Your Height May Keep You From Getting A Job

There was a previous thread on how obesity affects one's success rate in employment. What do you guys think about height? You hear and read many stories that explains the thought-process of how greater success is linked with one's height. Sources say that employers are hesitant to hire short people because it's an "unattractive feature" that physically expresses lack of dominance, leadership, or charisma. And of course the term "short" is very universal. I could say the short height range is below 5'6, but others could argue that it's a different scale.

I am 5'8 1/2 which I feel is an average height, but I feel relatively short among people in the business world. Why the hell is everyone in the financial industry so damn tall? (Yes, this is my opinion).

What are your heights? What's your take on this?

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Is 5'9” Short For a Guy on Wall Street

While looks can matter on Wall Street, it is not the end all be all. Our users have varying opinions regarding the effect of height on your recruiting prospects.

Some users shared that many guys on Wall Street are actually on the average to shorter side.

JDawg:
Most of the supermotivated guys at my non-target who got into BB S&T were short as fuck. I swear they had Napolean complexes. You're fine. FYI: 5'10 is the average height for a man in the US.

she_monkey - Sales and Trading Associate:
Percentage of short guys (under 5'9) dramatically increases as you move up the ranks on my floor. Analyst level: average / 5'10ish.. HoD/senior traders: 5'8 ... I’m not kidding

Height Doesn't Matter on Wall Street

Some users shared that height is really a non-factor.

TNA:
This is banking, not Americas Top Model. Stop watching American Psycho, stop watching Wall Street, stop reading LSO.

Almost every banker I have met has been pretty nerdy and normal to smaller height. This isn't the roster for the Cowboys. Just know your technicals and be eager. MD's want slaves, not Fabio.

PBrad - Corporate Finance Associate:
Gotta play to your advantages and realize that a prospective employer is not hiring solely based on one physical feature or another. You will get the job based on their perception of your abilities and how they think you will successfully make them money.

Height Too Short Affecting Job Hunt

However, some users feel that height and appearances really do matter.

sick_willy - Private Equity Vice President:
Looks matter, it's only natural to get judged off them. If you're tall, good looking, and fit, you're always going to have an advantage over someone who's not. That's a no-brainer. There's a ton of evolutionary reasons for our biases but I went get into it here. Suffice to say, life's tough, but you need to play the hand you're dealt with.

NickFromBaltimore:
Height does equal power. To a certain extent of course; however, I wouldn’t worry too much. If you have a solid educational and work background you should be fine. Just keep at it and don’t take no for an answer.

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I'm 5'6-5'7, hasn't hurt too bad, but I have problems with the top shelf in the kitchen where they keep all the snacks at the office. It's helped with the fat issue though. I refuse to work in an office where obesity is allowed.

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 

Most of the supermotivated guys at my non-target who got into BB S&T were short as fuck. I swear they had Napolean complexes. You're fine.

FYI: 5'10 is the average height for a man in the US

 
seville:
JDawg:
Most of the supermotivated guys at my non-target who got into BB S&T were short as fuck. I swear they had Napolean complexes. You're fine.

FYI: 5'10 is the average height for a man in the US

I was misinformed. You sir are right

so true.. % of short guys (under 5'9) dramatically increases as you move up the ranks on my floor. analyst level: average / 5'10ish.. HoD/senior traders: 5'8 ... im not kidding

 
seville:
JDawg:
Most of the supermotivated guys at my non-target who got into BB S&T were short as fuck. I swear they had Napolean complexes. You're fine.

FYI: 5'10 is the average height for a man in the US

I was misinformed. You sir are right

so true.. % of short guys (under 5'9) dramatically increases as you move up the ranks on my floor. analyst level: average / 5'10ish.. HoD/senior traders: 5'8 ... im not kidding

 

"A survey of Fortune 500 CEO height in 2005 revealed that they were on average 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall, which is approximately 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) taller than the average American man. 30% were 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall or more; in comparison only 3.9% of the overall United States population is of this height."

Conclusion: looks matter, it's only natural to get judged off them. If you're tall, good looking, and fit, you're always going to have an advantage over someone who's not. That's a no-brainer. There's a ton of evolutionary reasons for our biases but I went get into it here. Suffice to say, life's tough, but you need to play the hand you're dealt with.

 
sick_willy:
"A survey of Fortune 500 CEO height in 2005 revealed that they were on average 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall, which is approximately 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) taller than the average American man. 30% were 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall or more; in comparison only 3.9% of the overall United States population is of this height."

