Reflecting on Motivations for a Career in Investment Banking

Hello everyone,

I'm currently pursuing a career in investment banking and find myself reflecting deeply on my motivations and goals. Recently, someone close to me suggested that my drive might be heavily influenced by personal ego and the prestige associated with the industry, rather than a passion for finance or long-term career fulfillment.

I'd greatly appreciate your insights and experiences in the following areas:

  1. Personal Motivations: What were your primary motivations for entering investment banking? How have these motivations evolved over your career?

  2. Balancing Ego and Passion: How do you balance the prestige and competitive aspects of the industry with a genuine passion for the work? Have you found that one tends to overshadow the other?

  3. Career Fulfillment: Looking back, what aspects of your career in investment banking have brought you the most satisfaction? Is it aligned with what initially drew you to the field?

  4. Advice for Newcomers: What advice would you give to someone entering the field? How important is it to have motivations beyond prestige and recognition?

1 Comments
 

Amet ducimus quis voluptas itaque. Ipsam neque et officiis ducimus aut omnis suscipit blanditiis. Sequi optio autem impedit. Ad sunt saepe quaerat sunt distinctio. Placeat non ad qui consequuntur. Quidem cupiditate dicta molestiae maxime.

Molestiae et incidunt veniam officiis blanditiis illum quis. Et quia deleniti sint dolor aut. Magni et iste quo aut neque aut.

Aut quaerat ut dignissimos eaque exercitationem enim earum. Minima magnam qui modi libero et. Quam neque id laboriosam ullam consectetur placeat. Placeat pariatur et exercitationem expedita soluta.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”