Highest Ranked Discussions in the Last Year
| Title | # of comments | WSO Score* |
|---|---|---|
<em>Mod Note (Andy): bumped this back up from winter 2010 and it is still useful, but <strong>even more companies and banks are listed in the <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/wso-company-database">WSO Company Database (with e-mail... Searching for a Summer Internship? | 101 | 54.01 |
I was writing an email to a fellow monkey who is about to start as a banking analyst in the summer. It's been a little over 5 yrs now since I was a wee young first-year analyst in restructuring for one of the Moelis/Houlihan/Evercore type firms (I call them the firms where most people will... 15 things I wish I knew as a first year banking analyst | 68 | 49.68 |
Still jet-lagged by 8 hours from a day and a half in London, I haven't slept for a good 48 hours and remembered I owe WSO my process for dissecting a 10-K in the usual form. Before I get right into it, keep in mind every business is different and that will dictate the way you should read... Anatomy of the 10-K | 93 | 45.93 |
Since there aren't any decent/active discussions on the HF forum, I figure I start a thread highlighting the good, bad, and ugly aspects of working at a hedge fund. This is based on my personal experiences so don't take them as gospel.
Hopefully others will contribute with their own... The Hedge Fund Experience - Good, Bad, Ugly | 193 | 37.93 |
<em>Moderator Note (Andy): this was originally posted on 8/22/12</em>
As much as it may be stated on this site, networking is one of the key factors in the success of most young professionals in finance. Whether it is gaining valuable advice, or getting a leg up in the hiring... Keep In Touch! Networking Template | 53 | 37.53 |
Dear All:
I am sharing my compendium of industry primers, market research reports and strategic presentations.
The list is sorted by year and the format is as follows: line one has the institution name, line two has the report title with page count and line three has the download link.... Industry Primers Ready to Go!!!! | 119 | 35.19 |
Like a majority of people who are on this website, I used to come on here and write bullshit about a life partly my own, partly fantasy. I'm now going to uncloak the anonymous man and tell you my story.
My name is Stephen Ridley. I graduated from a top tier British University with a... Life after Investment Banking | 269 | 34.69 |
Plus make sure to see my post <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/how-i-got-a-770-on-the-gmat-with-minimal-effort-while-working-banking-hours%E2%80%A6">How I got a 770 on the GMAT with minimal effort while working banking hours</a> phantombanker's GMAT Study Guide | 37 | 32.37 |
I promised a few people some long overdue wisdom, but haven't had the motivation lately to actually write something up. But after reading <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/25-things-i%E2%80%99ve-learned-in-my-20s">this post</a>, I'm inspired to write... What You Should've Done by 21: a Controversial Guide to a Realistic Outlook | 103 | 32.03 |
[quote]In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on.[/quote]
-Robert Frost
From the outside, my life right now looks great. I graduated with high honors from one of the world's best universities, completed my banking stint in a top tier group and am... Life Goes On... | 83 | 31.83 |
Given the multiple requests I got in another thread I've decided to follow in 10xleverage's footsteps.
To give you some background, I graduated from Harvard undergrad in 2008. After graduation I moved to the bay area to join the 2 year finance leadership analyst program at a F500... The Other Road: Corporate Development Associate Fielding Questions | 271 | 31.71 |
<em>Mod Note: This comment is a response to the ContemplatingBanker's post <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/how-to-deal-with-the-hours">"How to Deal with the Hours"</a> (find this comment lower down on page 2). Patrick called this... Suck it up: 8 Steps to Getting through 100+ Hour Weeks as an IB Analyst | 31 | 31.31 |
There has been a lot of recent discussion on these forums as well as in the media regarding the value of an MBA. As a longtime member of the community and someone who recently made the decision to pursue an MBA, I thought I’d share some thoughts.
You can see my full background story here: ... To anyone considering an MBA | 79 | 30.79 |
<em>Mod note (Andy): "Blast from the past - Best of WSO" - while Eddie is away this month in his place we'll be posting up some of the most popular posts from the past. This was originally posted on 3/2/12</em>
In the past few months, I've been approached on a... My not-so-secrets to success | 77 | 30.77 |
hi guys! hope that you can help! i got a text message really late last night and i was hungry and i got a wicked idea for a company! so i think that combine `txt msg` and `tex mex` to make ... duhduhduh ... www.texmexmsg.com~!
anyways, my idea for company is to make a website that people send... please help me!I want to start a company ^-^ | 50 | 30.5 |
<em>Mod note (Andy): "Blast from the past - Best of WSO" - while Eddie is away this month in his place we'll be posting up some of the most popular posts from the past. This was originally posted on 12/26/09</em>
I received a number of PMs asking for advice for... Advice for New Analysts Seeking PE Exits | 68 | 29.68 |
I was motivated to make this thread after reading a lot of the other threads in this forum, about why certain top analysts are still on the sell-side. It appears that almost everyone who doesn't work on the buy-side or sell-side, or even a remotely close front office position fails to... Here is How Equity Research Works | 86 | 27.86 |
If so, message me. Nothing proprietary here, of course.
Also, I will be checking out your posting history to make sure youre worthy of sharing, so if you have a higher post count/sb count, youll be more likely to get what you ask for. If you have a low post count/just joined a couple of days... Does anyone need access to any models, research or training materials? | 45 | 25.45 |
So I've seen a few posts lately asking about mutual funds, asset management gigs, and alternatives to the sell-side out of college, and hopefully my experience taking the asset management route to hedge fund rather than banking can help people get a better idea of what the expectations will... Life at a Top Asset Manager | 141 | 25.41 |
I've been doing a fair bit of thinking about the idea of a "work/life balance", and it's a topic that I encounter more often on this board than just about anywhere else, so I thought it an appropriate forum for discussion.
When I was in college interviewing for the typical... Why are we Obsessed with "Work/Life Balance"? | 122 | 25.22 |
Since some of my longer threads/advice seems to have been buried on the forums, I decided to consolidate it through the blog. Enjoy.
The majority of the below text is sourced from the following link:
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/advice-for-new-analysts-seeking-pe-exits
Advice... Breaking into Private Equity from Banking | 18 | 22.18 |
<em>Moderator note (Andy) This was originally posted on 7/9/12</em>
As summer has been moving along, I begin to notice more and more the inefficiencies out interns have with using Excel properly. Because of this, I have created a brief tutorial on some basic functions of Excel... Stop Using Your Mouse | 80 | 20.8 |
HF Satire Babydick Capital Investor Presentation | 51 | 20.51 |
I have been meaning to post something regarding this topic for some time, even though it has been covered to the point of exhaustion. My final breaking point was about 2 weeks ago, when I had the unfortunate experience of riding the train from Stamford to NYC (a commute I am too used to dating... Why YOU Aren't Getting Offers | 84 | 19.84 |
Been waiting literally 1-2 years now to make a post like this. Finally landed a FT offer with a solid VC firm as an analyst! Super pumped and excited to start as I have gone through hell and literally overcome all the things that you could possibly deal with.
Went to a top public university... Finally an offer! A story of persistence | 75 | 19.75 |
1- You can’t date a jerk and expect to turn them into a good person. Jerks are fully committed to being unpleasant. Those brief moments of tenderness they give you are designed to trip you up and give you false hope. It’s best to stay away altogether.
2- The rumors are true: your... 25 Things I’ve Learned In My 20s | 72 | 19.72 |
There are a couple different paths that you can take as with finance major:
<ol>
<li>Commercial Banking </li>
<li>Corporate Finance</li>
<li>Financial Planning </li>
<li>Hedge Funds </li>
<li>Insurance </li>
... What investment banking is in simple words and my story | 77 | 18.77 |
"Go all the way down to the beginning"
From: WONG, Daniel
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 1:09 PM
To: FERNANDES, Alan; SINGER, Adam; KWOK, Alice; BUENO, Santiago
Subject: FW: Help.... Read this from the bottom up-its hilarious
Haha….here’s to all you folks who... Be Careful what you write to HR (Real Life Example) | 59 | 18.59 |
I've always considered myself entrepreneurial at heart. Even since I've started my work in IB, I have continued to work on developing a few "back pocket" ideas that I'm excited about. Indeed, ever since I can remember, I have wanted to start my own business, not because... Why You Should Reject that Start-Up Job | 52 | 18.52 |
<em>mod note: this was originally posted on 7/11/12</em>
Everyone’s on vacation. You’ve pretty much done minimal work the last week because you were celebrating your independence. Let's face it, you've probably checked out since memorial day weekend and now begins the... 11 ways to Fake Work like everyone else in your office | 79 | 17.79 |
Hi guys,
I figured I would give this whole free online advice thing a try and articulate my thoughts on online networking.
In my experience, the success of a "cold call" is largely determined by the communication that precedes it. I’ve never actually had to “cold call” in... Cold-Emailing Guide. | 64 | 17.64 |
<strong>Moderator note (Andy):</strong> <em>this is a post from 2010 but squawkbox suggested its relevancy remains and can be very useful for those going through FT & SA interviews. "Don't beat it to hell because it's missing some small details, but it's... EBITDA vs. Operating Cash Flow vs. Free Cash Flow | 44 | 17.44 |
<strong>Mod (Andy) note:</strong><em> elected by you - the monkeys of WSO, this is the 2011 Finance-forum post of the year (from Jan 28, 2011). I'm reposting it here on the homepage for any monkeys who have yet to see it. Thanks Marcus_Halberstram for a great... UG Recruiting Part I: How a resume becomes an interview | 122 | 17.22 |
Some of these messages are very old but I'm going to answer them anyway b/c I’m in a helpful mood.
<strong>Question: How would I know what the career path for [this particular hedge fund]? </strong>
Every fund has their own "career path"...it just depends what... Hedge Fund Guru Answering Inbox Questions Here. Thanks Mr. Pink Money | 95 | 16.95 |
So last weekend, I decided to get shit-faced because I had a rough week. The typical…lack of sleep, lack of social life, and lack of sex. I wanted to have fun tonight, regardless of my state of mind. I could have easily went back home and fell asleep in 5 minutes, but fuck it. It’s Friday... The Drunk MD Story | 78 | 16.78 |
<em>mod note: this was originally posted on 6/25/12; definitely one of the most inspiring stories of the year posted on the site</em>
I finally landed a FO gig at a top MM investment bank.
I have been waiting a long time to finally have the opportunity to create this post. I am... I did it. | 68 | 16.68 |
I did it!!!
For those who are not in the know here is a quick recap. I was offered a FO BB in AM last month. It was then quickly rescinded for a genuinely stupid reason. Then last week I got a call asking me to come in to talk to a panel for one last shot to show my qualifications. Well I... I DID IT!!! | 52 | 16.52 |
<em>mod (Andy) note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from 9/2/10. If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
<strong><em>"The meek shall inherit the earth, but not its... Why You're So Easy to Replace | 51 | 16.51 |
<em>Mod (Andy) note: This thread is from December '11, but Flake said he is still up for answering questions, so fire away</em>
Given the holiday season, I'm in a relatively good mood and feel the need to give back a little. I've seen a bunch of these "fielding... Equity Research Q&A with Flake | 140 | 16.4 |
<center><h2>The Street Before Christmas 2012</h2><br><h5>by Eddie Braverman</h5></center>
<center>‘Twas the Street Before Christmas Two Thousand and Twelve
And everyone on Wall Street was hustling like elves
We’ve got a Mayan apocalypse... The Street Before Christmas 2012 | 21 | 16.21 |
<em>Andy note: See <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-male-banker-on-dating-female-bankers-2012-8">"A Male Banker Describes A Typical Female Banker In NYC — And Why He Won't Date One"</a> on BI yesterday.</em>
This post was inspired by... Day 9: Why I Won't Date Bankerella | 198 | 15.98 |
<em>Mod note (Andy): "Blast from the past - Best of WSO" - while Eddie is away this month in his place we'll be posting up some of the most popular posts from the past. This was originally posted on 12/07/10</em>
Since everyone else seems to be jumping on the band... Gekko's Guidance (10 Rules to Interviewing) - Part 1 of ? | 45 | 15.45 |
<em>Andy note: "Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from September 2011 . If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
I'm going to keep this short because I have no doubt that you'll be inundated with 9/11... For One Day Longer | 33 | 15.33 |
I have seen a ton threads like "Chance Me", "Can I get a job at GS with these credentials", and a ton of retarded shit in the main SA thread.
Listen, getting an interview for investment banking is not like getting accepted into college.
Some people say college is a crap... Breaking into Banking is NOT Like Applying to College | 118 | 15.18 |
As a trader, one of the things I like to do is take notes on trading observations, both trade specific and trader specific. I was flipping through some of my notes and wanted to share some of the rules I have followed which generally apply to all traders.
<ul>
<li>Develop your own... 7 Indispensable Rules For Traders | 10 | 15.1 |
Hi fellow monkeys…
I’m a brand new poster but have been reading through these boards for a couple of months to pass the time. The preponderance of posts on here regarding happiness and the work life balance have compelled me to add my own .02 cents on these issues, mostly because I think... Quit the Rat Race and Attempting a Comeback, Here's my Advice | 50 | 14.5 |
After my <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/i-resigned-from-rothschild-to-start-a-company">original post</a> describing why I decided to resign from Rothschild and start my own company, we have since expanded Rickshaw to 22 currencies and 6 languages. Passengers... How to Make an App if You Only Know Investment Banking | 39 | 14.39 |
I am posting this because I need the WSO community's prayers, your good vibes, positive energy, anything you can send my family's way. Monkeys, I am going through a very difficult time right now. This site has helped me in many ways, I have tried to give back. You all know I am a... Praying for Lily | 130 | 14.3 |
Now, most of the posters on WSO aren’t managing anyone yet or even have anyone below them on the totem pole for at least a few years, but those that will (or have) may benefit from this post. There are literally hundreds of threads talking about how to deal with bosses and colleagues but... How to Treat the New Blood: 3 Rules to Follow | 17 | 14.17 |
<strong>Mod note (Andy):</strong> <em>The much anticipated <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/user/81874">BlackHat</a> interview is here. Questions came from myself and members of writing and intern teams. BIG thanks to BH for his really... The BlackHat Interview: 1/4 | 62 | 13.62 |
<em>mod note (Andy): this was originally posted on 5/19/12</em>
A week or two ago there was an article written about how your weight might inversely effect you during the hiring process. During the conversation I dropped some personal information about me losing 130 (now 135... How finance saved and gave me a life | 49 | 13.49 |
My self-development journey started in May 2010. I was broke, overweight and single. Life became one giant question mark, and for me, it was extremely painful and stressful. I went through an emotional journey to rebuild my identity, get in shape and find a purpose in life. It wasn’t easy but... Day 1: To Be A Better Man | 46 | 13.46 |
<p>
<b>August</b>
</p>
Training’s over, and you’ve just hit the new group. You’re getting to know your bullpen-mates and you’ve picked up a few bullshit staffings. You’re settled into your new apartment in Murray Hill (no roaches yet!) and you’re loving the... Timeline of an Investment Banking Analyst, Year 1 | 41 | 13.41 |
Hey all, I’m new to this board, and figured I’d introduce myself by conducting an interview that might be useful for those on the fence about their career.
I’m here today with a friend of mine who gave up everything to shoot for finance. <strong>My friend, who wishes to remain... Giving it All Up: From Med School to Trader | 31 | 13.31 |
Couldn't find a thread like this (besides the HK/Sing one), but thought it would be good for people to know what stage in the process most of the banks are in. Post updates as you hear back from various BBs and the main boutiques/MM firms in terms of 1st round interviews, superdays, etc. ... NYC SA Recruiting 2012-2013 | 516 | 13.16 |
<em>Mod note (Andy): this was originally posted on 8/15/12</em>
Hello fellow monkeys,
I wanted to take some time to write this because I definitely owe it to this community. Last week, I was given a verbal offer to work in Equity Research full-time, at a well-known bank,... Unbelievable! Detailed WSO Success Story: How I Broke into Equity Research | 106 | 13.06 |
<em>This is an example of how a buy-side analyst would start coverage on a new name and what an initiating memo might look like. I chose Fossil as part of an investment group with some help from BlackHat and this is the final product. Keep in mind this is not a stock pitch, this is an... Initiating Report Case Study: Fossil | 85 | 12.85 |
I'm fairly new here, and deciding what to write about in a blog entry might seem easy enough, but I'd rather people enjoy what I read than just read it and forget it. So I spent some time this week going through the more popular posts on WSO, and a good chunk of them revolve around... What It Really Means to Be "Alpha" | 280 | 12.8 |
So, this question keeps coming up, "if I negotiate with a prospective employer, will I piss them off or ruin my chances?" I wanted to share the perspective of the person hiring and give you a couple of examples of what happened with people I have hired who were being paid below... How to negotiate for more money during the interview process | 64 | 12.64 |
<em>Mod note (Andy): "Blast from the past - Best of WSO" - while Eddie is away this month in his place we'll be posting up some of the most popular posts from the past. This was originally posted on 12/11/10</em>
In Part 2 of Gekko’s Guidance, I’m going to... Gekko's Guidance Part 2--S&T interview Prep | 59 | 12.59 |
Before I announce what I am planning to do for WSO, it will help to speak briefly about my background - I am turning 27. I left home at the age of 18. I came from a middle class in a very poor nation with extreme political instability. I attended college on scholarships that covered most of my... Part 1: My Pursuit of Happyness | 56 | 12.56 |
In my earlier years I worked in audit, and was seconded onto forensic projects out of need for resource. I developed a knack for it, and have since worked on a lot of high profile cases (including some of the BB Banks and multi billionaires).
