“I recently had a LinkedIn audit call with Arnau as part of my WSO Academy program, and it was one of the most practical and useful sessions I've had so far. I came in thinking my profile was in decent shape. I left with a clear picture of how recruiters and bankers actually see it, and a concrete list of changes that will make it work much harder for me.
Some background: I'm moving from corporate finance into investment banking, corporate banking, and private equity. I have an MBA in Corporate Finance, a PMP, and several years of finance and project management experience. Making that kind of move depends heavily on how you present your story, and LinkedIn is often the first place a recruiter or analyst sees it. That's why this session mattered so much to me.
From the first few minutes, Arnau was well prepared, direct, and focused on what actually moves the needle. He didn't just give generic tips like "add a professional photo." He went through my profile section by section and explained why each piece matters to someone in finance who's quickly scanning candidates. His feedback was honest without being discouraging, which I really appreciated. He pointed out where my profile was underselling my experience and where it wasn't clearly showing that I'm aiming for banking and PE.
What stood out most was how he helped me think about positioning. My background covers corporate finance, project management, hospitality, and real estate, and it can be hard to make that read as one clear story. Arnau helped me connect those experiences to the skills banks look for: financial analysis, modeling, managing budgets and capital, and working with senior stakeholders. He showed me how small changes to my headline, About section, and experience bullets can make that story obvious within seconds.
The session was also very actionable. I didn't leave with vague ideas. I left with a short list of specific edits I can make right away. That matters a lot when you're job hunting and every week counts. He also shared advice on using LinkedIn more actively, such as engaging with the right people and content, so the profile supports my networking instead of just sitting there.
I also want to recognize the overall WSO Academy experience. Between the modeling bootcamp, the company research work, the mentorship, and sessions like this one, the program has given me structure and support during a career transition that can otherwise feel isolating. This call was a good example of what makes WSO different: the people coaching you understand the industry you're trying to break into and give feedback that reflects how hiring really works.
If you're a WSO member and haven't booked a LinkedIn audit yet, I'd strongly recommend it. It's a short time commitment, and the return is significant. Your LinkedIn profile is often your first impression, and having an experienced set of eyes on it is worth it.
Thank you, Arnau, for your time, honesty, and practical guidance. I'm excited to put the changes in place and keep building toward my goal of breaking into investment banking.”
So what exactly are you doing "under the table" for your bosses to get a higher salary?
I have a f'ed up mind.
This sounds wrong.
Most BB and "most MM" investment banking firms have standard pay packages that cannot be changed for Analyst and Associate levels.
Some "Elite" boutiques may have higher salaries for similar positions, but I doubt its by THAT much (maybe +5-10k base or +10-20k top bonus).
I think whatever you read is wrong.
The salary you read was likely a misprint of some sort. As for what 'friends' and 'friends of friends' say...they are probably fibbing to make themselves look better.
As is mentioned above, pay packages in IB are pretty standard across the junior level, with the exceptions being accurately pointed out above.
Regards
No. Unless we are talk ER (managing director level) "analysts".
What possible skills could this guy have that would be worth paying several times the high end of the market rate? This isn't exactly a stellar job market. An elite boutique could realistically offer 60k base, 10k bonus and still get top recruits.
The only scenario where I could see this is if said analyst is the son of a f500 CEO/other exec, and they are hiring him with the implicit promise of IB business.
Yeah, this is a good point. At some places like asset managers and that like, research guys are often 'analysts', but clearly are much more senior in their career.
I guess the only caveat is the point about being a 'second year'.
Regards
When I read it I didn't believe it either.
One of my friends at a BB emailed them (didn't intend on moving, just for fun) and they emailed back saying that if you 'went through them you would get a good deal, £250k was not a joke so long as you fit their profile' (which was graduating from a top uni and have been working in IBD at a BB). He was assured the £250k was not a misprint.
Perhaps they were desperate for an analyst and therefore tried to lure people in with a higher base? This is a legit elite boutique btw - not a small shop - a pretty well known place in fact.
I PROMISE YOU that this is not accurate. 250k Pounds is $382,000 at today's exchange rate. This is simply false. No investment banking analyst at any bank in the world is making that today.
Ok cool.
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