LMM Hours

So I know it's firm dependent. But I'm curious as to what is considered the norm/expectation in the industry. How many hours are associates working in 250 - 750 M funds (Size, not Aum) in the Northeast i.e. NYC/BOS? Is it safe to assumed 9-10 M-Th and 9-6 F, with a few hours of housekeeping weekend work when there are no live deals? I'm only curious for when there is no live deal sprint, because those hours will be the same everywhere. I'm currently in banking, hate the hours / uncertainty of making plans on Saturdays / Sundays and am curious if I am being unrealistic with LMM hours.

Thanks all.

21 Comments
 

With the general caveat that it is firm dependent (as you note), my experience is 8-8 M-TH, 9-6 F with minimal weekend work. There are select few situations where weekend work is necessary if you aren't on a live deal. 

A good rule to use when looking into smaller funds is that if the founder/partners came from UMM/MF, then they are likely going to have the same mindset as those firms (i.e. not great hours). 

 

My experience was 9-7pm when not on a live deal - very rare to have meaningful weekend work (besides maybe a few hours of playing ahead on Sunday evening).  Lots of visibility into my schedule and easy to take weekend trips (week long vacations a bit harder).  

This is almost entirely firm/strategy driven.  Partners were all family guys that wanted to be home for dinner.

 

It varies a TON to be clear. I worked a LMM fund (~$750MM fund size, ~$25-100MM equity checks) which was an absolute grindhouse at the associate level (significant weekend work even when not in deal mode, tight timelines, lots of travel and portco work, etc.). Not that this is the norm, but you shouldn't expect to work a consistent 9-7 just because you're at a MM fund. 

 

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