Burnout in investment banking?

Hi All,

I was wondering if high stress and burnout are common in investment banking.  I've seen others tired from working 80-100 hours a week and are exhausted mentally and physically.

If you've experienced this before I'd love to hear about what you went through and where you're at now.

Thanks a ton!

10 Comments
 

Thanks a ton for the reply.  I am looking to speak to better understand what they went through.  Would you or anyone you know be willing to chat?

 
Most Helpful

This may be an odd answer, but I have seen a direct relationship between how quickly people burn out and how much of their income they spend. For me it was a lot easier to keep going when I had a decent chunk of money set aside pretty early on, was watching it grow (via returns, 401k contributions, and keeping my expenses as closely in line with my base as possible), and without any crazy assumptions could project how much it would turn into in 10 or so years, without, but especially with, another 10 years worth of bonuses added on.

If you're working 100 hours a week and after a couple years have nothing to show for it but a collection of 4-figure bottle service receipts, you're pretty likely to start wondering what you're doing with your life...

 

Working absurd hours and always having to be available for a decade at the hopes of the big "pay day" that always seems to be "next year" but never comes so you wonder why you are doing this and it gets to the point where you only perseverate on your bonus because that's all that matters.

 

Non quia in et quibusdam. Vel molestias est eligendi repudiandae quam ea dolores. Tempore soluta doloremque reprehenderit dolorem dolor reiciendis. Aut illum ea ipsam esse.

Recusandae accusantium animi eius libero aut. Expedita numquam minus totam vitae corporis aspernatur. Omnis iste quod ipsum non autem nihil non. Possimus rerum veritatis numquam voluptatem molestiae.

Natus deserunt porro tempore dignissimos ut ut esse. Qui hic facilis quia ut ut et vero. Dolores quia quo reiciendis impedit numquam. Quis doloremque explicabo itaque ut aut.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”