Avoid This II-Ranked ER Team – Toxic Culture, High Turnover

Quick heads-up for anyone thinking about joining a certain II-ranked ER team (let’s call the analyst S). I wasn’t on his team directly, but I sat near them for a few years and saw the churn up close—constant associate turnover, and it wasn’t a mystery why.

S has the ranking, but he doesn’t know his own numbers and never touches a model. The directors and associates carry all the actual workload while getting yelled at on a regular basis. You could hear him across the floor almost daily. Unrealistic expectations, zero support, and a toxic vibe all around.

One associate left for mental health reasons, and S apparently called her new boss to badmouth her. He also went after the person who referred her in. People looked physically drained—weight loss, hair thinning, the works. Just not a healthy setup.

Name looks good on paper, but honestly, unless you’re trying to burn out fast or prove something to yourself, this team’s not worth it.

DM if you’re considering it and want more context.

11 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, this post highlights a toxic work environment within a specific II-ranked Equity Research (ER) team led by an analyst referred to as "S." Key issues include:

  1. High Turnover: Constant associate turnover due to the toxic culture.
  2. Toxic Leadership: The lead analyst, "S," reportedly lacks technical involvement (e.g., modeling) and relies on directors and associates to handle the workload while subjecting them to regular verbal abuse.
  3. Unrealistic Expectations: Associates face excessive demands with little to no support.
  4. Mental Health Impact: The environment has led to visible physical and mental health deterioration among team members, including weight loss and hair thinning.
  5. Unprofessional Behavior: Allegations of "S" badmouthing a former associate to her new employer and targeting the person who referred her.

While the team’s name might carry prestige, the described conditions suggest it’s not a sustainable or healthy choice unless someone is prepared for significant personal sacrifice.

Sources: WSO 2022 Investment Banking Work-Conditions Survey (Part 1/3), Strategy& Ex Employee - Q&A, FT Partners Culture/Fit, 1st Year Analysts Quitting?, The Work Always Gets Done

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

Prospect in ER

Power and utilities at Jef? Interning on the same floor as his team and they look physically tired and miserable. The associates are always in the office even on weekends

all the associates left and have been replaced by more senior

 

What’s the point of this post? 

Don’t eat at this restaurant, X. I’ve never eaten there but I know people that have and they said the main chef has a rat controlling him underneath his chefs hat.

If you’re not going to actually warn people about the actual team/bank, then why bother posting?

Finance is rife with shitty managers since making money is the primary determinant of success, not being a great manager. 

 

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