Attitudes online vs. reality

I have yet to start FT but I'm a little bit confused by all the elitist and condescending attitudes on WSO. Given that a percentage of users are actually analysts or associates at investment banks, I'm thinking these attitudes might actually openly exist in the workplace. At your investment bank, do you actively hear people knock on other banks or laugh at people who are at Jefferies for example?

People here seem very insecure, I'm just wondering if this reflects the real world of high finance.

9 Comments
 

Generally, no, the attitudes are far less egotistical at investment banks. In fact, most investment banking analysts are tired and miserable 24/7 and don't have the time/interest to bash other banks. I think in general you'll find a lot of the elistist attitudes do not come from those with stars next to their names.

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This board is definitely not representative of real life, most real life bankers actually despise this site and its members. They have too many things on their mind than This bank Vs. That bank and arguing about targets and nontargets.

 

This board attracts a large percentage of wannabes. I can not believe that the active posters on this forum that proliferate elitism BS are actually in IB. Very few in IB are going to waist their limited spare time perpetuating that crap.

 

Tech Buyout did have an extreme elitist attitude though and left when people failed to beat off to his accomplishments. IIRC, he went to Wharton -> MS M&A -> Silver Lake -> Hedge Fund. Can't comment on what he's like in real life, but I think the cloak of anonymity just brings out the worst in some people.

 
Best Response

To the OP, after you spend a certain amount of time on the board you will be able to weed through the BS and find solid opinions and answers. You have a lot of people coming on this board trying to justify their existence through one way or another. I think the people who are actually in the industry are confident enough to be secure with them selves, secure with where they went to school, where they work, that you rarely see petty bashing, etc.

Read between the lines and take everything with a grain of salt and you will find this site to be incredibly useful and a lot of fun.

 

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