No signing bonuses at WB?

Heard from a friend that current SAs don't get a signing bonus for accepting their offer. Obviously Blair gave all interns offers so you could argue that a signing bonus isn't necessary, but it seems like unnecessary penny pinching from a bank considering that ~15k can be a massive deal for a college kid and means very little to a big bank. Just sucks for kids who were planning on making 20k in the summer and another 15k in signing bonus ready to go have some fun their last year of school, and now they are getting a 5 week prorated salary and 0 signing bonus.

Do people think this trend will extend across the street? I assume that banks know the FT recruiting scene is going to be a bloodbath, so they might be thinking that, even without signing bonuses, people will feel pressure to accept return offers and its an easy way for a bank to save a few hundred thousand, especially given current economic conditions. Will places like Moelis/Citi follow suit because those interns didn't 'earn' anything?

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I think most banks are taking away their housing stipend ($2k) but that’s not a big deal since you’re saving way more than that by not paying NYC rent anyway.

Not to shit on Blair, but I think they’re one of the only well-regarded banks that isn’t paying interns the full 10 week salary so this no signing bonus thing might be unique to them.

 

Yup. I think all EB/BBs (except maybe DB?) are paying the summer in full, while most MM shops went with a reduced salary. I think Blair made a mistake not trying to roll with the big dogs so to speak and doing what the EBs are doing, but obviously them giving FT offers sort of makes up for that. That being said, it's kind of a kick in the balls going reduced salary + no signing bonus.

 

Everyone, including the MM, has been smoked in Q2, but you're still seeing many processes continue forward, especially in the healthcare and technology space. Also, for what it's worth, Blair is known to be extremely conservative financially, which might explain this decision. Not justifying, just providing a plausible explanation.

 

Has ECM been busy these last 2 months even though the market's been down a ton these last 2 months. I don't know why you would try to sell stock right now unless you were very desperate for cash.

 

Blair normally gives SA a 15,000 signing bonus? That sounds really high. Maybe 15,000 for those who accept FT offer, but you're saying they usually give a 15,000 signing bonus for summer analysts?

 

Oh, okay, I was confused -- because you talked about college kids getting the additional 15k, so I made the inference that they'd be receiving the FT bonus THIS summer, when they were SA... is this the case? Or would the FT signing bonus be paid once they start FT, next summer?

 

WB could still possibly give a relocation bonus in the Fall or next Spring. I think it's too early to call them out on it. Also, the majority of WB interns are upper middle class from the Chicago suburbs or go to NW/UC, so I doubt they're sweating about moving costs.

 

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