Considering move from IB to portfolio valuation

I’m wrapping up my first year in IB. I’m genuinely grateful for the opportunity and have worked on some interesting deals. I’ve learned a lot and really like my team. That said, over the past few months, I’ve started to realize that this career path might not be right for me.

I’ve found that I don’t enjoy how heavily this job leans into prospecting and marketing, and I rarely get to do the kind of real finance work I hoped for when I accepted the offer. Most of my time is spent drafting pitches and CIMs, scheduling management presentations, digging through databases for buyer contacts, chasing down diligence answers, and dealing with difficult clients and deal teams. This alone isn’t why I’m having doubts, but the unpredictable lifestyle has worn me down. Staffing is random, weekends get blown up with no warning, and even taking a long weekend usually means staying partially plugged in. It’s hard to ever reset or feel in control of my time, especially when the work doesn’t feel meaningful. The personal sacrifices are starting to feel like more than they’re worth, and looking at the associates and VPs ahead of me, it doesn’t seem to get much better.

Beyond not enjoying the work, I’m also starting to worry that I’m not learning enough. I don’t feel like I’m building the modeling, accounting, or technical skills I expected to develop. Many people who started in valuation or similar roles seem to gain a much stronger technical foundation early on. That’s led me to wonder whether I might be better off in a portfolio valuation role at a more reputable name than my current firm, somewhere I can build on what I’ve learned around the deal process and hopefully set myself up better for the long term, whether I stay or pivot again later.

I’m a hard worker and don’t mind long hours, but I’m looking for more predictability, more actual finance, and a career path that feels sustainable. I want to be present with the people I care about, build a family, and not look back one day regretting that I sacrificed all of that just to chase comp while being unhappy. I understand this would be an unconventional move and that it comes with trade-offs in compensation and exit opportunities, which is why I want to make sure I’m thinking clearly and not just reacting emotionally.

I’ve been seeing quite a few listings for experienced analyst portfolio valuation roles at firms like Houlihan Lokey, Lincoln, and Kroll, and I would really appreciate any honest insight into the following:

• What the hours and lifestyle are actually like
• How common weekend/late-night work is
• Whether people can realistically unplug (to an extent) when taking time off
• Whether this is a viable long-term career path
• And honestly - whether it sounds like I’m making a mistake

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share.