I'll be working as a Summer Associate at a BB starting in a few weeks and just want to get an idea of what I can realistically expect in terms of workload/hours. I don't have previously IB experience so just trying to figure out if I should be staying until the FT Analyst/Associates leave every night. Any insight appreciated.
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Yes.
You don't have to worry, your work life balance will be fine
As an MBA Associate, your role will basically be:
1. Receive an email from your MD
2. Forward it to the Analyst below you
3. Sit back / Relax. Chase the Analyst every hour (but don't help him, of course)
4. Once the Analyst has done the work, you send it do the MD - Don't forget to ask to the Analyst to PDF it
I hope this helps, that's all I can share based on my everyday life
If you want real advice: Ask the 2nd / 3rd year analysts for help. If you make our life easier we will be grateful and want to help you secure that return and make you look good. If you push off work and are unpleasant, the analysts will all talk about how much you suck and when our staffer casually asks us how you're performing, we will throw you straight under the bus.
Not even a meme
Sounds like a joke but is actually true
Yeah it sounds like a joke but basically this is 100% based on my experience. I am not inventing anything, I am basically describing my reality, so yes OP doesn't have worry about his lifestyle: he will have his army of slaves (the analysts)
Would guess 8-midnight
Varies from what I heard but expect 80-90 hour weeks. There was some poster on Reddit (I think he posted here too I forget) but he was averaging 90+ hours a week, possibly a 100. Can be truly group dependent, pretty sure this poster said he was at some EB that was having like a record year for IB fees or something along those lines.
Work stuff aside, focus on getting to know other associates and VPs and identity a senior associate you get along with. Keep it casual and create some rapport. That’ll frame the experience differently. Just be humble with the analysts and gradually volunteer to take on tasks you know you can handle efficiently. No home runs here, just a few singles maybe a sacrifice bunt and you’ll be good.
My experience as a Summer Associate:
Monday-Thursday: Log off usually around 2-2:30am
Friday: Done around 7-8pm
Saturday: No work or maybe 4-5 hours of online time
Sunday: Online 10am and done around early evening
Hearing from classmates, hours as a summer can vary greatly. Some groups shield interns from the hours so you could possibly be done by 10pm every night while your FT team works way into the morning. Or you can be up until 4am right alongside with them.
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