Offer Help - FAS vs Boutique

Appreciate any insight in my decision going forward for SA.

I've read a lot about FAS on the forum, but just wanted to see what people thought in comparison to a boutique ibank for a SA position. Both have really great people. The boutique has only about 30 people but a lot of senior bankers with a lot of experience.

HLHZ FAS or Boutique IB

Thank you in advance.

12 Comments
 
Best Response

For a summer spot I would probably pick HLHZ. FAS work has some similarities with IB, HLHZ is a solid name on the resume and will offer you good opportunities to network. The boutique might end up being too small for you to actually get your hands on anything during the summer and then you will have no name or experience to add to your resume.

 

Echoing Anthony, I would also choose FAS solely for the name brand it will help for FT recruiting. The boutique may garner you great experience, but HLHZ FAS is really good for its space, and the namebrand is pretty well-regarded. The experience at FAS differs widely, since some groups focus on valuations and FOs for interesting M&A deals, whereas other groups focus on valuing investments in Hedge Funds and the like.

 

One more comment. If you really want to cut your teeth and learn how to modeling then you should absolutely look at valuation firms. Not the place you want to stay forever, but you really learn how to model inside and out.

 

follow up.

HLHZ FAS vs BAML capital markets

  1. is BAML cap mkts better than HLHZ FAS for FT BB IBD?
  2. I know BAML has a top notch Lev Fin group in capital markets. Would that be better than FAS?
  3. Is it worth reneging HLHZ for BAML?

Ultimately, I aiming for BB in a financial sponsors group. Lev fin makes a bit of sense here, but wanted your opinion.

 

FAS just added a Transaction Advisory component to its services last year which should help get analysts a little more deal experience. Transaction Advisory essentially helps PE firms and Hedge Funds evaluate potential acquisitions before they go through with the deal. The new service should help with developing connections with PE firms and Hedge funds if your looking to get into that later on. Plus the pay is pretty good. 70k+8k sign on+ end of year bonus.

 

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