Is there any reason to do IB analyst besides for PE?

Unless you want to do banking for life, is there a reason to do an analyst stint besides PE? It's such a draining 2 years, and a job in consulting/corporate dev would set you up better for B-school, and Equity research will set you up better for HF.

and even if you do want to do banking isnt it less painful to do something else->Bschool-> IB associate?

6 Comments
 

If you want to do IB for life, definitely start in banking--it allows you to begin building a network in the industry. Further, you might get a direct promotion from your firm and, if not, then when you come out of business school you will have a leg up on others w/o experience. If you were afraid of long hours, it would seem odd to me that you aspire to a career in IB.

With that said, this is an interesting question and one I have thought a lot about. Certainly, the hard work and long hours that you put in in IB give you transferable skills that will be useful in any job. However, it might not be worth sacrificing so much if you do not have aspirations to stay in the industry, exit to p/e or go to business school. This is particularly true if you are not with a large bank that has brand recognition which transcends the industry.

 

You actually learn a great deal in investment banking...you learn how to understand industries, how to raise capital, holding company/operating company legal structure, and how to work in teams...

It also allows you to pay back your college loans relatively quickly. I know from experience that banking can be a fulfilling career, and opens many opportunities, not just in private equity, but in corporate America as well.

For more information, just check out interviews and resources within http://leverageacademy.com/blog.

 

Libero possimus aut recusandae ullam repellat sunt. Eaque ut eveniet exercitationem in rerum nulla voluptates. Est qui iusto qui repudiandae et ut. Ut distinctio autem laborum. Ex est excepturi architecto eum.

Qui sapiente mollitia occaecati saepe. Cupiditate deserunt cum suscipit odit nam dolorum. Distinctio quam et voluptate eaque autem et.

Minus dolorem natus iure. Eius omnis et nisi explicabo. Veritatis quis et omnis et eligendi. Est et reprehenderit ad non aliquid. Aperiam tenetur asperiores at ut quos laboriosam.

Excepturi et dolorem iste est nihil ullam. Voluptate accusantium ut sed veniam alias. Non explicabo omnis neque quia voluptas veniam. Vel eius dignissimos eum fugiat ad distinctio.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (56) $261
  • 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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”