Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
September 30, 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...
What about Jeff or ducera?
Ducera is for sure hot for RX hardos. Comp is great and exits are quite good for distressed buyout funds. Definitely an up-and-coming firm
Most desired for hardos, yes. But a lot will end up at Jefferies.
Luck of the draw?
congrats on houston
I think hardos will prioritize the EBs, even GUGG and GHL, over BofA/Citi/Barclays. BofA analysts seem pretty chill (from my experience speaking to them).
Can definitely relate to that... Plenty of hardos in my target, that were gunning mostly for PE exits, took even slightly worse EBs like Perella, Greenhill or Guggenheim over mid-tier BBs like Citi, BofA, or Barclays. It honestly depends on whether you want to exit to buyside post-IB (in which case you take an EB) or you want to carry a more recognizable brand name / be a career banker (in which case you take any of the BBs).
Yup. It ultimately depends on what types of banks you want to work in (e.g., full-service vs boutiques). My target seems to be on the flip side, where most seniors/upperclassmen will say go with the banks/groups you vibe with more and don't focus too much on prestige.
Boutiques > Bulge for literally everything like comp, culture, prestige, exits per capita, career mobility
But bulge is cooler to tell your aunt where you work on Thanksgiving
How about Q, Allen, FTP (off personality fit not actual prestige)
Qatalyst is top of the list lol but no one is getting that given it's like 99% luck (as opposed to the other firms that are only 90% luck :))
allen is 99.9 luck on whether on not your last name matches a md
The issue is different people have different definition of hardos
Hardo List in Order
-Moelis
-PJT
-Centerview
-Evercore
-PWP
-Lazard
Just say EB > BB lol.
Consequuntur molestias id porro aperiam minus ex labore. Cumque nemo libero aut nostrum quis. Aut autem quisquam et eveniet.
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...