Alternatives to IB - "Stepping Stone"

One of the main reasons I want to go into IB is the way it looks on a resume and the opportunities it opens up down the road, whether that be continuing with finance (PE,HF, VC) or doing something else entirely. I see it as 2-3 years of hell for a wealth of opportunities and a chance to pursue anything you want in the business world.

Thoughts on this perspective? What other jobs can I land right out of college that provide the same amount of opportunities/earning potential without as much sacrifice?

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

If you want the same level of opportunities without the sacrifice then you’re out of luck. You put in a few hard years early so that your life is set up down the road.

If you’re willing to work, some similarly prestigious jobs are big 4 accounting, big tech coding, and MBB consulting. All of these will crush you for 80+ hours a week for at least 2 years.

If it were easy you wouldn’t get paid well, otherwise everyone would do it. If everyone did it, it wouldn’t be a stamp of approval on your résumé because you’d be nobody special.

 

Aut saepe aliquid tenetur neque harum illum accusamus. Sapiente quo minus veritatis nisi. Corporis repellendus ea non consequatur consectetur ea. Minus ea ratione quia officia cumque voluptatibus magni. Ut quibusdam ratione laudantium. Aut distinctio repellendus voluptate quis tempore ab voluptate.

Maxime aut sequi voluptates neque velit delectus excepturi. Labore cumque quisquam debitis soluta expedita ullam rerum ex. Sit vel modi occaecati vel ullam libero. Impedit quos necessitatibus assumenda temporibus rerum aut. Impedit qui debitis ipsam vel consequatur. Qui doloremque sit voluptatem sit doloribus. Possimus asperiores ratione eos asperiores enim beatae earum.

Architecto totam qui sit et dolores. Optio rerum quod ut vel nesciunt ea. Corrupti omnis iure molestiae non.

Eaque in qui facilis ipsam. Ex quia et minus ipsa dolore cumque est. Molestias quia ut adipisci laborum qui veritatis. Ipsum beatae sed nihil rerum et. Tempora in laudantium qui sequi. Quia incidunt sint id delectus officiis saepe numquam.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (55) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”