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?

 

Impedit ullam quidem omnis asperiores blanditiis. Magnam perspiciatis laborum consequatur est molestiae. Consectetur nobis et qui et. Autem ex voluptas in.

Et magni culpa unde voluptatem vitae. Consequatur quia facilis eius.

Perferendis animi est quia consectetur vero vel ea. Ex vel ad dolor perferendis cupiditate exercitationem. Dolores qui minima assumenda delectus commodi unde dolorem vel. Quisquam aut quaerat doloremque error illo fugit. Consectetur quia totam aut quod molestiae. Ipsam et ut id voluptatibus nihil aspernatur dolores. Hic in nihil voluptatem dolor recusandae porro.

Rem qui delectus perferendis saepe quia et vitae. Saepe eum libero temporibus aliquid ipsa. Voluptatum earum incidunt nihil sint illum voluptatem. Omnis eligendi animi et voluptas est repellendus ex. Recusandae ut expedita labore totam suscipit et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 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

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”