How has Investment Banking actually changed you?
I’m a student trying to understand what Wall Street actually does to the people inside it—not the prestige and not the comp.
I’m curious about the parts that don’t make it into recruiting decks or LinkedIn posts.
- When did the job start following you home—even when you weren’t working?
- Was there a moment you realized your body or mind was paying a price?
- What did you normalize that, in hindsight, probably shouldn’t have been normal?
- Do you think the grind changed who you are, or just revealed something that was already there?
- If your younger self asked whether the hours were ‘worth it,’ how would you answer—honestly?
- Sleep, stimulants, anxiety—how did you manage the physical side of the job?
- At peak hours, what breaks first: focus, empathy, or your body?
- Do people underestimate the cognitive and emotional toll because the pay numbs the conversation?
Answer the questions with only what you’re comfortable sharing.
Yes. I’ve gained 32lbs, my cholesterol is up and so is my blood pressure. Definitely changed on the inside…also haven’t seen my feet in years when I look down so there is that…
The day I look down and I’m too fat to see my penis I’m quitting my job.
he didnt say he couldnt see his penis though...
Won't elaborate much, but I'll just say this: started getting calls from Hollywood to replace Henry Cavill as Superman
the emotional toll is true, constantly high strung but it also brings about perks you would otherwise not be able to unlock at a relatively young age
Can you elaborate. I have the high strung / constant stress, wondering what I have unlocked??
You get to work 60-80 hours and make the same amount of money you'd make working any other 60-80 hour job, just with much more stress. Plus, you get to say you're a banker!
Somehow I gained an additional 2 inches on my dick, in exchange for losing 2 inches on my hairline.
Go big or go home buddy
Hella baddies lining up. This job is paradise.
I’ll throw out a positive: my assertiveness has gotten more polite. I grew up working blue collar and because of that, I had to be overly assertive in certain instances (to be heard) which absolutely came off as abrasive. IB has refined this for me, where I can speak with strength behind my words - but in a professional way that people enjoy.
I’ve also learned how to set healthy expectations with people in my personal life, which I was unable to do before IB
“Setting healthy expectations in my personal life”
-> the job devours so much of my time and there is so little I do outside of it that I have been forced to severely truncate investment into my personal relations and life to service my transnational masters but I will reframe that as a personal growth opportunity, a boon and a privilege like a good goy
My comment about expectations was more about learning to communicate expectations to others BECAUSE of the absurd (and not so healthy) amount of time this career requires
Jesus Christ STOP USING CHAT GPTTTTTTTT. I don’t wanna turn into a boomer but just write your question like a normal human instead of running every little thought into the AI machine to make sure it sounds okay.
Having AI write your posts is embarrassing
lol true
Probably unexpected but it taught me to care less about a lot of things. I realised that what we were doing a lot of the time can be inconsequential. I used to be an extra mile sort of person but now I don't see the value add in it. To that end, I find myself getting stressed out less because I don't care as much.
Also I think this job made me a much better teacher/conscious of junior's experience. A lot of the time I found i didn't get good training /background context to what we were doing. I make sure to spend that extra time with juniors and they really appreciate it.
It made me meaner. Which, personally, I see as a huge failure.
I spent two years in a true sweatshop. I gained 50 lbs, permanent dark circles and bags around and under my eyes, and I was a complete ass to everyone around me.
No excuses. I let myself get like that but IB certainly made it a whole lot easier to stop caring. Doing much better now and everyone remarks how kind I am compared to when I was in banking.
When did the job start following you home—even when you weren’t working? - If you're not working in banking you're either drunk or dead.
Was there a moment you realized your body or mind was paying a price? - The Bonus after your A1, where you receive 50k post taxes and only feel a slight chuckle.
What did you normalize that, in hindsight, probably shouldn’t have been normal? - Sleep Deprivation, analysts on excessive caffeine, people coming in when extremely sick, getting berated by your incel associate that complains that Raya doesn't accept white men in finance, thinking you will be rewarded for passing out in the office.
Do you think the grind changed who you are, or just revealed something that was already there? - I don't need to sleep anymore. I'm on my second year of the buyside and I don't complain about working late. I also apparently do very well under high amounts of stress.
If your younger self asked whether the hours were ‘worth it,’ how would you answer—honestly? - Yes. I make so much money now its very nice. I would not be where I am without it. The sacrifice pays off, just eat a lot of salad and don't fall into the trap that is the associate promote.
Sleep, stimulants, anxiety—how did you manage the physical side of the job? - Don't have too many energy drinks. Don't actually drink coffee unless you need to. Save caffeine intake for when you need it. Drink it out of desperation, not out of pleasure. Only black, the sugar and milk adds up
At peak hours, what breaks first: focus, empathy, or your body? - Empathy is the first thing you lose. Then your body. Your Focus cannot otherwise you are going to be destroyed by your 5'6" Associate who destroyed your Friday night from a "sent from iOS" email sent in the bathrooms of [Insert NYC club here]
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