Why are top boutiques seen as more desirable places to work at?

Sounds like everyone I know who interned or works FT at a top boutique is miserable and getting worked to the bone (frequently works more than 80 hours weekly). 
 

Why don’t people prefer to work at bulges or top middle market groups instead? I would think deal vol and size should be similar to those at top boutiques and generally slightly better hours and similar exit opps

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I agree. I’d rather work 70 hours weekly than 90 hours weekly. 
 

I think people at the top EB groups tend to see more burnout especially if they enter pe afterwards. 

 

Question I can’t understand: if you’re a Moelis Evercore, what’s the appeal to kids to work harder in the interview process, work harder in the job (100+ hours consistently) just to get similar looks? 50k? 
 

similarly, to PE funds what’s the point of hiring a GS kid who barely knew technicals over a EVR or CVP kid who had to work so much harder (and prob is a lot sharper)?

 
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Overall, the perception is there is a meaningful difference in buyside interviewing between an EB and non GS/BB-Top-Group BB (Citi, baml, etc). Problem is, you may not get placed into the top group at BB, so why roll the dice at a Citi/BAML/UBS/JPM vs knowing you'll get good looks at an Evercore/PJT/etc. 

I think it is a different story at GS in particular. People do decline EB offers all the time for GS for the prestige and ability to still get same interviews. 

The extra 50-100k over analyst years is just the kicker. 

 

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