Graduating and realizing I don’t want IB

Hello,I am about to graduate from college. I've had two IB internships and a 3.8 from a non target. I have an offer line up to for when I graduate, to intern at a LMM boutique, and planning on doing MSF to jump for FT, but I am thinking about my future and realizing that IB is a career path I might not want to pursue, because of the hours and stress. I realized I wanted IB because of the money, but I’m realizing the constant work and stress is not worth it and is not my passion. I am unsure on what I want to do out of life, and don't know what my options are or my passion is whether that be a different finance job or doing analytics in sports. Anyone have any tips?

4 Comments
 

You are in a good spot! Take a deep breath and do what you are passionate about. If you go into IB it sounds like you will regret it, but also you can do it for a year and quit if you hate it that much. You always have options remember that. 

 

You can always leave IB. Maybe just give it a shot! You never know until you try it. Even if you quit after a year you can say you did it and know for a fact that it wasn't right for you. Just my thoughts, ultimately you won't excel in anything you don't like doing so following the passion in the end is the best way to go. Best of luck!

 
Most Helpful

Certainly fine to not want it and following your heart, albeit your undecided heart, is always going to be my advice.

With that said, I'll share a devil's advocate thought.  Especially if it's your first job, do not underestimate the rapid training and professional development that IB can provide.  Even if you only stick it out a year, you'll really get a crash course in being a business professional.  Your technical skills, presentation skills, problem solving, and general savvy could progress more in 18 months on the job than 8 years working a corporate finance job.  You might hate every second of it, I certainly did, but it turned me into a weapon and opened up a ton of doors.  For that, I'll forever have no regrets about gutting out 2 years when I was young.

In any case, you've got good options and you're being introspective.  That's a great thing.  Good luck mate.

 

Ut nihil voluptatem inventore fuga libero nesciunt. Sapiente aliquid voluptatibus consequatur velit. Sint eum labore odio eaque rem omnis mollitia.

Enim ut rerum ea illum sequi. Ipsam quod ad et quo repudiandae.

 

Sapiente molestias et expedita dignissimos ipsam. Doloremque in veritatis quibusdam modi quidem aut. Corrupti non laudantium eos necessitatibus enim cupiditate. Eius cupiditate voluptas ut. Quibusdam in ut perspiciatis eos sed. Quidem quis nemo explicabo quia perferendis sunt similique.

Inventore quia dolor hic. Ea et odit ea consequatur soluta assumenda tenetur. Aliquid provident rerum qui nam assumenda vel.

Rerum quasi delectus voluptatem et. Omnis veniam molestiae suscipit in consequuntur sed tempore. Quisquam nihil neque tempore dolorum maxime. Qui fugit sint aut voluptas nemo. Cumque architecto est dicta sed.

[Comment removed by mod team]

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

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

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”