Can't help but reminisce back when it was us

A common question from students who are interested in a career in banking, especially career switchers at the MBA level, is "How can I develop a view on the market?" Developing a view, and more generally being able to speak intelligently about the market, is an absolute requirement for succeeded in the banking recruiting process.

The good news is that developing a view is easy, even for career switchers. The way to develop a view is simple: First, read a lot. Then, read some more. Here's what you should be reading:

Every day:

• Wall Street Journal - This should go without saying. Read the front page, the markets section, and anything else you find interesting.
• Abnormal Returns - A daily linkfest of the most timely and interesting financial topics. Go through it every day and read the stories that look the most interesting to you. If there are a number of stories on one topic, read at least one of them
• Deal Breaker - When people talk about rumormongering, this is the what they're talking about. Deal Breaker, which relies largely on tips from people working on the street, tends to report rumors and scandals before anyone else. It also gives you a taste of the attitude and culture that you can expect on Wall Street.
• Barrons - Barrons is technically a weekly magazine, but their website is updated daily. I personally find the Barrons roundtables and interviews articles the most useful and entertaining.

Weekly:

• The Economist - This is another one that goes without saying. Read at least the finance and business sections.
  
• Wall Street Journal, again - The weekend editions of WSJ typically carry more in-depth coverage of major news events that occured during the week.

As-needed:

• Investopedia.com and Wikipedia can explain any terms or concepts that you come across during your reading that you're not sure about. Whether it's how a credit default swap works or how to calculate CAGR, these sites are the first places to visit. I also recommend signing up for Investopedia's "term of the day" email.
• If you can get to a Bloomberg terminal, "TOP" and "READ" will show you the top and most-read news stories for the day.