Conclusion: looks matter, it's only natural to get judged off them. If you're tall, good looking, and fit, you're always going to have an advantage over someone who's not. That's a no-brainer. There's a ton of evolutionary reasons for our biases but I went get into it here. Suffice to say, life's tough, but you need to play the hand you're dealt with.

Dunno how much stock to put into this.

1) Self-reported heights should be taken with a grain of salt - a lot of people actually don't know what their true barefoot height is (how many busy CEOs have the time to check their height for a dumb survey?)

2) Self-reported heights should be taken with a grain of salt - most people exaggerate (how likely is a F500 CEO, who most likely was confident, not modest, would never stand to be inadequate etc. to report a height that sounds too short to them?)

3) Was it a busy CEO who responded to the survey? Or his/her assistant who was just eyeballing their height? If there's one thing that humans are terrible at, it's estimating other people's height.

4) Did they account for the fact that some of CEOs were women?

Interestingly, though, if the 6ft average height is true, then the height premium is >2.5 inches. The average age of F500 CEOs has to be around 50 years; men of that age in 2005 were not 5'9.5" on average (that number was the average for 18 year-olds in 2005, and people were shorter in previous years)

 

height does equal power. To a certain extent of course; however, I wouldnt worry too much. If you have a solid educational and work background you should be fine. Just keep at it and dont take no for an answer.

Maybe someone actually in the business could give you some more insight.

 

Gotta play to your advantages and realize that a prospective employer is not hiring solely based on one physical feature or another. You will get the job based on their perception of your abilities and how they think you will successfully make them money.

 

It's more about the size you project. Being physically taller of course normally helps in how you project yourself but there are plenty of guys 5'8" and under that still exude confidence. It just takes a little more for them.

When Gordon Gekko (aka Michael Douglas) gave his Teldar Paper "Greed is good" speech no one said "who's that 5'9" shrimp".

 

I have met many bankers over the years, and I never got the impression that they were an unusually tall set or that height was an advantage in the profession. Figuring out how to make $$, is what it

 

It may be a disadvantage to some degree... but if you can get a chick in bed at 5'5" then you've got enough grit to land a top job at 5'5". I've seen plenty of people (granted they're like 5'7 maybe....) who are way shorter than average end up being very successful. Besides, worrying about this is not going to help you in any way... this is the definition of one of those things you can do nothing about so you should not waste your time fretting.

Disclaimer: I'm 6'4", so I'm not really qualified to lecture on this... but still.

 

This is banking, not Americas Top Model. Stop watching American Psycho, stop watching Wall Street, stop reading LSO.

Almost every banker I have met has been pretty nerdy and normal to smaller height. This isn't the roster for the Cowboys. Just know your technicals and be eager. MD's want slaves, not Fabio.

 
ANT:
This is banking, not Americas Top Model. Stop watching American Psycho, stop watching Wall Street, stop reading LSO.

Almost every banker I have met has been pretty nerdy and normal to smaller height. This isn't the roster for the Cowboys. Just know your technicals and be eager. MD's want slaves, not Fabio.

I AM Fabio ¬¬

Valor is of no service, chance rules all, and the bravest often fall by the hands of cowards. - Tacitus Dr. Nick Riviera: Hey, don't worry. You don't have to make up stories here. Save that for court!
 

I pass a midget on Vesey Street all the time, power suit and everything. If HE can do it, I think it's reasonable to expect a fighting chance for yourself given you d.o y.o.u.r j.o.b

Get busy living
 

Concur with the majority of people on this thread saying it isn't a big deal. All else equal, being tall is better, but it's not the norm and not a big deal.

Wall Street is full of short, Jewish guys who run things (i'm generalizing...sort of tongue in cheek...and i'm not trying to be racist). Kravis, Scwhwarzman, Blankfein, everyone at Apollo... I think a lot of Jewish people are shorter because they have genetic roots in the Middle East and people from the Middle East are generally shorter. I have no idea why they run everything in NY.

You need to be smart and/or work hard to succeed in finance. It also helps if you have/make connections.

