I've been recently feeling exhausted while wading through the summer analyst recruitment process. I've been stretched thin from networking in February to pushing for interviews now, with no signs of letting up for a few more months.
I'm sure some folks out there feel the same way, and would love to hear how you guys avoid being burnt out. Really appreciate it.
| +415 | Evercore Intern Seizure | 63 | 5h |
| +128 | UBS IB Americas has failed, now behind Santander and Stiffel | 34 | 11h |
| +97 | Sent my Claude prompt to 200+ Teams chat. MD wants to see me Monday. | 34 | 2h |
| +79 | deleted deleted deleted deleted deleted | 44 | 15h |
| +65 | How do I understand vs. just memorizing? | 11 | 1d |
| +57 | Some banks are overrated as fuck | 17 | 1h |
| +48 | Associate & Above IB exits | 18 | 1d |
| +47 | The good and bad with Wells Fargo | 17 | 54m |
| +42 | Tech to IB Pivot | 22 | 5h |
| +36 | Incoming IB Analyst: Best Ways to Prepare? | 13 | 23h |
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.
Copious amounts of blow
Don't be burnt out kid you will be able to get through it. In the mean time here is the 2017 Ranking from GO-BUYSIDE employee.
The Dream Team : 1: PJT, GS, Evercore, MS, Lazard, Moelis
Warriors: 2: JPM, Centerview, Greenhill, Perella Weinberg Partners 2.5: CS, BAML ________________________Mega fund cut line*________________
3: Barclays 3.5: DB, Citi, Houlihan, Jefferies 4: UBS, Roths of the world like Liontree 5: Wells Fargo, RBC,BMO ________________________Don't even think about PE line_______
6: HSBC, Baird, KBW,Other no name boutiques, Regional bank IB like Key bank, Foreign banks with no deal flow like Mizuho/Nomura/SocGen
Plenty of KBW, William, Baird, and HSBC i've seen gone into PE.
Lol if you think recruiting is bad try actually working in IB
Yeah of course, but networking and recruiting is a different type of exhausting. Working is physically and mentally exhausting, and it's very repetitive. Recruiting, at least for me, was a lot more stressful and it felt like the whole world was at stake. It was exhausting for my soul and psyche. Obviously not as literally tiring as working 80-90hrs a week, but it was a deeper sort of exhausting that I really hated.
Agreed, the legitimate lost feeling one feels when they have no clue if they're offer will come tomorrow, next week, or if they will have to go on to october, november, december etc. is scary and mentally exhausting and stressful. It was awful. Imagine someone telling you to start running and not knowing if you'll have to run for 2 blocks, 2 miles, 10 miles etc. Limited analogy, but it simplifies the stress.
It's the rejection that does it
I can 100% relate. While the process isn't very enjoyable, I try to stay focused on the benefits, and celebrate every victory, regardless of how small. Every time I hear back for an interview, make it to the next round, even get a response from a stranger I cold emailed, I celebrate the fact that these minuscule successes could potentially turn into something significant. I also speak often with my fellow IB/PE guys, and we laugh and complain about the process and how much of a nightmare it is. I would like to emphasize that I only do this with CLOSE friends, people I have known long before I developed an interest in banking, and that I trust never to repeat my long tangents filled with complaints. I have a friend working towards a 2018 SA internship at a top bank, and he has literally spoken to 15+ guys from the firm, including the head of recruiting for his target school. He has heard the same answers to the countless questions he has asked, and candidly, so have most of us that have been through the "ringer" more times than they'd like to admit. I try to think of the recruitment process as a testament to how badly I want to remain in the industry, and to continue moving upward within it. Keep your head up and remember that regardless of how much traction you're making, the only way to better yourself is through constant effort and hustle.
Jerk off more, it helps alleviate the stress
If you think this is bad, wait until you get to buyside recruiting.