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Wall Street Oasis » Blogs » TheKing's blog
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Shifting Wish Lists and Fleeting Freedoms
 

TheKing's picture
TheKing
      O
 
 
(Senior Neanderthal, 5,141
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 3:30pm
wish_list.jpg

As in years past, Christmas has found a way to sneak up on me. And, unless you're way younger than WSO's target demographic, you probably feel the same way I do.

The older you get, the more it seems that Christmas appears out of nowhere. I once found myself counting down the days until I could unwrap presents from under the tree, hoping I got some of the things I asked for. Now, I find myself wanting less and less, to the point where I only really care about the holidays because it's a time to see family and reminisce on years' gone by and plan for days to come. What gifts I do get tend to be incredibly utilitarian, and I'd have it no other way.

As I was thinking about this over the last day or so, I started remembering how drastically my desires have changed over the last five years or so. And in talking to friends, I know I'm not alone. Let's take a look at how one's desires shift over time. And since it's the holiday season and this is WSO, let's look at it in the form of a Christmas Wish List from various points in the career of a finance professional.

Essentially, I'm going to take a snapshot of what one's professional wish list looks like at various points in one's life. I'll start with Junior year of college and go from there. Since I've been down this path, I'll try and do this from my perspective, with some notes on friends and classmates mixed in.

I'm curious to hear how my snapshots match up with everyone else's.

Alright, let's have a look:

Christmas Break, Junior Year: While I was happy to have a full month off between semesters at school, I was laser focused on preparing for upcoming Summer Analyst interviews in the spring. I was aware of how important getting an SA position would be for my career and spent a decent chunk of an otherwise stress free month cranking away.

I read and re-read my resume, memorized the Vault Guides like my life depended on it, and cajoled otherwise uninterested friends into helping me with some mock interviews. At the time, virtually nothing took precedence over the dream of the Summer Analyst position. Now, it just seems sort of silly. How could I ever have made something like that into the main driver of my life?

Christmas Break, Senior Year: Just one year later, I've got a Summer Analyst gig under my belt and a full time spot locked up at a reputable bank. For the first time in years, I can truly relax. I spend the break with friends and family doing as little as possible. I find myself thinking ahead with excitement on what ought to be a fun final semester of college and the beginnings of a promising career.

I can't help myself but to think that this feeling of freedom won't last. Knowing that there is much work ahead of me, I try to stay focused on the moment and enjoy myself. At the same time, my recent success is driving my ambition. I know the road ahead will be filled with long hours and plenty of weekend work, but I'm ready for it (or so I thought.) Moreso, I find myself excited by it. I've worked for so long to lock up a job in banking, I almost can't wait to get started.

Christmas, Year One as a Banking Analyst: Wow. A year ago I was lounging around and partying with friends. Now, I'm knee deep in drafts of offering memorandums and drowning in pitch book edits. My summer Analyst gig didn't quite prepare me for this. I hope I make it to my bonus...

I find myself looking back to college. It's not that I miss going to class, but I miss the freedom. There is no winter break anymore. Hell, I'm lucky if I get a full day off on the weekend. Dreams of a buyside gig start to fill my mind. I don't know how much better a job in PE would be, but it seems like the next logical step.

Christmas, Year Two as a Banking Analyst: By now, I'm incredibly proficient at my job. The hours are still rough, but I manage well. And those dreams of going to PE are growing closer to reality.

Just as I did a few years back when I was gunning for a summer job in banking, I start using my free time to prep for PE interviews. I've got some good deals under my belt and am looking for a shift in lifestyle. Just a little longer, I tell myself, and you'll say goodbye to banking and move onto the next track in The Path.

Christmas, Year One on the Buyside: After my first six months in private equity, I find myself conflicted. My hours are better, for sure, but the role seems unsatisfying on some level. This is a time when many of my colleagues are thinking about business school. "It's a break, a two year vacation," is what they tell me. A very expensive break. The payoff might be worth it for some people, but I find that I'm not one of them.

I think back to how I felt during Christmas break of my Senior year. The freedom I felt back then, the sense of accomplishment combined with the complete lack of any real responsibility was truly unbelievable. When people tell me about their b-school dreams, all I can think is that they're trying to chase that feeling.

Christmas, Year Two on the Buyside: Four to five years out of school is when some major changes start taking place. Looking at friends and classmates of mine that graduated with me and entered finance, I see a wave of change. Some people continue down The Path, either bouncing around the buyside or heading off to business school. Others are radically shifting their careers.

