Is lateraling worth it?

Currently a first-year analyst in a coverage group at a low-tier BB. My group has a great culture for IB and I enjoy the people I work with, but I may have an opportunity to move to a top 3 BB in one of its stronger coverage groups. Based on my mid-year review, I’m likely on-track for top bucket. Wondering if it’s worth making the move from a place I’m established and well-regarded by my MDs, to a group where I don’t have too much visibility into the true culture and would be a brand new first-year starting in WFH. Welcome any advice

3 Comments
 

Thought process hope this helps somewhat. Know there is more consideration than this but generally analyst stint is 2 years of grinding to get to a better exit opp.

1) Do you want to go to the buyside? If yes, go to #2 if not stay at your firm

2) Does your current group historically send analyst to the type of exits you want? If yes, stay at current firm if not go to #3

3) Does the firm you’re trying to lateral to have better exit opps that wouldn’t be possible at current firm? If yes, lateral if no stay at current firm

 

Thanks this is helpful. Analysts from my current group have gone to PE which is what I’m interested in, but it seems it’s been fairly dependent on how amount / quality of deals they’ve closed. I’ve been put on our group’s more “important” deals and clients, but a deal closing is somewhat out of my control, whereas the top BB group is one of the top groups in the industry on the street and might be more likely to get closed deals on the resume there...

 

Non blanditiis laboriosam aut ipsa quas vel. Dignissimos mollitia nam porro consectetur ut voluptates.

Magni velit ut deserunt facilis excepturi rerum dolor consequatur. Eveniet repudiandae ea nobis voluptates cupiditate. Rem cumque nesciunt voluptatem animi. Maxime dolores cumque voluptas rerum est sed. Cumque dolorem sint facere voluptatum fugiat quo. Autem vero repellendus quidem quam ratione aut architecto.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”