SA Recruiting and Game Theory

According to different WSO threads, Guggenheim, RBC, Moelis, Perella Weinberg TPH, and HL have all started early recruiting for Summer 2020. I was talking about it with a friend and realized this can be explained in a bit through Game Theory. If you are unaware of Robert Axelrod’s tournaments that tested different strategies for maximizing utility in a prisoner’s dilemma, you can find a synopsis of Tit for Tat and 90% Tit for Tat in those links.

Up until SA 2019 recruiting, it has inched up earlier to end of summer/beginning of fall when students are on campus. Well Fargo jumped this for SA 2019 and started recruiting in March 2018, thus “defecting” in a game in which participants were mostly “cooperating” by keeping recruiting in fall. This could be explained by WF using a 90% Tit for Tat strategy, by not cooperating with cooperating players. This defection thus (assumingly) gave them a better shot at getting talent by giving offers that expire before other banks came on campus.

In the next round of the game, we see the rest of the banks mirroring this defection and moving up to recruiting for SA during students’ sophomore fall. By continuing a Tit for Tat strategy, it is expected to see other “defections,” as earlier recruiting will most likely come with negative externalities that outweigh getting a jump on the other banks. I am not sure what those will be, but shared my opinion on how I think the recruiting timeline will play out on the Is Summer Analyst Recruiting Out of Control thread:

"Stay.Hungry" I think it will continue moving up until the next recession. Firms will cut back on their offers that are more than a year out from their start dates. The economy will recover and they will recruit again closer to the start dates.

I thought this was a cool way to look at explaining why summer recruiting is happening the way it is and wanted to hear your thoughts on it. Critics of this synopsis?

1 Comments
 
Funniest

Ut delectus iure delectus occaecati voluptas commodi. Dolor ut temporibus praesentium reprehenderit ut cumque nihil.

Sit nobis omnis repellendus sit qui sint ratione. Nobis sapiente officiis dolorum at impedit. Delectus eligendi ut laboriosam quo soluta possimus velit. Et similique est reprehenderit. Ducimus dolore maxime minima non. Quos beatae quae maiores et velit adipisci a.

Fugiat aut fugiat maxime qui. Amet quia modi exercitationem quos quaerat id voluptas. Voluptas non labore a ratione et laboriosam. Nulla eum voluptatem iure est dolorem ut omnis. Ea amet eos molestiae accusamus ad quibusdam libero.

Unde voluptas voluptas perspiciatis et quis doloremque voluptatem. Molestiae dolorem et dolorum rem sunt sed accusamus.

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 07 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 (26) $182
  • 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
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
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”