Not everyone makes it. Where do most finance types land up?

I've searched archives and seen guys working in small businesses and ending up in Venture Capital etc?

Where do the guys who don't make it to the big leagues( OWNERSHIP, invitation to WEF sessions, board seats, joining consortiums, passive income) go?

Do they stay in IBD and die as VP's?

Do they go off to be the heads of corporate strategy @ large clothing companies?

5,802 WSO Academy Investment Banking Session Reviews: 4.82/5

Class of '28 Jul 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Interview

“The questions were amazing and genuinely challenging, which made the session extremely valuable for me. Going into the mock interview, I felt that I had memorized and understood most of the critical technical concepts, but Julius pushed me beyond the surface-level knowledge and went much deeper into the accounting side. That was especially helpful because it showed me the difference between simply knowing the main concepts and being able to confidently explain the details, connections, and reasoning behind them under pressure. The behavioral portion was just as useful. Julius gave me very detailed feedback on how I should prepare for questions related specifically to my background, experiences, and story. Rather than only practicing the standard behavioral questions, we discussed how interviewers could dig deeper into different parts of my resume and ask follow-up questions about my academic path, previous experiences, motivations for finance, and the decisions I have made along the way. This helped me understand that I need to be prepared not only with strong initial answers, but also with clear and thoughtful explanations for almost every important part of my background. One of the biggest takeaways from the session was identifying the areas where I should spend more time developing a deeper level of understanding instead of relying on memorization. Julius was very good at asking follow-up questions that tested whether I actually understood the underlying concepts, which gave me a much clearer picture of what a real interview could feel like. We also created a longer-term preparation plan together. Our goal is to work together approximately once every two to three weeks and use each session to focus deeply on a particular topic. Instead of trying to cover everything at once, we will gradually specialize in different areas and build my knowledge step by step, while continuing to work on behavioral questions and my overall interview story. I think this structure will be extremely helpful because it gives me enough time between sessions to study independently, address the weaknesses we identify, and come back better prepared for the next topic. Overall, the session gave me a much better understanding of where I currently stand, what interviewers may expect from me, and what I need to improve before recruiting begins. I left the session with very clear action items and a much more structured approach to my preparation.”

Class of '29 Oct 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Coffee Chat

“Kevin was incredibly helpful. He took the time to do a coffee chat with me and was candid about where I could improve. His main point was that I should build more knowledge of the industry before these conversations, so I can ask sharper questions and show I've done my homework. He also gave me a clear framework for the conversation itself. Start by asking about their background and how they got into their role. Then ask for advice for my field, including what they would do in my shoes. He also explained when it is and isn't appropriate to ask for a referral, which is something I hadn't thought through before. ”

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6 Comments

SECfinance

CF

13y

Fucking everywhere. Asset management, PE, corporate development/strategy at a F500, entrepreneurship, start their own IB firm, etc.

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MM IB -> Corporate Development -> Strategic Finance

WSOH

IB

13y

SECfinanceFucking everywhere. Asset management, PE, corporate development/strategy at a F500, entrepreneurship, start their own IB firm, etc.

start their own IB firm. lol, thats why there are so many bad shops around.

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Corporate Raider Definition

LHDan

PE

13y

WSOH
SECfinanceFucking everywhere. Asset management, PE, corporate development/strategy at a F500, entrepreneurship, start their own IB firm, etc.

start their own IB firm. lol, thats why there are so many bad shops around.

Hey, don't knock it before you try it. You can make a very, very good living (7-figures) by completing a few small deals ($10-50mm) a year if your small shop has very low overhead (e.g. office in the 'burbs and an intern to do your bitch work).

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Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - Vice PresidentCertified Private Equity Pro

WSOH

IB

13y

LHDan
WSOH
SECfinanceFucking everywhere. Asset management, PE, corporate development/strategy at a F500, entrepreneurship, start their own IB firm, etc.

start their own IB firm. lol, thats why there are so many bad shops around.
Hey, don't knock it before you try it. You can make a very, very good living (7-figures) by completing a few small deals ($10-50mm) a year if your small shop has very low overhead (e.g. office in the 'burbs and an intern to do your bitch work).

meh. even better when u can get 20 unpaid interns to do your bitch work. more than enough kids who want "investment banking" on their junior fall resumes.

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nixtrix

?

13y

new goal in life...get invited to Davos

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NYCbandar

?

13y

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Sed sed quos eaque voluptas architecto ratione nihil. Laborum omnis nesciunt non sit amet qui.

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Not everyone makes it. Where do most finance types land up?

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Not everyone makes it. Where do most finance types land up?

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