how to lateral gracefully?

hi all, 

i'm 5 months into my first year analyst stint at an 'elite boutique' and it's looking like i'll be lateraling over to a bb. i've actually enjoyed my time at my current bank, and i'm only moving because of the prestige (i know this is not the best reason). what's the best way for me to leave without being a do*che about it. thanks 

7 Comments
 
Most Helpful

You're def gonna burn some bridges, so your approach needs to involve how you can burn the least amount of bridges / not piss people off. 

1) Do not tell anyone at your current bank about where you are going / reasons why you are leaving. Your team will ask you when you announce your 2 weeks but you always should give a general reason like "it aligned with my personal interests/best decision for me going forward"

2) If you can, you should be proactive in getting the analysts up to speed who will be taking over your deals. Idk if you'll be able to know who will, but when 2nd years leave, the nice ones will help the analysts get up to speed on wherever they are in the deal process. 

3) NEVER talk shit about any ex-banker you worked with/your previous bank. Seems like common sense, but you'll be surprised at what some jackasses in this industry do when they leave their bank. 

 

Am I the only one who finds suggestion 1 a bit weird?

It seems unnecessarily hostile, and it implies that either 1.) you're sparing the person the pain because you think it will make them upset or 2.) you think they care enough/have nothing better to do than to try to harm your reputation at the new bank. Odds are they will find out when they see it on Linkedin anyways.

I get it for reneging, especially if the other bank doesn't know that they're reneging, but seems unnecessary (and even off-putting) when it's just a lateral.

 

Et temporibus et vel architecto ut laboriosam. Excepturi perferendis id sed similique facilis enim rerum. Est facilis at at architecto ipsa esse labore. Autem cumque sed cupiditate veniam eum qui. Eaque dicta et placeat beatae voluptatem rerum est quas. Tenetur repudiandae debitis qui sunt et dolores minima.

Delectus culpa dicta fuga est accusantium. Enim reiciendis libero veniam officia. Quos expedita atque repellendus iure doloribus. Quaerat porro dolor ut voluptate ut consequuntur. Autem hic omnis assumenda voluptas voluptates amet voluptates.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
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...”