I’ve seen the evidence the forensic accountants... Divorces: Beating the Courts | 40 | 12.4 |
<em>mod note: this very informative q&a was originally posted on 2/12/12</em>
<a name="top"></a>
UPDATE 2/22/12: Over 20 questions and 50 responses added so far, keep 'em coming! I also took the bold away from the questions by popular request
Corporate Finance Q&A with accountingbyday, BJM85, STorIB, and djfiii | 137 | 12.370000000000001 |
At the beginning of my analyst program i had a fixed-notion of what it takes to become one of the top-ranked analysts in my class, pocket top-bucket bonus and move on to a prosperous future in finance. I wasn't alone in believing that building up great modeling skills, understanding... Three Things You Didn't Know About Becoming A Rock-Star Analyst | 25 | 12.25 |
Discussions that center upon issues such as “which b-school is better”, “M&A, ECM or DCM” and “which desk within S&T” usually make me uneasy. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a madman, and I realize the importance of getting as many right choices as possible. In select cases I... The Great Strategic Game of Life (1/2) | 18 | 12.18 |
<em>This was a originally posted June 2012 but is a great refresher for the incoming intern class this summer</em>
So the interns are out in full force. Hoards of them.
(Before I get into this-- I have no idea why they are called "SA's" these days- they will... Silly Shit Interns Do | 116 | 12.16 |
Good afternoon, monkeys.
Listen: A crude and natural gas midstream firm like MarkWest Energy Partners and an oil refinery in the middle of Alabama will have different price exposures, and thus require different hedges to protect themselves in the event of future uncertainty. While not... Energy Trading 101: The Crack Spread | 16 | 12.16 |
I used to work with a guy that had everything on the surface, but absolutely nothing inside. The guy was 6 feet tall, good-looking, charismatic, multi-lingual, graduated from a top business school, and had made MD at a bulge bracket investment bank. Yet he couldn’t remember the last time he... How to Develop a Personality | 54 | 11.54 |
In a small conference room, I was greeted by my HR partner and one of the top dogs in my coverage group. I sat down, and my heart started racing a little and I could hear it in my ears. I also had an insane urge to pee.
<b>Then a voice came beaming from the polycom: Disincentivy, we... You mad? Why no, not at all, asshole :) | 50 | 11.5 |
<b>WSO EXCLUSIVE:</b> Titans of Wall Street caught in candid conversation on Facebook! Read on below and after the break:
<img src="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/files/wallstreet_ceos_facebook_teaser_697w.jpg" alt="" width="760" title=""... REVEALED! Wall Street CEO Facebook Convo | 45 | 11.45 |
So apologize for the bad formatting here, no idea how to use this thing still but this should be helpful for guys trying to get into Wall St.
<strong>Here's the breakdown on how to stand out as a Non-Target.</strong>
After having an analyst <strong>already... Why We Hired a Non-Target 1st Year - IB Analyst | 43 | 11.43 |
From observing the general population in America, I've come to the conclusion that most people are awful at networking. The vast majority of people in this country, especially those who are students or newly entering the workforce, simply don't understand how important one's... The Truth About Networking | 39 | 11.39 |
Hi there, fellow monkeys. Hope all is well.
I've been lurking here for a few years and didn't really get to posting until just recently. After some PMs regarding my story/background via my resume review thread, I figured I'd share my story and try to give back to WSO as much as... How I Fought My Way Back (Vol. Bruce Wayne in TDKR) | 29 | 11.29 |
I want to start to bring back the douchey candor of LSO that we all know and love... Below is my morning, in the best Logan impression I can muster in my sleep deprived state... Hope you enjoy...
As I wake after a near all nighter, the bulk of which was wasted tweaking valuation... The Sunlight Hurts My Eyes... | 22 | 11.22 |
It’s been over 3 years since I first came across WSO as a junior in college. Eventually, I was able to land an IBD analyst gig at a BB. My experience has largely been great, and I am now a 2nd year analyst who will soon join the buyside. I owe a debt of gratitude to many, not the least of... 7 Practical Tips for Entering 1st Year IBD Analysts | 21 | 11.21 |
You hear the occasional story before you take the leap; and longing to maintain the image of <em>The Next Chapter</em> you have so delicately envisioned for yourself, the one that rests deep in the confines of your subconscious and gives rise to those fanciful journeys your brain so... Champagne Dreams | 19 | 11.19 |
<strong>Congratulations!!!</strong> You made it into investment banking. Of course early on you're excited and just want to spend 100+ hours in the office to impress everyone and get that top bucket bonus, but how do you really get the most mileage out of your 2 year stint in... So You Made It to Banking, Now What? | 17 | 11.17 |
<em>Mod note (Andy): we vetted this user to confirm his identity/status and yes in fact he is who he says he is, and is eager to answer your questions :)</em>
Bio: I decided to join WSO to help both students and young professionals advance in their Finance careers, whether that be... I'm an MD and I run the Sales division: Ask Me Anything | 115 | 11.15 |
The most common arguments on WSO are about what it really takes to make it to Wall Street... and then what your options are if you get there. Working professionals come here to engage in witty banter and relax, only to spend half our time here debunking bullshit and writing advice based on our... What banker careers really look like: real private data | 200 | 11 |
Ever since I could remember, I’ve wanted to become a dental surgeon. Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Statistics, and Calculus were all my strongest subjects. I was one of those kids who studied half as much as others, but still got one of the highest grades in the class. For as long as I could... From Dentistry to Investment Banking | 82 | 10.82 |
<em>mod note (Andy): this was originally posted on 6/20/2011 and was voted one of the top threads of 2011</em>
I’m a jedi knight looking to break into investment banking. I went through the jedi academy (it was kind of one of those things where they recruited me when I was... Jedi looking to Lateral into IBanking | 60 | 10.6 |
I received a lot of PMs over the past month asking me for advice/resume help/etc with people seeing that I had had a lot of success landing interviews at many places. I will preface this by saying that I am not in the industry, and like many of you am just trying to break in. I was able to... Black Jack's Recruiting Advice | 56 | 10.56 |
<em>mod note: <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/12-hours-till-deadline-the-all-nighter-part-2">see part 2 here</a></em>
Since I’ve been writing for WSO, my most popular posts have been about banking experiences. The All Nighter is perhaps one of... 12 Hours Till Deadline: The All Nighter, Part 1 | 43 | 10.43 |
Sitting pensively, motionless in the luminescence of my glowing HP monitor, I mouth the words <em> “Why the hell don’t you tie?“</em> I scratch my head in confusion, and rub my eyes pathetically as if waning vision is to blame for this frustratingly minute, yet categorically... Attention to Detail... | 35 | 10.35 |
I created this post in response to the CFA Time Management post earlier this week. Many of us monkeys either work full-time or have other obligations which make it hard to create, let alone stay on track, of our study schedule. <strong>The template attached is set up to help you keep... CFA Schedule Template | 28 | 10.28 |
When you go through the interview process with private equity firms, particularly if you move along in a process at a middle market PE shop, <strong>you will almost certainly be asked to do a case study.</strong> I know from personal experience that I had to do it with the middle... Some Thoughts on Private Equity Interview Case Studies | 15 | 10.15 |
So you are fascinated by the financial markets and maybe even interested in trading? Great, but access to information doesn't come cheap and can be a real differentiator. After all, <strong>how can you possibly get an edge on what is going on if you don't even have a fraction of... How To Follow The Markets Like A Pro – For Free! | 12 | 10.12 |
Hey guys, this is Adam checking in. The latest episode is below -- after you watch it if you could read the text below I'd appreciate it...
<iframe id="xtranormal_Ideal working environment!" name="xtranormal_Ideal working environment!"... Adam the Analyst - Episode 6: What is Your Ideal Working Environment? | 8 | 10.08 |
<em>Mod Note (Andy): this was originally posted on 6/19/12</em>
I was out to dinner the other night with a few friends. Each of us work in some variation of finance and have had a decent level of professional success in our young careers, on paper at least. I'm in PE, two of... The Permanent Recession | 99 | 9.99 |
I work as a currency volatility trader and manage one of the bigger G10 blocs in London. I've been lucky enough to get responsibility early in my career. I started off managing a single currency book a few months into the job, and have steadily been granted more responsibility to where I am... Ask Me Anything: I'm a Currency Volatility Trader | 83 | 9.83 |
Most of my friends are going into banking. Not because pitch books and road shows are their thing, of course, but it opens a lot of doors. 100 hour work weeks, camaraderie in the form of all-nighters editing PowerPoint slides and sharing Seamless meals, and having no skin in the game never... Wanna Jump Straight to the Buy Side? | 56 | 9.56 |
I worked in the back office at an AM for 2 years before leaving for greener pastures. Now my job did suck, but there were a few benefits to the situation that I was in and that I’m sure a lot of you are in right now.
1. Free time at the office – The back office is a pretty easy and... 5 Benefits to Being in the Back Office | 51 | 9.51 |
Greetings,
Thought I’d try and give back to the WSO community by sharing “10 Tips” on how to maximize your undergraduate GPA. I’ve noticed that the phrase “get a high GPA” is mentioned in almost every thread discussing recruitment, getting into banking, how to improve, etc., but... 10 Tips to Maximize Your GPA | 50 | 9.5 |
There have been several of these so I don't know how helpful I can be. Will do my best
Took a pretty traditional route to get the job:
<ul>
<li>Target school</li>
<li>Top banking group</li>
<li>HF job through... Finishing 1st Year as HF Analyst - Ask Anything | 141 | 9.41 |
I'm not really sure how to start this post, but I'm really only posting as motivation and inspiration to all the non target kids out there who are worried about GPA, ECs, etc. This story will be a long one, but I want to give as much detail as possible, because I have been through so... Non Target sub 3.0 -> BO -> FT Analyst. Long, Detailed Success Story!! | 40 | 9.4 |
<strong>Mod (Andy) note:</strong> <em>The much anticipated <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/user/81874">BlackHat</a> interview is here (<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/the-blackhat-interview-14">see part 1,... The BlackHat Interview: 3/4 | 39 | 9.39 |
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 | 138 | 9.379999999999999 |
Fellow Monkeys,
I have been reading WSO since my sophomore year in college but have just recently decided to start posting advice. My #1 reason for the late entry:
A majority of users here are college students who offer bro-science and I wanted to make sure I had relevant experience to... Former Big 4, now buy-side analyst, ask me anything | 134 | 9.34 |
Finally the day I get to post one of these topics, just got an offer for my dream IB job. Here's my story, and some advice to those who want to pull the same move from non-target with no experience to IB FT offer:
Graduated from a non-target this past May with no ibanking internships... Non-Target Success. Hard Work Does Pay Off | 32 | 9.32 |
With headhunters likely beginning to reach out in December/January, I thought I'd put out a series of posts on making the transition from IB to HF. This one talks about getting that first interview.
If you're in a decent group, most--if not all--the major headhunters will reach out... Transitioning from IB to HF Series - Part 1: Getting the Interview | 28 | 9.28 |
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the way people in our corner of the world use email. As even the greenest summer analyst knows, on Wall Street, email is the primary means of communication – in other words, the primary method of transferring and generating work. The curse of the buzzing... Going Postal Over These 4 Work Emails | 25 | 9.25 |
<em>mod note: this was originally posted on 9/4/12</em>
I thought I'd switch things up a bit today. Rather than delve into a note-worthy news item or another Facebook discussion, I'd like to welcome everyone back from Labor Day Weekend with an awesome interview.
WSO... Q&A with a Fixed Income Trader at a Major Bank | 24 | 9.24 |
As a former summer/fulltime investment banking analyst, I’ve seen a few waves of Ivy League migrant workers come through New York.
<b>A few tips for success for the upcoming crop of summer analysts who will be sweating it out on Wall... Convert Your Summer Internship Into a Full-Time Offer | 21 | 9.21 |
<center><object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/jwplayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param... Adam the Analyst - Episode 1: Introduction | 20 | 9.2 |
<em> Moderator Note (Andy): Best of WSO - this post originally went up December 2009 and we thought it deserved to go back on the homepage for those who may have never seen it.</em>
I got a PM asking how to prepare for an informational interview with a HF manager. Since I... Preparing for the HF informational interview | 14 | 9.14 |
Afternoon Monkeys,
Sometimes you have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting. Have faith that things will work out, maybe not how you planned, but just how it’s meant to be. Other times, you have to try and understand the Natural Gas Liquids markets and their respective price... Energy Hedging 101: The Frac Spread | 11 | 9.11 |
Ever feel that the CFA curriculum is a bit incomprehensible at times?<br /><br />Every topic makes sense when you're going through it, but for me, it's difficult to recall at short notice what each topic is about. <br /><br />10 main topics, each fairly... The CFA Curriculum, As Explained by Two Cows | 10 | 9.1 |
Afternoon, monkeys. I've got the first of a two part interview for you today with certified user Nefarious. <strong>Nefarious works in Strategy at a major Fortune 500 Aerospace & Defense company</strong>. While I know many of your are focused on banking and private equity, I... Q&A with Nefarious - a Strategy Associate at a Fortune 500 Company (Part One) | 106 | 9.06 |
When you work 80-hour weeks regularly and the staples of your diet are $25 Seamlessweb pasta dishes and burger combos, inevitably, nature is going to call – on your office line. For the majority of analysts on Wall Street, working at an investment bank is your first time in a professional... Five Thoughts on Wall Street Bathroom Breaks | 97 | 8.97 |
<em>Moderator note (Andy): this was originally posted on 5/17/12, <strong> <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/phantombankers-gmat-study-guide">Here is the link to his study guide</a></em></strong>
Background: I recently took the GMAT... How I got a 770 on the GMAT with minimal effort while working banking hours… | 88 | 8.88 |
Following an internship, I worked as an analyst with Rothschild's investment banking team in Singapore for two and a half years. During this time, I worked with a newly arrived director from our Frankfurt office to set up transport industry coverage in Asia and also spent time in Shanghai... I resigned from Rothschild to start a company | 88 | 8.88 |
okay guys, i am in a very difficult situation. I have a very nice car, 2006 bmw z4, that gets me compliments all the time. there is this incredibly hot girl at work that i like but i've never talked to her before since i have nothing to talk to her about. i figured that i could use my car... hot car but no hot girl - HELP! | 85 | 8.85 |
Andy note: <em>"Best of Eddie" - while Eddie is on vacation we're throwing up some of his classic posts from the past. This one from June 2010 is part of the very popular "Sell Your Options" 5-part series. More to come later this week & next. If there's an... Sell Your Options Dearly: MARRIAGE | 70 | 8.7 |
<strong>mod (Andy) note:</strong> <em>this is a blast from the past but one of the all time classics; we were having a good laugh about this thread on the wso conference call this eve and I wanted to put this back on the homepage for the newer monkeys who have never seen it. ... HELP! My boss won't give me money!!! what to do??? | 58 | 8.58 |
Professor Deepak Malhotra is pretty much the best instructor at the Harvard Business School. He is the winner of numerous teaching awards, his Negotiations Class was over 10x oversubscribed (600+ students applying for 60 spots) this year, and his student reviews are downright flawless.
This... Harvard Business School Prof. Malhotra's Speech to MBAs: "Quit Early and Quit Often" | 58 | 8.58 |
Many people here on WSO are obsessed with hedge funds and look upon the mutual fund industry with disdain. However, I have seen a lot of misinformation out there on what mutual funds even do, so I wanted to layout the basics of both hedge funds and mutual funds and what makes them similar and... Hedge funds vs. Mutual funds | 50 | 8.5 |
Andy note: <em>"Best of Eddie" - while Eddie is on vacation we're throwing up some of his classic posts from the past. This one from April 2011 is part of the very popular "Man Week" 3-part series. More to come later this week. If there's an old post from... Man Week: Trial By Fire | 48 | 8.48 |
<em>Mod Note (Andy): this comment was originally posted in <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/the-phone-call-that-never-was">The Phone Call that Never Was</a> and I thought it deserved it's own blog post for those that missed it. </em>
When... Here's what happens when your email hits my inbox... | 43 | 8.43 |
Included here is the start of a much needed compilation of Excel add-ins, macros, and tools.
For the one person who'll read this, please add your most frequented excel shortcuts, and own collection/links of Excel Add-Ins/Macros/Tools in the comments down below. That way when any new WSO... Excel: Tools, Add-Ins, and Macros | 43 | 8.43 |
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.