I see people getting ready to join Fortune 500s, people tinkering with startups, some teachers, and some non-profiteers. At this point, I look back and find myself chuckling a bit at my old dreams and desires. Why was I so singularly focused when I was 20. How did I not understand that I would never have that kind of freedom again?

At this point, I realize following a path doesn't lead anywhere. Sure, you might find good jobs and make decent money, but I don't think that's what we are all really searching for.

No, we are searching for the feeling of freedom we had when we were in college. That we had when we were younger. Knowing that this sort of freedom is slowly lost to the inexorable flow of time, we look to other outlets to replace it. Our viewpoints change. As a 20 year old with an interest in finance, you dream about The Path - banking-->PE/HF-->Business School-->Greatness.

After spending some time on The Path, you realize that it's not necessarily all it's cracked up to be. You appreciate the money you've made and the lessons you've learned, for sure, but you're ready to do something different. To make your own path, whatever that may be. And while there is inherent uncertainty in this sort of thing, there is potential for serious excitement in the unknown.

_______________________________________________________

I'd love to hear what other junior finance professionals think. Are you somewhere on this track? If you're still in college, how do you think you'll feel when you get out?

I'm also hoping there are some more senior folks on here that might want to chime in. How have your desires changed over time? How have your goals shifted? More importantly, what made them shift?

On a lighter note, is anyone really excited for anything this Christmas? Getting anything fun? Would love to hear that as well.

Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Check out my WSO Blog
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Tags:
  • The Path
  • The Inexorable Flow of Time
  • Freedom
  • Christmas
  • career choices

Comments

Underground's picture

Good timing King, I was just

Underground
     
 
(Baboon, 109
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 12:01pm

Good timing King, I was just thinking this morning about how I need to focus more on freedom rather than pursuing "greatness". Freedom is the most important thing IMO.

You described the stages well. I'm at that stage now where I've had a taste of working life and (along with my recently graduated friends) am shocked at how much of a grind adult life is. I have a new found respect for my parents that's for sure, they've been doing this for years.

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BTbanker's picture

Totally agree. +1

BTbanker
      IB
 
(Senior Neanderthal, 5,336
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 12:09pm

Totally agree. +1

"A man generally has two reasons for doing anything. One that sounds good, and the real one." - J.P. Morgan

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IlliniProgrammer's picture

Good post. SB'd. -Grad

IlliniProgrammer
      ST
 
 
(Almost Human, 9,244
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 1:09pm

Good post. SB'd.

-Grad school is good for the soul, but just as tough for the brain- at least in a research or quantitative degree.

-I do a little less drinking in grad school than I did when I worked on the trading floor. MFEs drink on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, not all week long.

-For a lot of people, it's worth the money and lost income if you can comfortably pay cash for it. If you conserve money like I do and can still afford to buy a Ducati Monster, you should really think about it if you don't really love your job.

-The leave-of-absence policy at most programs makes it very easy to both study and go for a startup. An MBA program is the lowest-risk time to take a semester off and go for a startup.

Work hard, play hard.

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SirTradesaLot's picture

Great post. I need time to

SirTradesaLot
     
 
 
(Senior Neanderthal, 4,514
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 12:27pm

Great post. I need time to think about this one. I can't really even remember what I really desired back in the day. I get the feeling I am only remembering my memories of what I desired at the time, which is most likely not the same thing as what I really wanted back then. Kind of makes me wish I kept a journal of my thoughts.

Turbo leverage for capital explosion -- BD Capital

My WSO Blog

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yeahright's picture

Amazing post that really

yeahright
      O
 
 
(King Kong, 1,100
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 12:52pm

Amazing post that really pressures someone to reflect on the decisions they have made and will make in the future. +1

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."

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Asatar's picture

I'm depressed now :(

Asatar
      O
 
 
(Neanderthal, 2,026
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 1:13pm

I'm depressed now :(

See my other WSO blog posts>

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Ben Shalom Bernanke's picture

Great post. It shows how

Ben Shalom Bernanke
      AM
 
 
(King Kong, 1,423
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 1:14pm

Great post. It shows how important it is to live for the moment and the day rather than always looking around the corner for the next bonus, job, etc.

Happy holidays everyone!

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Champs46's picture

+1. Bravo sir.

Champs46
     
 
(Senior Baboon, 201
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 2:03pm

+1. Bravo sir.

