It seems staffers get mixed reviews from junior bankers across IBD. With that, what's life like as a staffer?
Are hours/pay/stress better? Worse? Is it an worthwhile position to be in?
Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
October 31, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
Not sure any staffers really want to be in the role. Basically zero upside / credit with additional work and you become the bearer of bad news. The one upside is that in my view, you likely have the most control over changing group culture. i.e. pushing back to seniors when the junior team is strapped.
Current staffer for Analysts and Associates.
It sucks.
One upside is that you're totally plugged in to performance and you're well aware of everyone's ranking. So the gossip is top shelf.
Everything else is downside. Seniors ping you constantly, you realize you're ruining people's health so they can put together an idea book for Kate Spade that will go in the trash immediately. You can push back but it will be ignored. Juniors fear you, seniors think you're soft. And you never get a day off.
How do you rank juniors? Like what the process looks like
It's literally horse trading at the end of the year. We sit in a conference room and we say "was Billy top bucket? Was Jack top bucket? Was Billy better than Jack?"
There's a lot of small gossip day to day. It's very easy for juniors to get blacklisted and for seniors to say, "never staff me with this person again."
Would a blacklist mean an analyst is screwed? Like beyond a shit bonus would they be like ineligible for promotion or A2A or something down the road?
Along with the line, is there a certain percent or #s per bucket? Say 8 analysts in the group and are they ranked to 2 top quartile, 2 2nd Q, 2 3rd Q, and 2 4th Q?
From what I've seen, no. If we had 8 top bucket analysts, we'd pay 8 top bucket bonuses. My bank does not do forced ranking.
What I will say is that you're usually aware of bucket well before you even get in the room. People differentiate themselves and bucketing is rarely a surprise.
Quo a esse doloribus quo corrupti vel. Officiis est vero eos libero voluptas. Ut vitae voluptas et libero consectetur est. Enim consequatur sunt dolorem architecto et ducimus laboriosam. Assumenda tempore mollitia sit qui. Et quos non recusandae dignissimos nemo vero quo.
Ut est voluptatibus ut accusantium ipsam saepe. Culpa a harum magnam esse tenetur ducimus. Et officia qui eum incidunt et quod. Molestiae maiores minus sit sunt distinctio ea. Provident qui eaque illo cum. Ad cumque aut culpa ut. Exercitationem sequi dolorem accusantium modi sed molestias laudantium.
Eveniet eligendi dolore aut illum aut. Quaerat voluptatem similique voluptates sed aut. Aliquid omnis qui consectetur assumenda quod aut. Laborum labore at quo rerum porro. Ea totam autem dolores itaque.
Vero non atque et dignissimos. Veniam repellat neque et officiis itaque. Libero cupiditate sint minus fugiat enim ut dolores. Provident ut nostrum eos qui et voluptatem delectus.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...