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Show Notes
Breaking Into Banking (Andy Keusal)
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/150777771X?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Breaking-Into-Banking-Andy-Keusal.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/knife-making-beginner-intermediate-advanced-guide-to/id1467452319?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Breaking+Into+Banking+Andy+Keusal+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://mybook.top/read/150777771X/
#commercialbankingcareers #creditanalyst #bankinginterviews #relationshipmanagement #creditrisk #networkingstrategy #financialstatementanalysis #BreakingIntoBanking
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Understanding What Commercial Banking Really Is, A key theme is clarifying commercial banking as a relationship and credit business that serves operating companies, not primarily capital markets transactions. The book positions commercial bankers as professionals who help businesses manage cash flow, fund growth, and navigate risk through products like loans, lines of credit, treasury services, and deposit solutions. This topic typically addresses how commercial banking differs from investment banking and private equity, which often focus on deal execution, valuation, and fundraising. It also helps readers understand internal bank structures and common roles such as credit analyst, portfolio manager, relationship manager, and underwriting partners. By describing how revenue is generated and how risk is controlled, the book gives newcomers a mental model for why banks care about industry knowledge, financial statement analysis, and disciplined credit processes. That clarity matters because many candidates interview poorly simply by misunderstanding what the job entails. When you can explain how you would support clients while protecting the bank, you sound like someone who already thinks in the bank’s framework. This foundation sets up the rest of the career strategy, from targeting the right entry roles to learning the daily workflow and metrics that define performance.
Secondly, Building the Right Profile for Entry-Level Roles, Another important topic is how to become a credible candidate even without a perfect pedigree or a finance-heavy resume. The book emphasizes translating your experience into bank-relevant signals such as analytical discipline, attention to detail, communication, and a track record of follow-through. For students, that can mean selecting coursework that supports credit work, finding internships that show exposure to financial statements, or participating in projects that demonstrate business judgment. For career changers, it can mean reframing previous roles in sales, operations, accounting, or the military into skills that matter in commercial banking: managing stakeholders, evaluating tradeoffs, and operating under deadlines. This topic also typically covers how banks screen for basic literacy in accounting and finance and how candidates can close gaps through targeted learning. A strong profile is not only about technical skills, but also about professionalism, writing ability, and the maturity to interact with business owners and executives. By focusing on the signals hiring managers actually use, the book helps readers avoid generic self-marketing and instead craft a narrative that fits specific roles like credit analyst programs, rotational tracks, or small business banking positions.
Thirdly, Networking That Leads to Interviews and Offers, The book highlights networking as a structured process rather than casual relationship collecting. In commercial banking, hiring is often relationship-driven, and informational conversations can directly influence whether your resume gets reviewed seriously. This topic typically breaks networking into practical steps: identifying target banks and offices, finding the right contacts, reaching out with a clear purpose, and conducting conversations that are both respectful and memorable. It also emphasizes showing genuine interest in the work by asking specific questions about credit training, client coverage, and what differentiates the bank’s approach. Effective networking is portrayed as providing value through preparedness, curiosity, and reliability rather than pushing for favors. Readers are encouraged to follow up consistently, keep notes, and build momentum over weeks and months. This approach reduces anxiety because it turns networking into repeatable actions and measurable goals, such as having a certain number of informational calls per week. The broader benefit is that networking improves your understanding of roles, lets you tailor your interview stories, and can lead to referrals that bypass crowded applicant pools. In a competitive market, this can be the difference between being one of many applicants and being someone a team is already inclined to meet.
Fourthly, Interview Mastery for Credit and Relationship Roles, Interview preparation in commercial banking requires both fit and fundamentals, and the book treats this as a skill set that can be trained. On the technical side, candidates are expected to understand basic accounting relationships, how to read financial statements, what drives cash flow, and what lenders look for in a borrower. On the behavioral side, banks want people who communicate clearly, manage risk responsibly, and can earn trust with clients and internal partners. This topic typically covers how to answer common questions about why commercial banking, why a particular bank, and why you are prepared for credit work. It also tends to emphasize practicing concise explanations, since bankers value clarity and efficiency. Readers are guided to prepare stories that demonstrate ownership, learning agility, and comfort working with ambiguity. Another angle is how to handle case-style or scenario questions that test judgment, such as assessing a company’s ability to repay debt or identifying risks in a borrower’s business model. By aligning preparation to how bankers think, the book helps candidates avoid sounding like they are interviewing for a different finance role. Strong interviews result from combining solid credit intuition with professional presence and a client-oriented mindset.
Lastly, Winning in the First Years on the Job, Breaking in is only the beginning, and the book emphasizes early-career execution as the true career accelerator. This topic focuses on how new analysts and associates can become highly dependable in a bank environment where errors are costly and timelines are tight. It typically highlights habits like meticulous work checking, strong email communication, and building repeatable processes for spreading financials, preparing credit write-ups, and tracking covenants and exposure. It also addresses how to learn from senior bankers by asking better questions, anticipating needs, and understanding the reasoning behind credit decisions rather than memorizing templates. Another dimension is developing industry awareness, since commercial bankers often specialize by sector and must recognize business risks, competitive pressures, and macro trends that affect repayment. The book also underscores relationship skills: being responsive, managing expectations, and maintaining credibility with both clients and internal credit partners. Over time, these behaviors position you for broader responsibilities like portfolio ownership, deal structuring support, and eventually relationship management. The payoff is compounding: stronger work quality earns trust, trust earns opportunity, and opportunity speeds up skill development. This topic makes the career path feel tangible by connecting daily habits to long-term advancement in commercial banking.
