Based on the most helpful WSO content, it seems like the work schedule can vary quite a bit depending on the group and the week. Here's a rough breakdown of a typical workweek in some groups:

  • Monday: 7am - 1am (18 hours)
  • Tuesday: 9am - 12am (15 hours)
  • Wednesday: 9am - 2am (17 hours)
  • Thursday: 10am - 3am (17 hours)
  • Friday: 10am - 6pm (8 hours)
  • Saturday: 11am - 1pm (2 hours from home)
  • Sunday: 1pm - 9pm (8 hours in office)

This adds up to about 80 hours a week. However, it's not always this straightforward. Some days might end at 3am, others at 9pm. Also, mornings tend to be pretty flexible, especially after a late night.

In another group, the schedule might look like this:

  • Workdays: Around 11am to 11pm, including Sundays
  • Saturdays: Off
  • Total hours: About 85 - 95 per week

Again, this can vary. Some analysts might work slightly more than others in the same group. Despite the long hours, some people manage to squeeze in a workout 2-4 times per week around dinner time.

Remember, these are just examples and actual schedules can vary greatly. It's a tough gig, but hang in there!

Sources: Hours: 80 Hours a week, Which bank has the worst hours on the street?, Is my 7am-1am intern schedule normal?? How do ppl do this

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

Woof - one thing reading about working 60-70 hours but when you put it like that as 8 - 11 .. how do you find time for basic human functions like sleep and exercise?

In development and it's really like come and go as your projects demand but 9:30 - 6:00ish is the norm. Staying later if you're working on a closing or something. People come in late and leave early on Fridays. Never any weekend work beyond basic e-mails.

 
decrebepro

Woof - 8 - 11

If you are consistently working late like that, as in its baked in and not an emergency, you are getting clowned on by your company. They give you good boy points for "grinding" so they don't have to hire a new person. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Sleep is on the back burner but I try to go to gym at 5:45am 2x a week or so during workday. It is hard to take care of personal stuff like cooking and doing things with friends. 25 YO FWIW.

 

Normally around 9am until 6pm M-F and none on the weekends with the understanding that sometimes an email needs to be answered earlier/later and sometimes you just gotta stay late to knock something out on a deadline. 

Lately? 9:30am until 4:30pm and even that is just for show. Ain't got shit to do. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 
Most Helpful

We need to be honest here for the young guys on this forum.

I work from 9AM - 6PM in the office. I’ll lightly work on things when I’m at home because I want to - not because I have to - while relaxing. I leave the office later 25% of the time and earlier 25% of the time. And we are, without a shadow of doubt, one of the most active commercial development teams investing in the Southeast USA.

During that time, I am either underwriting, responding to emails, on calls, “researching” sites, or doing things completely unrelated to work.

I did the MF PE thing and worked well into the night, but I swear to God that was because my MD turned into a masochist when he was caught disorganized, which was often, and it had ZERO to do with the magnitude of the workflow.

If you’re in a deal-making real estate role on the buy-side and working for an established firm, regularly working past family dinner time, there is a problem. Either it’s an organizational issue, boss issue, or it’s something going on with you.

Just sayin’

 

I appreciate the response. It is an organizational thing, me and all the other juniors are there. The head guy is very big on availability.

Should be noted that I am over the “market” for comp. Talked to an HH and currently make $30k more than what HH said market was for my experience. (I have a raise coming this winter so want to grind out longer for that)

 

Normally...

M-Th: 9am-6/6:30pm, maybe hop on for 30 mins to an hour before bed if things are relatively busy to stay on top of emails.

F: 9am-5/5:30pm

Weekends: Stay responsive on emails that matter

During a big live deal, less these days because I've advanced above Associate but still probably getting closer to finishing at 8pm'ish Monday to Thursday with a few hours over the weekend. That can still crank up to midnight or working most of the weekend if things get crazy but not as common these days.

 

I work for a top 5 sponsor in my asset class on the dev side.

M-F: 8/9-5/6. Some days I just get to the office early. This isn’t because it’s required rather once I finish a run/gym/wake up id rather just get in and get working. If we’re live on a closing it’s been as bad as 7-10, but that’s happened maybe 3-4 times in the 3 years I’ve been with the firm.

Weekend: I virtually do no work on weekends unless it’s side projects. Very rare that I do w2 work on the weekend and again only during a big closing.

Most of my friends/contacts on the sponsor side work similar hours (in dev). Our acquisition team will work more when the markets hot. Right now now they might be clocking 30 hour weeks. The only people I get emails from late at night generally are our institutional LPs and lawyers.

 

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