Jun 16, 2025
4 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, there isn't a specific list of credit shops explicitly ranked for the best work/life balance. However, insights from the WSO threads suggest that smaller shops or those with less competitive processes tend to offer better work/life balance. For example:

  • Smaller Credit Shops: These often have less intense deal flow compared to larger firms, which can result in more manageable hours.
  • Typical Hours: At some mid-market (MM) shops, the norm is around 9 AM to 7 PM on typical days, with weekends generally free unless working on a live deal. However, during deal deadlines, hours can extend significantly.

If you're looking for a more predictable schedule, focusing on smaller or less aggressive firms might be a good strategy. Keep in mind that work/life balance can also depend on the firm's culture and your ability to manage workload efficiently.

Sources: Private Equity shops with the best work/life balance, Work/Life Balance - Hours, Most active credit shops in the market?, The Truth about "Hours" at the Analyst Level, Credit funds

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Had a friend at MidCap Financial, Apollo's MM arm and his WLB is probably one of the best I've ever seen.  he said he's was averaging 40-50 hours normally closer to 60 if staffed on multiple live deals but pretty rare. Some weekend work tied to live deals (PE firms asks last minute for feedback) but he said he usually gets a heads up on what needs to be done ahead of time for the most part.

He did say his pay was lower at the associate level compared to other MM firms but that's probably expected given the hrs

 

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