<strong>The older you get, the more it seems that Christmas appears out of nowhere.</strong> I once found... Shifting Wish Lists and Fleeting Freedoms | 38 | 8.38 |
Hi guys. Answering your questions on career path to start with; also giving some initial generalities about what undergrad schools I'm seeing. The full cut of undergrad/b-school and exit opps data is on the way. Reminder: this is longitudinal career data from a sample set of several... What banker careers really look like: schools and promotion rates | 38 | 8.38 |
Although working as an investment banking analyst was a living hell at the time, I now look back at my years with nostalgia. Luckily, as time passes, the 100 hour weeks just blend together and the pain has gone away. Of course, I'm still irrationally uncomfortable and nervous whenever I see... Funniest Stories - The Analyst Years | 38 | 8.38 |
<em>mod (Andy) note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from November 2011. If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
I've written the following at a reader's request (yes, I take... Hard Money Lending - Why, When, & How | 37 | 8.37 |
Kids ask how many bankers they need to contact or how many “informational interviews” they need to set up to score that magical offer. And then once they score that offer they seem to think that’s it, that they can call it a day. I understand it’s only natural to want to do the least... 5 Ways to Not Suck at Networking | 37 | 8.37 |
My company runs a graduate scheme where we take on 15/20 graduates a year with 3/4 of those working in my department. I came through this scheme myself and so I like to check in on the most recent cohort of grads to see how they are doing and offer any advice I think might be of help to them.... Advice for new FT recruits - tale of caution | 37 | 8.37 |
Happy to answer any questions about anything related to banking for SA's and FT's that start this summer. 1st Yr Banking Analyst Open for Questions | 136 | 8.36 |
Thought I’d post some the PM diarrhea I’ve sent to monkeys (who ask intelligent questions). Here we go…
I graduated college with an Econ degree from a top 20 school in the US but not an Ivy. Side-note, monkeys get way too hung up on target, semi-target, non-target on this board. In... Equity Research experience and take away for aspiring monkeys | 36 | 8.36 |
<em>Moderator Note (Andy): This was originally posted on 9/20/2010</em>
<img src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w416/AndyLouiswso/adamtheanalyst.png">
(See inside the post for the video)
Adam the Analyst - Episode 3: My Mom Loves Bankers | 35 | 8.35 |
Whether you're trying to land a position, sell a product, or simply network with others, learning the art of selling should be a vital part of your learning in any profession.
The most effective way to do all of the above is to learn the art of selling yourself. While there are many... Cold Calling 101 | 33 | 8.33 |
I passed a pretty cool milestone last week. Four years ago last week I began writing for WSO. As near as I can tell (this was before we started using the blog format) <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/wamu-circling-the-drain" target="blank">this was my... Four Years of BraverMania | 24 | 8.24 |
The following post is Part 2 of an investment banking analyst's nightmare all-nighter.
<strong> If you missed Part 1, read it <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/12-hours-till-deadline-the-all-nighter-part-1">here.</a></strong>
After... 12 Hours Till Deadline: The All Nighter, Part 2 | 23 | 8.23 |
Tried the search function, but couldn't find anything.
I am a senior at a non-target. I wasn't able to get into banking. So I am considering alternatives to make some cash (high risk/high reward). Can any monkeys chime i on this? Crips vs. Blood? Pay/culture/exit opps/hours? How... Crips vs. Bloods...which is more prestigious? | 119 | 8.19 |
I feel like there is a huge misconception about the timeline of M&A transactions and the functions carried out by affiliated parties during the process. Therefore, I would like to assume the following scenario in order to illustrate the entire process: A private equity funds (“the... M&A Transaction Timeline | 19 | 8.19 |
I have seen a few posts on the Commodities Trading forum asking about how petroleum trading is priced, hedged, etc. I was reasonably high up in Risk Management for a “major” trading company in Houston for a few years and am now running a hedge book at a smaller company, so I thought I may... Physical Oil Trading Basics (Part 1 of 2) | 19 | 8.19 |
<em>This was originally posted on 10/26/12</em>
For many positions, the stock pitch is the biggest part of the interview. It gives the interviewee the opportunity to explain his or her thought process and the way they evaluate an investment opportunity. It can separate the... WH's Interview Stock Pitch Checklist | 15 | 8.15 |
Hey guys,
I have only been on this forum a couple of times, but I formerly worked in M&A at a bulge bracket. I have been out of the business for a couple of years now (my choice) and I just wanted to give you guys some advice about the financial industry (this was inspired by Greg... Former BB VP giving advice to all you wannabe bankers | 111 | 8.11 |
<em>Moderator Note (Andy): DM123 completed an engineering degree and an MBA. He has work experience as an investment banking analyst, mid-market lending analyst, and is currently a corporate banking associate at a global investment bank. He also has co-op experience in management... The 10 commandments for surviving your summer internship | 7 | 8.07 |
We're all familiar with the Friend Zone and what a drag it can be to find yourself there, but today I'm going to share with you a far worse fate and why you must avoid it at all costs: The Marriage Zone. <a... Avoiding The Marriage Zone | 93 | 7.93 |
This has me so mad I can't see straight. I'm going to do my dead-level best to ensure this post doesn't turn into a rant. For the most part, I've accepted how ridiculous, arbitrary, corrupt, and often evil the American justice system is. Still, I think it's one of the... Broker's Life Ruined by One Oxycontin Pill | 90 | 7.9 |
(See part 1 <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/md-at-top-hf-invited-me-to-have-dinnershould-i-go">here</a>)
So after I read everything and thought about it, I decided to have dinner with him. I just really didn't want to miss the chance of getting to... MD Invited Me For Dinner...Part 2 | 75 | 7.75 |
So the deal I have been working on won't close by the end of the year. This means I'm going to have a few slow weeks heading into the holidays and will need something to do. I've been getting a lot of PMs about Real Estate lately and thought it would be good to get a good Q&A... Real Estate Q&A | 71 | 7.71 |
<em>Andy note: BIG thanks to SirTradesaLot for doing a Q&A with me and offering up his advice for the WSO community - "One of my greatest joys is helping young, ambitious people." He has worked in the finance industry for almost 15 years in a variety of roles at global... Q&A Interview with SirTradesaLot, Part 1/2 | 71 | 7.71 |
When you’re meeting new people, even in casual social situations, the <b>topic of work is never far off</b>. Maybe this is a general commentary on The Texting Generation’s lacking conversation skills, but I always find myself getting asked about my work shortly after being... Don't Ask An Investment Banker What They Do | 56 | 7.5600000000000005 |
I flew into London the morning of my interview, only to find that my luggage was on the next flight. Normally not too much of a problem, except that a) I had to start a final round of interviews for a banking position in two hours and b) as it was a 12 hour trip, I was wearing sandals and... Jump from research to banking, after bleeding during interview | 56 | 7.5600000000000005 |
<em>The following is Part 1 of an interview with WallStreetPlayboys (<strong>he is also available to answer your questions</strong>)</em>
<em>Are you a professional and want to do an interview? View our <strong><a... Interview with WallStreetPlayboys: A Top 3 Institutional Investor Ranked Analyst (part 1/2) | 50 | 7.5 |
Hey Guys,
Been using this site for a while now and figured it would be beneficial for me to give back a bit. For starters, I thought I would detail my experiences using linkedin and cold emails to land a summer offer.
Coming from a semi-target undergrad b-school, I had my hands full.... How I used LinkedIn to get Interviews and Land Offers | 41 | 7.41 |
I figured I would start a thread where I just told my life story in finance and prospective monkeys and other curious lurkers could ask me questions involving my diverse experiences. Maybe it will be helpful to someone trying to make a tough decision. I currently work for an... Open for Questions - Equities in Dallas | 39 | 7.39 |
This is all representative of commonsense (but ultimately bad) advice I got during undergrad and followed blindly during internships. I sorted it all out by the end of my analyst program, but this was frequently accompanied by discomfort, late nights, and general suck.
You might disagree... The 7 "Good" Work Habits of Bad Analysts | 39 | 7.39 |
So no one is returning your sad, sappy, suck up emails? People think you are cold calling for girl scout cookies? Well man the f*ck up and lets trick someone into reading your resume. Don't bother with this unless your resume is stellar, not because it wont work, but because you probably... Top Tip: Get any MD to read your resume (or anyone to read anything) | 39 | 7.39 |
Some of you may remember my first post of 2013, in which I talked about my new year’s resolution: the launch of headofmetal.com, the most accessible heavy metal resource on the web: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/itfs-new-years-resolution-head-of-metal
Since then, it’s been an... Headbangers Rejoice! Head of Metal Is Now Live! | 36 | 7.36 |
I've gotten a lot of useful - and not so useful - information from this site over the last several years, and I'd like to give back by contributing some real content.
Am finishing up a stint at one of the M/B/B firms and would be happy to answer any questions regarding management... M/B/B Consultant Answering Your Questions | 131 | 7.3100000000000005 |
I went through a few rounds of interviews at the fund that I now call my employer, I was asked insane questions, easy questions, technical questions, and borderline bizarre questions, but I was not asked the most obvious question I expected to answer.<b> What is Venture... So Many Eggs in Vee Cee | 29 | 7.29 |
<em>mod note (andy): this was originally posted 9/30/12</em>
It’s interview season, time of great joy and nostalgia: over the past decade, I have been in both sides of many interview tables, BB, consulting, HFs, you name it. If you are interviewing for S&T, today is your lucky... S&T Interview Coming Up? Read This First | 28 | 7.28 |
The second part of my valuation series is about one of the methods under the income approach, the discounted cash flow method. <strong>In this post, I will be showing you how to create a model from scratch.</strong> This model is not meant to teach you any in-depth theory on why... Valuation Primer - Part Two - Discounted Cash Flow | 27 | 7.27 |
<em>Mod note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from March 2011 .</em>
That handsome guy to the left is my boy Hudson. As you can probably tell, he's a pretty cool customer. We rescued him after Hurricane Katrina, and he'd been... 5 Things a Dog Can Teach You About Trading | 25 | 7.25 |
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 | 25 | 7.25 |
<em>mod (Andy) note: make sure to check out fellow writer Aaron Burr's response in "<strong><a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-that-associate">How to deal with THAT associate</a></strong>"</em>
September:... How to be THAT associate | 23 | 7.23 |
Many years ago I left Graduate School in an un-related field and was working in the retail fashion industry. After having trouble making ends meet I decided to get into the financial business (I made the decision while sitting on the sidewalk after a motorcycle accident). I began emailing,... How I Landed My First Gig on Wall Street | 20 | 7.2 |
Now monkeys, believe it or not there are some good reporters out there doing solid research on the financial industry, have very good contacts, conduct good interviews and perform excellent due diligence so they are adequately informed.
However, for every media representative who does that,... The Top 3 Hedge Fund Media Myths | 17 | 7.17 |
Hey everyone,
I just thought that I'd share a great resource for information on the basics of valuing metal and mining companies. The pdf doesn't cover everything by all means but it is a quick beginning step for one to build out their model. It also has links to about 10-15 other... Valuation of Metals and Mining Companies | 15 | 7.15 |
If you are interested in working at a boutique sized bank (20 people) that does MM sized deals located in south Florida then private message me. I don't work there, but if I give you my recommendation you will get an interview. Private message me for more information. Hopefully we can get a... I have an analyst and associate job opening for two of you Monkeys | 9 | 7.09 |
<em>This was originally posted on 2/28/12</em>
There comes a certain risk involved with divulging one's personal troubles all over the internet where potential employers could read it and make all sorts of judgement. However without some risk, there is no return as everyone... I Am The Toxic Asset | 86 | 6.86 |
It's that time of year again: for the incoming class of summer analysts, many of you are going through the (depending on what you've been doing the last semester or so) potentially nerve-wracking process of <b>background checks</b>. And judging by the slew of recent posts,... IB Background Checks: What You Need to Know | 73 | 6.73 |
One of the biggest problems with having large corporations as clients is that there’s so much crap you’re not allowed to invest in actively in order to prevent any potential allegations of insider trading. There’s also a bunch of rules and paperwork that, honestly, few bankers have time... Four college kids started a hedge fund. Should I invest? | 68 | 6.68 |
To whom it may concern,
On my resume I have it to say that I earned my yellow belt in Taekwondo which is very impressive feat to accomplish that, but truth of the matter is I am only white belt with yellow stripe. My sensei told me I would get to yellow soon but I got carried away on a group... Will My Fund's HR Find Out I Lied About Taekwondo Yellow Belt? | 64 | 6.64 |
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 | 64 | 6.64 |
Hi everyone,
I'm a longtime lurker of this forum but I've never posted before. The information I got here over the past couple of years was hugely helpful when I was in school and looking for my job in banking, and still useful today. I wanted to give back by providing an... 2nd year IB Analyst taking questions | 59 | 6.59 |
This fine specimen is interviewing for an Investment Analyst position tomorrow.
#1- For those of you on this forum and looking for a job... you are entitled to <strong>nothing</strong>. No one on here owes you shit, if they help you, it’s because they want to not because they... What Not To Do | 58 | 6.58 |
So with round 1 mba admissions cycle starting to get into full gear, a lot of applicants are very anxious. I recently had a chance to catch up with an old friend of mine who just graduated from a top 5 business school and was a student member of the adcom. After talking about a lot of random... Conversation with a former top 5 MBA student adcom | 45 | 6.45 |
I understand that a lot of the readers on this board have never received a sizeable bonus and the minority who do were already paid months ago back in June/July, but I hope this post is still helpful to some about how to manage the bonus that you receive from your finance job.
1. Pay off your... What to do with DAT BONUS | 40 | 6.4 |
Hey guys – I’m back to more of a practical post today. I’ve just hit the three week mark at my new job in Private Equity, and I have some observations that I’d like to share now that I have a moment to catch my breath! The time has absolutely flown by, and needless to say I’ve been... PE vs. Banking - Boy was I in for a Surprise... | 35 | 6.35 |
I’ve been in the industry for several years and I’ve come across every type of situation. I’ve met guys from top schools who work in bulge bracket firms, but I’ve also met people from those same schools who can’t seem to land a great job. Conversely, I’ve met guys from non-target... 5 Rules of Getting a Job from a Non-Target School | 35 | 6.35 |
<em>Andy note: Here's the final installment of the 3-part interview series with SirTradesaLot. See <strong> <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/qa-interview-with-sirtradesalot-part-12">Part 1</a></strong>, <strong> <a... Q&A Interview with SirTradesaLot Part 3/3: Becoming the Boss | 30 | 6.3 |
Just ranting, but MBAs out there, is anybody in the same situation?
I had no debt when came out of undergrad. Spent 2 years in IB, and had saved about $100k over that time, not spending any bonuses and not spending much except on rent (about half of my salary). Life was looking good.
Then... I have no money | 129 | 6.29 |
<em>Andy note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from December 2011 . If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
WSO,
This is Part 2 of 2 (<a... Exclusive Edmundo Braverman Interview : Part 2 of 2 | 27 | 6.27 |
<em>Mod Note: this was originally posted on 3/7/12</em>
<p>Everybody loves a gimmick, whether it’s the novelty of the high-flying social media companies run by twenty-somethings with nothing to lose but their oversize sweatshirts or the possibility of harnessing... TSLA: Taxpayers Stuck with Lifeless Assets | 26 | 6.26 |
It goes without saying that every human being wants to be happy. We pursue education, careers, relationships, hobbies, etc., to maximize our happiness.
Looking back on my life as well as learning from others, I think <strong>envy</strong> and... Being happy with what you got | 26 | 6.26 |
At first you might think it was because you screwed up your technicals. Then maybe after writing your story on here, the folks will tell you it was because you didn’t do a very good job with the brain teasers. Later some asshat might take it upon himself to inform you it was because you wore a... The Number One Reason You Were Dinged | 25 | 6.25 |
***FIRST: This is long so I'll put the cart before the horse real quick: THANK YOU WSO. To everyone who's posted insider knowledge, "day in the life" shit, interview guides, models, any feedback in general--you have provided knowledge that tuition can't pay for. I... From "Poor Me" to BB | 25 | 6.25 |
Andy note: <em>"Best of Eddie" - while Eddie is on vacation we're throwing up some of his classic posts from the past. This one from April 2011 is part of the very popular "Man Week" 3-part series. More to come later this week. If there's an old post from... Man Week: Fatherhood | 23 | 6.23 |
hi guys, i hope that you can help me! sometimes i have guests in my house and i wonder what they are doing when i am not there... so anyways, i put my laptop computer in my bathroom one time and covered it with a cardboard box to hide it, but i cut a little hole in the box. then i turn the... i think i'm in trouble and need some help please?????? | 21 | 6.21 |
Props to bankerella for an <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/how-to-be-that-associate">insightful post</a> delving into the mind of the newly-minted first-year investment banking associate. The only thing it was missing was a blanket apology for all of the... How to deal with THAT associate | 20 | 6.2 |
<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/79509">DrPeterVenkman presents:</a> An interesting interview with <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/user/1158">TheKing</a>. Questions came from myself and other WSO contributing authors. Thank you to... The TheKing Interview: PART ONE | 18 | 6.18 |
Many threads have been created over the years concerning which group is best, what exit opps are from each group, etc.
While strength of groups change with the tides, i.e UBS healthcare left for Jefferies, I’m only going to comment GENERALLY and on my OWN experiences at a mid-tier Bulge... Picking the Right Group | 18 | 6.18 |
<em>Andy note: This is a syndication from Whitehat's <a href="http://huntingforcommoncents.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/rant-rules-of-the-road">blog</a>. WH will be starting as a contributing author for us next week, keep an eye out...</em>
<p>So... Rant – Rules of the Road | 14 | 6.14 |
You've just gotten that promotion and now you're in charge of a small team. Congratulations! And welcome to middle management. All the hard work and the knowledge you've developed about everything your firm does these past few years has been noticed. But, now you have a small... 7 Things I've Learned About Being A Manager | 14 | 6.14 |
Starting to get my head above water- having just come of out a fairly traumatic, life changing summer - I am a different man. To be honest I am dealing with a fair amount of PTSD from it. Being in the room when another baby passed... not to mention my own daughter's life/death... Giving thanks... | 13 | 6.13 |
<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/79509">DrPeterVenkman presents:</a> An interesting interview with <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/user/1158">TheKing</a>. Questions came from myself and other WSO contributing authors. Thank you to... The TheKing Interview: PART TWO | 12 | 6.12 |
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If you are a teacher, you measure your life in quarters and... A new semester begins: Valuation class online | 11 | 6.11 |
A few posts on layoffs got me thinking of my unemployment spell a couple of years back, and I think that now would be a good time to go over lessons that I learned to keep myself sane and productive while searching for a new job.
