Jefferies IB vs. Stifel IB vs. Goldman Ops
Hey everyone, I'm a junior at a non-target school. I have SA offers from Jefferies IB (NYC), Stifel IB (NYC) and Goldman Operations (NYC), all obtained through extensive networking. I want to take the Jefferies offer, but my career center is strongly advising me to take a position at Goldman because of the importance of branding and that I have a better chance at securing a FT offer at Goldman Ops, which is important given I am from a non-target school. They said that the Goldman name would open up doors down the road at other companies, and especially for B-school. This is the first time I am hearing this (I really do realize how this may come off as trolling....), and am fully aware non-target career offices may not have the best advice. They were quite adamant that they were right. I wanted to ask this forum if my career center's advice has any depth to it? Which offer should I take? I prefer Jefferies to Stifel - can Jefferies offer exits to PE, other roles in finance and/or business school? Does Goldman's brand, even if I would be doing Ops, confer that much of a career advantage over IB at a middle market firm?
Jefferies IB for sure (assuming you want to do IB). Your career center is just wrong. Only reason you would ever take GS ops is if you really didn't want to do IB.
I disagree. How many times are you going to be able to have Goldman on your resume? I'm close with people at the firm and it's highly likely you'll be able to transition to a different role at the company. Also, you don't want to be networking again next year - a higher offer conversion rate helps protect you from that happening.
They're really big on keeping their employees to boast their low turnover rate.
This is absolutely horrible advice and obviously from someone who hasn't worked a day in the industry.
Any half decent IB job is miles better than opps and both of those names are perfectly good, especially Jefferies.
Not true at all. Firms would rather hire from undergrad/mba for IBD than move BO people into IBD. Also has been confirmed from people at GS. Avoid ops at a bank like the plague. They get no respect relative to ops in different industries.
Legit. Janitor at Goldman will open more doors than MD at Jefferies.
Goldman hands down. The above dude is right, I know of a lot of people who've switched internally to other roles. GS HCM is very accommodating - getting the most prestigious company in the world's name on your resume isn't too bad either
Lol @ everyone jealous they don't have an offer at Goldman
lol GS ops is a joke compared to MM IBD. They even tell people that it is client-facing.
Sent you a PM
Are you set on doing IBD? If that's the case, you should take JEF IBD and don't look back. I honestly don't even have an idea about what Goldman Ops is about, but I can guarantee that it will be much easier for you to lateral from JEF IBD to GS IBD then to move from GS Ops to IBD.
If you're even considering GS Ops you should take it cause dumbasses like you belong there
Fishing lvl?
Going to go with Stifel on culture but Jefferies has the better ib division. Taking GS ops is like going on the practice squad of the patriots instead of starting qb for the chargers.
Your career center wants you to take the Goldman offer because they can publish it as a firm that employs students of your school. They don't have to publish what role their students had at Goldman. It's a selfish stance on their part.
Take an actual IB offer, not ops.
As someone who worked at GS, in a much better and more technical role than Ops (but not IB), it is only easy to move around the firm within your division. Occasionally the credit risk guys find themselves in ECM, or market risk or treasury guys on a securities desk, but it's still rare. If you're in ops, your ability to move around the firm will be extremely limited. So if you want IB, do Jeffries.
Some comments here reminded me of conversations I had years ago with people at GS Ops who were making sure they say at least 10 times an hour "I work at Goldman Sachs"
That being said, Jefferies IB all the way - unless you get horny from saying "I work at Goldman"
Jefferies 1000000000000000%. You should pm me
Your career center advisor is extremely misguided and you should literally never listen to that person again.
Jeffries is a very good MM shop with solid exits.
Goldman ops is an email queue with trades that didn't settle properly. This is from friend who worked in ops there.
Edit: I actually applied to Goldman ops and was turned down. Best thing that ever happened to my career.
Jefferies. How is this even up for debate?
You would not believe the insane advice non target career centers give.
Agreed. Most non-target schools are stuck in the 50s with some of their advice.
OP - you're lucky to have found WSO.
Jefferies IB hands down. There is NO DEBATE here if you want to IBD.
Unless you love FIG, then you should go with Stifel which owns KBW.
I would take a 10 man boutique that does tiny M&A deals before I take GS ops. Maybe GS would look good if you were trying to get into an MBA program over a boutique.
Just reaffirming you should 100% not take Goldman. Anyone saying that is a fucking idiot.
Jefferies is clear 1, then Stifel.
Thanks everyone, I am definitely going with Jefferies IB. Really appreciate it.
That last sentence cracked me up. At my school the dean is like 70 years old and has 0 experience in the field and still rambles about how EVERYONE at a BB IBD is from a target. May have been true in the 80s but not so much anymore.
The difference between 150k and 80k
LMAO
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