M&A Advisory

Term from Business Advisory industry explained for recruiters

M&A Advisory (Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory) is a professional service that helps companies buy, sell, or combine with other businesses. Think of M&A advisors as matchmakers and deal experts in the business world. They guide clients through the entire process of buying or selling companies, figure out how much businesses are worth, and help negotiate deals. This work is usually done at investment banks, consulting firms, or specialized advisory firms. Similar terms you might see include "Corporate Finance Advisory" or "Deal Advisory."

Examples in Resumes

Led M&A Advisory team in completing 5 successful company sales valued over $50M each

Provided Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory services to tech startups looking to be acquired

Executed complex M&A transactions as part of the Deal Advisory team

Typical job title: "M&A Advisors"

Also try searching for:

M&A Associate Investment Banking Associate Corporate Finance Advisor Deal Advisory Consultant Transaction Advisory Consultant M&A Analyst Investment Banking Analyst

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: Can you walk me through a complex M&A deal you've managed?

Expected Answer: A senior advisor should be able to explain leading a full transaction from start to finish, including managing client relationships, coordinating teams, handling negotiations, and overcoming specific challenges that arose during the deal.

Q: How do you value a company that has negative earnings but high growth potential?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of different valuation methods beyond traditional earnings multiples, such as revenue multiples, comparable company analysis, and growth projections in the context of specific industries.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What are the key steps in conducting due diligence?

Expected Answer: Should explain the process of reviewing a company's financial statements, contracts, operations, and risks, and how this information is used to inform deal negotiations and pricing.

Q: How do you prepare a company valuation?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain basic company valuation methods like comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, and discounted cash flow analysis in simple terms.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic types of M&A transactions?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain the difference between mergers, acquisitions, and common deal structures in simple terms, including basic concepts like stock vs. asset purchases.

Q: What information do you need to start an M&A process?

Expected Answer: Should mention basic requirements like financial statements, company overview, customer information, and market position to begin evaluating a potential deal.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Financial modeling basics
  • Industry and company research
  • Deal documentation support
  • Financial statement analysis

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Complete company valuations
  • Due diligence management
  • Client presentation creation
  • Deal process coordination

Senior (5+ years)

  • Lead deal negotiations
  • Strategic advisory services
  • Client relationship management
  • Team leadership and mentoring

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No understanding of basic financial statements
  • Lack of attention to detail in financial analysis
  • Poor communication skills
  • No experience with Excel or financial modeling
  • Unable to explain basic valuation concepts