How far should I go in helping my friend?
So last year I worked at a small infra IB/project finance firm. I spent about 11 months then left a few months ago to join a BB. A friend of mine is recruiting into my old firm and he's asking for my help. They will send him a financial model instructions and then he will build it live on call in 3 hours. Their initial email on the test is exactly the one they sent me so I do expect it's the same test. He's asking for the model & case pdf. I have them both in hand. But I'm curious how far should I go in helping him? I developed the model with VBA for circularity for finance costs, indexation, reserves etc. My only concern here is if I send him my model and he submits it as it is, they will definitely know I helped. I don't want to be unhelpful of course, especially bc he's not yet a strong modeller. But I am still bound by contractual confidentiality.
What do you think?
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's the deal: you need to tread carefully here. Sharing the exact model and case PDF you received during your time at the firm could breach contractual confidentiality, which is a serious issue. Even if your friend is struggling, directly handing over your work could not only harm your reputation but also put you at risk of legal or professional consequences.
Here’s a better approach:
Guide Without Sharing: Instead of giving him the actual files, offer to walk him through the key concepts and structure of the model. Teach him how to handle circularity, indexation, reserves, and other elements. This way, you're helping him build his skills without crossing ethical or legal boundaries.
Encourage Practice: Recommend that he practice building similar models from scratch. There are plenty of resources, including WSO’s financial modeling templates, that he can use to get up to speed.
Set Boundaries: Be clear with your friend about what you can and cannot do. Explain that while you’re happy to help him prepare, you cannot share proprietary materials due to confidentiality obligations.
By taking this route, you’re being supportive without compromising your integrity or professional standing. Remember, your reputation in the industry is one of your most valuable assets—don’t risk it.
Sources: Supporting Your Poor Parents, Year 1 in consulting - tips, tricks, advice, and unspoken rules., Feel empty, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/snitch-on-friend-who-lied-to-get-sa-offer?customgpt=1, How to deal with sick parents while working in IB
would this happen to be a canadian bank?
No mate I am in London
That's why the region says United States - Northeast, right "mate"?
How close are you to this friend?
If you have the instructions pdf I would send that over so that they can work on it themselves before the call and perfect it prior to recreating it live but I wouldn't hand over my finished work to them
bump
I personally wouldn’t. I’d tell them what to expect and give a general idea on how to build the model but would not send over the materials. People need to earn their spots. You were smart, figured it out on your own and made it to a BB. No one handed you the answers. Sucks that people want to take advantage of that.
If you send him your model, there is 0 upside for you. The potential is he uses it to learn from or plagiarizes your work. Worst case, you damage your reputation. Sounds like the guy isn't very close of a friend or you'd be able to trust he wouldn't just submit your own work. Don't hand it over.
It depends on how good of a friend he is.
Is he just a good friend? Like one you would set up with your cat sister?
Or is he a super close friend that you might invite to watch as you banged your girl?
Not that close for sure. I ended up creating some instructions file and sent it to him, he did get upset so friendship is probs over xD
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