Is it legal to work for a tech startup in the 1-year interim period (between ending SA and starting Full-time)?

Got an offer to work for a startup for a few months after accepting my full-time offer at a top 5 BB. Should I tell my bank about this? Any disclosure/conflict issues? The work I would be doing is far from investing/finance. I still plan on going back to banking FT starting Summer 2015.

5 Comments
 

Not a bad question. Would reach out to the HR.

"I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature."
 
Best Response
Ambani

Not a bad question. Would reach out to the HR.

Yes, it is actually a bad question, incoming analyst.

OP, you have no legal employment status between your SA and FT contracts, unless they're paying you a salary while you go through your senior year, it would be super fucking illegal for a company to ban you from employment elsewhere (the law protects scenarios like this because you can imagine a situation in which someone is prevented from earning his livelihood due to a restrictive contract, and you're not even fractionally important enough for them to deal with structuring/enforcing a non-compete), especially from an altogether different industry (there would also be no legal difference between them stopping your work at a startup versus your campus bookstore). The street is full of kids who go to direct competitors for internships during their senior year, let alone startups. Chill out a bit, take a deep breath, and really think before you ask these sorts of questions.

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 

Non enim fugiat quasi et. Provident assumenda voluptatibus porro earum. Quasi provident aut voluptatem. Aliquid minus molestiae maiores earum delectus delectus.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (45) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”