 

we're all basically the same height when on all fours taking it up the a$$ from our MDs.

all kidding aside, it probably helps to be taller. it probably also helps to be the better looking, the right ethnicity, born into royalty.. you get my drift. it's certainly possible to be successful at your height, so don't worry too much about it.

Money Never Sleeps? More like Money Never SUCKS amirite?!?!?!?
 

Yeah this was one of my biggest fears. I thought the street favors the tall. But it doesn't really matter. It's all about the attitude, intelligence, and eloquence of a person. I'm 5'6 asian ethnicity. I try to exceed in communication skills and leadership voice and it's been equaling the playing field.

 

5'8" and it hasn't affected my life negatively really in any way. Although, most women will reluctantly date men 5'7" and above and start to discriminate under that, so I can't speak to 5'5". But you'll be fine in your career. 5'5" black dude sits next to me at work and is rockin' it. He might even be 5'4" and he's really good at his job and keeps getting promoted (and it's definitely not a race thing).

Array
 

I hear that at MS they have a doctor present at final round interviews to make sure all male candidates are over 6'.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

Phew, glad I'm tall, BB's here I come!

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

Lol in my company the support staff are all short, and the engineers and bosses are very tall. My boss is 6'4, another division's boss is 6'2, 2 of the VPs are around 6'3, another one is 6'6, and another one is 7 ft tall. The CEO is also about 6'3, and 2 of the "short VPs" are 5'10-5'11. Engineers are around 6'0 - 6'2, except for females, who are 5'7-5'9.

More is good, all is better
 

That seems to stretch it. The point of the tallness is because in person it has a body image effect. By saying your height without the person seeing you in real life, your height does not matter. It is almost natural primal instincts. The bigger creatures are dominant (alpha male type idea).

If someone said on their resume that they had nice hair, would you care? But if this person did not say anything about it and you saw them in real life, then would you notice it?

 

I think you can hint at your height without being all up in your face about it, by mentioning a length of your Johnson. Unless you are a statistical oddity and have like a 6 incher, in which case hahahaha I bet you look ridiculous naked!

More is good, all is better
 
  1. There are studies showing positive correlation between height and length
  2. Brilliant social commentary and sarcasm are lost on unwashed masses facepalm
  3. Everyone sees what he/she wants to see
More is good, all is better
 

Do you have any idea how many Napoleons there are in banking. Congratulations on finding the perfect career match.

Just kidding, 5'5 is not that short for a younger guy who still has time to grow some. Quit yo stressin.

 

One of the female CEO's I've worked with in the past year is only about 5'4" - but she spits flames and lasers shoot out of her eyes. If you want to be a boss, act like one.

I agree being tall helps, and I'm 6' myself, but there are lots of ways to project yourself to have presence/confidence.

Array
 

I'm 5'10" and feel short, every one of my friends is taller than me. I don't feel all that short in public but compared to my peers I am which is weird. Anything less than 5'10" I think you might get discriminated against a bit in the workforce for being kind of a midget. It sucks because its entirely not your fault, unlike being fat.

 

My opinion is that it matters more in IB than in other fields within finance like PE or HF. Whereas PE and HF is more driven by results and less so by client relationships, IB is very much a client-driven business and people who are taller generally tend to be more confident (in my experience) which comes across positively in meetings.

That being said, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule. Many bankers are average height or less (many in the 5'6" to 5'10" range) and Lloyd Blankfein himself is around 5'6", as is Stephen Schwarzman (who was considered a prominent rainmaker while in banking).

Point being, being tall helps in that it instills more confidence within yourself and thus taller people tend to be more confident overall, but IMO by itself it's nothing more than a physical characteristic. If you're good, people will know and respect that, whether you're 5'4" or 6'4".

Obviously, this isn't always the case, but it's what I've seen from people around me.

 

IB has many men of mediocre height in powerful positions with somewhat Napoleon/BSD/overcompensating alpha male personality complexes. Tall people intimidate them. Staying in the 5'10 - 6'1 range is healthy for your career.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, post threads about how to do it on WSO.
 

I would think it matters more for client relationship-driven finance like sales then something like trading or equity research. They wouldn't want some short, scrawny, fast-talking guy like me, ordering chocolate milks, and trying to woo in clients. I've read many threads on here about the importance of looks and the general impression I took away from them is that looks matter to a certain extent. Height is an important feature for a guy's looks so I'd be surprised if it played no factor at all, particularly if the guy is like 5'2.

