Possible to do IB without killing yourself?

I know that this question has been asked a thousand times, but I'm going to ask it again for my own sanity. Is it possible to make MD without killing yourself in IB?

I have spent 5 years at a tier 2 consulting firm, and I love my job, but I'm headed back to school and the deal making process has always been extremely interesting to me. I work on projects long after someone has set direction, and the idea of working in the deal making process seems appealing as that is where the important decisions are made.

But, I also don't want to go into banking and do a 2-and-out as an associate. I can sustain 8:00am - 10:00pm Monday through Thursday and 9:00am - 5:00pm on Friday and Saturday (with obvious variability with deliverables due, etc.), but much more than that and I'm afraid that I would wash out pretty quickly.

Can I make partner without going over 80 hours regularly or would I be better off just going back to tier 2 consulting/corporate strategy?

4 Comments
 

lol fair point. I see my fair share of burnt out/strung out Senior Managers and Managers in consulting, but it's a fairly manageable life as long as you have an understanding girlfriend and no children. Everything I have read says that banking hours are worse so I don't know if that means the washout rate ends up higher or the people that succeed long term are just that much better than we are or if there is a difference at all. I just don't want to job hop a bunch after finishing my MBA. If sustainable careers are possible in IB then I would be all about it, but I don't want to get shit-canned trying to compete with a bunch of people that are just killing themselves for two years before moving on to something new.

 

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