The big key is to look at this as an <strong>opportunity... How to Survive and Thrive During Unemployment | 10 | 6.1 |
Over the past couple of weeks, the wso users who found internships on wall street started hitting their desks. Many of you are asking yourselves how you can impress the analysts and associates you work with.<strong> Let me give you a simple answer. You can, but you're probably... How to impress your co-workers and get a full-time offer | 7 | 6.07 |
<em>Moderator Note (Andy) this was originally posted by bankerella on 9/5/12</em>
All right, folks, got some hard stats here. Read 'em and weep, or rejoice (you know who you are).
Reminder: this is longitudinal career data from a sample set of several hundred bankers in... What banker careers REALLY look like: The DATA | 104 | 6.04 |
<em>The following is an interview with Deal Team Lead Manager skylinegtr94 (<strong>he is also available to answer your questions</strong>).</em>
<em>Are you a professional and want to do an interview? View our interview template <strong><a... Interview with Deal Team Lead Manager (Part 1/2) | 2 | 6.02 |
Hi everyone!
Some of you may remember me, I stopped posting on this forum about a year ago because I got tired of the site for a number of reasons and it wasn't worth it for me anymore. However I'm a big believer of giving back, and I did learn a lot from this site and from a few of... Q&A: 1st year BB London Rates Trader Taking Your Questions | 86 | 5.86 |
I am the Head Research Analyst at a regional office of one of the best commercial real estate services firms on the globe. Day to day, I specialize in statistical market research, written analysis, database management, and copywriting/ghostwriting for pitches. I also serve my community on two... Ask Me Anything: Head Research Analyst (Commercial Real Estate) | 80 | 5.8 |
Juniors,
I thought it might be useful if we compiled information regarding the statuses of our applications for Asia recruiting. This has been done for many years in the past and I thought we could carry on the tradition.
I'll keep the post updated as everyone's results start... HK/SIN IBD BB SA 2013 | 471 | 5.71 |
<strong>Mod (Andy) note:</strong> <em>The much anticipated <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/user/81874">BlackHat</a> interview is here (<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/the-blackhat-interview-14">see part 1... The BlackHat Interview: 2/4 | 64 | 5.64 |
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 | 62 | 5.62 |
<em>mod (Andy) note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from November 2010. If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
I've been meaning to do this for some time now and, with the... Uncle Eddie's Guide to Rum | 58 | 5.58 |
Hey all,
Was reading through Flake's ER Q&A posted around the holidays and thought that his thread was fantastic. My experience / background is a little different than his was, so I wanted to start this thread as an opportunity to help provide at least some insight into other ER... Non-BB Equity Research Q&A with First Year Analyst | 56 | 5.5600000000000005 |
mod (Andy) note): <em>"Best of Eddie" - while Eddie is on vacation we're throwing up some of his classic posts from the past. This one from June 2010 was the first in a series of 3 of "Sell Your Options". More to come later this week & next. If there's... Sell Your Options Dearly | 47 | 5.47 |
Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you've probably heard the word <a href="http://bitcoin.org/en/">Bitcoin</a> thrown around in the news quite a bit. If you're a bit more web savvy, or an active Redditor, chances are you've... Bitcoin - Believe the Hype | 46 | 5.46 |
Application season is coming up, so I figured I would provide some unofficial info via Q&A on the program to those interested. Anything goes from admissions (chances, essays, interviews) to curriculum to class profile to quality of instruction to industry connections to job placement to... MIT MFin Q&A | 44 | 5.44 |
Hey guys. Kenny F'in Powers, Chartered F'in Analyst, here. I've been away for a while getting my sh*t straight in Mexico/starting a new job. I missed a lot of PMs and forum discussions while I was busy, and I apologize for anyone who never heard back from me in the last few... I'm f***ing in, you're f***ing out | 42 | 5.42 |
Most entrepreneurs my age seem to be focused on creating the next amazing app or website, which frankly bores me because I'm not a tech geek.
Anyone else give much thought to acquiring an unsexy business like a gas station, car wash, fast food restaurant, etc., and then building out an... Gas Station, Car Wash, Fast Food - Owning Unsexy Businesses | 139 | 5.39 |
You come from a non-target? Sucks to be you
You have a low GPA? Sucks to be you
You want a job in banking? Sucks to be you
I've been on this website for almost 6 years, and only recently re-started reading some of the posts. Most of them are pointless, but there is the odd post that... How to get into banking - and WSO myths... | 38 | 5.38 |
After over one year in the making, the <strong><a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/2013-wso-compensation-report-full">2013 WSO Compensation Report</a></strong> is here!
Access to the FULL 108 page 2013 WSO Compensation Report is <strong>100%... 2013 WSO Compensation Report has Arrived | 133 | 5.33 |
<em>The following is Part 2 of an interview with WallStreetPlayboys (he is also available to answer your questions). <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/interview-with-wallstreetplayboys-a-top-3-institutional-investor-ranked-analyst-part-12">See Part 1... Interview with WallStreetPlayboys: A Top 3 Institutional Investor Ranked Analyst (part 2/2) | 33 | 5.33 |
<strong>Game:</strong> that ineffable quality which all men aspire to possess, so we can attract women. People have written books and articles on it. Heck, there are men out there who call themselves "pickup artists" and do this for a living.
Your humble blogger is no... Improving your game | 32 | 5.32 |
This is just one of those threads, where we talk about what the ER industry is like. I'm a first year associate at a BB in ER, and I just finished my 2nd week. I'm working under a group that I really like and I thought I would create this thread to help those out who want to... Observations of an Equity Research Associate | 31 | 5.31 |
This stunning footage was taken moments after Lazard brass announced an unprecedented <em>entire</em> weekend off for their analysts after a grueling 23-day back-to-back string of all-nighters. Most analysts were confused at first; one simply doesn't take both Saturday... Lazard Analysts Given ENTIRE Weekend Off | 31 | 5.31 |
Feel free to ask anything you'd like about investment banking. Open for questions. Ask a 2nd Year Analyst | 130 | 5.3 |
<i>Below is the first installment of an interview with WSO Certified User and 2nd year banking analyst '<strong>duffmt6</strong>'. Interview conducted by <strong>Asatar</strong>.</i>
<strong><a... Interivew with duffmt6, 2nd Year IBD Analyst, Part 1/2 | 29 | 5.29 |
I joined the Big Four out of college. I wound up in the CRE valuation/advisory group. Finding a job had been difficult for me. I knew that I wanted to be in finance, but I was a dumb college kid and had no focus. I figured this job could be a springboard.
Broke in from the Big Four | 28 | 5.28 |
So in an earlier post I shared portions of what I'm calling my quarter-million-dollar notebook -- the eleven pages containing every note I ever took in b-school that I thought was worth carrying forward into my career. (Why is it a quarter million dollars? That's what I spent on... What b-school taught me about the job hunt | 23 | 5.23 |
This is my first post here in Wall Street Oasis. [Applause]. In order to get some inspiration, I have been reading a bunch of forum threads in an effort to find a good and interesting topic to write about. I noticed endless discussions about the long hours endured by the IB folks, the whole... City Smackdown - Part 1: Empire State of Mind | 23 | 5.23 |
I remember doing informational interviews on the Merrill trading floor back in 1999. Now, that was one great trading floor, have you ever been there? It was like a big bowl in the financial center, with different levels of desks, so you could achieve something of a vista across the floor. It... Wall Street Is Back | 23 | 5.23 |
So as I mentioned in BlackHat's excellent post on how to break down a 10K (see here: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/anatomy-of-the-10-k), I'm going to put together a series of posts on how to evaluate a commercial bank. About me real quick, I work at a large US bank doing... Evaluating Commercial Banks (part 1 of ??) | 23 | 5.23 |
Full disclosure: I'm currently a senior about to graduate in May, and unless I flunk every class this semester, I will leave with a 3.9 and summa cum laude honors from a public university. I see a lot of people on Wall Street Oasis who I feel are much smarter than me-- at least... How I Get Top Grades in UG | 21 | 5.21 |
Assuming that you have access to no financial products such as FactSet, Bloomberg, CapitalIQ, Thomson or otherwise, thought it would be helpful to give a step by step guide on how to ramp up on a new company from your home computer. Using FaceBook as an example. Lets go ahead and start with the... Basic Guide Ramping Up On A Company With Public Information (Part 1 of 3) | 21 | 5.21 |
<em>“So, what did the market do today?”</em>
When people ask that question, most likely they are talking about the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Our minds consciously flip to it anytime there is market news; heck, we even articulate our views on the markets in terms of this... 3 Reasons Why the Dow is Utterly Useless | 19 | 5.19 |
I would like to extend a warm welcome to myself, Prestigious Pete. I am a jealousy amalgam, created from combining all the conceited, self-assured finance super douches into one man called Prestigious Pete.
After finishing up at Andover, I went on to attend Yale University, where I majored in... Prestigious Pete | 219 | 5.1899999999999995 |
Hey guys, this is Adam checking in. The latest episode is below -- after you watch it if you could read the text below I'd appreciate it...
<p><a href="http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6974949/two-years-and-out" target="_blank"</a><br /><a... Adam the Analyst - Episode 7: Two Years and Out | 18 | 5.18 |
<strong>What I Did To Overcome</strong>: Without having a full time investment banking experience or an Ivy League education, I had fought an uphill battle to get a front-office position for five years (2007-2011). Previously, I did BO/MO roles at three different BBs prior to... Part 2: My Pursuit of Happyness | 18 | 5.18 |
I managed to pass Level II with a good breakdown (> 70% in 7 sections including all the big ones, 3 between 50-70) in exactly three months. I attribute my success mainly to discipline and desire to pass (Unlike 90% of people taking the test, I've been wanting to take the test since... My CFA Study Tracking Sheet | 18 | 5.18 |
On Tuesday, I gave a thorough breakdown of how a pre-MBA candidate should approach the <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/some-thoughts-on-private-equity-interview-case-studies">Private Equity Interview Case Study</a>. In keeping with the PE interview theme, I... Three Do's and Don'ts of Private Equity Interviews | 17 | 5.17 |
<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/the-great-strategic-game-of-life-12">In the first post in this series</a> I was talking about big strategic decisions in life. I made the point that maybe small decisions drain a lot of time and energy from us, and that could... The Great Strategic Game of Life (2/2) | 16 | 5.16 |
Well here I am, at it again giving back my two cents for the whole dollar I got from this great website.
A few people know my background and for those who do not; here is the Reader's Digest version.
I am a former business owner who lost his business thanks to the small business credit... How to break into IBD from a non traditional background (the real essentials) | 15 | 5.15 |
You have networked like a ninja. You’ve tapped all connections available. (Or you go to a target school or something of that nature.) You’ve read through WSO, M&I, WSJ, DealBook, and all relevant literature. Through persistence, dedication, etc. you now have an interview. You know how... How to nail an interview | 15 | 5.15 |
<p>So plenty has happened since my last post on Tesla, and to the untrained eye it seems like only good news coming from the Tesla hype-mobile. Well, despite my own thoughts on these things, this post is going to contain no more color than I’ve already given in the past two... 10 Facts/Headscratchers from the Ongoing TSLA Saga | 15 | 5.15 |
<strong>This is a damn long post so if you want to get to the meat of it just scroll down to the list and the closing statement. Otherwise read on.</strong> I will start by talking about myself and then move on to my advice. I will start off by saying that throughout all of my early... The Secret to getting through hard times and being happy | 14 | 5.14 |
<em> Editor Note: This is meant to be a live and ongoing discussion and resource for anyone seriously considering investing abroad. Any questions whatsoever about living abroad, value investing, China, and cross-border private equity- shoot away. </em>
Hi guys, I’m here today... Emerging Markets Investment Guide | 13 | 5.13 |
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 | 112 | 5.12 |
<strong>6 Tips for Networking Into a Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Firm</strong>
Last Night on Mad Men, Roger Sterling used a connection at the airport to “happen to bump into” a potential client. He talked to the guy, became fast friends, and got Sterling Cooper Draper... 6 Tips for Networking Into a Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Firm | 11 | 5.11 |
Ok, hear me out, this is slightly dorky but worthwhile.
One of my favourite parts of WSO is when you find a thread which is legitimately useful to those who are lucky enough to have themselves a job; contains advice not on universities, exit opps, networking but on a financial concept or... Accounting / Financial Theory / Technicals Forum | 11 | 5.11 |
<em>Andy note: this comment was originally posted inside <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/city-smackdown-part-1-empire-state-of-mind">City Smackdown 1 - Empire State of Mind</a> and I thought it should be made into its own post for those who didn't... My Three Free Months in NYC | 10 | 5.1 |
The pressure to excel is higher than ever. With the economy, market, and political structures of our society rapidly fluctuating, job prospects are becoming limited and competition is becoming incredibly difficult to maintain.
Parents, mentors, and peers continue to add to the pressure.... Top 5 Must-Have Skills for 2013 | 10 | 5.1 |
After spending a few years on the site, I've noticed a lot of misinformation spread around regarding the banks who don't quite fit into the BB / MM / boutique subsectors: The Big 4 Corporate Finance (M&A) groups.
Judging from the lack of resumes we receive for our open analyst... The Forgotten IBD: Big 4 Corporate Finance - Q&A | 109 | 5.09 |
<i>Below is the second and final part of an interview with WSO Certified User and 2nd year banking analyst '<strong>duffmt6</strong>'. Interview conducted by <strong>Asatar</strong>.</i> <strong><a... Interview with duffmt6, 2nd Year IBD Analyst, (part 2/2) | 9 | 5.09 |
Short story:
I did really badly in school, didn't bother studying. ( Engineering ) Realized my mistake when I was in my final year and started to panic when I knew I had to get a proper job or I'll end up as a loser. Started exploring options in banks and tried to network my way into... I am in Ops. Ask me anything. | 109 | 5.09 |
For the last two decades, I have dedicated the first two weeks of each new year to a ritual. I obtain/collect/download data on all publicly traded companies listed globally, using a variety of data sources, and then analyze and present the data, aggregated at a number of different levels: by... Data Update 2013: The Dark Side of Numbers | 8 | 5.08 |
My appetite for knowledge changes with the seasons, and as fall rolls into a full-blown depression mixed with an unstoppable force of hormonal surges, I have sunk my inexplicable desire for information into my new subject of obsession: Vee Cee
As a result of my <a... "You ain’t getting that job” -three major VCs & a Harvard Prof | 7 | 5.07 |
Good afternoon, folks. I wanted to deliver a brief retrospective on the first ever WallStreetOasis Conference that took place this past Saturday.
First and foremost, Patrick and the rest of the team working behind the scenes did a fantastic job. I had reasonable expectations going into it,... WSO Conference 1.0: A Retrospective and Some Advice | 5 | 5.05 |
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) | 104 | 5.04 |
I found it burdensome to scroll through all of the pages in the "The Other Road: Corporate Development Associate Fielding Questions" thread to find harvardgrad08's responses to everyone's questions, so I copied and pasted all of his posts (as of 3/28/13) into one Word... harvardgrad08's The Other Road: Q&A Word Doc | 3 | 5.03 |
<em><strong>Andy note:</strong> some of the quotes below were published on CNBC / Yahoo awhile back: <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/want-job-let-sleep-girlfriend-200045795.html">Want This Job? 'Let Me Sleep With Your... What's the hardest interview question you were ever asked? | 202 | 5.02 |
My last two posts looked at two strains of value investing. In the first, <a href="http://aswathdamodaran.blogspot.com/2012/06/passive-value-investing-screening-for.html">passive screening</a>, you look for mismatched companies that trade at low prices, while not being... Activist Value Investing: Be Your Own "Change" Agent | 1 | 5.01 |
<em>Mod note: Feel free and ask Jared anything and he will be on today answering your questions.
Bio: Jared Dillian graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1996 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science, and from the University of San Francisco in 2001 with a... I'm an Author and Former Head ETF Trader at Lehman, Ask Me Anything | 101 | 5.01 |
As much as I love Wall Street Oasis, I can't help but raise an eyebrow at how narrow some of the mindsets on this website are. I'm specifically talking about in regards to careers; obviously, this is a finance community-targeted website, but it seems unbelievable how many students go... Are You "IBD or Bust"? | 90 | 4.9 |
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 make a buck. Why pick the one that’s going to be hardest for you in your situation? ... My Biggest Career Mistake to Date: Prestige | 85 | 4.85 |
One of the biggest challenges you'll face in your first few years in finance is keeping your weight under control. When you're pulling 100 hour weeks and have $25 a night to spend on food, it's easy to start packing on the pounds.
Let's be clear, when you're turning... 3 Methods Bankers Use To Not Get Fat | 73 | 4.73 |
Hey everyone. Figured I would create a Class of 2014 thread for everyone thinking about applying for next years MSF programs. Good place to ask questions, compare profiles and meet others who are applying. 2014 MSF Class Thread | 73 | 4.73 |
All right, monkeys. Welcome to recruiting season. I am your interviewer.
