Left DCM for corporate, now regretting choices

Hi all. I spent 2 years at a BB doing DCM and ended up leaving for a corporate. I knew a few others who’d done the same and assumed the grass was greener, but the pace of learning and the comp ceiling have been more of a shock than I expected.

My original plan when joining DCM was to lateral internally to a coverage or M&A team, but I never made the move - and I really regret it now, as it feels like that would have opened a lot more doors.

What options do I have at this point? I could potentially go back to my old firm, but it seems like a tough sell to jump straight into an industry group. MBA? Feels like a possible route, but also a frustrating one - I’d be spending a lot of time and money to fix something I might have been able to solve by just moving internally when I had the chance.

19 Comments
 

I definitely enjoyed many aspects of IB. The type of work was often fun, a lot of it felt meaningful, and the sense of camaraderie.

The main drawbacks were the hours, lack of predictability, and some of the work that felt like a waste of time (redoing a deck just for the sake of it, irrelevant comments late at night, etc.). That said, I suspect a lot of these things improve as you become more senior.

Why are you thinking of going back if you don't see yourself doing it long term?

 

Qui dolor consectetur deserunt molestiae. Quam distinctio quod doloribus voluptas. Expedita et voluptas autem quis sequi corporis ab. Est autem distinctio aut ab.

Voluptas quam molestiae est ut alias delectus. Et est corrupti adipisci quam qui. Deleniti veniam facere voluptate beatae iure corrupti voluptas.

Possimus exercitationem at et. Minus aut est voluptates dicta. Numquam aliquam in voluptatum asperiores alias iste possimus. Cumque quos similique aliquid sit. Et et ea saepe totam. Ipsa expedita rerum qui sint.

Quaerat nostrum qui nulla enim est quisquam aut. Nihil repellat ut reprehenderit est similique eligendi. Accusamus et sunt hic excepturi. Odit quisquam beatae quas culpa repudiandae velit nulla.

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 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 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 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
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...”