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/150777771X?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Breaking-Into-Banking-Andy-Keusal.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/knife-making-beginner-intermediate-advanced-guide-to/id1467452319?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Breaking+Into+Banking+Andy+Keusal+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://mybook.top/read/150777771X/
#commercialbankingcareers #creditanalyst #bankinginterviews #relationshipmanagement #creditrisk #networkingstrategy #financialstatementanalysis #BreakingIntoBanking
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Understanding What Commercial Banking Really Is, A key theme is clarifying commercial banking as a relationship and credit business that serves operating companies, not primarily capital markets transactions. The book positions commercial bankers as professionals who help businesses manage cash flow, fund growth, and navigate risk through products like loans, lines of credit, treasury services, and deposit solutions. This topic typically addresses how commercial banking differs from investment banking and private equity, which often focus on deal execution, valuation, and fundraising. It also helps readers understand internal bank structures and common roles such as credit analyst, portfolio manager, relationship manager, and underwriting partners. By describing how revenue is generated and how risk is controlled, the book gives newcomers a mental model for why banks care about industry knowledge, financial statement analysis, and disciplined credit processes. That clarity matters because many candidates interview poorly simply by misunderstanding what the job entails. When you can explain how you would support clients while protecting the bank, you sound like someone who already thinks in the bank’s framework. This foundation sets up the rest of the career strategy, from targeting the right entry roles to learning the daily workflow and metrics that define performance.
Secondly, Building the Right Profile for Entry-Level Roles, Another important topic is how to become a credible candidate even without a perfect pedigree or a finance-heavy resume. The book emphasizes translating your experience into bank-relevant signals such as analytical discipline, attention to detail, communication, and a track record of follow-through. For students, that can mean selecting coursework that supports credit work, finding internships that show exposure to financial statements, or participating in projects that demonstrate business judgment. For career changers, it can mean reframing previous roles in sales, operations, accounting, or the military into skills that matter in commercial banking: managing stakeholders, evaluating tradeoffs, and operating under deadlines. This topic also typically covers how banks screen for basic literacy in accounting and finance and how candidates can close gaps through targeted learning. A strong profile is not only about technical skills, but also about professionalism, writing ability, and the maturity to interact with business owners and executives. By focusing on the signals hiring managers actually use, the book helps readers avoid generic self-marketing and instead craft a narrative that fits specific roles like credit analyst programs, rotational tracks, or small business banking positions.
Thirdly, Networking That Leads to Interviews and Offers, The book highlights networking as a structured process rather than casual relationship collecting. In commercial banking, hiring is often relationship-driven, and informational conversations can directly influence whether your resume gets reviewed seriously. This topic typically breaks networking into practical steps: identifying target banks and offices, finding the right contacts, reaching out with a clear purpose, and conducting conversations that are both respectful and memorable. It also emphasizes showing genuine interest in the work by asking specific questions about credit training, client coverage, and what differentiates the bank’s approach. Effective networking is portrayed as providing value through preparedness, curiosity, and reliability rather than pushing for favors. Readers are encouraged to follow up consistently, keep notes, and build momentum over weeks and months. This approach reduces anxiety because it turns networking into repeatable actions and measurable goals, such as having a certain number of informational calls per week. The broader benefit is that networking improves your understanding of roles, lets you tailor your interview stories, and can lead to referrals that bypass crowded applicant pools. In a competitive market, this can be the difference between being one of many applicants and being someone a team is already inclined to meet.
Fourthly, Interview Mastery for Credit and Relationship Roles, Interview preparation in commercial banking requires both fit and fundamentals, and the book treats this as a skill set that can be trained. On the technical side, candidates are expected to understand basic accounting relationships, how to read financial statements, what drives cash flow, and what lenders look for in a borrower. On the behavioral side, banks want people who communicate clearly, manage risk responsibly, and can earn trust with clients and internal partners. This topic typically covers how to answer common questions about why commercial banking, why a particular bank, and why you are prepared for credit work. It also tends to emphasize practicing concise explanations, since bankers value clarity and efficiency. Readers are guided to prepare stories that demonstrate ownership, learning agility, and comfort working with ambiguity. Another angle is how to handle case-style or scenario questions that test judgment, such as assessing a company’s ability to repay debt or identifying risks in a borrower’s business model. By aligning preparation to how bankers think, the book helps candidates avoid sounding like they are interviewing for a different finance role. Strong interviews result from combining solid credit intuition with professional presence and a client-oriented mindset.
Lastly, Winning in the First Years on the Job, Breaking in is only the beginning, and the book emphasizes early-career execution as the true career accelerator. This topic focuses on how new analysts and associates can become highly dependable in a bank environment where errors are costly and timelines are tight. It typically highlights habits like meticulous work checking, strong email communication, and building repeatable processes for spreading financials, preparing credit write-ups, and tracking covenants and exposure. It also addresses how to learn from senior bankers by asking better questions, anticipating needs, and understanding the reasoning behind credit decisions rather than memorizing templates. Another dimension is developing industry awareness, since commercial bankers often specialize by sector and must recognize business risks, competitive pressures, and macro trends that affect repayment. The book also underscores relationship skills: being responsive, managing expectations, and maintaining credibility with both clients and internal credit partners. Over time, these behaviors position you for broader responsibilities like portfolio ownership, deal structuring support, and eventually relationship management. The payoff is compounding: stronger work quality earns trust, trust earns opportunity, and opportunity speeds up skill development. This topic makes the career path feel tangible by connecting daily habits to long-term advancement in commercial banking.
