Terrified about bonus

First year analyst here so this is my first time dealing with bonuses, am (probably unreasonably) very worried about getting lowballed despite a ton of positive feedback and 2nd year analyst level responsibility being given to me. How do you guys read the room when it comes to bonuses/how are they actually distributed? This bonus season will be my first rodeo

10 Comments
 
Most Helpful

On a more serious note, while positive feedback is great - ultimately your bonus is the ultimate barometer of how well you’re doing (bottom, mid, top bucket). I always found it more useful as a way to sus out how the team felt about working with me vs verbal feedback.


People can give positive feedback to your face, but the numbers don’t lie when it comes down to dollars and cents (not saying people are like maliciously lying to you or anything, more just bonus is where rubber meets the road and people literally get ranked top to bottom)

 

When I went to a top MBA program this was one of the things I wanted to make sure of, that I would control my own destiny, not someone else, which is why I founded my company

 

Non provident eaque aut nesciunt. Dolore reprehenderit asperiores ut. Nobis sed adipisci ipsum repellat minus. Consequatur blanditiis possimus dolores aliquam.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 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 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 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

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...”