Did you all really go to Ivy League schools just to end up working the same hours as a sweatshop worker in Bangladesh?

I'm just saying, aren't you all supposed to be the brightest minds of your generation?

And you used that mind to work 80 hours a week formatting logos, fixing footnotes, and changing colors?

In an industry where you feel "lucky" when you don't have to work on Sundays and leaving work on a Friday at 9pm is "super early" and working on "vacations" is totally normal?

30 Comments
 
Most Helpful

does "play hard" mean going to club on friday nights and getting bottle service until you pass out (and maybe on saturday too if you don't have to work sunday)? because literally everyone who has a job in any developed country does that

or is the "play hard" when we get to go on a really expensive vacation to an exotic place but you still have to turn comments?

or are we supposed to "play hard" during the 2 hours of free time we get a night where we have to squeeze in shaving and showering?

 

The $ / hr increases exponentially as you work less hours and make increasingly more money. And alot of people here actually like the lifestyle, the $ is obviously the biggest catch, and finance (the news, deals, investments, energy) is awesome. Hours are bad but everyone knows that. Just do what makes you happy or maximizes your utility.  

 

What else are you suggesting lmfao? Entrepeneurship?

Not everyone has the creativity, risk-tolerance, or motivation to create a business. I don’t understand what you’re laughing at… analysts are doing bitchwork for $180k/yr because they are 22 and have not worked a real job before. Options out of school are limited, and people go to banking for money/prestige that allows exit opportunities where the bright minds are able to test their knowledge (PE, VC, roles w/ comp tied to PnL).

 

Not everyone in banking works consistent 100 hour weeks. Maybe I’ve been lucky but the usual for me has been 70hr weeks, and lots of that time was just face time.

You know other careers you work hard too right? Ever worked in a restaurant or construction worker? Those guys bust their butts and get paid a tenth of what finance front office gets. This forum acts like other high powered jobs don’t make you work hard. But I guess wso tends to attract the whiners/introverts in finance, cause the winners are probably living life.

For every cry baby about the how the hours are brutal yet don’t leave their job for some reason, there are 100s of people who are ok with the hours/pay balance, don’t have crazy hours or enjoy the work.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 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

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
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...”