Mar 28, 2013

Biggest F*** Up

What has been your biggest F***k up in IB?

5,802 WSO Academy Investment Banking Session Reviews: 4.82/5

Class of '28 Jul 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Interview

“The questions were amazing and genuinely challenging, which made the session extremely valuable for me. Going into the mock interview, I felt that I had memorized and understood most of the critical technical concepts, but Julius pushed me beyond the surface-level knowledge and went much deeper into the accounting side. That was especially helpful because it showed me the difference between simply knowing the main concepts and being able to confidently explain the details, connections, and reasoning behind them under pressure. The behavioral portion was just as useful. Julius gave me very detailed feedback on how I should prepare for questions related specifically to my background, experiences, and story. Rather than only practicing the standard behavioral questions, we discussed how interviewers could dig deeper into different parts of my resume and ask follow-up questions about my academic path, previous experiences, motivations for finance, and the decisions I have made along the way. This helped me understand that I need to be prepared not only with strong initial answers, but also with clear and thoughtful explanations for almost every important part of my background. One of the biggest takeaways from the session was identifying the areas where I should spend more time developing a deeper level of understanding instead of relying on memorization. Julius was very good at asking follow-up questions that tested whether I actually understood the underlying concepts, which gave me a much clearer picture of what a real interview could feel like. We also created a longer-term preparation plan together. Our goal is to work together approximately once every two to three weeks and use each session to focus deeply on a particular topic. Instead of trying to cover everything at once, we will gradually specialize in different areas and build my knowledge step by step, while continuing to work on behavioral questions and my overall interview story. I think this structure will be extremely helpful because it gives me enough time between sessions to study independently, address the weaknesses we identify, and come back better prepared for the next topic. Overall, the session gave me a much better understanding of where I currently stand, what interviewers may expect from me, and what I need to improve before recruiting begins. I left the session with very clear action items and a much more structured approach to my preparation.”

Class of '29 Oct 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Coffee Chat

“Kevin was incredibly helpful. He took the time to do a coffee chat with me and was candid about where I could improve. His main point was that I should build more knowledge of the industry before these conversations, so I can ask sharper questions and show I've done my homework. He also gave me a clear framework for the conversation itself. Start by asking about their background and how they got into their role. Then ask for advice for my field, including what they would do in my shoes. He also explained when it is and isn't appropriate to ask for a referral, which is something I hadn't thought through before. ”

See All 10,829 WSO Academy Reviews

10 Comments

Kassad

13y

Going to a non-target with a target admission in hand. "Ermergherd it's cheap nd I wud pay nuthin." I'd rather owe the $60K...

Quote

Report

Other

in it 2 win it

AsianMonky

13y

FSCGoing to a non-target with a target admission in hand. "Ermergherd it's cheap nd I wud pay nuthin." I'd rather owe the $60K...

That would blow. Which target school?

Quote

Report

Other

Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 3rd+ Year AssociateCertified Private Equity Pro

blastoise

13y

playing super mario and deciding i can sprint though all the lvls bc i seen some one do it youtube

Quote

Report

Other

https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/resources/skills/accounting/contributed-surplus

Stringer Bell

13y

Throwing up onsite, at client meeting due to lack of sleep / poor nutrition / overly stressed.

Only reason I didn't get fired was because of the groups serious shortage of warm bodies / people peacing 8 months early for buyside gigs.

Worts 48 hours of my life. Don't ever do that, seriously just call in sick and take the mulligan

Quote

Report

Other

Ace all your PE interview questions with the WSO Private Equity Prep Pack: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/guide/private-equity-interview-prep-questions

TheBig

13y

Best Response

Not IB, but my first week at my AM gig I posted the name of the firm I was at on WSO, it was like my 1st or 2nd post ever, and it sent a Google News Alert to our CIO and I got yelled at for that.

Closest I've came to shitting my pants. Thankfully I fucked up early, learned the lesson (first ever finance gig. Didnt know the rules), and now have a fantastic relationship with the office.

Quote

Report

Other

Expansionary Monetary Policy Examples

NYCbandar

13y

Barebacking my ex-girlfriend.

Quote

Report

Other

DaisukiDaYo

13y

NYCbandarBarebacking my ex-girlfriend.

She was pretty good, though.

Quote

Report

Other

Authored by: Certified Equity Research Professional - 2nd Year AssociateCertified Equity Research Pro

NYCbandar

13y

DaisukiDaYo
NYCbandarBarebacking my ex-girlfriend.

She was pretty good, though.

Yeah, good at emptying my wallet.

Quote

Report

Other

Investment Banking Interview Brainteasers

Jamess1

13y

Thinking there's five letters in a four letter word.

Quote

Report

Other

Blue horseshoe loves Anacott Steel

neil joseph

13y

Sed sed quas porro quia fugiat. Aut rerum sunt eaque expedita consequatur.

Non vitae facilis eos qui. Voluptatem deleniti quo dignissimos consectetur ex odit eum unde.

Aut temporibus consequuntur sed et necessitatibus quia velit a. Soluta corporis doloribus quo totam unde. Debitis est mollitia iure incidunt quisquam.

Labore adipisci doloremque aut ducimus minus ipsa magni et. Porro nobis facere exercitationem perferendis. Et est molestias doloremque rerum. Sit pariatur dignissimos quos maxime. Dolores quasi cumque velit atque unde perferendis quidem. Quasi voluptas molestias facere corrupti et porro. Illum eius distinctio esse voluptatem autem doloribus delectus.

Quote

Report

Other

"A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it." ~George Moore

+185	Piper Sandler in talks to acquire PWP	75	21h
+124	UBS Appears to be Exploring Sale	19	3d
+99	Paradise Is Paradise	8	1d
+81	Drunk VP. How to manage?	27	2d
+39	How do I take my foot off the gas? (AN1)	4	2d
+38	Lazard US Views 2026/2027	13	2d
+26	Why did EVR succeed vs GHL or PWP that ended up getting acquired?	9	16h
+22	Mandated 9:00am Arrival?	6	4d
+21	Prestige Upgrade: Incoming Piper Sandler Intern (PWP Merger)	4	5d
+21	How early is to early?	9	8h

1	redever	99.2
2	BankonBanking	99.0
3	Secyh62	99.0
4	kanon	99.0
5	GameTheory	98.9
6	DrApeman	98.9
7	Betsy Massar	98.9
8	dosk17	98.9
9	CompBanker	98.9
10	Kenny_Powers_CFA	98.8

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Biggest F*** Up

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Biggest F*** Up

See All Comments - 100% Free

Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum