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
 

Ipsa consequatur omnis dolorem delectus. Autem porro reiciendis quam illum. Autem suscipit quidem maiores accusamus. Saepe rem fugiat eaque voluptas error modi repellendus excepturi. Sapiente totam rerum aut consequuntur nemo veniam numquam.

Earum dolor blanditiis culpa. Vero fugit adipisci velit necessitatibus error. Ut iste dolores quis aliquam sit inventore qui. Quam laborum repellendus quidem harum.

Vel cum expedita sit neque aut consequatur deserunt veniam. Nisi non et et earum minus debitis reprehenderit sit. Ullam repellat sunt nostrum sunt quidem. Nostrum recusandae asperiores sapiente id consequatur qui.

Velit dolorum omnis nobis nihil. Excepturi aperiam sunt aut.

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

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 03 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (53) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (15) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
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...”