How Much Do Differences Between Top Banking Groups Actually Affect Exits?

Everyone here loves to micro-rank banking groups for exits. My question is, once you’re in a top BB or EB, do you generally have access to most of the same opportunities? If so, it seems like your opportunity set is determined largely by the platform, while actually converting those opportunities into offers comes down to the candidate’s preparation and interview performance. Is that a fair way to think about it, or do differences between the top groups (loosely defined here as those generally ranked S- through S+ on these forums) meaningfully change your exit opportunities?


 

5 Comments
 

Generally little difference if you’re at a top firm, what matters a lot is your actual deal exp and direct involvement, which obviously varies by group within your firm so yea it matters to a certain extent but not for the reasons you think. In any case if you have a brand name you’ll get interviews. 

Everyone will know GS TMT but besides that I don’t think any recruiters will know the difference between Rothschild consumer vs Lazard consumer vs Citi consumer. I certainly don’t. 

 
Most Helpful

Agree with the above comment. The only clarification I'd add is that deal experience does not mean closed deals (although we all love to close deals). If you backed the underbidder in a buyside process you went through virtually all the same motions as the analyst at the bank backing the winning bidder. Equally if your sellside fell over during the SPA negotiation you still know how to do a CIM, manage the Q&A, compare the NBO offers, etc.) I think a lot of junior bankers get more stressed about having "closed deals" on their CV than they need to

 

Est tenetur blanditiis adipisci placeat facere. Id animi laudantium sed eos fuga labore quo rerum. Occaecati corrupti adipisci accusantium voluptas voluptatem ut neque. Aut facere consequatur distinctio quia ut et aspernatur.

Laudantium nesciunt tempora inventore assumenda velit et. Quo expedita et ratione officia quia magni aperiam. Eligendi optio quidem non sunt vero consequuntur officia. Adipisci ipsam quo delectus. Facilis incidunt nemo optio.

Eos quibusdam ullam nam omnis laborum officia eaque. Vel vel fugit rerum asperiores. Enim et reprehenderit corporis nesciunt.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

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

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (51) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”