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Bank Tier: Well-known boutique specializing in a specific sector Average Hours: 80-100+

This is a significant improvement from prior years when interns worked with everyone else at the firm until 3 or 4am (due to people at all levels leaving all the time in the summers). Unfortunately, interns won't leave until after their superiors are gone so they would usually stay for very late into the night. The interns were really good at their jobs though by the end of the internship period since they got their reps in. You got to put in the effort to reap the gains though.

If you're a really good intern, expect to work 100+ hours every week. Saturdays were supposed to be protected but like many banks, were not followed with interns. If an intern was working 80 hours, everyone would notice and they would subsequently be staffed the next week.

 

At any reputable bank there's a position called staffer, sometimes a dedicated role or filled by a VP / assoc, who puts analysts / associates on pitches / deals depending on their capacity. For example, at my shop we have a dedicated TMT staffer who will coordinate with MD's based on their junior banker needs. Additionally, we have a staffing sheet where you list hours worked on a particular pitch / deal. Based on your capacity (upper limit is 80 hours worked, so actual work, not "in the office" for 80 hours), you're either put on a new project or skipped over for someone with more capacity.

Ex: If John and Jane have 60 and 50 hours listed on their staffing sheet, respectively, Jane will be staffed on MD 1's pitch since she has more capacity, unless MD 1 hates Jane because she produces shit work.

 
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At a BB, often times the staffer is a rotational year for junior VPs - it is beneficial career wise because you build a lot more connectivity internally, especially with the senior team, and visibility into what is going on broadly across the group from a business perspective (i.e. what clients matter to seniors, how the deal pipeline looks, etc). They don't only manage staffing, but also usually work in a quasi-chief of staff role for the group. Usually they can choose if they want to be working on deal teams too and sometime they'll keep 1-2 key clients that they like, but mostly they take a back seat from actually executing to focus on the staffer role for the year

 

Just another perspective: some banks cap hours and take it easy on their summer interns which leads to them being in the office 40-60 hours a week at some places and maybe they'll actually being doing work 20-40 of those hours. Keep in mind, every bank and group is slightly different. Also, even the same team can change a lot from one year to the next depending on deal flow, who is hired/fired, management changes, etc.

 

Consistent with my experience.

I will note that many of the senior associates/VP's had relocated home by 9 pm most evenings.

 
 

MM NY Generalist

Average Hours: 80-90

Worst week was 104.7. Yes, I calculated. Yes, it was sweaty.

 

MM Boutique Average: 80h per week

Weekends were protected for interns but they could come in if they wanted, it was seen as a plus. There was definitely no facetime and interns were regularly questioned if they stayed in until very late frequently whether it was really necessary to stay in that late.

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"PocketMonkey" Weekends were protected for interns but they could come in if they wanted, it was seen as a plus. There was definitely no facetime.

Uhm... dafuq? Isn't that the definition of facetime?

I don't know... Yeah. Almost definitely yes.
 

Well, obviously if interns show that they want to work extra hours it is seen as a sign of motivation and will be highly appreciated. Maybe my definition of facetime is different though. I'd say that facetime means that interns are required to be in the office, rather than that it is appreciated if they are there.

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Not to be a snob, but is # of hours really important. Its an internship and it will definitely end, quite sure if you already chose to do IBD you can tough out a few 80-110hours weeks and go back to school and enjoy happily ever after.

Rather, I would urge you to choose a bank where you really feel you can gel with. Even if its 10/20 hours more a week (for both internship / fulltime )you are more likely to excel and get the conversion and will not hate yourself everyday in the morning.

 

Lazard in Frankfurt, on average:

Monday - Thursday 09:00 - 02:00 Friday 10:00 - 22:00 Saturday 10:00 - 16:00 Sunday always off

~5 allnighters per month (German definition of that is to be at work untill 07/08:00

Salary for an intern: 2500 EUR gross Salary for the first year analyst: base and bonus around 100k (with living cost 0.5x - 0,75x that of London)

 

Don't you all ever get tired? You all seem to be acting like 80 hours is nothing...

 

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