The stupidest reason to join high finance/MBB you've ever heard.

The title says it all. Probably this post is targeted to more junior people but I bet than more than one of the senior monkeys will have some really messed up stories. I will start: A uni colleague of mine used to say that he wanted to go into IB/MBB because he will leverage that to pick up girls. I can only remember me thinking “You are a mean not necessarily handsome dwarf, IB/MBB will make you an overworked extra mean not necessarily handsome dwarf” Plus, on this side of the sea, I think bankers don’t have the nightlife they have in the US with the exception of London/Madrid.

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rabbit

Prestige

Hot take, but working for a non prestigious company >>> working for a prestigious firm

I left a "very prestigious" role  (MBB/EB/FAANG/etc...) a few years ago for a job at a no-name company in a 'boring' industry. Hours are infinitely better (40 hour weeks max), people don't make their whole personality about their job, and the pay is often as good or even better because these companies will pay a lot for top tier talent.

It's funny how many people I talk to overlook these perks because they want to work for a company they can brag about to their friends.

 

I've landed an 18-month rotational position at a small, specialized boutique in Germany. While the salary isn't as high (closer to B4 rather than IB and shitty bonus). The partners here all have over 15 years of experience in IB, Big 4 M&A, or a mix of both. With just 12 people in my office (including 4 partners, one secretary, and 2 trainee analysts), the hierarchy is flat and the teams are tight-knit.

I'm typically working 45 hours a week, with late-night shifts being a rarity. Per hour, I'm actually earning 5% to 10% more than my friends in BB or EB, which is really weird in the German job market, plus I have a solid work-life balance. While the transactions I am working on might not be making headlines, I'm gaining hands-on experience rather than just pitching ideas—especially since the current market in Germany is heavily focused on SMEs.

Also, they really wanted me to the point that it took less than two weeks to get the contract after the first contact.

 

It does briefly showcase an IPO, so it's not completely divorced from IB. But yes, pretty much all finance-related media, including The Wolf of Wall Street, focus almost exclusively on sales & trading/brokerage, because that's what the average person is familiar with and can understand.

To infinity... and beyond!
 

Models & bottles was something I heard undergrad students unironically talk about wanting as part of their future in IB. Freshman/Sophomores can be impressively retarded no matter what school you're at.

"If you don't have any enemies in life you have never stood up for anything" - Winston Churchill | "It's a testament to the sheer belligerence of the profession that people would rather argue about the 'risk-adjusted returns' of using inferior tooth cleaning methods." - kellycriterion
 
PrivateTechquity 🚀GME🚀

Models & bottles was something I heard undergrad students unironically talk about wanting as part of their future in IB. Freshman/Sophomores can be impressively retarded no matter what school you're at.

Except once you're somewhat more senior eg VP+ you do actually get laid from it.. 

 

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