How is % of PnL determined?

So I’m kind of confused about how traders get paid out of PnL. Is everyone’s profit and loss on a certain desk/product added together and you might (if you’re good enough/senior enough) get paid a set percentage? Or is it just from how much you as an individual (would this be “your” book?) bring in and a set percentage is paid out?

Also have a question for physical traders specifically. If I’m not a used car salesman type of person would that hurt me in one day getting a trading seat? Everyone mentions how important relationships and cultural fit are for the physical space so I’m just wondering. I’m an affable/extroverted person but I’m not a super salesman if that makes sense.

10 Comments
 
Most Helpful

every trader has their own book for prop trading (sometimes called a "back book" or "side book")...your prop book P&L is YOUR P&L.

some desks also have a single common book (most rate swaps desks put all customer trades into one common book for hedging)...P&L attribution from that book is allocated by the head of the desk, and is usually discretionairy (there is no formula here...its the whim of your desk head)...but your prop book is separate, and you own that.

However, there is no precise formula for bonus at the banks...your bonus is always discretionairy...your boss just decides on a number (even if you make 100mm in your prop book)...vs at a hedge fund, where you get an actual hard %

just google it...you're welcome
 

I read that pre 2008 crisis, banks would set aside 50% of their revenue in their investment bank to paying their employees while now they set aside 25-35%. At each big bank still, I read that there are close to 600 material risk takers in S&T who make on average between $1-2 million. At what level are these material risk takers?

Also wtf is with the ECB saying that eurozone banks need to place "extreme moderation" on the amount of discretionary bonuses they give to material risk takers in 2020? What a self-righteous load of garbage lol. https://www.efinancialcareers.co.uk/news/2020/07/ecb-bonuses-european-b…

https://www.bankingsupervision.europa.eu/press/letterstobanks/shared/pd…

 

Mm I disagree to an extent, that’s a personality thing. Very hard to turn an extrovert into an introvert. If they’re not comfortable speaking with clients or people in general, most people can tell. Burning out back to the mean will be swifter. Soft skills are something that can be taught, but the likelihood that that person is able to deliver while in that mode is much slimmer.

 

Nostrum iste expedita magnam cumque molestiae ut voluptates consequatur. Cumque magnam ut quidem voluptas recusandae et. Alias aut consequuntur est quis accusamus dolorem cum.

Quis doloribus accusantium velit eum nihil quos. Rerum et quod repellendus sint aut rem explicabo. Sit rerum quam voluptas autem sit.

Qui qui expedita et inventore. Dolor qui quis odit hic iste nobis asperiores. Non modi dignissimos ut et. Iste deserunt cum aliquid ut et accusantium. Veritatis delectus molestiae quae omnis rem est. Minus vel praesentium commodi qui. Aspernatur et aut tempora.

Dignissimos distinctio ullam sapiente in. Alias omnis et cupiditate facere ab id. Et iusto fuga soluta quaerat qui et. Sit minima sed optio reiciendis nemo. Nisi sit officia aliquid et debitis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”