Interned at a top BB and really enjoyed the work. The hours, however, crushed me. Wondering if there are any banks with better hours (i.e. 60 a week) that aren’t shit - willing to sacrifice comp/prestige, as long as the work quality is still strong / there is a good learning experience.
| +131 | New Article: Dramatic Slide as UBS #22 (US) & New Leadership Desperately Needed | 25 | 15h |
| +113 | Americas M&A League Table Q2 Updated | 54 | 10m |
| +75 | Wealthy Parents / Jaded | 24 | 1d |
| +59 | How are hours rn for SA (interns) | 31 | 1d |
| +58 | A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SUMMER INTERNSHIP RECRUITING | 11 | 1d |
| +43 | Boutique firm wants access to my LinkedIn? | 38 | 1h |
| +33 | Investment Banking in Mexico | 9 | 1d |
| +30 | Investment Banking is Hard | 13 | 3h |
| +26 | Restructuring: Anti-climactic Experience | 3 | 6h |
| +21 | Excel macros for QOL formatting | 0 | 4d |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
If you're looking for investment banking roles with better hours while still maintaining decent work quality and learning opportunities, here are some options based on the most helpful WSO content:
Banks with Better Work-Life Balance:
Middle-Market Banks:
Boutique Banks:
Equity Research as an Alternative:
While no IB role will truly be "easy hours," these options can provide a more sustainable balance without completely sacrificing the quality of work or learning experience.
Sources: Work/Life Balance: Equity Research vs. Investment Banking - (A Definitive Guide, Part 1), Work/Life Balance: Equity Research vs. Investment Banking - (A Definitive Guide, Part 1), WSO 2022 Investment Banking Work-Conditions Survey (Part 1/3), what the f*** is up with these shite investment banking analyst wages?, Work/Life Balance - Hours
Almost all the MM banks are decent enough. I've heard good things about HSBC. Oppenheimer also apparently isn't too bad. Look at specific groups at banks, as that is a bit more telling. A group in one bank is different from another group in the same bank. It all depends on deal flow.
HSBC no longer has a US IBD franchise.
Not entirely true - I still see their LevFin and DCM groups on a bunch of deals. Not sure about their sector bankers though
MM BS Banks and the Japanese banks tend to be better, just also depends on specific groups
yeah cuz they got 0 dealflow
That's the tradeoff. Less flow, less hours. There's unlikely to be a bank where you have high deal flow and okay hours.
Banking in general will always be demanding.
Doesn’t matter about deal flow some of the MM shops run u to the bone in pitches. Lifestyle doesn’t improve and arguable is better with more deals than pitches because everyone from the top becomes way more neurotic with the latter
Voluptas exercitationem dolores dignissimos consequatur. Tenetur eligendi soluta modi autem. Quas dolores consequatur sit et nam et. Deleniti quo non est reiciendis quasi id. Optio perspiciatis est natus fugiat veritatis voluptas. Rem suscipit ut corporis quasi explicabo odit ducimus.
Sapiente dolor rerum beatae eos modi sunt voluptas. Quia quos facilis dolor atque quo. Non et dolor qui et exercitationem.
Consequuntur corporis nobis quo qui inventore exercitationem asperiores. Quis commodi maiores quos necessitatibus voluptatibus consequuntur illo. Velit sit qui sit maiores rerum.
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...