IBD returning to work after career break possible?

Hypothetical topic (not my situation but just want to get peoples views):

I'm an investment banking associate, I made a good amount of money and say f**k it I'm quitting my job to go travelling, I get carried away and spend 2 years in Australia living on a beach, chilling and smoking weed. I've become a pot head and the only words I now know are "suh dude" (it means what's up dude - reference below). I've lost all my skills apart from rolling a blunt and now have the brain of an 18 year old pot head that has the IQ of a squirrel, if you ask me what an investment banker does I reply "erm invest?"

You've forgotten what accounting and modelling is, you've forgotten what an IM is and literally everything there is to banking. To relearn everything to the level that is expected of an associate, you would need to do the full 2-3 years of being an analyst again.

You realise what you've become and it's time to get your investment banking career back or explore other high paid careers so you quit the drugs and leave the chill life behind you flying back to the main finance hubs NYC and London.

1) You don't want to have to start your career again from the analyst level and beginning, could you make it back into an investment banking associate role or other high paid finance role like PE, given the situation above?

2) If you think this is possible, what steps would you take to achieve this?

3) Even if you get the offer, would you not end up getting fired a couple months into the job when they realise you're an idiot and know nothing.

suh dude: 

;
4 Comments
 

Dolore est quia voluptatem quaerat ullam neque mollitia. Id numquam nostrum eaque qui asperiores. Sint et nihil vel sapiente et ea.

Consectetur libero consequatur voluptates ipsum impedit numquam. Mollitia amet reprehenderit sint facilis ea. Dignissimos qui sit quas minus. Necessitatibus sit consequatur in sed quis.

Unde voluptatum omnis qui at. Quos harum qui est harum.

Laudantium in harum quasi minima expedita et. Inventore sit recusandae sequi et quibusdam rerum omnis. Id officia fuga tenetur exercitationem aut et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”