 

There seems to be some evidence that being tall is helpful in business (CEOs tend to significantly taller than the average person). The causality underlying this correlation is up for debate. People may treat tall people differently purely because of their height (e.g., perceived competence, power, whatever). Alternatively, tall people may behave differently than short people (e.g. more confidently), which can affect their career outcomes. You can certainly come up with other explanations for this phenomenon. For example, perhaps athletes tend to do well in business and tall people are more likely to be former athletes. Personally, I think it may be a combination of factors, with the primary being the behavioral differences between tall and short people. Merely the belief that tall people are more successful may be essential to their actual success. If tall people believe that their height gives them an advantage, they may act more confident, leading to positive outcomes at work and reinforcing their original belief. If this occurs on a large scale, overtime you will see many successful people who are of above average height, lending further credence to the notion that being tall makes you successful. There's probably some literature on the cognition behind this, which I don't feel like looking up. Still, even if height has some statistically significant effect on your career, it is likely to be quite low on the list of factors that will determine how successful you will be over the long-term. Plus, you can't change your height so why worry about it? Play the hand you're dealt, be confident, and kick ass. At the end of the day, if you don't get to where you want to be in your career, the fact that you're not 6'3'' isn't a legitimate excuse.

"This is the business we've chosen"!
 

Research has shown that men of a taller stature (around 6') are actually more successful in most business fields because they are subconsciously seen as more authoritative, etc.

 
RagnarDanneskjold:
Does anyone feel like kids today are taller for some crazy reason? I'm over 6', and always felt relatively tall. However, kids in high school seem like they are fucking huge now. I know it seems anecdotal, but many people I've mentioned it to seem to say the same thing.

Nutrition--high protein diet. My Vietnamese friend who is a girl from high school was born and raised in America and she was 5'9". Her parents were both under 5'6". High protein red meat diets are cheaper every generation and I think it's starting to show among people.

Array
 
Virginia Tech 4ever:
RagnarDanneskjold:
Does anyone feel like kids today are taller for some crazy reason? I'm over 6', and always felt relatively tall. However, kids in high school seem like they are fucking huge now. I know it seems anecdotal, but many people I've mentioned it to seem to say the same thing.

Nutrition--high protein diet. My Vietnamese friend who is a girl from high school was born and raised in America and she was 5'9". Her parents were both under 5'6". High protein red meat diets are cheaper every generation and I think it's starting to show among people.

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to bio., but that seems like a way over simplification. I believe there are genetics, which can sometimes alternate generations, among many other factors (how long your growth plates are open) and more generally background based. I really don't think what you eat changes how tall you will potentially grow. Even old adages that coffee will stunt your growth have been disproven (I believe).

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme."
 
Best Response
streetwannabe:
Virginia Tech 4ever:
RagnarDanneskjold:
Does anyone feel like kids today are taller for some crazy reason? I'm over 6', and always felt relatively tall. However, kids in high school seem like they are fucking huge now. I know it seems anecdotal, but many people I've mentioned it to seem to say the same thing.

Nutrition--high protein diet. My Vietnamese friend who is a girl from high school was born and raised in America and she was 5'9". Her parents were both under 5'6". High protein red meat diets are cheaper every generation and I think it's starting to show among people.

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to bio., but that seems like a way over simplification. I believe there are genetics, which can sometimes alternate generations, among many other factors (how long your growth plates are open) and more generally background based. I really don't think what you eat changes how tall you will potentially grow. Even old adages that coffee will stunt your growth have been disproven (I believe).

This article from Scientific American cites 20-40% of height variation as environmental, largely nutrition.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-much-of-human-heig…

Array
 
Virginia Tech 4ever:
RagnarDanneskjold:
Does anyone feel like kids today are taller for some crazy reason? I'm over 6', and always felt relatively tall. However, kids in high school seem like they are fucking huge now. I know it seems anecdotal, but many people I've mentioned it to seem to say the same thing.

Nutrition--high protein diet. My Vietnamese friend who is a girl from high school was born and raised in America and she was 5'9". Her parents were both under 5'6". High protein red meat diets are cheaper every generation and I think it's starting to show among people.

