Most importantly, trust the process. Thousands of analysts have navigated this exact transition before you, and the firms have refined their onboarding and training to be effective. Focus on what you can control, stay organized and responsive, and approach your start date with confidence that you're as prepared as you need to be.