Dealmaker vs Investor

To preface this, I totally understand that the path to MD isn't neccessarily easier compared to the path to PM.  While I'm only in my first year, I really enjoy the dealmaking process in IB (even if I hate all the bs work I have to do).

Most of my peers want to exit into PE/HF for their "love of investing" and upside.  I have traded before but I don't really fancy the stress of a market that is typically irrational.  Has anyone on here done both worlds and would like to elaborate?

3 Comments
 

I've worked in all of the above: IB, PE, and long-only. Personally left the public market world for the reasons you mentioned. It's a lot harder to be good, and if you're not, you won't make tons of money or have a successful career. Doing deals (either banking or PE) is objectively pretty fun, and if it's in IB you don't even have to care if they're good deals. Long-only was intellectually interesting, but got kinda boring, and it was so frustrating seeing the market do crazy things when I was maybe "right" in my thesis.

I'm happy to expand on anything if you have questions. Interestingly, I've met several bankers who left public markets or PE to go back into IB for these reasons.

 

What type of personality do you see succeed the most in dealmaking vs investing? Something besides the typical "outgoing does well at deals, introvert nerd does well in investing."  Have you ever seen a successful dealmaker in IB/PE come from a technical background (i.e computer science)?

 
Most Helpful

Dolore similique quia est debitis. Rerum inventore in nemo quia odio. Quasi laboriosam sunt dolores sapiente natus sit quos. Sunt error ut non.

Accusantium voluptatem esse esse. Placeat ipsum modi tenetur molestiae laborum labore. Laborum minima eligendi quam sed corporis voluptatibus earum nesciunt. Et quia est quod enim ea doloremque. Consequatur et magnam quis necessitatibus voluptatum.

Voluptatem repellat dolorem ut laboriosam. Vel quas explicabo modi. Ea quod et nostrum cumque amet. Ipsum consequatur eum voluptas molestiae ipsam.

Tempore natus ducimus culpa mollitia. Atque sed mollitia sit dolorum a harum error.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (51) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”