50 Comments
 

If you want LevFin, BAML and JPM are top. CS is top FS.

Also, stop asking dumb questions. There are a lot of really good groups. If you can land in one of the top 3 groups for a particular industry, you should be happy.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 

between GS TMT, GS FIG, and MS M&A there are what, like a total 30 new FT analysts per year MAX?

And of those 30, I'd bet at least 10-15 have pretty solid connections in the industry prior... (or those that are die hard finance).

Anyway, point is, yes they may be the "best", but once you put it into perspective and step back from mindless competition (which often is a result of personal insecurities), it DOESNT matter in the long run.

Whoever leads a HAPPIER, more FULFILLING life wins, and I'm willing to be my bottom-nickel that if you took a poll of life-long investment bankers/finance-types, virtually no one will say "The absolute HIGHLIGHT of my life was working at KKR".

 

Lol at these retarded posts. I completely agree with a poster above - if you can get into a top three group in the industry, that is all that really matters. Picking a group based on probability of an exit opp is dumb. I did the same thing, and it was unfulfilling.

Pick a group or bank that you enjoy working for so that you actually perform well.

 
ews09It's better to be the best analyst at a lower tier bank than a crappy analyst at GS/MS.

Probably relatively equal. A crappy analyst at GS/MS will still have headhunters falling over themselves to get him in front of every PE firm. Analysts at lower tier banks need to be much more proactive and, even then, the brand name of your bank could work against you.

 

I used to think these lists mattered. In reality, here's how it works: You apply everywhere. You get some interviews. Hopefully you get an offer or two. If you have multiple offers it might be tricky. If not, you're at one bank. In general, you'll probably have a good idea about which offer you like more if you have multiple. If you don't, luckily you would have meant numerous people networking and interviewing, and also you would be able to talk with whomever you pleased.

The moral of this post that I'm too lazy to flesh out. Get an offer. Talk to the people at the bank. In my experience, people are pretty honest about top groups. Any alum at the firm can tell you what's best. Beyond your own personal experience, does it really matter if some people on the internet think JPM HC is better than MS GPUG?

 

I believe that product groups are generally well regarded. In terms of industry groups, it really depends on individual firm.

Product groups: M&A, Leveraged Finance, Financial Sponsors

*Note that ECM, DCM are generally not that prestigious even though they may be product groups.

Firm Specific Groups:

GS: TMT, Consumer (Generally every group is strong)

MS: M&A, Sponsors, Real Estate, (Generally every group is strong)

ML: Leveraged Finance, M&A, Healthcare, Real Estate, FIG

JPM: Leveraged Finance, M&A

CS: Technology, M&A, Leveraged Finance, Sponsors

UBS: M&A, Healthcare, Consumer/Retail, Media

Lehman: Consumer/Retail, Energy & Power

Citi: M&A, FIG

 

I'm assuming this is a bulge list?

Lehman Consumer/Retail was a good call not many people talk about. After their team deflected from CS they have dominated.

MS Tech is also very good.
CS Healthcare in SF is also good.

ML LevFin, ML Healthcare, JPM M&A, UBS Consumer/Retail should not be on there.

ML LevFin hasn't proved shit, ML Healthcare is a joke.

JPM M&A - who needs commercial bankers for strategy? Not most CEOs

UBS - Consumer/retail used to be the shit until Blair left and took all the Bankstars with him.

GS and MS in LA aren't good at all.... GS media is a joke.

-- Interview Guides GMAT Tutors WSO Resume Review --- Current: Senior Analyst - Hedge Fund Past: Associate - Tech Buyout Analyst - Morgan St
 

"ML LevFin hasn't proved shit, ML Healthcare is a joke."

You must be kidding. ML HC is arguably the hottest industry coverage group on Wall St. over the past year and a half. Their MDs are a HC Banking All-Star team, and the group head is the Don Corleone of HC Banking.

 

You are a fucking idiot. The sad thing is some clueless junior might see this someday and might actually start believing this shit. Have you ever worked in banking? Can you think beyond PE exits? Just because everyone is doing it, you want to do it.

Chasing prestige will never make you happy. Constructive advice to all those going to be interns this summer: stop thinking you are going to be doing something prestigious. You are going to be a fucking monkey, that's it. if you always think bout rankings and prestige, it's going to show in your attitude on the job and to be honest no one wants to work with tools like that. Get your head out of your ass, you don't even have a job, you are not even a fucking intern yet. Please stop acting like a complete authority on banking.

Groups depend on the bank, not based on some college kid's ranking of the ENTIRE fucking Street grouped together.

 
Advisory88You are a fucking idiot. The sad thing is some clueless junior might see this someday and might actually start believing this shit. Have you ever worked in banking? Can you think beyond PE exits? Just because everyone is doing it, you want to do it.

Chasing prestige will never make you happy. Constructive advice to all those going to be interns this summer: stop thinking you are going to be doing something prestigious. You are going to be a fucking monkey, that's it. if you always think bout rankings and prestige, it's going to show in your attitude on the job and to be honest no one wants to work with tools like that. Get your head out of your ass, you don't even have a job, you are not even a fucking intern yet. Please stop acting like a complete authority on banking.

Groups depend on the bank, not based on some college kid's ranking of the ENTIRE fucking Street grouped together.

I agree. a mentor who i respect alot who worked in Morgan Stanley M&A for 2 yrs before doing asset management and now going to HBS in fall told me this:

Don't need to follow the crowd to succeed. Take a look at rockstars in finance. None of them did what you (and many banking analysts) consider 'cool' - doing banking for a few years then private equity. Buffett is in his own world, schwarzman made partner at lehman (with an MBA), kravis at bears, rubenstein was a lawyer, John Paulson did consulting/banking for many years before trading.So, take it easy and choose the path that fits you best.

 

Do what you love, and love what you do.

Fixing in your mind what is "best" or "prestigious" limits your ability to see the novel and untrodden path. Take a risk, and who knows, you might just realize what someone else thinks of you doesn't really matter at all.

 

no hate but can anyone tell me about PE exits from sponsors vs. M&A? Sponsors you deal directly with PE but M&A seems like the bread and butter group.

 

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