All of the above, plus the amount of hormone + corticosteriod injections into meat/poulty is redonkulous, and it can't all be metabolized by the animals. I'm guessing some of it passes through the system onto people?
Get busy living
 
RagnarDanneskjold:
Does anyone feel like kids today are taller for some crazy reason? I'm over 6', and always felt relatively tall. However, kids in high school seem like they are fucking huge now. I know it seems anecdotal, but many people I've mentioned it to seem to say the same thing.

yea kids are definitely getting taller, and I bet it'll continue. I'm like 4 inches taller than my dad

 
RagnarDanneskjold:
Does anyone feel like kids today are taller for some crazy reason? kids in high school seem like they are fucking huge now.
haha! completely agree
Power and Money do not change men; they only unmask them
 

girls over 6'2 with heels, guys under 5'3

Disclaimer for the Kids: Any forward-looking statements are solely for informational purposes and cannot be taken as investment advice. Consult your moms before deciding where to invest.
 
sadboy:
if your a manlet, no one will give you the time of day. anyone under 5'10 should be back office

Haha agreed. Manlets and girls that are manmores are no good. #uaware

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
 
sadboy:
misc presence strong . aware broseidon

aware

Disclaimer for the Kids: Any forward-looking statements are solely for informational purposes and cannot be taken as investment advice. Consult your moms before deciding where to invest.
 

Not sure if trolling....if so, well done. If not:

One of the best sales guys I know is about 5'4". And I know one lady who is probably 6'1" and another who is less than 5'0" who are both phenomenal with clients.

 
 

For business? I don't know. Its mostly for little people I think in the 4' range. They break your bones and you have to turn this dial daily that increases the distance between the breaks and then the bones heal longer.

I have heard it is one of the most painful operations and processes of physical therapy.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

What is that statistic though, 90% of CEOs are 5'10" or above right?

Height establishes command presence and leadership.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

I'm 5'6", it sucks sometimes (girls being taller than you in heels, saying they want taller guys, when playing basketball, whatever) but as someone said, its one of those things that you literally cant help, so getting worried about it will do nothing good for you.

I don't think situations occur often where a guy gets passed up strictly because hes kinda short. Just carry yourself confidently and people will be less prone to notice.

 

Generally, taller males have more confidence. Thus, more taller males hold higher positions of leadership.

Don't let this kill your dreams though. My grandfather was 5'5"-5'6" at his peak and was the president of one of the first M&A firms. The current president of the wealth management firm I'm interning with is 5'5".

What matters at the end of the day is how well you can work and communicate with people.

 

Have a great personality (or just one at that), be confident, like others have said, have high self-esteem, say the right things at the right time, put in good work, and no one will give a flying fuck.

I'm 5'4" and 1/4. Do I wish I were taller? Yes. Can I do anything about it? No. Do I let it put me down? Hell no.

Oh and dress well. Meaning wear clothes that don't make you look even shorter. It'll make a difference, trust me.

 

since we seem to be going for the exact measurement... i'm 5'6" and 1/4 (lol..i laughed too at that "1/4" comment), and yes like many have already said there are times i wish i were taller. i love basketball and i wished i could play bigger instead of playing damn point guard all the time (that has been the case since everyone went through their growth spurt season in middle school). but it is what it is... so i ended up becoming a sick PG

lol on a serious note, i disagree with most who said that height doesnt matter. it does matter. its a form of advantage. period. when you go out, 70% of girls are always taller than you w/ heels on and its also difficult to "fit in" in a group setting when everyone is 6" taller than you.

but like others said you can make up for that by carrying yourself with confidence and etc... its just unfortunate that us short folks have to make that extra effort just to be on even par.

 

If you are that worried about your height, state your measurements in cm. Not only will that be a bigger number but you will seem European and the ladies will just loose control.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 
DoctorAndre:

Finance and consulting are very client-focused industries. So are short males, let's say between 5'3 and 5'7, at a substantial disadvantage in a IB/PE/Consulting career? Does it matter less in getting to the top at a F500?

In some cases, it may be a disadvantage. But, in the long-term, if you perform well, it clearly isn't.

Blankfein is maybe 5'7" in shoes. He is doing just fine.

 

This is finance... not basketball. Of course low confidence can have a negative impact on performance and leadership ability, but its quite a large generalization to say that short guys lack such confidence because of their height, especially considering the pedigree of most entrants to Wall Street banks.. I just don't see it.