No, seriously. I really might be your interviewer. This upcoming week your very own Auntie Bankerella will be hitting up several universities in a couple of different cities. I’ll be giving presentations,... 5 ways to get dinged before the interview | 68 | 4.68 |
What would you say is the best font for a resume? I normally use Times New Roman but I have seen real good resumes in Calibri, and I was thinking about changing mine also. Which theme do you suggest I go with? Best font for a resume | 67 | 4.67 |
So I've been casually dating 2 girls the last couple months, while sometimes taking other girls home when the analysts and I go out to lounges and bars, thinking how fucking awesome the life was and that I was too damn busy / too damn young to commit to anyone.
Last night I asked one of... I'm Done Being a Bro - Just asked her to be my girlfriend. Her reaction gave me the GREATEST FEELING IN THE WORLD. | 64 | 4.64 |
After seeing The Dark Knight Rises last Thursday night and spending the weekend reading about it and discussing it with friends, I've come to the realization that there are virtually no upcoming movies that I'm looking forward to.
Before I go any further, I want to emphasize how... Hollywood is Completely Bankrupt of Ideas | 164 | 4.64 |
<em>Andy note: This post was recommended by the author as a good one to repost to homepage - "Since it is recruiting season I think this post might be a good one to bump, VFA will be recruiting at all the top campuses around the U.S."</em>
Every year a large amount of... Say No To The Finance Job, Create Jobs Instead | 63 | 4.63 |
<em>2/25/13 update: Ampharos has now been working in consulting for 5+ months and said he can continue answering questions regarding MBB, recruiting, breaking in, day to day life, etc, ask away!</em>
Hi Guys,
5+ months ago I started working at my top-choice MBB firm full time... MBB Consulting Q&A | 57 | 4.57 |
I think you guys will get a kick out of this, because I sure did. My boys are home for summer vacation. They're 7 and 9 years old, and they're about to enter second and fourth grade, respectively. We were walking home from lunch today when, out of the blue, my 9-year old asks me,... Academia Sinks Its Hooks In Young | 57 | 4.57 |
Andy note: <em>"Best of Eddie" - while Eddie is on vacation we're throwing up some of his classic posts from the past. This one from June 2010 is part of the very popular "Sell Your Options" 5-part series. More to come later this week & next. If there's an... Sell Your Options Dearly: DEBT | 55 | 4.55 |
Looks like I took part in roughly 80 phone interviews during b-school, plus probably more that didn’t make it to my calendar. Lot of practice. A little over 40 hours straight of the old smile-and-dial. Since we’re headed into recruiting season now, thought I’d share what I... How to phone interview like a BSD | 54 | 4.54 |
It’s midsummer in the city and the vaunted investment banking group outings are upon us. It’s time to loosen the cravat and enjoy the smell of steamy, urine-coated Manhattan concrete while kicking back a few with your fellow indentured servants. Whether you’re lucky enough to be invited to... What Does Your Drink Say About You? | 53 | 4.53 |
Whenever I read about the MSF on WSO I often see people commenting on it that have no idea what they are talking about. So I wanted to write this blog post to clear up some myths. My MSF experience is at the Villanova/Washington University/Vanderbilt/UT-Austin level.
The MSF is an excellent... Time To Respect The MSF: Top Five MSF Myths Debunked | 52 | 4.52 |
For a variety of reasons, both personal and professional, I've recently given a great deal of thought to the concept of motivation.
A friend of mine recently proclaimed his belief that what best motivates people are incentives. Money, power, title, and various other perks. He argued... What Motivates You? | 52 | 4.52 |
Some guys have trouble figuring out what they're worth from day to day, but for other guys it's easy. One such guy is Mike Merrill, <a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2013/03/ipo-man/all/">a Portland software customer service rep who actually IPO'd his life at... Would You IPO Yourself for $1? | 52 | 4.52 |
Here's where that $250k notebook starts to earn its keep.
<ul>
<li>Set standards up front: “No swearing, no walking out.” Write it down on the whiteboard so you can point to it if you need to.</li>
<li>Small talk is big talk.</li>
<li>Start... What b-school taught me about negotiations | 50 | 4.5 |
Here's what my boss said to me over a couple of beers. [quote] About half the industry (insurance) is made up of guys who couldn't cut it as bankers. When all else fails, you have dad call up his college bud at [insert name of commercial insurer here] and get you a cush 9-5 gig wining,... Banking on Insurance: Breaking in from the Insurance industry - fact or fiction? | 49 | 4.49 |
[QUOTE]Let's say that the person you love the most has just been shot. He or she is lying in the street, bleeding and screaming. A guy rushes up and says, "Step aside." He looks over your loved one's bullet wound and pulls out a pocket knife -- he's going to operate... 6 Harsh Truths That Will Make You a Better Person | 46 | 4.46 |
Hey, monkeys. I've seen a bunch of questions out there in WSO-land about how to pick comps. Thought I'd share my two cents about how it works in my experience:
<ol><li>Pick the most sane, sensible comps using companies of similar size in the same... 7 steps to awesome comps | 42 | 4.42 |
I gotta say, my life has improved dramatically since I got to the point where I could control much of the messaging my team produces.
Before I go any further, huge caveat: this is completely culture-specific and audience-specific. There are some groups out there that would hand me my... How to Build F'ing Amazing Decks for a BSD | 41 | 4.41 |
<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/qa-with-nefarious-a-strategy-associate-at-a-fortune-500-company-part-one">Following up my my post from last Thursday </a>, I'm here today with <strong>part two of my interview with Nefarious.</strong>
For... Q&A with Nefarious - a Strategy Associate at a Fortune 500 Company (Part Two) | 40 | 4.4 |
I am four days away from sitting for the Level 2 CFA exam for the third time. Am I prepared? I have no way of knowing. All I can say is that I'm better prepared than I was last year. (And last year, I was better prepared than I had been the year before that.)
I am humbled by how... CFA Musings Before the Exam | 39 | 4.39 |
<em>Andy note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from November 2011 . If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
Fellow WSO Monkeys,
I have a treat for you this thanksgiving. I was able... Exclusive Edmundo Braverman Interview : Part 1 of 2 | 34 | 4.34 |
Now that Memorial Day Weekend has come and gone, it’s about time for eager upper classmen to start their Summer Analyst stints. Having gone through a Summer Analyst program myself and having managed a number of SAs, both good and bad, I’d like to offer some advice to this year’s class of... Summer Intern Pro-Tips and Pratfalls | 34 | 4.34 |
<em>"It's not Christmas yet, what are you saying? It's not the most wonderful time of the year..."</em>
But yes, my little monkey minions, it _is_ the most wonderful time of the year: <strong>recruitment season will be upon us in a mere week or... It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! | 34 | 4.34 |
I have reviewed a number of resumes from a recent WSO drop, and while I've received some really wonderful ones that I have passed on (at least one received an offer!), I had far too many that were just terrible, which should not happen given the wealth of advice WSO has to offer on resumes.... Resume Guidelines from a WSO Drop Reviewer | 33 | 4.33 |
I’ve been fortunate enough to meet <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/user/33069">HPM</a> two years ago at the first Energy Rodeo in Houston and recently had the opportunity to ask him some questions which the WSO audience could find useful. HPM works in strategy at... HappyPantsMcgee the Interview. | 33 | 4.33 |
<em>Andy note: BIG thanks to bearing for doing the interview with me. bearing is a 3rd year equity research associate and long-time member of WSO. He's been a very helpful member in the forums and was nice enough to answer some questions for those interested in the equity research... Equity Research Q&A with bearing | 33 | 4.33 |
<em>Andy note: this was originally posted on 9/14/12</em>
So last time we established that when I come to recruit at your school (and I promise you, today I am recruiting at a school attended by probably at least 40-50 of the people on this board), I’m really just doing it to... 3 ways to help your interviewer help you | 33 | 4.33 |
So, this is it for me. I accepted an offer and am done with SA recruiting. It definitely is a grueling process, but it pays off in the end with a bit of luck. Just wanted to share my advice from things I have learned throughout the process. By no means do I think I'm an expert or that I... 5 Key Points to Landing an SA Internship | 33 | 4.33 |
WHY BOTHER BEING GOOD?
Everyday the newspaper tells the same depressing stories. Youth crime, corporate tax-avoidance, dishonest lawyers, selfish bankers, mass genocide, needless wars, countless violent acts of extreme hatred, rape, oppression and corruption, right down to the cheating... Why bother being good? | 33 | 4.33 |
Andy note: <em>"Best of Eddie" - while Eddie is on vacation we're throwing up some of his classic posts from the past. This one from June 2010 is part of the very popular "Sell Your Options" 5-part series. More to come later this week & next. If there's an... Sell Your Options Dearly: WASTING ASSETS | 32 | 4.32 |
When I have 100-hr work weeks, I have one thing in mind: <b>maximizing sleep.</b> I've had lots of busy weeks like this, unfortunately, and I've perfected a routine that helps gets me through. From the outside, it appears as through I've had a full night of sleep and... Mastering the 100-hour work week - for females | 31 | 4.31 |
After a few years abroad, I had an offer to go back to my native country, Brazil, to do some PE work. That wasn’t so long ago: the European economy was already showing signs of deceleration (oh, how I love those market-related euphemisms!). Actually, shit was hitting the fan real hard in our... City Smackdown - Part 3: São Paulo, Brazil | 30 | 4.3 |
I've had some super eventful last couple of weeks, dead laptop, shattered phone screen ,admissions events, canceled travel plans, canceled admissions events, midterms, some anxiety, stupid friends, stupider professors, where did my paycheck go? Was I supposed to feed the fish?... The Power of the Kitty | 30 | 4.3 |
The war between Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman over Herbalife has been heating up, and so far Icahn is coming out on top. It's recently been disclosed that Icahn's deploying an option strategy to increase his long leverage for less money, and it's pretty aggressive. It also reminds me... There's Short, Then There's REAL F'n Short | 30 | 4.3 |
<em>“You know, In The Flesh,”</em> a WSO monkey told me at a recent Happy Hour, <em>“that gentleman’s book is the real deal. I ordered that shit on Amazon as soon as I read your review. It’s so right, man. I want to be like that: keep my word, honor my commitments, be... Being A Gentleman, Revisited | 29 | 4.29 |
<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/79509">DrPeterVenkman presents:</a> An <em>interesting</em> interview with <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/user/9690">Frieds</a>. Q's came from myself and other WSO writers. This... The Frieds Interview: PART THREE "MBA Is A Joke" | 28 | 4.28 |
I recently watched the entire first season of <a href="http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/House_of_Cards/70178217?mqso=81001339">House of Cards,</a> Netflix's first foray into original programming. All-in-all, it was pretty solid. The plot is full of twists and turns... House of Cards and the Future of Television | 28 | 4.28 |
<strong>Day in the Life: Commercial Real Estate Head Research Analyst</strong>
Since I will no longer be a senior analyst by the end of this month, I figured I’d do one of these for my current position and then do another in a month or two in order to compare and contrast. If... Day in the Life: Commercial Real Estate Head Research Analyst | 28 | 4.28 |
You walk out of your superday feeling pretty good about your performance. You start recounting all of the questions you were asked and your amazing responses to said questions. <em>“I nailed this one”</em>, you tell yourself. You reward yourself with a latte from the neighborhood... ‘Tis the Season for Rejections | 27 | 4.27 |
Just some advice as we are getting a bit closer to intern season. Hopefully people will start adding more in the comments, I wanted to stay away from the obvious ones.
<strong>The Do Not’s</strong>
1) Do not screw up a lunch order: I know, this is quite obvious, but I can’t... Do's and Dont's as a Trading Intern | 27 | 4.27 |
<em>Mod Note: This comment comes from <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/bankers-and-bad-relationships">"Bankers and bad relationships"</a> and quickly gatthered up 13 sb's. We thought it deserved to go on the homepage in case you missed... The single most important choice you will ever have to really make is the person you marry. | 26 | 4.26 |
Interning in IBD? Here are the steps to running a DCF like a seasoned analyst.
1: Build out a basic DCF template and enter what data you know for sure.
2: Have your associate get a sense from the senior guys as to what final number will make the deal work.
3: Populate the drivers... How to DCF like a rock star | 25 | 4.25 |
Not sure if this was already posted (did a search and didn't find anything).
Anyway, I thought it was pretty funny.
http://www.businessinsider.com/please-explain-your-rationale-for-the-rainbow-2012-8
Awful attempt at networking | 25 | 4.25 |
After a tense period of 2 months and 9 grueling rounds of interviews, including an 8 hour modeling test, I finally did it! Got my offer letter today!
Background: Fresher Chartered Accountant, no prior modeling experience. Doesn't sound like the ideal resume, right? I agree. So I thought... PE cracked - Networked my way in via Facebook! | 25 | 4.25 |
Since I found out I’d been admitted to HBS in R1, others have asked me how I did it, how I got in. Usually, I say I hit refresh on my application status every 3 seconds until it changed to “admitted”. I hesitate to answer seriously because I don’t want anyone to follow my path as a... Admit One - My HBS Success Story | 25 | 4.25 |
I recently got a PM asking me these questions after my last thread <a href=http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/what-investment-banking-is-in-simple-words-and-my-story#comment-0>(found here)</a>. Here was my response to the message, thought other monkeys might like to hear it too.... A monkey's questions answered by a banker | 24 | 4.24 |
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 | 23 | 4.23 |
When I entered college, I was excited about doing Big 4 accounting, putting in my time, leaving to industry or opening up my own CPA practice and living nice on 100-150k a year with my eventual family.
Fast forward to me discovering WSO: Gained great information and resources on anything and... WSO has ruined my concept of what a good salary is | 123 | 4.23 |
I recently negotiated an offer and wanted to post about my positive experience. This is the first time I have negotiated an offer and in preparation I looked through the previous posts and asked for a bit of advice from SirTradesaLot for help in the process.
Negotiating an offer is like a... Negotiating Offer before, during, and after interview (Follow up) | 22 | 4.22 |
<em>Mod Note (Andy): this is a syndication from <em> <a href="http://www.edmundconway.com/">edmundconway.com</a>
<p><em>There follows a letter to Tim Cook, chief executive of Apple:</em></p>
<p>Dear... Dear Apple, I’m leaving you | 21 | 4.21 |
<em>This is a syndication from Jared's <a href="http://www.dailydirtnap.com">Daily Dirtnap</a> daily market newsletter. WSO readers qualify for a $100 discount...just email [email protected] and mention "WSO Monkey Discount" You can follow Jared... THE GOVERNMENT | 21 | 4.21 |
The guy in the apartment above me left his cellphone in his apartment last night and his alarm was set for 2AM. So, from 2AM until god knows when I was listening to an iPhone alarm. Laying there, sleepless, my mind started to wander, which prompted me to write this.
A Networking Tale... | 21 | 4.21 |
We have done some quality recruiting the past few years. We have a great intern in the group this summer; a major overachiever, picks up things on the run and is always down to get a drink after work. Our first year analyst pool is equally as solid. I have come to realize... Students: Network with Associates and VPs (not MD's) | 20 | 4.2 |
<em>Mod Note: Lone Wolf is the newest addition to our contributing author team. He is an independent trader/consultant, and has held several different trading positions including floor trader, liability and proprietary trader as well as Head liability trader and market maker. This spans... Want to be a Trader? 11 thoughts to get you started | 20 | 4.2 |
It's no secret that trading floors tend to be meat markets. So when I first started working down there I already had high expectations for what goes on there. One thing there was no shortage of - creepy old guys and a disregard for all those lessons we learn from those he sexual harassment... Top 5 “HR Complaint-worthy” lines heard during first months on the trading floor | 19 | 4.19 |
<em><strong>Andy note:</strong> Human is away this week, so he asked me to syndicate this helpful post from his blog thesummereffects.wordpress.com </em>
My name is Summer. I am the eldest son in a family of five with one sister and then one brother. I came from a... Day 6: 10 Important Life Lessons | 19 | 4.19 |
<em>Andy note: SirTrades' decided to get deeper into the story so we're making it a trilogy. Enjoy part two below, part 3 is coming up next Wednesday, and make sure to <strong><a... Q&A Interview with SirTradesaLot, Part 2/3 | 19 | 4.19 |
While enjoying a fine chat with another Certified User, an interesting topic for discussion came up. We were talking about watching friends and coworkers enter relationships, get married, and move away—including a whole bunch of them in the last couple of years alone.
