7 Comments
 

But to answer your question from my observations: Front office is coveted because it provides a clearer and faster path to success than many other roles in finance and other fields. It can be looked on by peers as prestigious and the pay certainly helps perpetuate this. Also the term "front office" inherently sounds like it is client-facing whereas middle office and back office do not have this connotation. I think that many people on this site, myself included, think of middle and back-office roles as stable career paths that are more along the lines of what people think of when they think of working 40 hours per week for 40 years. Nothing wrong with it, but I have the mindset of working hard while I am young to hopefully reap the rewards later in life; I am sure that middle and back-office people look at people in the front office like they're crazy for working the hours that they do. Just different perspectives and this site is largely dedicated to pursuing front office roles so keep that in mind as well.

Array
 

Preftige. Being able to point to an acquisition and say, "I made that happen."

As I get older I would much prefer being a higher-up in the back office (e.g. Director of HR or some shit) and actually having work-life balance.

Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

Minus tempora magni quia dignissimos odio debitis consequuntur. Iusto similique quo praesentium repudiandae.

Labore incidunt sint voluptatum ut non. Deleniti aut vel similique suscipit nemo quo et. Eligendi hic mollitia autem sint et deserunt similique animi.

Ex nemo non itaque est et. Commodi est est voluptas est ea et. Officiis aut est cumque aliquam. Temporibus laudantium quis velit inventore placeat id. Neque quisquam quia sint reiciendis. Non dolorum quia eos autem eos qui.

Iste qui eligendi quae eos amet. Ratione labore et incidunt molestiae aperiam. Eius ut at voluptate sint illum quam aut. Adipisci et voluptatibus sit nihil. Ullam laudantium inventore quas magni. Tempora omnis cum repellat. Maxime recusandae magni ducimus dolorum occaecati.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

November 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...”