Feeling like I could have done better?
I attend a top target and have a very strong resume, but I ended up settling for a lower tier BB for SA since it was the first offer I received. Can’t help but feel like I fell short of what I could have achieved, and it sucks being on this forum seeing and hearing the things people say about the bank. Yeah yeah, comparison is the theft of joy, my life’s gonna be fine, but it’s just a sucky feeling. Anyone been in a similar situation and have advice?
Was in a similar situation... taking an extra year to rerecruit cuz I couldn't take it anymore
How did you attack this? You delayed your graduation for a year? And did same banks you interviewed with during junior year think it was strange you were interviewing for summer jobs your senior year? Or did they not know? Or not care?
curious too
Depends which BB and group
You're still young, many people are on this forum. I am in the 30's already, but I am still considered young to the majority of the people I know so far.
It is a sunken feeling, feeling that you are not living up to your potential. However we roll the dices and take what we get. Lucky, time, and location has an impact on this.
I try not to compare myself to others, simply because everyone makes some form of sacrifice to get to where they are at now. We do not know what kind of lives other live, either. What I do know is, I am surrounded by people who still reach out even though they are far ahead in terms of careers and life experiences, for help. I feel humble in this. I think of this as a marathon, and not a race.
If you feel stuck, lay out a plan, or road map, that can at least help you reach the goal you are seeking. It will help keep you more focused and motivated.
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must be UBS
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Yeah you’re right. No matter where you’re at, it never stops.
Which one is it? You know there's more to life than banking and if someone judges you on the "tier" of your bank, they GOTTA GO man
Went to a semi target and started in Ops if that makes you feel better
Dude, you gotta have some perspective. My brother was in a similar situation: went to a target, decided to go to a satellite office of smaller EB in non-NYC city instead of BB offer he got in NY for various reasons. For a while he regretted his decision, thought a lot of what might have been... fast forward to 5 years later and he could not be happier. He met his wife in this tier 2 city, loves his smaller EB because he loves his group and finds his work interesting and meaningful (and, at least for now, he's pretty sure he makes just as much $ as he would have at top 3 BB). Meanwhile, his buddy from college is at GS/MS/JPM and is absolutely MISERABLE. Yeah, he's got the big brand name, but he's in a toxic group and just hates getting out of bed every day. He's an associate who makes good coin but is desperately trying to get out... I mean it's not like the guy hasn't gotten offers to go elsewhere, but ironically, his exits supposedly aren't as good as you'd think because his group is only deemed "okay."
Anyway, grass is always greener, and just based on my brother's and his buddy's situation, the "better bank in the better city" doesn't always translate to the better experience or more happiness.
Thank you all for the perspective.
Similar position. Just remind yourself you always have options. You can lateral when the time is right if you still want. For now just focus on crushing it at the current bank. That’s going to be important. Continue to build relationships and keep your network open. And maybe stop reading the negative threads you come across. Will help you stay in a better mindset
One of my best mentors lateraled from a shitty bank think UBS/DB to an EB without connections and at what I would call a semi-target at best (but really not)
You gotta be a bit more mindful with the use of "shitty" when describing BBs like UBS and DB. Are they as strong as GS/JPM/MS? No, but they are reputable firms that have some very strong groups competing with the best of them
To a point this cycle never ends. The low tier BB is jealous of the top BB. The MS/JP is jealous of the GS, but the GS real estate is jealous of the GS TMT. The GS TMT is jealous of PJT RSSG, while he/she is jealous of the KKR analyst who went straight to buy side.
Point is, someone will always be doing better. At this point you either need to accept your position or make an actionable plan to move to a better one. There’s nothing wrong with being at a non-top BB. Perhaps your plan should be to land a top group at your BB so you can place as well as top BBs anyway.
Would definitely try not to read any of the threads talking about lower-tier BBs. Half of the kids shit talking are prospects who have no idea what they’re talking about, just chasing clout and going for top banks only.
Being at a strong low tier BB will get you almost any interview that you could want anyway - at that point it’s more important who you are as a candidate rather than what bank you’re from.
It sounds like you’re at CS (early recruiting, lower tier) so I would just note that CS places very well (relative to its position in the league tables) and from the top groups (FSG, LFO&R) the exits are fantastic and in-line with any top BB.
Man, I am in a frontier/emerging market and the best what I'got is an MM IB through a lateral move from a stock exchange, as there are no other MMs let alone BBs in my country. You, on the other side, are at a lower-tier BB, but that is still a BB with amazing exit opps. You are still better positioned than most of the people in this industry at the beginning of their careers. Value this.
OP - if you think this feeling is bad now, wait until you are in your 30s and you see a bunch of yuck yucks from your school or peer group who are literally nothing special in any real way ending up in big positions/making lots of money etc.
As another poster so wisely mentioned above: there is always someone to be jealous about. Best not to think about it.
In the end everyone has their own problems (we all do, it's the human condition). That young MD? Maybe he hasn't been laid in years because he hasn't had the time to actually go out and date? The guy with seemingly everything? Maybe he's really good, but literally hates his job and going to it every single day and is depressed (I've seen this a fair bit). etc etc etc.
If you're feeling anxious / insecure about it, I definitely agree with the above posters - try not to think about, and the comparison literally never stops.
In the long run though, the cream will always rise to the top. Don't worry about where you are, worry about doing well in your environment and the opportunities will come. If you do well this summer, you'll have so many opportunities for ft recruiting; if you do well on the desk, you'll have so many opportunities for exit opps.
I talked to a head of a group (GS/JP/MS). After graduating from my nontarget undergrad he joined a smaller financing company and received a promotion to VP and had a small equity stake that was going to vest if he stayed. He decided to get a top MBA and went to that top bank to be an IB associate to get the brand name. Although he has really well, that equity stake would have been worth some tens of millions (I think maybe $50m) when they sold the company to a large conglomerate.
When dissing DB goes too far
Being from a non-target, I'm just happy to be here, and based off of what you're writing I might have accidentally ended up at a better bank. That being said, you are still probably in a better position than me lol.
Dude I'd love to be in your position at DB right now seriously though don't listen to these people on this forum
While it obviously isn't ideal that you didn't meet your potential, look at it this way: if you're as good a candidate as you feel you are, there are certain advantages to being a big fish in a small pond. Personally I'd take being a top analyst in a top group at a low teir BB over a mediocre analyst in a mediocre group at a top BB.
The average analyst at a “top” BB is no better than the average analyst at a “low” BB
what about the kids that end up at MM firms, are we just chopped liver?
like geez I declined BB superdays and then refused to re-recruit for full-time because... shocker... I'm happy with my MM group lol
I can't imagine how horrible you'd feel if you didn't even make it into banking...
Think everyone in this thread needs to have a little perspective. Even getting an internship or a job in this industry puts you in a better position financially and career-wise than 99% of the rest of the world. You are in the 1% of humans alive on earth in your early twenties. Stop complaining.
Two things in life are most important, getting laid and getting paid. You're getting paid, but I don't know if you're getting laid. Go get laid, get that chip off your shoulder, replace it with pussy instead.
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