The best mergers and acquisitions (M&A) training can be found through formal university courses, either online or on-campus, and through internships taken during business school. As a professional who is interested in learning more about company takeovers and how to effectively combine the operations of two or more companies into one, business school courses will teach you what you need to know. If you do not have the time or money for a full two-year business school program, many of these programs also offer an online component for those who have a busy schedule or would still like to work while taking courses.
M&A training in business school is generally quite rigorous and intensive. Business school courses are typically more quantitative and focus more on the financial aspects of merging two or more companies. You will learn how to appropriately valuate the businesses involved, how to determine which assets need to be liquidated and how much value such a liquidation would provide, and also how to price the assets which will be bought by the acquiring company.
Business schools offer the advanced Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree, and as such they expect their students to perform at a very high level. Students interested in learning more about investment banking and securing proper M&A training will encounter some competition, as finance jobs available to MBA graduates are lucrative and highly sought after. Moreover, studying intensely and achieving high grades in your finance courses will go a long way in helping you make the most of an MBA program.
Internships during the summer are also excellent opportunities to gain on the job experience and some of the best M&A training. Working at an investment firm which specializes in M&A accounting and finance is an effective way to learn best practices and techniques. Real world experience in highly valued by potential employers, especially if a job applicant has exposure to combining the operations, personnel, and accounting methods of two or more companies.
You could also try to secure an internship with a consulting firm that has a mergers and acquisitions division. Such firms employ professionals who are trained to handle mergers and acquisitions of any size. At a consulting firm, you would receive M&A training in negotiations to buy as sell company assets. You will also get acclimated to dealing with disgruntled personnel who may not agree with the new merger or acquisition, or who may be worried about losing their present position.