IB at a top 5 bank in Canada or Secondaries at an Elite boutique in the US?

Hi,

I'm conflicted - I have two great offers. One is traditional IB at a top 5 bank in Canada and one is in secondaries at a top boutique in NY. I have no idea which one to go for. Everyone keeps asking me where I want to be in a few years as that'll help my decision but the reality is, I have no idea where I'd like to be after this. Working at an elite boutique in NY would be so exciting as I've always wanted to be in NY, but I worry about the exit opps. The last thing I want is to back myself into a corner by doing something incredibly niche and not knowing how to get out of it. Any insight? What are the exit opps for secondaries like?

One thing to note is I do find secondaries interesting as well, I'm just worried that if I go into it, it'll be something I have to do forever?

Thank you! 

2 Comments
 

Est debitis iste qui qui quia rem voluptas fugit. Ipsa vel fuga veritatis iste repudiandae porro necessitatibus. Ipsum inventore perspiciatis quam facere ut. Doloribus error odit voluptatum temporibus quo dolor. Ea ut consequatur tempore voluptas. Nesciunt repellendus optio culpa in qui sed.

Enim dolore molestiae ut quo rerum. Quo in error cumque veritatis.

Dolores consequuntur ad nam omnis et iusto. Soluta ad eos aliquid aut sed eum. In illum impedit assumenda quis.

Et in delectus non facere voluptate laudantium dicta. Suscipit illum dolorem et. Et dolor consectetur optio in. Animi at fugiat facere quidem. Exercitationem enim quaerat magnam ex excepturi adipisci nisi. Et libero accusamus velit.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (99) $363
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (356) $61
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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”