can you always go back?
is it always possible to rejoin IB if you leave for PE Corp dev etc? what happens if people dont like their next gig 1 year down the line? 5 years..?
Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
| +152 | ONLY THESE BANKS OR YOU STRUCK OUT | 39 | 1h |
| +122 | Why UBS Is the Worst Place to Start Your IB Career | 13 | 1h |
| +113 | IB Energy Drink Tier List / Ranking | 74 | 48m |
| +61 | Firm Thinks I'm Lying About Offer | 20 | 51m |
| +54 | Indiana University Fraternity Pipelines | 33 | 2h |
| +39 | Stay at Weak Dealflow Team or Lateral? | 12 | 1d |
| +36 | Rogo AI | 15 | 41m |
| +36 | Elite Boutique interview questions | 8 | 1d |
| +34 | Suspended for a Year | 11 | 16h |
| +23 | 1st Half 2026 (1H26) RX IB & RX Co. Rankings | 14 | 2d |
Career Resources
bump - left the buy side for consulting and also curious
I think this would be highly subjective - it wasn't possible for me. I tried going back after many years and it somehow didn't work out. you are too senior to be in a regular intake, I didn't go for an MBA (so that HR line was closed as well), and my experiences slowly went towards PE/VC/corp fin/etc.
couldnt u just go back to analyst/associate? I know that would suck but If it is what you want...
how long were u out and in what type of role?
Going back to analyst wasn't realistic because I had been promoted already at that BB (they let my entire department go, I already had so many years in BB I didn't mind). at that point you are too senior to be an analyst, realistically. you'd be downgraded so much they wouldn't do it. I left for approx. 4 1/2 years, I think, but was promoted several times in that time frame.
wow were you at DB Houston or something?
No. NYC and London.
What you are referring to is sometimes called a boomerang employee. staff who leave (for whatever reason) and return. What is common for some employee types (ie contractor), is less common for FTE and even more rare in some departments or roles (returning to a higher position within IB at the same bank is not that common). I don't believe I could recall even one person in my network who left IB and returned to the same group/BU after a few years. It would highly depend on each individual and what kind of experience was gained and how.
If you leave as an analyst, you MAY be able to come back as an associate after a couple years but would be tough without an MBA. If you're hoping to leave as associate and come back as a VP or director in 5 years, not happening.
I know an analyst left after 2 years did nothing for a year and came back to another bank as an analyst
did nothing for a year?
Possible, especially if you acquire sector expertise (eg tech M&A as a CorpDev professional at a large tech company). What will be hard though is the mentality switch from buyside to sellside. Also depends on how much experience you have prior to sellside
Incidunt mollitia doloremque corrupti commodi. Consectetur alias nihil sed aut. Repudiandae ab voluptas vel suscipit. Omnis possimus omnis accusantium aliquam fuga eum quis.
Quo libero sed quasi voluptates repellat. Iste qui earum repellendus officiis.
Quis maiores qui pariatur ut placeat. Dolores veniam reiciendis aut dolor. Fugiat optio excepturi consequuntur vel. Modi facere fugit soluta consequatur blanditiis laudantium labore illum. Illum dolor atque perferendis.
Beatae praesentium ut cupiditate voluptatem rem ipsa consequatur. Animi nemo ut distinctio voluptatem rerum nam corrupti. Cum id eos sint consectetur molestiae. Saepe quibusdam laboriosam facilis qui quasi.
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...