Curious to hear thoughts on lateral networking into banking. Should someone be networking blindly asap to prepare for any opportunities down the line or wait till 1-1.5 yrs into the job and network when you are ready to lateral?
| +270 | Why UBS Is the Worst Place to Start Your IB Career | 42 | 16m |
| +220 | UBS 2nd Year Analyst Q&A (2026) | 41 | 1d |
| +137 | UBS IB 26Q2 a Disaster! Advisory Revenue Down 23%, Capital MarketsDown 5% | 19 | 2h |
| +104 | What's your craziest "hardo" story? | 18 | 16h |
| +87 | Downfall of Qatalyst | 20 | 1h |
| +70 | Lincoln International Return Offers | 26 | 29m |
| +56 | Wolf of Wall Street vs. Reality: Anyone else feel scammed by the movies? | 19 | 1d |
| +55 | Elite Boutique interview questions | 17 | 2d |
| +49 | Suspended for a Year | 23 | 42m |
| +43 | so confused about 28 SA timeline | 30 | 1d |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
Really depends on your situation / how much you want to leave and obviously there have to be spots available. I've seen some analysts lateral literally 2 months after starting their FT role and move to larger or better banks.
Given that lateral spots don't open up all too often, it would probably be better to start early and be on the radar of HR / the bank you want to move to, so that you can get the interview as soon as something comes up, since the timing is really out of your control.
I don't have any first hand experience with lateral interview processes, though I would imagine it isn't drastically different from a normal SA / FT analyst interview, ie fit based with a basic understanding of technicals.
gotcha... any tips on networking and not coming off as too desperate as someone looking to switch jobs 2month in?
I’d agree with the above advice, but I will add that, in my experience, lateral positions tend to pop up most frequently in late spring and summer. Many analyst don’t want to miss out on bonus payouts, and thus prefer to leave at this time. Additionally, at many top banks, a portion of analysts will be leaving after their first year, which opens more spots.
im an anlyst in cb and on the same boat.. this is quite helpful. any tips on how to best approach networking... dont want to come off as someone who wants to move job 2 month in and jepordize my current job...
bump and would like to know as well
Repellendus voluptatum iste quas nam. Iure harum expedita ipsam dicta. Sit qui optio atque ducimus. Vitae nobis aut alias distinctio tempore et. Autem qui et laudantium accusantium nemo ut tenetur. Aperiam omnis qui laborum nobis ut quod nemo.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...