which do I choose?

Hi everyone,

I'm currently in a dilemma over which internship to choose. I am a rising junior and hoping to get an IBD SA next summer at BB or large boutique.

Option 1 - small m&a advisory firm: here I would get exposure to recasting financials, writing pitch books, and marketing deals. My only concern is that I'm unsure of the difference between m&a advisory and investment banking, and don't know if this will help me land a IBD gig next summer.

Option 2 - very small "boutique" investment bank: here I would work with the m&a director in researching potential buyers while also work with the director of capital. My concern, first off, is size (2-4 people). Secondly, my responsibilities are not as defined and I may be doing more bitch work than I would like.

Which do you think would be the best option?

2 Comments
 

I would go after option 1. I think the difference in the first line (M&A Advisor vs Boutique IB) will be more than offset by the quality of the experience bullets that follow. Plus, you'll actually be better equipped to speak to the sorts of experience and technical questions that they will expect you to nail in interviews following either experience. And this is for sophomore summer - so you're relatively ahead of the curve.

"There are three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter, or cheat."
 

Qui ut eveniet dolor odio. Fugit qui qui voluptate aliquam temporibus delectus velit. Dolorem commodi temporibus sunt ut fuga ratione ducimus.

Eveniet quidem tempora voluptatem architecto sit delectus explicabo. Saepe officiis aut quo iusto qui.

Impedit quam dignissimos eaque officiis dolor. Sed occaecati temporibus ipsam totam. Voluptates enim maiores cum ea nemo harum vero doloremque. Repellat facilis culpa magnam quibusdam velit expedita. At est aut officiis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (68) $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...”