Seeking the community’s wisdom

Hey Everyone, After three intense years, countless rejections from JPM and GS, and hustling through my master’s in a foreign country, I’ve finally secured an Analyst position in a rotational program at a boutique SME. To cut to the chase, I’m looking for advice on how to approach my next career move. The rotational program is 18 months long, split across three teams (9 months on Sellside, 6 months in Valuation, and 3 months on Buyside abroad). This firm also has close ties with a $3 billion PE fund that often hires from within. Here’s my question: Would you aim to lateral to a larger, more prestigious IB firm in the near future, or would you stay put, build your career here, and potentially transition into the PE fund with the support of your mentor?

1 Comments
 

Accusantium ut cumque ex numquam sed molestiae voluptatem rerum. Sint voluptas minima rem eos nobis similique. Aliquid corporis cumque voluptate aut natus culpa porro. Velit aspernatur est ullam quisquam qui.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 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...”