Which team in Chicago have the best life style?
Which firm or group in Chicago have the best pay, life style, and culture overall? Especially, if I’m trying to be a career banker and don’t worry about exit.
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Blair HC.
People are fantastic, work/life balance is better than most places, and the group does interesting work.
Del
did not age well.
Lincoln is great in the Chicago office
Yes, in the Chicago office. Other locations not so much.
WB Tech
I did two years at WB tech and am laughing at this thread - like ya culture is probably above average but it’s still an absolute sweat shop, it’s just a sweat shop with two weeks mandatory vacation and (reasonably) protected Saturdays.
Good deal flow is a pro and a con, but as an analyst it means you get absolutely cranked - just look at Blair’s tech deal count. It’s a big team but not big enough to support that level of deal flow
Just curious, did you exit into NY or Chicago PE?
Don’t want to dox myself but I can tell you I was in processes with Chicago, NY, and firms in other T2 cities if that answers your question - didn’t feel like anything was off the table for me due to location, but this was also during Covid when recruiting was more virtual
Any group at WB outside of TMT and HC that have good wlb?
It’s still fucking investment banking and at least you’re executing M&A, paid cash, given free meals, and forced into vacation. Spare all of us the sob fest.
boo hoo a real sweatshop doesnt have protected saturdays that was a lifestyle shop bro. be thankful
Any insight on the GS Chi office in terms of culture and lifestyle?
Blair hands down. If you want to be in Chicago, they're easily the top bank and own deal flow in that area. I would take Blair CHI over any CHI BB/EB unless I was planning on internally lateraling to their NYC office.
Why is that? Most of the BBs in CHI fully execute deals, and Lazard RX CHI is arguably stronger than its NYC counterpart because the head is in CHI
Strictly talking about career banking in M&A/advisory. Laz rx is good in CHI though for sure. Chi BBs are mostly satellite offices and tend to focus on industrials, which can be pretty sweaty and not have the best culture. You won't be working on the best types of deals compared to the NY BB's. Typically, the HQ of a bank is the place to be for the best deal flow. Sure, there are exceptions like MS Menlo, GS SF TMT, Baird CHI, European BBs with NY offices etc., but you'll usually get the best experience in the HQ. The pay in Blair will easily beat out any CHI BB, and the culture is definitely better, which is what the question was focused on. MOE/PWP/EVR CHI are not that strong tbh despite the brand name and rep they have in NYC. I'm not saying Blair is a better bank than GS for example though. All I'm saying is if one wants to be in CHI long term and be a career banker at a place with a good culture and deal flow, Blair tops the list imo.
Seems like theirs a lot of private credit / direct lending shops in Chicago that have good WLB
I don’t a shit about prestige. I only care about WLB and pay… which group should I target in Chicago?
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