Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
August 31, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
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.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
I am deadass happy
How is the work/life balance and culture at your firm?
Clearly awful if he needs to lie on a public forum.
Its a matter of attitude
Yup, was miserable in the beginning but got my feet under me and am generally happy. Worked right under 100 this week but kept a good attitude and it feels better than 85 when I was miserable
Edit: Actually wouldn’t say happy more so accepted the fact it sucks
username checks out
Haha what a question. Banks will try to keep analysts happy via happy hours or protected saturdays etc but to me it really boils down to the analyst camaraderie which can make you miserable vs. able to cope with what you're being subjected to. It is so important to have that backing of friends from your analyst class when you're going through the grind together and generally you will get it unless you're a hateful person who no one likes but that's quite rare and if you're self-aware enough to ask the question then you're probably fine.
But with work from home it seems like that camaraderie has evaporated a bit
It seems like that’s true, WFH must make it all worse
100% correct. I'd say for new analyst classes its not even there so yeah my answer was definitely only meant for pre/post-covid environment. Can't speak to the current analyst experience personally but anecdotally yes, it is not great given the "you're on your own" situation.
Completely agree with this. Banking is inherently miserable, but having a good crew makes it so much better. I can't say I was particularly happy as an analyst but I still look back fondly at some of the shenanigans we got into as analysts.
Yeah, I really feel for the remote-working analysts honestly. The job can be soul-crushing without your guys/gals to bullshit around with when the going gets tough.
The analysts who are happy are the same losers from your college finance classes that got all A's yet no ass.
Us non-virgins that have things to aspire to other than sucking off every MD are typically miserable, though we do understand how IB better positions our futures.
Don't get me wrong - the adrenaline rush of running a process and closing a deal is there. But this is counterbalanced by the unreasonable deadlines that your seniors, PE firms, and banking in general consistently push.
Pay doesn't make up for the time you can't have back. I wouldn't be surprised if your typical IB analyst makes ~20 bucks/hour on a true hourly basis AFTER bonus.
Your last comment is completely true. I feel like I’d be wasting my life away as an analyst but I also don’t truly know what I want to do
Again, most people don’t do IB because the $140k is amazing, it opens doors so you can earn A LOT more. When you think about it, most days are out at ~11. What would you do from 6-11? watch Netflix and maybe workout. You can do both of those while waiting for comments
Oops lol
Start date was pushed back to this winter so yah it’s been pretty relaxing ;)
What bank?
NY boutique.
I haven’t been an analyst in like a decade and I refuse to believe any of you all are happy.
I still have PTSD
Not quite a decade for me but same
As much as the analysts like to crank up the dramatics, I do think that they get it a bit easier nowadays. Even a few years ago, protected Saturdays didn’t exist and everything was sweaty for absolutely no reason at all
I think people like to feel like they are always getting worked in IB. My friend said he was getting cranked at 65 hours a week when he started.
What position are you in now?
What are you doing now?
All about managing expectations IMO. I work at a boutique, nothing crazy like wall street, but still at consistent 80+ hour weeks. I just expect that I'm getting off at midnight, with working a bunch over the weekend. If I get to cut out at 8 pm one night or work less than expected during the weekend, it makes me happy. It's also a bonus that I enjoy the work too. Obviously there's grunt work involved, but that's where I turn it into a game and try to find one new shortcut or something like that. Additionally, eating healthy, going to the gym 4-5 days a week, and being around other analysts make me happy too.
if you already working til midnight every day how do you make it into the gym?
I always wake up at 6, spend 30-40 min at the gym, hit the desk by 8 am. Lots of coffee and preworkout involved throughout the day
Do you have a lot of late nights? I usually go to bed around 2 (of I finish early I want the free time). I wouldn’t be able to wake up at 6 everyday especially if I don’t need fo
I'd say I have a late night 2 times a week (2 am), otherwise out of the office at 10-11 (except Friday where I'm out at 8-9) with working ~8 hours on the weekends. That puts me at ~85 hours a week. The mornings after I have a late night I don't workout. If I workout on both weekend days and then 3 days during the week, I'm there. I've found it to be pretty manageable
What pre workout do you use? And how many scoops per day?
I'm happy. But of course also a first year analyst.
I was analyst, and as every job it has pros and cons.
Pros:
1. You can experience different type of engagements, my advise would be to focus on two type engagements given experience is required
2. The timeslot is normally from 9 to 5, really if you want to extend it it is cz you like it but you don't have to...I meant you can leave or simply search for another job.
3. The more experience the better for you given the fact you can develop skills that will be required as senior consultant or assistant manager
Cons:
1. The salary, no words especially in big4 firms not sure about MBB firms or even industry
2. The kind of work you get, I sometimes felt the underestimation of work is given to people at the analyst level till the point people realise what you have (show that it is important to not to get the basic stuff)
3. The chances to grow expertise is slow at the beginning, same for soft skills. This is disappointing especially in the first 18 months.
I don't know what kind of analyst you were but this is definitely untrue of the BB IB experience.
Omnis doloribus eveniet qui quia deleniti quis explicabo. Vitae enim nostrum consequatur consectetur sunt. Voluptatem veniam autem tenetur amet consequuntur voluptate. Sunt omnis ex vel ratione temporibus est tenetur. Rerum placeat ut iusto temporibus voluptate esse sunt. Voluptatem dolores inventore quo quod molestiae ut qui.
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...
Quod enim numquam labore molestiae itaque harum eligendi. Dolores magni perferendis praesentium. Et sed qui aperiam.
Dolorem et qui libero. Numquam ea aut asperiores eligendi consequuntur. Praesentium dolor ut repudiandae et. Aut autem quo et quisquam quo ullam.
Quisquam explicabo voluptates adipisci voluptas quia non. Totam dignissimos dicta deleniti sit est animi. Iste quo voluptatum sed distinctio ipsam facilis qui.
Architecto et et quaerat et. Et quod et qui quia esse repellendus excepturi. Sunt eius perspiciatis aliquid adipisci libero rerum. Est non quos est velit possimus sint est.