Do you feel challanged?

IBD isn't hard, it just proves you can get the job done regardless of the time it takes and gives you a very broad financial base for any possible future endeavors. That is all.

The nature of the job. There's a reason the ranks on WSO are monkey based.

IBD is not a highly intellectual pursuit. It's about the art of the deal, not underlying market truths.

The challenge comes after you've been an excel/powerpoint monkey for a year. Most of your personal relationships are broken, you're unhealthy, you've realized that you don't make much money compared to the people you work for...I'll put it this way - there are a lot of people that don't work in IB anymore by choice.

op's profile pic is creepy

The official answer to this is that you are suppose to be picking up how the game is played and after the analyst stint is over you'll get your chance to produce some more creative results.

Challenge does not always have to come packaged in intellectual form.

CEEBanker:

One of my friends is very smart. He was a triple major, writing 3 theses, and proved his own math theorem.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

This is literally the stupidest thing I have EVER read on WSO. I mean EVER!!!!

Please tell me the name of this theorem! Do you realize that nobody at the undergraduate level is in a position to contribute anything remotely important enough to math to have their own theorem?

CEEBanker:

Monkeys,

First year analyst here. I'm wondering if you actually feel challenged at work? Given there are lot of smart people in banking and finance, but is this the best use of their skills and intellect? One of my friends is very smart. He was a triple major, writing 3 theses, and proved his own math theorem. He now works for a BB doing IBD formatting pitch books and building models in excel. Does anyone else feel this way? Or should I shut my mouth and stay inline?

Also not sure wtf you mean he proved his own math theorem, that is unpossible at undergrad level(Perelman proves theorems, your buddy does not). Did he stumble upon a previously established theorem on his own?

writing 3 theses suggests loving work and that fits well into banking.

See this thread. http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/investment-banking-is-easy

It's more challenging on the buyside brother (HF side that is, not PE). Stick it out and cross over to the darkside.

on a random side note, what are some of the downsides of the HF world?

Less job security, more specialized less transferable skill set?

well but either u take risk or ur a little banking slave working away all your life and then looking like your 90 when your 50 and retiring looking back at the year you pissed away in the office sucking your clients dick and then you die shortly after of exhaustion.

if u fk up the hf thing just go to corporate work 50 hours a week still make a couple 100k a year, doesnt seem that bad

not at all and it drives me crazy. I'm not in IBD tho. Thank god I'm studying for the CFA