(full disclosure: I am indeed 5'7" and 1/3)

 
CorpFinanceGuy:

Avoid the "little man's syndrome" at all costs. A colleague of mine in the same FLDP is about 5'5", pretty smart kid with great social skills, but he tries to compensate for his height by always being the center of attention. Its fucking annoying.

yea a lot of my short buddies overdress/wear dress shirts/button-ups all the fckin time it's really annoying since it's so obv they're trying to overcompensate

"so i herd u liek mudkipz" - sum kid "I'd watergun the **** outta that." - Kassad
 
mudkipz:
CorpFinanceGuy:

Avoid the "little man's syndrome" at all costs. A colleague of mine in the same FLDP is about 5'5", pretty smart kid with great social skills, but he tries to compensate for his height by always being the center of attention. Its fucking annoying.

yea a lot of my short buddies overdress/wear dress shirts/button-ups all the fckin time it's really annoying since it's so obv they're trying to overcompensate

I know you're trolling, but regarding the CorpFinanceGuy, the fuck is this shit. Your friend sounds like a twat by virtue of being a twat. If he was taller, people would just think he was an attention whore. But cause he's short, it's napoleon complex?
 
kidflash:
But cause he's short, it's napoleon complex?

per wikipodiatry:

"It is characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior, and carries the implication that such behavior is compensatory for the subjects' stature. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives."

so by def he is correct lol

"so i herd u liek mudkipz" - sum kid "I'd watergun the **** outta that." - Kassad
 
CAbeachbum:

Just be a likable guy and no one will care how tall you are.

excelent friendzone adv1ce

"so i herd u liek mudkipz" - sum kid "I'd watergun the **** outta that." - Kassad
 

Pretty sure the growth hormones in so many animals that we eat today are having some affect. I'm a senior in college and I've always felt pretty tall at 6'2" but all these 6'4" freshmen walking around campus are changing that now.

Sometimes when you bring the thunder... you get lost in the storm.
 
sweetwater:
Pretty sure the growth hormones in so many animals that we eat today are having some affect. I'm a senior in college and I've always felt pretty tall at 6'2" but all these 6'4" freshmen walking around campus are changing that now.

good point. shit meat.

also @ Virginia tech, good post

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme."
 
sweetwater:
Pretty sure the growth hormones in so many animals that we eat today are having some affect. I'm a senior in college and I've always felt pretty tall at 6'2" but all these 6'4" freshmen walking around campus are changing that now.

This is the reason and it's been documented in studies across developed countries. There are a shit load of hormones in meat and dairy now that didn't exist before. There are some epic examples in Japan where the older (WWII-ish) generation used to primarily eat rice and you'll see a young adult grand child and a grand parent walking together and they look like they're from different species practically the kid is so much bigger.

 

I'm a little on the shorter side but I don't think it has hindered me (to my knowledge) in the business world. Yah I probably woulda gotten laid a little more in college if I was a few inches taller but I got mine so can't really worry about it. As has been said, you play the hand you were dealt. One thing I've noticed is that it forces you to work a little harder because subconsciously or not, people are judging you. I'm not talking in a napoleon complex sense, just that you have to go the extra mile to prove yourself sometimes and for people to be like "Okay, this kid can ball."

My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
 

Quite a few short BSDs on WS, the biggest baller of `em all Stephen Schwartzman stands 5'6 ... so fuck height At the end of the day its all about making it rain

Simplicity is the highest form of sophistication ~ Leonardo da Vinci
 

I had a boss who prided himself at "controlling the table" as he put it. He (a Texan) always said "wear cowboy boots, it makes you taller, more intimidating and everyone can hear your foot steps" Needless to say I think it worked for him, but he always said "height helps". And he wasn't short either but you can see how some view height.

 

Funny thread. I'm 6'0", 185, and I'm probably average maybe a bit tall. I'd peg avg height in my office at around 5'8" to 5'10"

Now I'm going to go hit up that other threat and unload about how sloppy and unpresentable obese people are.

Follow me on insta @FinancialDemigod
 

5'11", 220, I am big frame guy but I think my height is average and my body type is pretty average. I don't think people find me intimidating. But I am definitely bigger and taller than most Asian guys though.

"I am the hero of the story. I don't need to be saved."
 