“It’s funny,... Recessions = Breakups? | 19 | 4.19 |
<strong>Would you like to be a wildly successful bulge bracket (BB) trader having more money than you have time to spend?</strong> Connected to top investment bankers from shenanigans of Wall Street parties and a living testament to the high-fashion lifestyle! I know I thought like... Why Sales & Trading Is Dead As We Knew It | 18 | 4.18 |
There are many different ways to determine the value of a company during an M&A transaction. Most of the time, the purchasing price is based on some sort of multiple (such as Firm Value / EBITDA). <b> But what is a company’s real EBITDA? </b> Let’s assume that the buyer’s... Normalized EBITDA: How to pay less for the same company! | 18 | 4.18 |
<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/what-does-the-labor-participation-rate-say-about-our-society">Back on the topic of what the composition of the labor force says about our society</a>, the New York Times recently put out this <a... Grandpa And Grandma Are Taking Our Jobs | 16 | 4.16 |
Maybe I have a slightly different perspective on this topic because I grew up literally in the middle of a corn field and the extent of my childhood multicultural experience was talking to the 4 or 5 Hispanic kids in my grade whose parents worked at the canning factory during harvest season, but... Study Abroad | 15 | 4.15 |
Lately, I have been noticing a ton of posts regarding the GMAT and MBA applications in general. Most of those who inquire about these topics are concerned their lower than average undergraduate GPA. The MBA admissions process for a candidate with a low GPA can be a trying time, but preparing... Bad GPA Fixes - MBA Admissions | 14 | 4.14 |
Applying to Columbia Business School? The Clear Admit School Guide to Columbia is FREE until 12pm EDT on Wednesday, October 17! This 37-page guide is filled with detailed program information organized in an easy-to-read format. Inside, you'll also find comparative graphs and charts --... Columbia School Guide - Free Until 12pm ET Today! | 13 | 4.13 |
<i>There comes a time when we heed a certain call
When The Street must come together as one
There are <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/10/us-morganstanley-jobcuts-idUSBRE90906J20130110">layoffs</a> happ’ning
And it’s time to <a... We Are The Street: USA for Wall Street | 13 | 4.13 |
<em>Moderator Note (Andy): SenhorFinance is a hedge fund partner based out of Brazil and has worked in basically everything: PE, IB, S&T, management consulting and hedge funds.</em>
IB folks spend some of their evenings in business dinners/drinks, guiltlessly enjoying... Hedge Fund Breakfast– Part 1: Bloomberg | 12 | 4.12 |
Walking steadily north but without a firm destination in mind, inebriated friends in tow, I turn and catch a glimpse of the vibrant neon lights, fascinated by the familiar letters distinctly spelling <em>“CORNER.”</em> They hover, vividly, just over Chelsea’s left shoulder, a... The Great Gatbsy's | 12 | 4.12 |
<p>In a year where most high-profile initial public offerings were an absolute disaster, a lesser-known company called Workday, Inc started trading in the public markets in one of the hottest IPOs of 2012. The powers that be, also known as the investment bankers, who oversaw the IPO... Take Your Cash to Workday: Riding the U$$ Enterprise Software Sector | 11 | 4.11 |
I've been in the wrong job before. We all have. You come in everyday do just enough to keep your head above water and not get noticed for being incompetent, while putting in as little effort as possible.I realized it was time to hit the old dusty trail, when the highlight of my day was when... 5 signs it's the wrong job for you | 11 | 4.11 |
As recent college graduates prepare to begin wearing business casual for the rest of their lives, I thought it would be fitting to share some advice from my four years of experience in consulting. There is nothing particularly earth-shattering about my experiences, which means it probably... Tell Your Boss What You Want to Do - Tips for New Consultants | 10 | 4.1 |
I was going to reply to some kid bitching about his job, and how bad he felt about being shit at it. But instead of replying directly to him I thought I'd make a more generic motivational post:
It's a very tough environment, has been since 2008 when I started. After my first year I... If you want to quit - SOLDIER ON BOY and stay put! | 10 | 4.1 |
<em>Moderator Note (Andy): This was originally posted on 9/20/2010</em>
<img src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w416/AndyLouiswso/adamtheanalyst-1.png">
(See inside the post for the video)
Adam the Analyst - Episode 5: What is Your Biggest Motivation? | 9 | 4.09 |
Nokia came out with an awful earnings report yesterday, with warnings of more bad news to come, and its stock price, not surprisingly, plummeted.</div>
While investors are fleeing the stock and a ratings downgrade looms, is it a contrarian play? What about JP Morgan Chase? Or Research... Contrarian Value Investing: Going Against the Flow | 8 | 4.08 |
This site has been invaluable for me during recruiting so I thought I would pay it forward now that I have graduated and am gainfully employed. Specifically I wanted to address the Jane Street final round interview for a full time trading position, which I had last year and could not find... Jane Street Final Round - What to Expect | 8 | 4.08 |
When I think about the evolution of the market place for debt and equity, I am reminded of the importance of the primary market. At some point in our society, ownership rights were established and equity was born. Capitalism led citizens to invest money in small businesses (primary market) ... Remember the Primary Markets? | 7 | 4.07 |
<em>A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of getting to know Carlos Solorio, a former investment banker who came out of the Lehman Brothers meltdown in 2008 unscathed, was an Analyst in the Latin American coverage group at Barclay's, and is now an entrepreneur who co-founded the custom... Interview With Arden Reed Co-Founder Carlos Solorio | 7 | 4.07 |
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... | 7 | 4.07 |
<strong>See my previous posts in this series:</strong> <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/part-1-my-pursuit-of-happyness">Part 1</a>, <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/part-2-my-pursuit-of-happyness">Part... Part 3: My Pursuit of Happyness | 6 | 4.06 |
Here's Part 1 of Top 10 Apps for Wall Streeters, everything from travel to booze.
<strong>(1) Travel</strong>
<em>Top App:</em>
<a href="http://www.tripit.com/">TripIt</a>
<em>Description:</em> The travel industry’s first... Top 10 Apps for Wall Streeters (Part 1) | 6 | 4.06 |
As has been the case for much of the last two years, the Apple earnings report on April 24, 2013 was a media event, previewed endlessly on investment sites, covered heavily by the media and tweeted about by both Apple fans and foes. While I try to stay away from the hype around earnings reports,... Apple: News, Noise and Value | 6 | 4.06 |
As of the writing of this post, I was actually sitting through my 3rd hour of meetings for the day. I have meetings to prepare for upcoming meetings, actual meetings, followed by meetings to debrief the meeting we just got out of. Most of these meetings are spent discussing updates on projects... 7 Habits of Highly Effective Meetings | 5 | 4.05 |
<em>Moderator Note (Andy): Ryan Allis is a tech entrepreneur currently attending HBS. This is a syndication from his <a href="http://www.ryanallis.com">blog</a> following his experience at HBS. Read his full bio <a... What Harvard Business School is Teaching This Tech Entrepreneur | 4 | 4.04 |
<em>Mod Note: This is a syndication from Jared's Daily Dirtnap daily market newsletter. WSO readers qualify for a $100 discount...just email [email protected] and mention "WSO Monkey Discount" You can follow Jared on twitter at @dailydirtnap</em>
There I go... In Praise Of High Interest Rates | 4 | 4.04 |
<b>For all you monkeys that enjoyed last week’s post…its back!</b> I’m going to finish up with numbers five through seven as promised and next week I’m going to share what I’ve learned since my time away from the desk and draw parallels to Marketkronicle’s... The Other 3 Reasons Why You Still Trade Like A Noob | 3 | 4.03 |
In this five part series, I will be running through various methods used to value companies. <strong>The first part of the series is about the asset approach.</strong>
The asset approach is the simplest way to derive a value of a company of the three discussed in the series. The... Valuation Series - Part One - Asset Approach | 2 | 4.02 |
Greetings, monkeys. Last week I wrote a review for the private equity-focused book called "The New Tycoons" and conducted an interview with the author, Jason Kelly. Read my writeup of his work here <strong>(<a... Q&A With "The New Tycoons" Author Jason Kelly | 2 | 4.02 |
There is no asset on a company’s balance sheet that wreaks more havoc on valuation and good sense than goodwill. The first problem with goodwill is that it sounds good, and when something sounds good, people feel the urge to pay for it. The second problem is that, notwithstanding... Acquisition Accounting II: Goodwill, more plug than asset | 2 | 4.02 |
<em>mod (Andy) note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from January 2011 . If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
When women get together with their friends and talk about the new guy... Why Your Salary Matters to Her | 99 | 3.99 |
<em>Andy note: Best of WSO - this post originally went up December 2009 and we thought it deserved to go back on the homepage for those who may have never seen it.</em>
So I just was in an interview for a student run Venture Capital fund. He asked what I would invest in, stocks or... Funny Interview Stories | 95 | 3.95 |
Every year around this time, some young monkeys hop on the forums and start moaning about how bad this year is for recruiting. You guys think it's bad? You ain't seen bad unless you've seen 2001, 2008, or 2009. But nevertheless, your auntie has good news. I recruited all last... Your competition's not as tough as you think | 91 | 3.91 |
The New York City area is home to nearly <b>20 million people</b> and 20 trillion cockroaches living together in blissful harmony. Well over 1 million people alone are packed into the 23 square miles that make up the island of Manhattan. New York is known for high rents, high... Lifestyle of Young Wall Street: 5 Banker Neighborhoods | 78 | 3.7800000000000002 |
This HSBC thing has my gut in knots. I'm serious. It has literally made me consider retiring from WSO, not because any of you had anything to do with it, but because I'm so nauseated by the level of corruption in finance today and the utter impotence on the part of anyone in authority... DOJ Rolls Over and Wets on Itself | 78 | 3.7800000000000002 |
Noticed quite a few questions regarding FoF on here recently (probably due to recruiting cycle) so thought a thread might be helpful - no PMs if possible.
My background is non-traditional. I'm from the UK, top 10(ish) university, finance degree, joined one of the biggest UK asset... Associate in Private Equity FoF - will answer questions | 76 | 3.76 |
<em>mod note: this post is from quora answers "What It Feels Like To Be Absolutely Loaded By Age 25" (link below)</em>
I'll answer from personal experience, but with a less depressing outlook than other Anon user. Background: early employee at successful tech... What It Feels Like To Be Absolutely Loaded By Age 25 | 71 | 3.71 |
I am currently a physical energy trader at a major firm. I studied business and economics and did various internships through college one was with my current firm in a fundamentals research role, upon graduation in the height of the crisis they had an opening for a new trading analyst role and... Ask Me Anything: I'm a Physical Energy Trader | 69 | 3.69 |
I was born in Greece and I am currently studying in Greece. I try to keep up with current events. I imagine many of you have questions about what is going on, so ask away and be specific. I'b be happy to give you some insight. I am a Greek citizen Ask me anything | 69 | 3.69 |
Morning monkeys,
Like many of you on WSO, I'm studying for yet another CFA exam (level 2, yay?) and as I'm shaking off the cobwebs in my brain I find myself wondering: is this the best designation? The answer is simple: no. But that's simply because there is no... Top 10 Rankings: Useful Designations | 67 | 3.67 |
<em>Best of bankerella, this was originally posted on 9/26/12</em>
<strong> <em>Interviewer: "So... what's your biggest weakness?"</em></strong>
To be honest, I think the biggest weakness question is one of the most bullshit questions... How to deal with the biggest weakness question | 62 | 3.62 |
</em>Moderator Note (Andy): this was originally posted on 4/24/12</em>
With full time recruiting well out of the way, I thought I would address a more pressing issue at hand-<em> What are you going to blow all that front-office cash on?</em> We all hear about the usual... 10 Tips to Bribe NYC’s Top Restaurants | 61 | 3.61 |
<em>mod (Andy) note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from November 2010. If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
When I was in my teens and early 20's, all I could think about was... Better to Have Been Rich and Lost It, or Never Been Rich at All? | 59 | 3.59 |
In college, Facebook equates to the world.
When you meet someone, there is a requisite <em>Facebook-stalking session</em> to see what they're all about. When you're organizing a party or throwing an event, <strong>you better have that Facebook page with the... Leaving Facebook | 57 | 3.57 |
Here’s to you, top-tier Ivy League business school. After a grueling, frantic, emotionally draining application period, as well as a <strong><a... Hell Hath No Fury Like the Guy You Just Denied for Admission | 55 | 3.55 |
So, some of you are aware from my posts that I'm trying to start my own hedge fund. Yes, it's a bit ambitious for someone with a stats background and no finance experience to try to launch a fund, but we have a great system so we're going for it.
Anyway, I just wanted to post... Launching my own fund | 54 | 3.54 |
<b>Coffee: The Elixir of the Mind.</b>
It is impossible to imagine a career in the capital markets without the aid of a certain mind stimulating beverage, yes coffee.
In case you are wondering how a man from the land of the double double is authorized to speak to on matters of... Coffee: The Elixir of the Mind | 50 | 3.5 |
<em>Andy note: ZaZa resides in Abu Dhabi and works as a recruiter for some of Middle East’s largest sovereign wealth funds and investment banks.</em>
Let’s start with the basics – it’s not like in the US. It’s not like in Europe. The process sounds vaguely similar, the... How to get hired in the Middle East | 47 | 3.4699999999999998 |
It's 10 PM. Someone writes a post about how insider trading should be legal, how people say stupid things about the CFAs, or how Harvard is going to take over the world. It really irritates you, and you want to respond.
What do you do?
1.) Respond with a snarky comment.
2.) Close... Take the IlliniProgrammer Pledge! Help improve the quality of posts on WSO! | 47 | 3.4699999999999998 |
It never hurts to increase your skill set, especially in this economy. And when you can do that for free, so much the better. And when you can learn something for free that is in demand all over Wall Street, well that's just the icing on the cake. So I wanted to let you know about a new... Learn R for Free | 47 | 3.4699999999999998 |
The following video is going viral at the moment and, while I don't usually respond to most New-Agey type philosophies, I have to admit that this one made me stop and think. I've spent the bulk of my life (from about age 10) in a relentless quest for money. I spent a few of the... What If Money Were No Object? | 43 | 3.43 |
<em>mod note (Andy) see part one <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/what-does-your-drink-say-about-you">here</a>
The breeze is brisk, the Starbucks cups are red, and the sidewalks of New York City are crowded body-to-body with packs of overweight... What Does Your Drink Say About You? Part II | 43 | 3.43 |
<i>My apologies for the length of this… it’s simply a fluid thought that may or may not make any damn sense…</i>
<strong>TLDR: About to turn 27, live in the bedroom I grew up in, unemployed for almost a year, completely lost</strong>
Feels like I’m writing my own obituary… | 42 | 3.42 |
As I showed last week, following commonsense GMAT strategies sometimes gets you hosed.
One example of a popular but very bad strategy: “Don’t go it alone.” In other words, your common sense probably suggests that you use the GMAT community to get oriented and figure out what it’s... Cold Hard GMAT: Lessons from fat chicks, black belts, and the 4-minute mile. | 39 | 3.39 |
A bunch of you have been asking me how the Lending Club thing is going and after I mentioned it in Bonus Bananas a couple weeks ago I got a few more PMs for an update on the WSO CDO so here goes.
I'm doing something a little different this time around because I want to show you guys how... WSO CDO Update August 2012 | 39 | 3.39 |
“<i>There she is, that beautiful blonde from Wharton</i>”, you say to your colleague as she comes in. She looks amazing and smells great despite being the only female in the trading pit. Yet she has a character of class, trades gracefully, and a strong resilience. After some time... Why The Girl In Trading Is Better Than Everyone Else | 38 | 3.38 |
<em>Mode note: Blast from the past - "Best of Eddie" - this one is originally from December 2010.</em>
Monty09 may have gotten the best plug yet for his <a href="http://energyrodeo.com/">Energy Rodeo</a> in Houston next month, and it came from none... New York vs. Houston | 138 | 3.38 |
After 51 years, and tumultuous ups and downs, Mets fans finally have a reason to be happy.
Johan Santana, a 33 year old pitcher coming off major shoulder surgery, threw the first no hitter in NY Mets history. It took him a career high 134 pitches, but he put his balls to the wall and it was... When's the last time you cried? | 37 | 3.37 |
As we've <a href="http://www.300hours.com/1/post/2012/10/should-you-be-looking-at-cfa-partner-b-schools.html" title="">covered the MBA subject briefly in a recent post</a> and many readers wrote in for more, a natural follow up would be the... CFA vs MBA: 8 Points to Help You Decide | 37 | 3.37 |
Again we all got killed at work this week, leaving in the sunrise and working until the wee hours for some endless pitches, but also interesting deal driven stuff, valuation and some board meetings. This weekend was supposed to be a sweet one given the Queens Jubilee and the resulting... Getting burglarized, what to do? | 36 | 3.36 |
It's that time again....the time where you tell me how WSO can improve and I smash my head against the wall and wonder why I didn't think of that earlier... or I tell you that you are crazy.
So please, fellow primates, let me know what annoys you most about WSO and how your day to... WSO Site Suggestions...Let Me Hear It! | 134 | 3.34 |
Because I'm nerdy like that, I tend to write down the more bizarre or tougher interview questions I get just to throw them at my friends and see how they'd react. As I'm traveling today and tend to incorporate at least one psychoactive substance into my flight routine, I figured... Surprisingly Painful Interview Questions | 33 | 3.33 |
<em>I'm reposting this comment, which I made on another post, to my blog -- think it's a good standalone story, but not exactly front-page material.</em>
First internship of my life, the guy I worked for had a completely f*cking ridiculous name.
In fact, it is so... Funny first day story | 32 | 3.32 |
Dear Community,
While reading through these forums, I have found many forum topics on what color the inside of your shoes should be on Tuesdays, if you work on the 100 block of West Street, but no one seems to comment on back office attire. Little do you know, many of the world’s fashion... Your Guide To Back Office Fashion | 32 | 3.32 |
<strong>What does being a gentleman mean to you?</strong>
Does it mean knowing which fork to use at a properly-set table? Does it mean being so impeccably dressed as to make Patrick Bateman and 007 envious? Does it mean knowing when to tip, how to tie a bowtie, or how to properly... How To Be A Gentleman: A Monkey's Review | 32 | 3.32 |
This guy does a pretty good job explaining why it seems like women are paid less than men, while in fact, there is little to no wage discrimination between the two.
