Let's pretend you don't care about the exits. Would be "passionate" about whatever group. Your main goal is to climb the ladder within IB & also one-day start a family.
What groups are we talking about here?
| +439 | Female bankers doing brand deals on TikTok | 121 | 7h |
| +142 | UBS rolling out Enhanced Clean Desk Policy, bans deal toys | 16 | 3d |
| +100 | Starting FT in a city 3 hours away, dad has progressing Parkinson's. Looking for advice. | 8 | 1d |
| +73 | JULY 2026 CHICAGO BANK RANKINGS | 29 | 6h |
| +64 | Restructuring is paradise (a completely unbiased account) | 6 | 4d |
| +37 | Not Treated Well by Other Interns | 20 | 2d |
| +36 | Handling frustration | 5 | 4d |
| +35 | Taking days off as an intern | 17 | 8h |
| +28 | Thoughts on Intrepid - Houlihan Merger | 10 | 3d |
| +27 | IB TikTok Influencers (wehave2wizards) | 9 | 3d |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
I could be wrong but some groups at Baird, HL might have some chill hours
Groups, not firms. Since firm is too broad
I find this highly doubtful. Idk any groups at those banks that aren't at least moderately sweaty.
Yeah, Literally had this conversation with one of my friends last night about those firms. It is just a sweat shop at those two banks.
Any less-active group will allow this, which will vary by bank. At some banks it will be DCM/ECM, at others it may be a specific coverage group.
ECM, DCM, and FSG at most places
Financial sponsors and quieter capital markets groups, perhaps. All very firm dependent, however.
FSG, private funds groups / secondary advisory
Financial sponsors groups at lifestyle groups?
Sponsors is probably the most consistently chill across banks. Downside is less job security.
Why less job security?
It’s not really revenue generating, so layoffs in down cycles can be disproportionate
Product groups ex-M&A: ecm, dcm, secondaries
Definitely ex-LevFin as well
Pub fin
I'd say most chill would be Pub Fin. After that, capital markets groups at non-balance sheet banks.
Varies significantly depending on bank, office, and group. In general, DCM and ECM are some of the better groups. I used to come in at 7am and leave by 7pm. Every now and then a few hours of weekend work or working late. With that said, even within my group it really depends on the people you're staffed with. One sub-group of people would work 7am-9 or 10pm on the regular with weekend work. Another sub-group would work from 7am-6pm with no weekend work.
PubFin can vary as well, but in general the people I knew did around 70+ hours. I would also suggest looking at loan syndications/structured finance/ABS groups as well as they can pay near/at street and have better hours, but then again, I will say it varies quite a bit.
How about Consumer & Retail? Or Metals & Mining?
Pretty sure its group dependant, at least in Toronto, Metals and Mining is one of the sweatiest out there (BMO M&M is probably the top M&M group in the world with the most brutal hours in Toronto). Doesn't help that they gotta do more of the modelling in-house as well because of its specialized nature, so they can't outsource to M&A product group,
Lol top group. Most folks outside of North America would never have heard of BMO, let alone call it top m&m shop globally
so many Canadian jokers coming up on this side. Can we put a wall together?
...
DCM Syndicate Desks (in IBD) have really good hours + interesting day-to-day work
Completely group dependent. I’d shoot for less active sectors at a bank with MDs who have been in their seats for a long time. Hard to be able to tell when interviewing but MDs you work for make or break the lifestyle. If you can find an MD that has established relationships and is looking to coast you’ll get an interesting deal or two a year without pitching until 3 AM everyday.
It ultimately depends based on leadership. That being said, chill DCM related groups like ABL originations/syndications or IG DCM will be good. Pubfin and securitization can be good options as well.
Outside of the more niche areas of a bank others listed, if you are speaking just traditional IB Coverage & M&A, it is ENTIRELY group/people dependent. It can be very random too. I've managed to luck myself into a group that is very chill and not super active (oh no! I'm never going to break into UMM PE the horror!) and juniors clock in around 60 hours a week. Occasional 80+ hour weeks but also at the other end of the spectrum occasional 50 hour weeks (yes I'm serious).
I've struck gold and no I don't plan to reveal the bank name as I would like my cushy spot uncontested frankly. I'm at a "low tier" bank that people on here laugh at and college prospects think of as a last resort backup, but not like a random boutique. The name still always pops up on ranking threads. I remember I used to beat myself up because everyone else was heading to BB/EBs and I struck out. Thank God life works out sometimes.....
Curious, do you have to sacrifice comp (bonus) for the more chill lifestyle? Compared to the street, i mean
Base is street. Assuming bonus should be too
What location?
can you PM me? I was in your same boat and would love to hear about your experience :/.
Sounds like Truist to those wondering
No but close. They are chill also I’ve heard from friends.
Have heard of groups like this at Stifel, Wells, Raymond James, etc.
The challenge here is that a super chill group will likely not be that way in 5-10 years. If it's an underperforming group, management will be on them. If the MDs are tenured, they will roll off eventually and the new MDs will have a lot of pressure to replicate their deal numbers. If you stay a while (past Associate 2/3 really) you will have trouble moving out of your vertical if you don't like your group anymore.
Small, regional boutiques in Tier 2/3 cities are a safer bet. Smaller deals, no NYC CEO coming after you on execution, and your clients probably won't meet you on a Saturday anyway. Comp slightly below market but COL is also lower.
Pub Fin and ECM/DCM are traditionally slightly better but 70-80 hours is still a big ask with a family. Corp dev is the place to be if WLB is a priority.
Check out Super Regionals/MMs/strong regional boutiques in LCOL areas. Especially in the south. Typically better culture and hours with excellent pay that isn't far off from street pay.
Like Truist or Raymond James?
Those two, Citizens, Regions, WF, boutiques, etc.
Truist definitely pays well below street per the other threads
WF cap markets in NC is probably the best balance (although you have to be cool with NC)
ECM at any MM bank. Literally all coasters.
As someone who entered IB as a junior, with a family, let me tell you there isn't one. IB is not built for people with families.
You need to have a talk with your gf/fiance/wife and explain to her that sacrifices would have to be made, but financially you will be much more secure. It's a difficult talk, though a necessary one, and imo not one I'd do for more than a couple years. Unless you're joining at a VP level which is doubtful.
None
Aut enim perspiciatis at ipsam. Consequatur quis non nihil ea et velit excepturi. Repellat quia eum eligendi debitis tenetur.
Culpa numquam adipisci sunt nihil quibusdam quas reiciendis nam. Nostrum commodi enim sint delectus qui autem.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Sit officiis vitae fugiat. Quos pariatur nam repudiandae officia consequatur sed. Debitis rem maiores ipsam eaque ipsam rerum exercitationem accusantium. Dolor esse nostrum est labore officia. Molestiae qui ea reiciendis nesciunt.
Eos quaerat id ut soluta illo illum cupiditate. Sit distinctio tempore beatae sint tempore quam ut error. Repellendus pariatur voluptate dolorem commodi dolores minima earum.
Provident veniam officia distinctio quos iure incidunt. Totam animi rem dicta sit distinctio. Ut et dolorem quasi. Ipsa labore dolor voluptas earum. Repudiandae nemo repellendus laborum ut.
Cum eos iure quisquam. Aut voluptatem aspernatur cupiditate voluptate animi. Esse voluptatem autem recusandae ut magni porro ut.
Quod est eum quod recusandae labore. Accusantium et quod tempora quas ducimus omnis quia est.
Excepturi aliquid et unde expedita officiis dolorem et. Ut repellendus dicta esse nihil possimus non. Quia sint aut aut sunt porro et dolores.