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mikesswimn's picture

I remember when I was 7 that

mikesswimn
      O
 
 
(Senior Gorilla, 878
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 2:07pm

I remember when I was 7 that I really wanted a Nintendo. I would've done any number of mob hits to get my hands on some Zelda. I don't think I've ever wanted something so much. For some perspective, this is the conversation I had with my wife regarding my Christmas present this year:

Wife: What would you like for Christmas?
Me: I don't know, I need a new white shirt for work, just get me one of those.
Wife: No, I'm not going to get you a shirt, it can't be something you need.
Me: Okay, get me a white shirt with french cuffs, nobody needs french cuffs.

I'm not exactly sure if this is a positive development or not.

"My caddie's chauffeur informs me that a bank is a place where people put money that isn't properly invested."

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George87's picture

To: TheKing, with <3, spot

George87
      IB
 
 
(Senior Baboon, 243
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 2:08pm

To: TheKing, with <3, spot on
From: Analyst, year 2, xmas time

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ricky212's picture

I am a junior and have been

ricky212
      ST
 
(Orangutan, 361
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 2:15pm

I am a junior and have been pretty much entirely focused on landing an SA trading position. Since I really really want to be a trader. But this definitely made me think a lot farther down the road. Great post.

Because when you're in a room full of smart people, smart suddenly doesn't matter—interesting is what matters.

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SirTradesaLot's picture

mikesswimn: I remember when I

SirTradesaLot
     
 
 
(Senior Neanderthal, 4,514
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 2:48pm
mikesswimn:

I remember when I was 7 that I really wanted a Nintendo. I would've done any number of mob hits to get my hands on some Zelda. I don't think I've ever wanted something so much. For some perspective, this is the conversation I had with my wife regarding my Christmas present this year:

Wife: What would you like for Christmas?
Me: I don't know, I need a new white shirt for work, just get me one of those.
Wife: No, I'm not going to get you a shirt, it can't be something you need.
Me: Okay, get me a white shirt with french cuffs, nobody needs french cuffs.

I'm not exactly sure if this is a positive development or not.

I'm with you. When I was a kid, I thought getting any type of clothing was about the worst possible present. Today, socks/underwear actually seems pretty good, since you can never really have enough.

This year, I bought myself a t-shirt and let my wife gift wrap it. It will be the only gift.

Turbo leverage for capital explosion -- BD Capital

My WSO Blog

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petergibbons's picture

I think LCD Soundsystem said

petergibbons
      CO
 
 
(Senior Gorilla, 882
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 4:35pm

I think LCD Soundsystem said it the best "You spend the first 5 years trying to get with the plan, and the next 5 years trying to be with your friends again"

Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points

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TheKing's picture

petergibbons: I think LCD

TheKing
      O
 
 
(Senior Neanderthal, 5,141
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 4:51pm
petergibbons:

I think LCD Soundsystem said it the best "You spend the first 5 years trying to get with the plan, and the next 5 years trying to be with your friends again"

Good stuff. I think I might have to rethink my view of LCD Soundsystem. Always thought they were good, but overrated. Maybe I was off-base!

Check out my WSO Blog

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neilol's picture

Heading into Christmas 2 as

neilol
      IB
 
(Orangutan, 251
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 6:26pm

Heading into Christmas 2 as an analyst, this is pretty spot on for me so far.

To put it in perspective for prospective monkeys: Just got off a call where a client said "lets throw out some ideas to maximize productivity over the holidays as to not lose any time".../suicide

I see some friends who went to tech startups. Yeah they make less (not by THAT much) but its hard not think the grass is a little greener when they talk about having fun at work and get out at 5-6pm.

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In The Flesh's picture

Wow, great stuff King. A

In The Flesh
      HF
 
 
(Neanderthal, 2,811
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 8:47pm
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huanleshalemei's picture

Great article! I am pretty

huanleshalemei
     
 
(Gorilla, 518
 
Points)
 on 12/20/12 at 9:05pm

The Auto Show

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fiveam's picture

My 2c on this. I'm a

fiveam
     
 
(Chimp, 5
 
Points)
 on 12/22/12 at 2:49am

“Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven't done”

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poodles's picture

petergibbons: I think LCD

poodles
      O
 
(Monkey, 38
 
Points)
 on 12/22/12 at 12:22pm
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marcellusgreen's picture

+1 great post !

marcellusgreen
     
 
(Chimp, 7
 
Points)
 on 12/23/12 at 7:02pm

Let thine own self be true

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firestormllp's picture

Freshman in college. Heard of

firestormllp
      IB
 
(Monkey, 43
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 1:25am

Achiever in college from freshman year: Rainmaker.
Hustler in college from junior year: More than you initially hoped for.
Dreamer in college from senior year: Top closer for 4 man boutique in Idaho in toilet lid M&A
Everyone else: Dunkin Donuts.

