Prestige getting to my head

Incoming at mid-BB (Citi/Barc/UBS). Was thrilled about the offer when I got it, but slowly have been letting prestige get to my head. People are constantly talking about how if you are not at the best EBs or MS/JPM/MS, it won't be as good of an experience.

I don't want to seem ungrateful at all because I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity, but sometimes I wonder if I should try to lateral ore recruit somewhere better? Does anyone else feel this way?

19 Comments
 

I was of the same mentality before I officially started the job, but once you are on the job and start to ramp up, that feeling will likely go away because you will be knee-deep into the weeds of things that it will take your mind off of it. Citi/Barc/UBS are all great platforms to kick off your career, especially in this brutal job market. I'd say just try to stay grounded and absorb/process as much as possible.

A couple of years into the job, if you still think Citi/Barc/UBS do not meet your "prestige" requirement (unthinkable to many), then you will have more leverage to lateral with some deal reps and experience under your belt. Maybe the market will be better then and lateral to GS/MS/JPM will be easier.

Anyway, for now you should focus on your growth and ramp-up instead of the logo that's in your deck.

 

Yeah that makes sense. Again, not trying to sound arrogant by this as I know all 3 of these firms are prestigious as well. Just looking forward to getting a strong experience, but threads only talking about job cuts and lower bonuses/deal flow at these firms makes me nervous sometimes lol

 

A couple of years into the job, if you still think Citi/Barc/UBS do not meet your "prestige" requirement (unthinkable to many),

Actually, I find it very thinkable that Citibank and Barclays would not meet one's prestige threshold. Especially if one is a middling Associate at one of those firms and missed the buy-side boat. That would be incredibly unprestigious, but also not entirely unlikely, as securing top tier exit opps is a leading reason why top students will receive top marks in University, so they don't end up at a mid level BB with no exit opps. 

 
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My guy, no one actually gives a shit other than the weird ppl whose place of work becomes their entire personality.

 

You have a choice to make.  Do you want to continue associating with people that are "constantly" talking about things that are causing you insecurity about a job that you haven't even started?  Or do you want to be a person that recognizes that they have accomplished something great by lining up a job at a respectable company, in a competitive field, before graduating, and is simply happy about it?

This forum can be a great resource but if you're allowing sentiments shared here to get into your head in this way, you need to log off.

 

OP don't be so insecure.

Equally don't consume the content on this forum from the college kids that talk about prestige. It's the blind leading the blind. 

Get settled, get a year under your belt. Then make a call based on your own situation. 

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Comparison is the thief of joy. Only 1% or less of the population actually cares where you work 99% of people you tell won’t have a clue and just lump all finance people together. It’s not as impressive as it’s made out to be.

as long as you continue to let others dictate your perception of yourself you won’t be happy. Just be proud of yourself for working hard and making it and make your own life and carve your own path. Live within your means and use the money you make now to set yourself up to do something you actually love in the future. If you live comparing yourself you’ll be up to your eyeballs in debt and keep leveraging yourself to impress others. It’s a waste of time energy and just generally life. 

 

“People are constantly talking about how if you are not at the best EBs or MS/JPM/MS, it won't be as good of an experience.”

I could tell from this sentence that you weren’t going to get into the upper echelon of finance. You obviously meant “GS/JPM/MS,” and this dire error clearly signifies you don’t have the attention to detail to make it to the top ranks.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 
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yo Isaih I'm super excited for your rager next weekend in NYC, lets party it up bro models and bottles style!!!

Haha nice - should be a good time!!! It’s not till Sept 27 though. Cheers -

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

You are overthinking it, be grateful as many people would kill for your position. Also, the prestige matter will get to your head and waste your mental energy. You may end up enjoying where you at once into it but nothing wrong with switching somewhere else you see better fit once you experience it fully. The only people who care about “prestige” are losers who have no life/personality outside their job, don’t be one of those…

 

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