Hey folks,
I’m trying to decide between IB and Consulting for post-MBA and wanted to ask a few questions that don’t always come up in coffee chats.
I’m currently leaning towards IB but have a couple of concerns I’d love to get opinions on:
- Culture & Respect – My biggest concern is the culture, specifically stories about seniors berating juniors (e.g., outright insults like calling people "fucking retards"). Are these extreme cases, or is this kind of behavior relatively common? How common based on your experiences? I can handle long hours and demanding work, but I’d despise consistent direct disrespectful comments. Aware this is likely group dependent...
- Lifestyle & Nights at Home – I’m married, and one of the reasons I’m leaning toward IB is that despite longer hours, I’d still be able to sleep in my own bed most nights. From coffee chats, this seems reasonable, but I’d love a sanity check—how accurate is this expectation?
Context on Why I’m Leaning Towards IB:
- Compensation – The $$$ is hard to ignore.
- Experience with the Lifestyle – I’ve worked close to IB hours (70-80 hrs) in finance before, so maybe I’m just choosing the devil I know.
- Nights at Home – As mentioned, this is a big factor for me.
- Work Interest – I find the work slightly more engaging than consulting.
Would really appreciate any insights from those who’ve been through it!