<html>
<body>
<iframe width="560" height="315"... Do Women Really Earn Less? | 31 | 3.31 |
Although fear of being charged with slander in the future played an important role in why I changed my blog's topic for today, I mainly decided against it because something has been occupying my spare brain cells (the very few working ones) for a few days and it’s about time I seek... The Only Side that Matters: The Soft Side | 30 | 3.3 |
First it was rumors. The grapevine of talk from other private equity associates and friends from the BB where I did my banking stint. Of course, gossip is one thing we’re all used to from our investment banking days and just like at our old jobs ,there was no shortage of juicy gossip. However,... An Ocean of Capital: Saturation in Private Equity | 30 | 3.3 |
It appears congratulations are in order!
This is a love story for the ages. At the ripe young age of 82, billionaire hedge fund manager George Soros has <em>finally</em> found his soulmate, the one person on planet Earth who really gets him and completes him. <a... Soros: Third Time's a Charm | 28 | 3.2800000000000002 |
This week I thought I might do a little writing on my time in private equity. Specifically, I'd like to compare and contrast life in private equity when a fund's portfolio companies are performing well with life in PE when a fund's portfolio companies are performing poorly.
To... Life in PE when Things are Going According to Plan | 28 | 3.2800000000000002 |
[quote] Winter is coming. <p> - Ned Stark [/quote] <p><p>
Well, unless you are currently <a href=http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/the-other-road-timelocation-freedom>living in the southern hemisphere south of the tropical zone </a>, indeed you know that... Westeros to Wall Street: Lessons on Dominating Your Workspace from “Game of Thrones” | 27 | 3.27 |
Just missed a connecting flight so have some time to kill. This is 6.5 years since I've joined WSO, and I'd like to give back and recruit a very smart and hungry intern this summer.
I quit consulting and became Head of Asia Pacific for a very prominent tech-crunch mobile payments... wolfy looking for 1 intern - Mobile payments transformation in Asia | 27 | 3.27 |
Ah yes, networking, that thing we all love and value so much. Some folks say it never ends -- even when you get that BB IBD job, you don't stop networking. Some say it is the single most important facet of an applicant during recruitment, and that it will save you from coming from a... Addicted.......to Networking | 26 | 3.26 |
Looks like I ignited some controversy over my post on “Heavy Metal Is Saving Society.” If you read the ensuing comments, you’ll see many of the common arguments and defenses about this type of music that some would even consider to be an identity.
We’ve got the passionate fans who... The ITF Guide To Metal: Early Metal | 26 | 3.26 |
I've been seeing a ton of posts here about this, because it seems that now that BB S&T is downsizing everybody is looking for the next best thing.
I am addressing this because I think it needs to be said, and it seems to be what most of these threads come down to. This is definitely... Commodities Trading | 26 | 3.26 |
It's good to be back, monkeys. I hope you enjoyed some of the re-posts of my older stuff while I was gone, but I'm ready to get back into the swing of things after a couple weeks off. I thought I'd start with how the vacation went and some of the decisions I made while I was gone.... How I Spent My Summer Vacation 2012 | 25 | 3.25 |
<em>WSO is happy to announce a new partnership with Jared Dillian, former head ETF trader at Lehman, author of Street Freak and <a href="http://www.dailydirtnap.com">The Daily Dirtnap</a>. WSO readers qualify for a $100 discount from Jared's daily market <a... Interview & New Partnership with Jared Dillian, Author of Street Freak | 25 | 3.25 |
We are supposed to feel rested, recharged and ready to face the new year with energy and enthusiasm. Do you <em>really</em> feel that way? Or are you overwhelmed by your long list of challenges and to-do's?<br /><br />This year, my new year resolution is simply to... How to Find Inner Peace and Sleep Better | 25 | 3.25 |
Good morning monkeys.
In the face of the recent trading fiascos of JP Morgan, over the past month several articles have popped up that attempt to paint the $2bn trading loss as behavior that was detrimental to the entire financial system before the crisis. Many argue that the behavior of JPM... Make Banking Boring Again! | 24 | 3.24 |
Welcome to Part 2 of the Transitioning from IB/ER to HF Series. <strong><a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/transitioning-from-ib-to-hf-series-part-1-getting-the-interview">See Part 1 here.</a></strong> This portion will focus on where to interview and... Transitioning from IB/ER to HF Series - Part 2: Where to Interview and Behaviorals | 24 | 3.24 |
The site has been good to me, so I would like to give back with my first worthy post (most others have been pretty mediocre).
Background: white male, non-target state school, economics major, 3.0 student, SAs were the F500 internship route. After graduating in 2011 I went to work a boutique... Biz Dev Guy @ Start-Up Fielding Questions | 24 | 3.24 |
I just wanted to thank WSO members for the second time. I got a job offer recently (and accepted it) in almost exactly what I want to do within finance. I'm not going to get into specifics here because of confidentiality reasons, but I'm a lucky guy and wanted to show appreciation for... 1,000,000 to 1 In The Job Market | 23 | 3.23 |
I haven’t watched a non-007 movie in almost a year, and over the weekend I finally broke that streak by watching “Dirty Harry” and “Magnum Force.”
Needless to say, the movies had an effect other than making me wish that I was a cop working in 1970s San Francisco. Dirty Harry extols... "Unschool Yourself" | 23 | 3.23 |
There’s certain industries, ideas, and geographical pairings that can make a business undesirable to the majority of the market. Of course the idea of investing in a Cypriot bank, a low-end big box retailer, or a for-profit education business is going to come with quite a bit of skepticism... Guilt by Association Breeds Value | 23 | 3.23 |
These days unless you’re going to the University of Phoenix, most people end up with about $25k in student loans after graduating. Tack on credit card, car payments, and living expenses, and you’re staring down the barrel of endless debt and very little saving. With comp day right around the... Should you pay off your student loans right away? | 22 | 3.22 |
I'm sure you've seen them somewhere before. Maybe you saw an ad at your local bodega. Or maybe you walked past them as they were sold at a mall kiosk.
<strong>Electronic Cigarettes.</strong>
Electronic Cigarettes, or E-Cigs, are a niche product in a growing market.... Lessons Learned from the E-Cigarette Market | 22 | 3.22 |
I've had a couple 'Summers' that I really had to give a hard time to, some of my favorites:
Attached a wireless mouse to computer: One of our students sat by the coffee machine, so I attached a wireless mouse to his computer, then everytime I went to get a coffee I'd move... Best Pranks on the Summer Students | 22 | 3.22 |
<em>The following is an interview with Credit Risk Associate Pirho (<strong>he is also available to answer your questions</strong>).</em>
<em>Are you a professional and want to do an interview? View our interview template <strong><a... Interview with Credit Risk Associate (Part 1/2) | 22 | 3.22 |
<em>The following is part two of an interview with a Consultant who played D1 football in college (he is also available to answer your questions). See part one <strong><a... Interview with a Former D1 Football Player-turned Consultant, Part 2 | 22 | 3.22 |
Hi Everyone,
I read a lot of these forums a couple years back and they helped considerably in terms of realistic expectations about day to day life as an analyst. I was hoping to return the favor by answering a few questions (if anyone has any) about life as an analyst at a buy side real... Q&A With a Buy Side Analyst at Real Estate Investment & Development Firm | 22 | 3.22 |
People discuss target schools and rankings all the time but usually people just toss out anecdotes with no facts to back up their statements. One way to gauge how strong of a target school a certain college is to see how many alums end up at elite business schools (M7) since it goes to follow... Another Take on Target Schools: Representation at America's Elite B-Schools | 21 | 3.21 |
Most people on WSO aspire to spend a lot of time in the office -- it's just the nature of the beast. But if your office becomes your home, for all intents and purposes, it's important to have your physical work area be one of the positives, <strong>not a... Investment Banking Survival Kit | 20 | 3.2 |
I'll be honest here, I've been watching Breaking Bad and I'm very curious about the subject. Mafia employs accountants and "Corporate strategy" type of people and I've been wondering: <strong>would you guys do it</strong>?
Here are a few arguments... Would You Work for the Mafia? | 20 | 3.2 |
I am currently a research analyst intern at a relatively decent sized hedge fund. One of my responsibilities is being in charge of the biotech stocks in the portfolio as well as researching new opportunities in the biotech sector. Hopefully this helps some people who are in need of some help... Guide To Evaluate a Biotech Company | 20 | 3.2 |
<em>Before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, this post is meant mainly to ask the question: is Facebook still actually gaining new users? And if so, how many of those are really in North America? I've been trying to make sense of their user growth lately to hopefully find an... Is Facebook Use Declining in North America? | 20 | 3.2 |
Good morning all.
Hope everyone had a swell time at the WSO conference. Wish I could have made it out, but that'll unfortunately have to wait until next year. I don't doubt that it was a great time.
Today I'm going to be talking about something that isn't heavily... Being Decent | 19 | 3.19 |
1. You need help with sending networking and thank you emails.
2. You ask for target schools of a specific firm, which means... You aren't at a target.
3. Your "pitch" includes statements about a "passion for finance".
4. You ask about the frequency of cold... You have no chance in high finance when... | 19 | 3.19 |
You walk into work in the morning, and the first thing you do is not read up on the latest overnight news from asian stock markets, but you hold your head in your hands and you come to the realization that <strong>every single day has been worse than the day before</strong>. It’s... On Being Burned Out | 19 | 3.19 |
Students are constantly working to distinguish themselves from their peers in order to land that coveted entry level position at an Investment Bank, conducting Equity Research or performing Private Wealth Management. Yet these individuals are all performing the same tasks just slightly better... Do Microfinance Opportunities Provide Anything Valuable? | 19 | 3.19 |
<strong><em>Andy note:</strong> - <em>I'm very happy to announce our newest contributing author wwconsultant. He is currently a consultant and has worked inside and outside the US. As a contributing author, he'll share some "on the job" consulting... How to Win at Consulting (1/8): Making Do | 18 | 3.18 |
Ah yes, you have received your Investment Banking Analyst offer for next summer. You have accomplished the impossible. Climbed the unscalable. Out-prestiged Prestigious Pete! <strong>You are AWESOME.</strong>
<em>Except not everyone is going to react the same way when... 3 Social Changes You Should be Prepared to Face Before You Transition to Banking | 18 | 3.18 |
For many people 2013 is shaping up to be a tough year. Wall Street banks will lay off nearly 200,000 people. Bank of America will terminate 30,000 employees under its expense cutting program “New BAC”, while Citigroup has plans to lay off 4,500 workers. At Barclay’s the plan is to let... The First 3 Things You Should Do if You’re Part of The Layoffs | 18 | 3.18 |
I have learned so much from WSO, so I just wanted to pop in give my success story, to hopefully encourage some fellow students to keep on trucking and develop good habits.
<em><strong>TL;DR:</strong> I fostered a networking relationship outside the bounds of "what can... It's all about the follow up! | 18 | 3.18 |
I came across this about a month ago and I've been meaning to share it with you guys ever since. In our Internet-driven modern world, the ability to effectively search the web has become increasingly important. Sure, anyone can type something into Google and click on the first couple links,... How To Become a Search Ninja | 17 | 3.17 |
Good morning everyone,
As many people have pointed out on this site over the past several weeks, we are thick into recruitment season by this point. Love is in the air, neuroticism is brewing in the hearts and minds of college juniors and seniors everywhere, and at some point over roughly... Interview Experience Thus Far | 17 | 3.17 |
<em>This was originally posted on 10/3/12</em>
For those of you who know my background at all, I'm in the process of full-time recruiting mainly for buy-side positions, and the process is just now picking up into full swing. I've had my fair share of pre-interview... Your Safe Questions Won't Get You the Offer | 17 | 3.17 |
Hedge Fund Manager and author Lex Van Dam puts together a small Hedge Fund full of people with zero trading experience and zero finance experience. Gives them access to an allotted amount of his money and tells them to invest.
Pretty interesting.
Video 1:
<iframe... Million Dollar Traders (Documentary) | 17 | 3.17 |
<em>The following is an interview with Equity Research Associate IntoTheRain (he is also available to answer your questions)</em>
<em>Are you a professional and want to do an interview? View our interview template <strong><a... Interview with an Equity Research Associate (Part 1/2) | 17 | 3.17 |
Hello - In the spirit of my previous <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/practical-tips-for-entering-1st-year-ibd-analysts">post</a>, I've provided the below information. Note that the tips are geared toward IBD analysts recruiting for the buyside and are... 7 Practical Buyside Recruiting Tips for IBD Analysts | 17 | 3.17 |
I was lucky enough 2 see a prescreening of Tyler Perry's new film “Madeas Witness Protection” The genus of Tyler Perry comes 2 life in this instint classic fresh off other epics like Madeas Big Happy Family, Madea Goes 2 Jail, and Diary of a Mad Black Woman. Basically its stars the old... WALL STREET MOVIE REVIEW: MADEA'S WITNESS PROTECTION | 15 | 3.15 |
The inspiration for today’s post came from a crazy new experience I had this weekend. Apparently this is a “thing” in the Bay Area, but it was all new to me. I went oyster shucking at Tomales Bay, and it was awesome! A couple of my friends dragged me along to go, and it was a nice break... Everybody's working for the weekend! | 15 | 3.15 |
from a friend who will intern with them this summer:
4 Michigan, 3 BC, 3 Vandy, 2 Georgetown, 2 UVA, 2 Indiana, 3 Duke, 2 Penn, 1 Harvard, 1 Wesleyan, 1 CMU, 1 Florida, and a few others (didn't get the others) Jefferies 2013 NYC SA class | 14 | 3.14 |
<strong>I am Harding, Hear me Roar: The 1920s and the Failure of Keynesian Economics</strong>
20th century America began with the decline of Classical liberalism, the natural rights, limited government, free market political and economic philosophy of the American founders. That... I am Harding, Hear me Roar: Keynesian Economics Fail | 14 | 3.14 |
So you’ve scored a chat with someone who works in the industry. What do you do next so you don’t screw it all up and look like a fool?
First, I use the term ‘courtesy visit’ for two reasons: 1) because I hate the term ‘informational interview’. To me it just sounds stupid. You... 5 Tips for Stellar Courtesy Visits | 14 | 3.14 |
Morning Monkeys,
Okay, full disclosure, I don't have any real evidence that ladies "love" simulation or stochastic calculus. But they probably do, I mean, who doesn't?!? Amirite!
At any rate, for those of you who are new to stochastic calculus and Monte Carlo methods,... Monte Carlo Simulation & Stochastic Calculus: The Ladies Love It! | 14 | 3.14 |
<em>The following is part one of an interview with a Consultant who played D1 football in college (he is also available to answer your questions)</em>
<em>Are you a professional and want to do an interview? View our interview template <strong><a... Interview with a Former D1 Football Player-turned Consultant, Part 1 | 14 | 3.14 |
You guys are gonna have to get me caught up because I have literally been living in a cave for the past week. Well, several caves, but I'll get to that in a minute. I just got back from what was possibly the <em>least</em> relaxing (but most interesting) vacation of my life. In... I Spent the Past Week in a Cave | 14 | 3.14 |
The New York Times put out a great piece on Saturday that everyone on this forum can relate to. In <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/the-busy-trap/">The 'Busy' Trap</a>, author Tim Kreider takes a dive into modern society's... Do You Find Yourself Stuck in the 'Busy' Trap? | 13 | 3.13 |
-edit- -edit- | 13 | 3.13 |
Fellow Monkeys,
If you're a non-target kid like me, you know the rules: network, network, network.
Personally, I enjoy it, so I made a little list that might help some people out there like me: e-mail formats for a handful of firms you all might be interested in. I stole from a few... Firm E-mail Formats | 13 | 3.13 |
WSO Monkeys - All of you can now log-in to <strong><a href="http://www.jdoasis.com/">jdOasis.com</a></strong> using your same WSO username/password</strong> and offer up your words of legal wisdom, rhetoric, and balderdash.
As a little incentive to... WSO Loves jdOasis.com! | 13 | 3.13 |
A couple of months ago, I had an epiphany. I absolutely sucked at negotiating things for myself. It seemed like every time I was involved in a negotiation, I always came out as the loser. To make matters worse, I discovered that when I was involved in a negotiation with an incredibly hot girl, I... What to do Before Negotiating - 5 Steps | 13 | 3.13 |
Have you ever wondered if all the new stuff they’re doing in China is really everything it’s chalked up to be? It’s a perfectly legitimate question to ask, especially so because in China <strong>appearance is far more important than substance</strong>. This isn’t meant to be... Appearance vs. Substance in China | 13 | 3.13 |
Just wanted to say a general thank-you to everyone who contributes to this site. I've learned a lot and continue to learn more through further research.
I landed an Ops internship this summer with a BB firm. I know it's not as sexy as FO positions but it's a start. Being a... Thanks guys | 13 | 3.13 |
I've been meaning to post this for the entrepreneur monkeys since I first saw it three weeks ago. This is a dynamite (and hilarious) presentation by Guy Kawasaki at the Berkeley Haas School of Business for their Startup Competition. He really cuts to the chase and anyone interested in Lean... Guy Kawasaki Rocks Berkeley | 13 | 3.13 |
That included Brady having a breakdown because he still couldnt get into Harvard. And then me getting my certified user status revoked and being really upset about it.
Signs my life is pathetic? I think so. Had a dream about WSO | 13 | 3.13 |
<strong>“The four most expensive words in the English language are: ‘It’s different this time.’” – Sir John Templeton, investing legend</strong>
Forbes columnist Ken Fisher’s new book is a very timely read for all investors, whether bullish or bearish. If you are... Markets Never Forget (But People Do): A Monkey's Review | 12 | 3.12 |
Heading into last week, I had spent over 2 years at a BB with a third year offer in hand. I saw the analyst layoffs reported on dealbreaker one morning and sat at my desk realizing I would either be getting my bonus or pink slip that day. Turns out it was the latter. With first years... Just became a statistic - analyst caught in mass layoffs at BB | 11 | 3.11 |
It had been a hell of a day to travel anywhere in the Northeast.
