Goldman Sachs s&t San Francisco
I recently got invited to a Superday for Goldman Sachs sales and trading sf. From my knowledge it’s mostly if not only sales desks. Was wondering how the division is?
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Based on the most helpful WSO content, Goldman Sachs' Sales and Trading (S&T) division in San Francisco is known to primarily focus on sales desks rather than trading. This aligns with the general structure of regional offices, where trading operations are often centralized in larger hubs like New York City, while sales teams are distributed across various locations to maintain client relationships.
If you're preparing for the Superday, it would be wise to focus on understanding the dynamics of sales roles, such as client interaction, market knowledge, and communication skills. Additionally, brushing up on your knowledge of financial products and market trends relevant to the West Coast clientele could give you an edge.
For more insights, you might want to explore WSO's resources on Sales and Trading interview prep or connect with professionals who have experience in the SF office. Good luck with your Superday!
Sources: Goldman Sachs IBD SA 2021 Superdays, What is a Goldman Sachs Superday like?, Citi Superday Sales and Trading Advice, Deutsche Superday, JPMorgan Markets Superday SA2019
Will be all sales, GS has a good amount of people in SF. Most of the various groups in FI (SPG, rates, credit, etc) have people there. I’m not an equity guy but I’m sure they have equity people there as well.
Large chunk of the equity franchise sales team is in SF as well. But yes, it's all sales. Get ready to wake up early
How is the west coast lifestyle? Early mornings but also leave work early? Different if you’re in LA then you can go surfing
No one?
I grew up on the west coast and spend about 2 weeks a year working/seeing clients there, if my wife would let us move out there I would ask my firm for it. Even with the early hours its just so much better especially if you have a family. Some additional thoughts
It sucks if you are an analyst for several reasons
1. You need to be in the seat between 4-4:30 so not much time for a social life. Plenty of great stories of people showing up to work right from their night out.
2. Smaller office so not a ton of other analysts to commiserate with
3. Hard to get visibility with management/traders and a limited number of seats so can be hard to move up
Its awesome in the middle of your career (Associate-Director):
1. You can get in between 5-6, you can handle most of the early AM stuff from your phone/or if you need to jump on your laptop from home. Not that much is happening that early anyways, most of your west coast clients don't really start working until 6am at the earliest.
2. You have almost no oversight, no bosses, no traders, nobody watching you to "make sure you are working" as long as you produce you will advance every couple of years
It can be frustrating when trying to make MD
1. You just don't have the visibility that the other directors both on the floor and off it. There are so many people involved in these MD committee processes and most of them have no idea what you do, but if you are in the main office there is a better chance that they might know you socially or have some random connection that will help out.
2. If you want to move up beyond being a rank and file MD who has his team of 3 or 4 people you gotta move back to NYC, you are never going to be head of your product group sales from LA or SF. If you want that it can be tougher to get that look vs the other rank and file MDs who are working in the main office.
General thoughts on the lifestyle
In NYC S&T/buyside is a lifestyle you are out all the time, there is always some work related outing you can be attending, and the line between your personal life and work life gets pretty blurry (my son plays T-ball with one of my clients kids), the social aspect is a way bigger part of the business. On the west coast its a job, the community is smaller and people socialize and see each other but its not the same. Most people who come out west sort of self select out wanting that NYC lifestyle. Your work entertainment will be more sprints on the west coast, where some traders/research are coming out to LA or SF and you spend the week shuttling them around between meetings, lunches, happy hours and dinners and then you will have a month of two where you don't do much before having to do it all over again.
This is great, +1
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