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marcellus_wallace's picture

We are basically the same

marcellus_wallace
      ST
 
 
(King Kong, 1,617
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 4:29pm
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moneymogul's picture

Alternatively, you could be

moneymogul
      IB
 
(Senior Orangutan, 456
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 4:46pm
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karypto's picture

Right when you think you can

karypto
      EN
 
 
(Senior Gorilla, 852
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 5:02pm
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kyleyboy's picture

TheKing: The older you get,

kyleyboy
      HF
 
(Gorilla, 741
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 5:27pm

I help people with the tough situation of not knowing how to respond to emails.

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Powa23's picture

Right now on that senior year

Powa23
     
 
(Orangutan, 291
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 5:35pm
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Edmundo Braverman's picture

+1 There is nothing, and I

Edmundo Braverman
      ST
 
 
(Human, 14,385
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 6:00pm

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TheKing's picture

Edmundo Braverman: +1 There

TheKing
      O
 
 
(Senior Neanderthal, 5,141
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 7:34pm

Check out my WSO Blog

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Quaneaser's picture

Current senior with full time

Quaneaser
     
 
(Baboon, 121
 
Points)
 on 12/25/12 at 11:02pm
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IlliniProgrammer's picture

Edmundo Braverman: If you

IlliniProgrammer
      ST
 
 
(Almost Human, 9,244
 
Points)
 on 12/26/12 at 12:48am

Work hard, play hard.

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CrazyWaferS's picture

Even though I am only a

CrazyWaferS
     
 
(Senior Chimp, 17
 
Points)
 on 12/26/12 at 2:24am
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GrandJury's picture

When we were young, we all

GrandJury
      IB
 
(Baboon, 127
 
Points)
 on 12/26/12 at 6:18am

The greatest risk you can take in life is not to risk it all.

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LBObuyout's picture

A 1st year analyst in IBD,

LBObuyout
      IB
 
(Baboon, 174
 
Points)
 on 12/26/12 at 6:50pm
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labanker's picture

Edmundo Braverman: +1 There

labanker
      PE
 
 
(Orangutan, 330
 
Points)
 on 12/27/12 at 2:53am
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karypto's picture

labanker: Edmundo

karypto
      EN
 
 
(Senior Gorilla, 852
 
Points)
 on 12/27/12 at 9:43am
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EtherBinge's picture

labanker: Edmundo

EtherBinge
      HF
 
 
(Orangutan, 306
 
Points)
 on 12/27/12 at 10:41am
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karypto's picture

Mother Russia smelled our

karypto
      EN
 
 
(Senior Gorilla, 852
 
Points)
 on 12/28/12 at 8:35pm
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The Situation's picture

TheKing: Edmundo

The Situation
      O
 
(Baboon, 151
 
Points)
 on 12/29/12 at 6:18pm
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When you register for the Web Site, you will be asked to provide the Company with certain information including, without limitation, a valid email address (your "Information"). In addition to the terms and conditions that may be set forth in any privacy policy on this Web Site, you understand and agree that the Company may disclose to third parties, on an anonymous basis, certain aggregate information contained in your registration application. The Company reserves the right to offer third party services and products to you based on the preferences that you identify in your registration and at any time thereafter; such offers may be made by the Company or by third parties. Please see the Company's Privacy Policy below for further details regarding your Information.

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As a condition to your use of this site, you release the Company (and our agents and employees) from claims, demands and damages (actual and consequential, direct and indirect) of every kind and nature, known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed, arising out of or in any way connected with such disputes. If you are a California resident, you waive California Civil Code d1542, which says: "A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him must have materially affected his settlement with the debtor."

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You acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for the content and accuracy of any resume or material contained therein placed by you on the Web Site and you agree to let any users that are identified as recruiters (designated in the sole discretion of the Company) to have access to your resume.

The Company is not to be considered to be an employer with respect to your use of the Web Site and the Company shall not be responsible for any employment decisions, for whatever reason made, made by any entity posting jobs on the Web Site.

