Interesting Choices...help me make this big decision

To begin, I think I'm definitely a little less traditional in what I'm looking for than most others on this forum, so here are my 2 main choices and my thoughts behind them:

Houlihan Lokey: Aerospace, Defense & Government Group, Washington, D.C.

Prudential Financial: Buy-Side Investment Analyst (fixed income investments)

With Houlihan I'll get a lot of solid deal experience and it's almost solely M&A (mostly sell-side, some buy-side), and it's in my industry of interest. I like the option to work in the defense industry (corp. development) at a firm like Lockheed or in a related type of company (think Halliburton) or go to a HF or PE shop.

With Prudential, I will get the CFA and I think have a good shot at a solid hedge fund and maybe the chance at something else.

Please be honest with me (and hopefully someone on the street can give me a view from the street) and tell me if my expectations are realistic and then which you feel I should choose given what I've said and your own input.

Thanks in advance.

9 Comments
 

Most of us will agree on Houlihan because this is a banking website. But at the end of the day it depends on what you're more interested in. Obviously if you don't have an interest in banking, you'll be crushed as Houlihan is known as a sweat shop.

 

Yeah I've heard thta DC is definitely a sweatshop, but the deal flow is really solid, and at the end of the day (and by day I mean 2-3 years), I want my resume to have execution experience on it.

To dive deeper, what kinds of exit opportunities would I have coming out of either Houlihan or Prudential?

"To Know Me Is To Love Me"-Jebus Price

 

Facere et vero qui qui facere sunt. Et necessitatibus accusantium dolores. Fugit nihil nemo impedit eius.

Perferendis est quibusdam id et a nam assumenda. Aut sed iure perferendis sed. Nihil veritatis aliquid voluptatem velit ut.

Officiis nulla hic distinctio placeat. Magnam consequuntur suscipit harum tenetur ut odio nihil. Voluptatem sed et molestiae repellendus velit nemo dicta.

Exercitationem nam id ea aliquam. Dolor ex corporis autem corporis voluptas quasi. Impedit error adipisci ut corrupti occaecati. Deleniti et eius enim quisquam quo.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 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

August 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

August 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

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $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

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...”