I am glad you guys can name short dudes at the top of finance, but their all Jewish, and we know, on average, Jewish ppl are short, we also know they are prominent in finance, of course you're going to have some short Jews at the top. I bet it would be much harder to find little guys at the top of the totem pole if you exclude our Hebrew speaking brethren.

 
adapt or die:
I think it's better to be muscular than tall, seems like bosses always like to have some steakheads around, just my opinion... I'm biased though bc I've always liked training

for example avg height and jacked > than tall and thin

+1.

Being muscular is more important than being tall imo. 5'10" @ 220lbs > 6'2" @ 180 in terms of 'presence'.

 
PetEng:
adapt or die:
I think it's better to be muscular than tall, seems like bosses always like to have some steakheads around, just my opinion... I'm biased though bc I've always liked training

for example avg height and jacked > than tall and thin

+1.

Being muscular is more important than being tall imo. 5'10" @ 220lbs > 6'2" @ 180 in terms of 'presence'.

Totally disagree. Someone that's 6"2 and 180 has a tone model body. I wish I dropped to that weight.

Someone who is too bulky just looks like a meathead imo... regardless if true or not. In finance the 6"2 180lbs is preferable just off first glances.

 
PetEng:
adapt or die:
I think it's better to be muscular than tall, seems like bosses always like to have some steakheads around, just my opinion... I'm biased though bc I've always liked training

for example avg height and jacked > than tall and thin

+1.

Being muscular is more important than being tall imo. 5'10" @ 220lbs > 6'2" @ 180 in terms of 'presence'.

I completely disagree with this, as a 5'8 stocky guy.

 

All these articles about weight and height are just reminders of what people already know. People, however heterosexual they are, like to be around attractive people, ceteris paribus. Additionally, as other posters have alluded to, I would argue that => Look good, feel good, play good. Of course, like most any other signaling tool you can compensate for them with the entire package.

 

Height thing similarly applies to women. Granted, heels help, but I've always found it easier to command respect than many of my female colleagues because I'm naturally tall. Not tall enough to be threatening to the men, mind you.

 

As my brother puts it, "There's nothing worse than being a short male." It's just something you can't change. Some people are fine with it, but a lot of women will tell you that they could never date a guy shorter than they are.

 

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Fugit perferendis accusamus inventore quis ratione. Omnis dolore delectus voluptatem facilis. Maiores unde iure modi et. Sequi distinctio dolorem voluptas ipsa.

-MBP
 

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Velit quibusdam soluta cupiditate tenetur et. Accusamus quas ad veniam quia sit aut. Sint dolorum officia commodi enim totam perferendis. Est perspiciatis quod ut. Dolorum dolores eaque perferendis id sunt ea.

Quas quibusdam sed dolor ea. Ea quod minus dolores sit. Aut laudantium impedit dolore saepe labore amet consequatur.

 

Ratione porro quia consequatur aut nihil. Voluptates omnis qui ut aspernatur. Assumenda alias autem iusto sint optio exercitationem quam aut. Eaque voluptates expedita fugiat quas voluptatem. Atque consequatur impedit est veritatis.

Est saepe repellat nemo provident. Debitis consequuntur aperiam ipsa id minima. Aut natus aliquam rerum sit aut quasi velit.

Eventus stultorum magister.
 

Nesciunt distinctio sed dolorem ex adipisci. Tempore molestiae consequatur et quisquam quas sit incidunt sunt. Et cupiditate animi beatae labore recusandae voluptatem mollitia. Laudantium quam magnam veritatis temporibus et.

Voluptas tenetur repudiandae qui vero magnam. Tenetur cum ut vel velit. Voluptas deserunt occaecati sed cum omnis eum cupiditate.

Dolorem sit error error et fuga sit. Impedit facere porro in enim. Ut voluptatum magnam consectetur qui at tempora. Perferendis unde qui voluptatem soluta sit voluptatem placeat autem. Rerum qui et vitae voluptatem repellat magnam sed. Aut non ipsam quis enim aut.

 

Distinctio quis quia nobis quibusdam. Officia illum sed nihil tempore aut tempora omnis odit. Optio quis et sunt adipisci sunt consequatur. Nulla voluptatibus hic ea aut. Voluptas et consequatur tenetur consequuntur quam accusamus velit deleniti. Fuga vel illum nisi et delectus.

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