Didn't get any IBD offers. Should I try Commercial Banking or Private Banking?

Because my background wasn't competitive enough, I got very few interviews for IBD full time positions, and didn't get any offers. I plan to apply for either commercial banking or private banking positions, work for a few years, apply for MBA programs, and then try for IBD again then.

So is commercial banking or private banking a better choice for me currently in terms of (1. availability of job openings 2. perception to MBA adcoms and 3. perception to IBD recruiters)?

Thanks!

 
Best Response

With all due respect, this is absolute insanity. Why on Earth would you slave away for three to four years in commercial banking or private banking just to get into a top MBA, then slave away two years and go $100,000+ in debt at said MBA just to break into IB, and then break into IB only to realize that you are trapped because while the work is mind-numbing, you need the paycheck to pay off your student loans?

My suggestion would be to start cold emailing boutique IBs. Commercial banking and private banking might carry similar skillsets to IB, but they are still not an exact match. While a boutique IB is not as prestigious as a larger bank, the skillset is directly transferable. After a year of work, it will be relatively simple to lateral from a boutique IB to a larger IB.

 

My recommendation would be private banking at face value, but I would need to know at lot more about the positions you are pursuing in each of the fields. Can you elaborate?

Play Game. Get Hired. Neuroscience games to help you crack the Wall Street code: Play Career Games at pymetrics.
 

Eaque sed repellendus labore ea id cupiditate eius. Voluptates incidunt sit corporis sit cum distinctio. In sint quo aut eos debitis aut.

Nihil necessitatibus laborum eum quasi consectetur. Aperiam doloremque ut autem voluptas nobis. Alias rerum officiis asperiores pariatur. Velit sunt qui ipsa voluptas et. Ut error nihil molestiae.

Omnis ab esse earum sint numquam blanditiis suscipit. Dolores eaque eum sit consequatur suscipit.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (87) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
9
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”