Winter storm Nemo had just dumped 2 and a half feet of snow in the greater Boston area, and only a little less in New York.
I had been planning to visit Toronto for a while to attend a WSO Happy Hour and see the sights, and... Happy Hour Review: WSO Toronto | 11 | 3.11 |
<p>Racking my brain to somehow arrive at profitability for Tesla in the first quarter of 2013 has me coming up empty. Some numbers for you, accompanied by my explanations of where they came from.</p>
<p><strong>[Update:</strong> Something interesting a bit of... Generous Number Crunching on TSLA Q1 Profitability | 11 | 3.11 |
Hi Monkeys,
this post is a throw down to all those fellow monkeys out there who are waiting in the wings to get into FO role...long story short...i successfully transitioned from HF BO role to an amazing FO role... i know there are too many " i am trapped in BO role, please help, will... MISSION BO2FO...I did it! | 10 | 3.1 |
<a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/79509">DrPeterVenkman presents:</a> An interesting interview with <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/user/9690">Frieds</a>. Questions came from myself and other WSO contributing authors. This interview... The Frieds Interview: PART ONE | 10 | 3.1 |
<em>From my blog, http://huntingforcommoncents.wordpress.com, with thanks to BlackHat for the collaboration and review</em>
----------------
Everybody loves a gimmick, whether it’s the novelty of the high-flying social media companies run by twenty-somethings with nothing to... TSLA: Taxpayers Stuck with Lifeless Assets | 10 | 3.1 |
I applied successfully this cycle and I wanted to share what I learned about the process. The first thing is timing, the cycle is a marathon not a sprint. Assuming you're a rising senior, you want to start looking at schools and the GMAT in the spring, you should be asking for letters of... The MSF and MiM application process | 10 | 3.1 |
<strong>**UPDATE**</strong>: Google's on the job now:
http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions/
If you know anyone running in the Boston Marathon that was just attacked, this runner tracker is still up and running:
http://www.baa.org/individual.html
You... Boston Marathon - How To Check on Friends | 10 | 3.1 |
<strong>2) Leave nothing to chance</strong>
On Wednesday, a partner tells you that he’d like to chat with you about how the project’s going. You’re thrilled- it’s rare for a partner to chat with junior guys like this, and you can ask him some things. He says that you can... How to Win at Consulting (2/8): Leave Nothing to Chance | 9 | 3.09 |
“2009 was not a great year to graduate.” The long-tenured VP at a major energy firm shook his head as we discussed that year’s job market. “My life has taken a different path than I originally thought, but it sure has made me tougher and stronger.” I replied.
This website is... The Gift of Mentorship | 9 | 3.09 |
I've always loved this site because even when I was but a wee little lurker in college I could always come on here and hear about all the little details that finance professionals picked up and wish they had known earlier. The big questions, like which offer to take or whether to shoot for... Learn from My Mistakes | 9 | 3.09 |
With the Independence Day holiday behind us, the dog days of summer are officially here. The army of investment banking analysts across Wall Street breathes a collective sigh of relief as MDs begin to leave for the Hamptons on Thursdays and staffers start to hit the gym at 3 pm. It’s a magical... Break Out Your Summertime Slacks | 8 | 3.08 |
I'm reluctant to make this post, because I think a lot of times these things look pretty douchey, and I don't like to toot my own horn, but... I thought this could be helpful to other military veterans lurking out there looking for advice on how to break into the industry. I know I... My Story: Enlisted military to PE from undergrad | 8 | 3.08 |
Apple, Google, Facebook, they’re all technology firms and pioneered transformative ways in how our society uses information. It seems that over the past 30 years such firms have seemingly grown out of super fertile soil or by some unidentified minerals in the water supply at Palo Alto.... Why You Shouldn't Start A Venture In Silicon Valley | 8 | 3.08 |
So I was interviewing for a FT position in Europe at a BB last week (think GS, MS, JPM) in the investment banking division. I knew that interviews in Europe could be different from the US, but I never would have expected what happened... In the middle of the interview, the guy (an associate)... Never thought this could happen during an interview... | 8 | 3.08 |
This is PEI's last year's top 300 PE firms in the word, by 5-yr. fundraising total. Should be about the same list this year. The Top PE firms Worldwide | 8 | 3.08 |
I'm currently an equity prop trader in NYC. Academically, I majored in Finance and graduated towards the top of my class at a semi-target. Hard work and persistence allowed me to get 3 nice job offers (MM S&T Chicago, prop NYC, prop NYC) despite a rough economy. I very systematically... Ask Me Anything: I'm an Equity Prop Trader | 108 | 3.08 |
I have been following WSO since my freshmen year, and I believe it has contributed largely to my success. I was lucky enough to have found this site early on, and to have had mentors in IBD that guided me through the process.
A few weeks ago, I finished my recruiting process. I received 6 BB... IBD recruiting tips I wish I had known freshmen year | 7 | 3.07 |
So your 10 weeks of working 80+ hours have come to end and no full time offer received. And now you're feeling down because you’re not cruising into your senior year with post-grad plans all sewn up. Understandable. But the summer wasn’t a waste and recruiting season is just around the... So you didn’t get an offer – Now what | 7 | 3.07 |
I don't think that there can be any disagreement that Hewlett Packard (HP) had a terrible day on November 20. In a surprise announcement, the <a href="http://h30261.www3.hp.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=71087&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1760639&highlight="... HP's Deal from Hell: The mark-it-up and write-it-down two-step | 7 | 3.07 |
Warning: All chat participants. For violations to our Terms of Service, please record the date and time of the violation and e-mail [email protected] Chat will be given much more moderation so it is welcoming place for all.
What happen? Who did it? Who bitched up a storm? Can I be... WSO chat room moderator? | 6 | 3.06 |
For all the talk of private equity and hedge funds as exit opps here on WSO, one interesting route that often goes overlooked is the <strong>non-profit path.</strong>
Too often non-profit and charitable work gets lumped into one of two camps:
<ol>
<li>Something for... Haymakers For Hope - Financiers Fight for a Noble Cause | 6 | 3.06 |
After Part 1 last week, I’m pretty pleased with the feedback I have received, both from comments and PMs. <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/physical-oil-trading-basics-part-1-of-2">If you have not yet read Part 1, check it out here</a>. I think last week gave... Physical Oil Trading Basics (Part 2 of 2) | 6 | 3.06 |
Wall Street veterans like to tell stories about the bad old days when traders sweat on each other in the pit and back office number-crunchers could fight their way to becoming front-office analysts.</p>
<p>In the past few decades, though, that has mostly faded... Wall Street Is Undergoing A Hiring Sea Change That Could Take It Back 30 Years | 5 | 3.05 |
Headhunters maintain strong relationships with companies looking to fill positions. A lot of times a hiring manager will go directly through a headhunter without ever formally posting a job listing - head hunters have access to an a pool of jobs that aren’t always available on a companies... How to get on a HeadHunter's radar | 5 | 3.05 |
Just wanted to share these with everyone. If they have been posted before, I apologize for the re-post. Pretty interesting stuff in my opinion, only drawback is the length of each.
<iframe width="560" height="315"... Wharton Course: Private Equity Videos | 5 | 3.05 |
" The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is a key measure of market expectations of near-term volatility conveyed by S&P 500 stock index option prices. Since its introduction in 1993, VIX has been considered by many to be the world's premier barometer of investor sentiment and market... Here's a quick way to understand the VIX | 5 | 3.05 |
Last Thursday, about 24 hours prior to the initial public offering, I <a href="http://aswathdamodaran.blogspot.in/2012/05/facebook-hoodies-hubris-and-hoopla.html" target="_blank">posted on what I thought would happen on the opening day</a>. I argued that this was... Facebook: Sowing the wind, reaping the whirlwind | 4 | 3.04 |
Welcome to a WSO interview with power-user rufiolove.
The interview will be split into 2 halves:
<ul>
<li>WSO, daily life, experiences in the industry and advice for new hires
<li>Entering finance, advice for prospective monkeys and target vs... The rufiolove Interview - Part One | 4 | 3.04 |
For those of you wondering what's going on over at <a href="http://www.jdoasis.com/">JDOasis.com</a>, I've got some exciting news for you. The site is going through a total re-launch, complete with a full team of writers dedicated to making JDO the WSO of the... Check Out the New JDOasis.com! | 4 | 3.04 |
As any baseball fan knows, the New York Yankees have an A Rod problem. Just in case you have no idea what I am talking about, A Rod is Alex Rodriguez, the third baseman for the New York Yankees, signed in December 2007 to a one of the <a... The Yankees' A Rod Problem: Sunk costs and investing | 4 | 3.04 |
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/GI36o.jpg">
how do i embed this Good ole UT | 4 | 3.04 |
I know a lot of bankers frequent these websites, good to know they are merging for twice the fun!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-grubhub-seamless-20130520,0,4610644.story Seamless and Grubhub Merger | 3 | 3.03 |
<b><i>“What’s the best group on the Street?”</b></i>
It’s one of the most common questions asked on the WSO forums. Nobody ever has a definitive answer, because there isn’t one. Some folks want to make a career in investment banking, while many other... Banking to Buyside: 3 Keys to Getting Into the Best Groups | 3 | 3.03 |
<strong>6) Clarify Deadlines, Report Proactively</strong>
You're at your desk working on some slides when your boss's boss stops by and asks you if you'd be able to help him with some quick research. He knows you're busy with your project, but there's... How to Win at Consulting (6/8): Clarify Deadlines, Report Proactively | 2 | 3.02 |
Less than three weeks left and I'm 99% sure I'm getting terminated tomorrow.
Our deal team has been working on what would have been a really major transaction. We have 3 MDs on this one (names changed):
#1: Let's call him David, is a guy who is one of the more likable... Pretty sure I'm getting fired from SA tomorrow | 102 | 3.02 |
So, Veritas Prep just blabbed about the 570 GMAT-er who got into HBS being a client of theirs. They also oh-so-helpfully posted a bunch of information about this client being an elite-level athlete with >20,000 Twitter followers, and now everyone knows that the gentleman in question is none... NFL Cornerback Domonique Foxworth to be part of HBS '15 - with a 570 GMAT | 202 | 3.02 |
“The New Tycoons” is an expansive overview of the current state of the private equity industry, hallowed career promised land for some (i.e., a majority of the people on WSO), destructive wreckers of companies for others. Bloomberg reporter Jason Kelly offers a guided tour of the world of... The New Tycoons: A Monkey's Review | 1 | 3.01 |
I've been a member of the site for a while already, and while I have gotten a lot of useful info from here, I haven't really contributed anything so far. I've recently came across this newly published APAC IBD compensation report from a headhunter and feel it may be helpful to... IBD APAC 2012 Compensation | 1 | 3.01 |
Please excuse any amateur hour mistakes as this is my first post.
I’ve noticed that most monkeys on this site have a fixed plan for breaking into banking:
Freshman: PWM at BB
Sophomore: MM/Boutique
Junior: BB SA
Senior: BB FT offer
I’m curious as to how recruiters view applicants... Nontraditional Path to Banking | 1 | 3.01 |
<strong>I have always found quotes to be very interesting</strong>. Not stock quotes (although I guess they can also be interesting), but quotes said by well - known people. Sometimes, these quotes can be great words of wisdom that provide inspiration, while other times, they are... The ABCDs of Business | 0 | 3 |
Hey guys, looking for some advice. So I've been knocking on a few doors recently by making early morning drop ins which is a great experience btw. While doing my research of firms, I became more focused on understanding the strategies and culture (boutique and medium sized firms) which has... Walk-in "cold call" question | 98 | 2.98 |
<em>Andy note: Best of WSO - this post originally went up August 2007, and we thought it deserved to go back on the homepage for those who may have never seen it.</em>
I used to post here fairly often but haven't been here in awhile and popped in to see what was going on. ... Just So You Guys Know... | 96 | 2.96 |
For those of you who have graduated college and gone off to do banking, looking back are you glad that it is something you have done? I have a friend who works at one of Goldman’s top groups and whenever I ask if he’s happy he chose banking he says, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t... If You Could Do It All Again... | 96 | 2.96 |
We. Are. So. <em>Screwed.</em>
It's no secret that the educational quality in the United States has been on the decline for well over a decade. But I had no idea exactly <em>how far</em> we've fallen in real terms. That is, until I read this <a... Who Taught You Math??? | 94 | 2.94 |
I was talking to a female friend of mine who happens to be an atheist last week, and she was telling me about how she attended a church in NYC just to get to get in good with the head of admissions at the preschool she wanted her son to attend who also happened to be a member of that church.... Most Prefteejus High School? | 91 | 2.91 |
I'm going to keep this short because I know there's no way I can print what I really think without inciting a flame war of epic proportions. <a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/nationalsecurity/u-s-ambassador-killed-in-libya-20120912">J. Christopher Stevens, the... US Ambassador to Libya Assassinated | 190 | 2.9 |
Fellow monkeys,
With the release of R2 decisions this week for the majority of schools, I thought we'd start a thread for everyone that'll be matriculating somewhere this fall.
Where'd you apply?
Where are you in at?
Where are you headed? MBA Class of 2015 Roll Call | 90 | 2.9 |
Bloomberg Undergraduate Business School rankings released March 20th.
1. Notre Dame (Mendoza)
2. Virginia (McIntire)
3. Cornell (Dyson)
4. Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
5. Pennsylvania (Wharton)
6. Boston College (Carroll)
7. Emory (Goizueta)
8. Michigan - Ann Arbor... Bloomberg Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2013 | 84 | 2.84 |
Lot of energy posts popping up and would be happy to help..... few people on the site have a lot of energy exp but lets direct all questions to this post for a few days
Monty09 Ask Monty09 - Energy Trading careers, interviews, firms, etc etc | 83 | 2.83 |
Do you have any coke? Or Halcyon? I would take a Halcyon. Conversation Using ONLY American Psycho Quotes | 181 | 2.81 |
Hey guys - I am open to taking questions on anything. I am currently a second year analyst at a top bank and headed to the buyside in the summer. Ask away.
-Bigbadanalyst Second Year IB Analyst Answering Questions | 77 | 2.77 |
Hey guys,
Apologies for the long post but I think it's worth a read or so I hope..
I'm trying to get a job in trading (ideally FX). I have two summer internships on a FX desk and had a full time offer but life interfered
My background is non-traditional. I graduated from a... A man trying to keep it together while his life falls apart... | 77 | 2.77 |
<em>mod (Andy) note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from May 2010. If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.</em>
You'd think creativity would count for something. Adam Wheeler, a... Harvard Scammed by 23-Year Old | 73 | 2.73 |
I’ve seen so many posts on here bitch and moan about war stories or back to back to back all-nighters in the office prepping for a client meeting that ultimately didn’t happen or dealing with a huge jerkoff of a boss that I thought we could all talk about something a little more positive for... How Did You Know When You Made It? | 70 | 2.7 |
. . | 68 | 2.68 |
According to a recent <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/harvard-said-jay-z-wasnt-a-role-model-2012-10">Business Insider article</a>, back in 2005 a freshman filled out a profile for an on-campus recruiting program and was asked to list her business role model. Who did... Who's Your Business Role Model? | 67 | 2.67 |
I'm a girl and a prospective monkey and was just curious, but would you ever marry another banker? What are the chances that you'd marry another banker?
Also, what's your opinion on female bankers? How are they typically treated? Marrying another banker | 65 | 2.65 |
What has happened to this site? Its quickly becoming a joke.
Why does every political/religious thread get locked but threads like "Do you believe in God?" remain when much of your reasoning definitely applies there too?
Why are there idiots like Prestigious Pete on here? I... Patrick? A quick word... | 65 | 2.65 |
<em>Andy note: Best of WSO - this post originally went up December 2009 and we thought it deserved to go back on the homepage for those who may have never seen it.</em>
After reading and commenting on this board it is very clear that everyone has goals/dreams and an idea of how to... Life Plan (for Everyone) to Ponder | 64 | 2.64 |
I get a lot of mail and PMs from you guys, and I know I'm not always as diligent about responding to them as you'd probably like me to be. Just know that if you send me something and I don't respond, it's because you're asking me something about which I have no... The Dumbest Email I've Received in a While | 63 | 2.63 |
Monkeys,
For those of us who have no offers yet this OCR cycle, let's share our stories and try to comfort each other. Hopefully, we can learn some things and keep pushing for our goals.
My story: Over the past few weeks, have had first round OCR IBD interviews with GS, Miller... The failure thread | 63 | 2.63 |
Andy note: <em>"Best of Eddie" - while Eddie is on vacation we're throwing up some of his classic posts from the past. This one from June 2010 is part of the very popular "Sell Your Options" 5-part series. More to come later this week & next. If there's an... Sell Your Options Dearly: KIDS | 61 | 2.61 |
This is starting to become a trend. Some idiot college kids who just finished taking Finance 101 pooled some money, threw together a website, and called it a hedge fund.
From the article:
[quote]
Cefaratti, a 24-year-old graduate of Franklin College, had recently turned down an offer from... "Hedge Fund" run by college juniors | 61 | 2.61 |
* WSO Score is the way we rank threads across time. The threads and blog posts with the highest WSO Scores typically are the more useful, interesting and/or entertaining discussions in our history.