THE COMPANY DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE WEB SITE WILL OPERATE ERROR-FREE OR THAT THE WEB SITE AND ITS SERVER ARE FREE OF COMPUTER VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL MECHANISMS. IF YOUR USE OF THE WEB SITE OR THE MATERIAL RESULTS IN THE NEED FOR SERVICING OR REPLACING EQUIPMENT OR DATA, THE COMPANY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE COSTS.

THE WEB SITE AND MATERIAL ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. THE COMPANY, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. THE COMPANY MAKES NO WARRANTIES ABOUT THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, COMPLETENESS, OR TIMELINESS OF THE MATERIAL, SERVICES, SOFTWARE, TEXT, GRAPHICS, AND LINKS.

Disclaimer of Consequential Damages.

IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COMPANY, ITS SUPPLIERS, OR ANY THIRD PARTIES MENTIONED ON THE WEB SITE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, INCIDENTAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS, OR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOST DATA OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) RESULTING FROM THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE WEB SITE AND THE MATERIAL, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE COMPANY IS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

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The Web Site may contain links to third party web sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience to you and not as an endorsement by the Company of the contents on such third-party Web sites. The Company is not responsible for the content of linked third-party sites and does not make any representations regarding the content or accuracy of materials on such third party Web sites. If you decide to access linked third party Web sites, you do so at your own risk.

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You agree not to resell or assign your rights or obligations under these Term of Use. You also agree not to make any unauthorized commercial use of the Web Site.

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The aggregate liability for the Company to you for all claims arising from the use of the Materials is limited to $1.

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The Company reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to pursue all of its legal remedies, including but not limited to immediate termination of your registration with or ability to access the Web Site and/or any other service provided to you by the Company, upon any breach by you of these Terms and Conditions or if the Company is unable to verify or authenticate any information you submit to the Web Site registration with or ability to access the Web Site.

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You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its officers, directors, employees and agents, from and against any claims, actions or demands, including without limitation reasonable legal and accounting fees, alleging or resulting from your use of the Material or your breach of the terms of these Terms and Conditions. The Company shall provide notice to you promptly of any such claim, suit, or proceeding and shall assist you, at your expense, in defending any such claim, suit or proceeding.

General.

The Company makes no claims that the Materials may be lawfully viewed or downloaded outside of the United States. Access to the Materials may not be legal by certain persons or in certain countries. If you access the Web Site from outside of the United States, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with the laws of your jurisdiction. These Terms and conditions are governed by the internal substantive laws of the State of New York, without respect to its conflict of laws principles. Jurisdiction for any claims arising under this agreement shall lie exclusively with the state or federal courts within New York, New York. If any provision of these Terms and Conditions are found to be invalid by any court having competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of these Terms and Conditions, which shall remain in full force and effect. No waiver of any term of these Terms and Conditions shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or any other term. Except as expressly provided in additional terms of use for areas of the Web Site a particular "Legal Notice," or Software License or Material on particular Web pages, these Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between you and the Company with respect to the use of Web Site. No changes to these Terms and Conditions shall be made except by a revised posting on this page.

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The Company recognizes that you are concerned about privacy. We are committed to preserving your privacy and safeguarding your sensitive information. The following statement describes the general information-gathering and usage practices of our sites.

Our staff, contractors, Internet service providers and others involved in this site follow this policy or similarly strict policies regarding your Information.

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The Company is committed to fully disclosing our policies regarding the collection, use, maintenance, disclosure and security of personal information obtained from users of our site. The term "personal information" includes a name, address, email address, or any other information which could be used to contact you directly or to identify you personally.

Use and Disclosure Limitations

The Company only uses personal information about its Web site users for specific purposes. We do not share user information with third parties except when we have told users about the disclosures, when we have prior consent, or when required by law.

Use Policy: When the Company gathers personal information from users, we ask for permission first. We also disclose, at the time of collection, how the information will be used by us. Personal information is used for activities such as auto-completion of commonly-used forms and helping us contact you when you solicit information from us.

Disclosure Policy: We do not normally disclose personal information to anyone outside of the Company unless we have previously informed users about the disclosures. However, some data may be used from time to time by outside contractors, including auditors or consultants, to assist us in carrying out necessary financial or operational activities. These uses will be consistent with this privacy policy and all contractors using this potential personal information must agree to safeguard it, to use it only for the authorized purpose, and to return it or destroy it upon completion of the activity.

The Company might be required to disclose personal information in response to a valid legal process such as a subpoena, search warrant or court order.

Although unlikely, it is possible that we may have to make certain disclosures to ensure the security of our Web site, to protect its integrity, or to take precautions against potential liability. In any of these situations, we will take any reasonable steps to limit the scope of the data disclosed.

