6 Free Financial Modeling Lessons...and More.

Enter your e-mail below to get our new Free Modeling Tutorials ($200+ Value).

< previous | next >

Can you say you work on Wall Street if you're not in NYC?
 

lindamas's picture
IB
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 9:24am

I have a few friends in non-NYC offices like LA, Chicago, Boston, SF, Houston, Charlotte, etc. at multiple banks from BB to MM and all of them consider themselves to be working on "wall street".

I thought ur only wall street if you work in nyc at a BB or elite boutique.

what are your thoughts?

Tags:
bulge4lyf's picture

I would say no, if you tell

IB
(Gorilla, 562
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 9:37am

I would say no, if you tell someone you work on Wall Street they assume you work in NYC at a major bank.

If you tell them you work on Wall Street, and then have to explain how you actually work in LA but can technically say you work on WS it would just seem stupid.

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing.

Aero's picture

What if you work in NY, but

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 9:41am

What if you work in NY, but not on actual Wall Street? Same concept?

Just say "I work for a wall

eyelikecheese (not verified)
(Chimp, 0
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 9:48am

Just say "I work for a wall street firm"
Done

lindamas's picture

aero: most of the banks are

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 9:49am

aero: most of the banks are in midtown like park avenue and even the best, goldman, is on 200 west so technically not wall street. i think being in manhattan is enough.

eyelikecheese: thanks, that sounds like a good solution

Edmundo Braverman's picture

Wall Street is a generic,

ST
(Human, 14,337
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 9:53am

Wall Street is a generic, catch-all term. None of the firms are actually on "Wall Street" anymore anyway. Especially if you're speaking to someone from outside finance, saying you work on Wall Street is easy shorthand for describing what you do.

Only an industry tool takes it literally.

Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to say you work on Wall Street even if you're in Houston or San Fran.

ShawnDU2009's picture

Wall Street is an extremely

ER
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 10:01am

Wall Street is an extremely vague term my man. If you're working a front office role for an IB (BB/MM/Boutique) or at some buyside firm (HF/AM, PE, VC, etc.) as an investment professional, then you're considered to be working on the Street. Location really doesn't matter. If you're a banker or research analyst specializing in tech firms, don't you think it'd be an advantage to work in SF than NYC? Same goes with PE/VC firms - it makes more sense to be in place like SF or Boston where the majority of the investment opportunities are. People may have different views but I think the term is extremely broad. Now if you're working for GS in operations or some other BO role, then clearly you're excluded from working on "Wall Street."

MeNeverSleeps's picture

agree w edmundo

IB
(Orangutan, 340
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 10:01am

agree w edmundo

cphbravo96's picture

Edmundo Braverman wrote: Wall

PE
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 10:04am
Edmundo Braverman:

Wall Street is a generic, catch-all term. None of the firms are actually on "Wall Street" anymore anyway. Especially if you're speaking to someone from outside finance, saying you work on Wall Street is easy shorthand for describing what you do.

Only an industry tool takes it literally.

Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to say you work on Wall Street even if you're in Houston or San Fran.

Agreed. I work on the Street and I live in the Dirty Dirty Sou'f.

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

Kanon's picture

Who cares? If you want to get

O
(King Kong, 1,504
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 10:09am

Who cares? If you want to get picky, wall street is specifically referencing those working in high finance in NY. But like Edmundo said, 'wall street' is a catch-all term, and also mainstreeters use it as a description for bankers, hedge funders, PE guys in general.

Unless you're working at Edward Jones or back office and you say you work in 'wall street', I think people nitpicking on such titles for people describing themselves (when they are in high finance) are being douchey.

I personally don't even like the whole 'I work in wall street' thrown around in general. Just say 'I'm in banking/finance/PE/etc.'

Barboone's picture

Edmundo takes the cake.

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 11:07am

Edmundo takes the cake.

"Climbing a mountain that's only getting steeper"
-Barboon

Situation's picture

I would say that working on

IB
(Orangutan, 290
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 11:13am

I would say that working on "Wall Street" means that you are anywhere in Manhattan. If you are in another state, it will false, and you are trying too hard to sound prestigious.

Like stated before, say you work for a Wall Street firm, but you do not work on "Wall Street."

Edmundo Braverman's picture

IBslave22 wrote: I would say

ST
(Human, 14,337
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 11:17am
IBslave22:

I would say that working on "Wall Street" means that you are anywhere in Manhattan. If you are in another state, it will false, and you are trying too hard to sound prestigious."

LMAO.

Says the "prospective" monkey. Let us know when you get a job on any street, junior.

rjroberts1's picture

Personally I'd feel a little

ER
(Baboon, 161
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 11:23am

Personally I'd feel a little douchey telling people I work on Wall St. since I live in New Orleans. That just screams pretentious. Whats wrong with just saying you're in finance?

lindamas's picture

Edmundo Braverman

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 11:26am
Edmundo Braverman:
IBslave22:

I would say that working on "Wall Street" means that you are anywhere in Manhattan. If you are in another state, it will false, and you are trying too hard to sound prestigious."

LMAO.

Says the "prospective" monkey. Let us know when you get a job on any street, junior.

You'll have to excuse him and his bad grammar "it will false"???!?!

He is working at jefferies.

cphbravo96's picture

Edmundo Braverman

PE
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 11:28am
Edmundo Braverman:
IBslave22:

I would say that working on "Wall Street" means that you are anywhere in Manhattan. If you are in another state, it will false, and you are trying too hard to sound prestigious."

LMAO.

Says the "prospective" monkey. Let us know when you get a job on any street, junior.

Haha, +1 SB.

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

JohnnyCage's picture

the offices that are actually

O
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 2:09pm
LIBOR's picture

JohnnyCage wrote: the offices

EN
(Neanderthal, 2,156
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 2:49pm

looking for that pick-me-up to power through an all-nighter?

Imperial Financier's picture

+1 to Eddie Plus, assuming

HF
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 4:08pm
lindamas's picture

greenwich is in manhattan.

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 5:32pm

The Greenwich he is referring

eyelikecheese (not verified)
(Chimp, 0
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 6:16pm
MeNeverSleeps's picture

Only a douche these days

IB
(Orangutan, 340
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 6:22pm
nycIBD's picture

you gotta be at a BB nyc to

(Gorilla, 515
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 6:34pm
Eric Stratton's picture

You have to be at a BB in NYC

(Gorilla, 583
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 6:46pm

---------------------
"Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America."

whateverittakes's picture

Edmundo Braverman

IB
(King Kong, 1,056
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 6:57pm
lindamas's picture

afalcon10 wrote: you gotta

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 7:00pm
Dr Barnaby Fulton's picture

I feel like Wall Street is

AM
(Orangutan, 329
 
Points)
 on 10/21/10 at 7:10pm

6 Free Financial Modeling Lessons...Straight to Your Inbox.

Confirm your name and e-mail below to get our best tips

Monkey Stats
Account information
We respect your Name and E-mail privacy. By joining you accept our terms of service.