Oct 08, 2012

am i the only one who would never want to work at a bb

16 Comments

11y

I want a BB SA position, so when it comes time for full time recruiting, I will have options and be able to choose based on hours,salary,work life, atmosphere of the firm etc.....and I am definitely considering small firms for FT

Getting a BB SA position can certainly give you those options. Just my input

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Authored by: Certified Corporate Finance Professional - ManagerCertified Corporate Finance Pro

Will Hunting

Neanderthal

11y

jasper90:
I want a BB SA position, so when it comes time for full time recruiting, I will have options and be able to choose based on hours,salary,work life, atmosphere of the firm etc.....and I am definitely considering small firms for FT
Getting a BB SA position can certainly give you those options. Just my input

Well considering most top boutiques pay more than BB's, have less hours, a more collegial work atmosphere, and are usually more understanding with you leaving - your logic is flawed.

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"Look, you're my best friend, so don't take this the wrong way. In twenty years, if you're still livin' here, comin' over to my house to watch the Patriots games, still workin' construction, I'll fuckin' kill you. That's not a threat, that's a fact.

HarvardOrBust

Neanderthal

11y

Man do you even know what you're saying? Get a BB offer first then talk. Doesn't matter what you prefer if you don't have anything. Take it from someone who had a clear difference in expectations vs reality.

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Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 2nd Year AssociateCertified Private Equity Pro

Will Hunting

Neanderthal

11y

HarvardOrBust:
Man do you even know what you're saying? Get a BB offer first then talk. Doesn't matter what you prefer if you don't have anything. Take it from someone who had a clear difference in expectations vs reality.

Yea maybe you're right. I have already worked at a top hedge fund so I actually know the qualities desired in new analysts and how being from a BB isn't one of them. You wouldn't know because you spend your time circle jerking on here and having the name "Harvard or Bust" really shows how much of a doucher you are.

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HarvardOrBust

Neanderthal

11y

Will Hunting:
HarvardOrBust:
Man do you even know what you're saying? Get a BB offer first then talk. Doesn't matter what you prefer if you don't have anything. Take it from someone who had a clear difference in expectations vs reality.

Yea maybe you're right. I have already worked at a top hedge fund so I actually know the qualities desired in new analysts and how being from a BB isn't one of them. You wouldn't know because you spend your time circle jerking on here and having the name "Harvard or Bust" really shows how much of a doucher you are.

OOOHHH SHITT!!! You have already worked at a hedge fund? Damn you must know everything there is to getting a gig in banking. My work experience would shit on whatever back office hedge fund gig you've had, but I'm not waving it in your face like a douche bag. Don't feel like you're so entitled.

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Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 2nd Year AssociateCertified Private Equity Pro

4 replies

Press0

Baboon

11y

Maybe this is why you're talking shit about BBs

"http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/i-go-to-a-target-and-there-is-onl…"

mad?

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Will Hunting

Neanderthal

11y

Press0:
Maybe this is why you're talking shit about BBs
"//www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/i-go-to-a-target-and-there-is-only-1-bb-…"

mad?

Well, that was as of August 28th. Since then almost every single BB had posted on my OCR with the exception of CS and Barclays. And to the guy above me, as well as yourself, I currently have an offer at a BB and am 99% sure I will be taking my boutique offer over it.

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reformed

Almost Human

11y

I've heard first hand from people at Evercore, HL, etc that hours there are not that bad.

This surprises me. The people I know at the above in NYC have gotten absolutely crushed.

Also, BBs have much larger analyst classes and most people will take whatever they can get. Most of us don't have the luxury of choosing between several top offers.

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Authored by: Certified Investment Banking Professional - 3rd+ Year AssociateCertified Investment Banking Pro

Will Hunting

Neanderthal

11y

reformed:
I've heard first hand from people at Evercore, HL, etc that hours there are not that bad.

This surprises me. The people I know at the above in NYC have gotten absolutely crushed.

Also, BBs have much larger analyst classes and most people will take whatever they can get. Most of us don't have the luxury of choosing between several top offers.

Understand. My questioning was more for the people that only go for BB or would always choose BB over boutique.

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CallThatBond

Baboon

11y

Best Response

I'm a junior in college going to a boutique, but I don't have any issue with the bulge brackets. The downside to a bulge bracket for me is that you don't necessarily know which group you'll be in, but other than that, they seem pretty similar to the boutiques for the most part. They also have the added benefit of worldwide brand recognition.

Perella and Centerview work really hard, but exit opportunities are more limited from what I have heard (and read on this site). HLHZ isn't usually considered in the same class as the bulge brackets. Other boutiques like Lazard and Moelis do have great exit opportunities, but they work you just as hard as the bulge brackets do from what I've heard. Evercore and GHL don't seem to have the same caliber of exit opportunities as GS / MS, and the analysts at Evercore--idk about GHL--do work quite hard. I think BX strikes a nice balance between culture and exit opportunities, but apparently the deal flow isn't the best.

As with all decisions, there are trade-offs, and I don't think it's nearly as clear cut as you think it is.

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Margin of Safety Formula Toxicology

proptrader14

Orangutan

11y

I gotta say I agree with you. I've never understood the obsession with working insane hours with minimal, if any, impact on how the firm does. I personally wanted to work at a bank where I could actually have an impact as an analyst instead of looking at it as a two year jail sentence until I could leave to greener pastures. I work at a no-name boutique in a non-NY city and I'm loving life right now. I work, maybe, 70 hours a week with great people (all the MDs are former MDs at BB's) who are fun to be around. I also get to have an actual impact (as in deciding who to pitch, which buyers go on the list, meeting with CEO's and leading meetings, generating leads and building relationships, as well as getting to learn about firm strategy on a daily basis which I find really interesting).

I understand the great exit ops the top BBs have, but I don't understand why someone would want to work at KKR or Blackstone either (See the thread about private equity being banking 2.0). What's the point of making a ton of cash if you are never available to spend it?