Web Logs: The Company maintains standard Web logs that record basic information about visitors to our Web site. These logs contain: * The Internet domain from which you came to our Web site. * Your IP address. An IP address is a series of numbers which uniquely identifies your connection to the Internet. Although it is possible in some instances, certain types of IP addresses may be used by interested persons to identify users but we do not attempt to identify users in this way. * The type of browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape) and operating system (e.g., Windows 98) you use. * The date and time you visited the site, and the pages you saw.

We use Web log information to design our Web site, identify popular features, and in similar ways. We do not try to identify individuals from Web logs or to link Web logs to other user information. However, if someone tries to damage our Web site or use it in an unauthorized or illegal way, we may share Web log information with law enforcement agencies. The Company may provide aggregate information such as the number of users who visit particular pages of the site, or the number of people who link to certain external sites from our site, to other parties.

Changes to Privacy Policy

The Company's features and services will change over time and our information-gathering practices and policies may also change.

While our philosophy of protecting user information from inappropriate uses and disclosures will not change, this policy will be updated occasionally to include any change that materially affects the collection, maintenance, use, or disclosure of personal information.

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  • Hi Everyone, I need some advice, I just graduated and I just got an offer from BB ops (MS/GS) however I also have an offer to intern at a elite boutique (LAZ, HL, Moelis) in an advisory group. I really liked the people and the work at the boutique...however it's not full time and I already...
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  • Has anyone applied for Citi's university program a few years out of college and got an offer or will they just immediately reject your application if you're not a current...
    Citigroup University Program
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This is the reaction any analyst who has ever worked in banking has when you say you want to leave banking for business school then come back as a post b school associate... <img src="http://epicpinterestfail.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/how-i-met-your-mother-barney-why.gif"...
Why You DON'T Leave Banking for B School Just to Come Right Back...
I get a ton of emails and answer a ton of posts asking similar questions so I thought I would answer the most common ones I get here and allow others to post their questions so everyone can see them and the subsequent answers. Hope this helps. <strong>Summer Analyst...
MSF Question and Answer
Inspired by comments from this: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/basic-guide-ramping-up-on-a-company-with-public-information-part-1-of-3 Lets just jump in. <strong>Technology:</strong> In this space there are really two metrics that matter the most, sales growth and EPS...
Beginners Guide to Valuation and Metrics By Sector
I'm currently a Private Equity Analyst in Shanghai, China. Academically, I graduated from a target school majoring in Economics and Chinese. I also spent my time at college as the president of an on-campus student organization related to Finance and Economics and a volunteer for a local...
Ask me anything… I'm a Private Equity Analyst in Shanghai
For better or for worse, there’s a very unique feeling when everything goes completely according to plan yet nobody seems to care or notice. Such is the case with our favorite company of the moment, Tesla Motors. For those unaware, TSLA has rocketed upwards since its Q1 earnings release,...
A Perfect Storm
I work as a long/short equity analyst at a large hedge fund. I've been lucky enough to be more than just a model monkey early on in my career, but have also been exposed to the stress of being measured on returns. I primarily cover consumer and TMT names. I went the typical path (target...
I'm a Hedge Fund Analyst - Ask Me Anything
Fellow Primates, We are looking for 1-2 students on each campus to help WSO in its sales efforts to student clubs/career centers, and overall promotion at your school both online and on the ground. Below is a description of the position and benefits...thanks in advance for your help! <a...
WSO is Looking for Campus Reps For Summer/Fall 2013 (and beyond)
<em>Mod note: Best of Bankerella - this was originally posted 10/1/12</em> I occasionally get PMed by people at colleges I’ve never heard of before, asking if they have a shot at IBD. Folks, why IBD? The finance world is broad and varied, and there are a million ways to...
My Biggest Career Mistake to Date: Prestige
This is just fantastic. After sitting through Carl Levin and John McCain spewing a bunch of nonsense about how Apple doesn't pay enough taxes (despite being the #3 taxpaying company in America behind ExxonMobil and Chevron), Rand Paul lit them up about what a travesty it was to blame Apple...
Rand Paul GOES OFF at Apple Hearing
Someone was asking me about this in PM and I wrote a long and detailed reply about what it is like to work in Big 4 and what advice I would give to people thinking about interning / working there. Thought it might be useful for others so my reply is below. Happy to answer any...
Working In Big 4 Audit in London
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