How much importance does being mid/top bucket have for lateraling or PE recruiting
Just the above, thanks so much for anyone who might have any info on the question being asked or experience
Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
| +221 | Why UBS Is the Worst Place to Start Your IB Career | 35 | 3h |
| +162 | ONLY THESE BANKS OR YOU STRUCK OUT | 41 | 3h |
| +65 | Firm Thinks I'm Lying About Offer | 20 | 1d |
| +59 | Indiana University Fraternity Pipelines | 36 | 2h |
| +50 | Rogo AI | 20 | 16h |
| +46 | Elite Boutique interview questions | 11 | 1h |
| +44 | Suspended for a Year | 19 | 11h |
| +39 | Stay at Weak Dealflow Team or Lateral? | 12 | 2d |
| +39 | UBS 2nd Year Analyst Q&A (2026) | 16 | 1h |
| +23 | 1st Half 2026 (1H26) RX IB & RX Co. Rankings | 16 | 15h |
Career Resources
Everyone asks, no one really validates, beyond asking your references at your current bank. Not as relevant for lateraling, but make sure you have your ducks in a row for when Carlyle prods your VP about your class rank.
That said, to the extent it’s disclosed, top is expected, middle is okay if you’re in a strong group, low is pretty close to a deal-breaker (chances are, you probably don’t want to be in finance anyways if you’re bottom). PE funds have extremely high opinions of themselves and find it hard to stomach hiring someone who was an ‘average’ (or worse) performer at a firm they see as beneath them (IB).
How would they know? They wouldn’t even tell me my rank at my bank
Depends on the bank, I suppose. But most folks have a pretty good sense, even if it’s not officially / publicly bucketed, especially when your reference is someone who’s involved in bonus allocation (e.g., an MD).
How is top bucket expected? Aside from not even being able to actually answer this question during most on-cycle seasons, do firms really expect people to be getting top bucket their first year? I've heard that at some banks that it's far more difficult for an AN1 to get top bucket just as a function of seniority versus A2s and A3s.
Deleted
Iure odio molestiae nostrum velit ipsam consectetur ut. Molestiae et reprehenderit et non sunt et. Cum qui sed est blanditiis. Eos molestiae eveniet nihil architecto suscipit deleniti. Nesciunt voluptatum tempora facilis aspernatur.
Qui placeat consectetur deserunt ut perspiciatis recusandae eum eos. Ea dignissimos labore fugiat nihil sunt. Fugiat debitis consequuntur minus illo nostrum excepturi veniam. Impedit sit odio molestiae dolores.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...