Just left my IB club. Feels good.

Been having second thoughts about IB from the moment I found out about it.

Decided that the sacrifice had to be worth it cause of all the money I could make.

Realized that as much as money is an advantage, I would absolutely hate my life more than I do now and that just isn't an option for me.

I still want to work in finance but not like this.

Not sure if I should advise anyone else to do the same. The only thing I would advise you to do is think long and hard and remember that this is a 80wk job. You have to really want it to survive let alone succeed.

25 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Congratulations, you've managed to achieve something that 90% of the prospects on this website will fail to do.  I heard a saying a while back that went like this:

Fools don't learn from their mistakes.

Average people learn from their mistakes.

Wise men learn from the mistakes of others....

Great that you were able to listen to what many have said on this website and have decided early on that this is not for you!

 

Thanks man it took a lot of soul searching but I just realized that that lifestyle would make me a little too unhappy.

I get why there's so much monkey shit on this post but I do wish that more people on this site could realize that not working a 80+ hr/wk job doesn't make you weak.

 

This is a thoughtful post. I just got an offer for BB IB but I'm not sure if I want to take it anymore. I realized that 85k per year is not worth 70-80hr work weeks and sacrificing what are possibly the most important years of my life to be a disposable cog in the wheel

 

Thanks but I wouldn't say that about them.

I just wish they didn't have such big egos about going down the ap the they've chosen tho.

 

Waiting for the freshman at Penn State to rip OP a new asshole by flexing his dominance as president of multiple finance clubs and an avid bootlicker. Good decision to recognize your strengths, it shows maturity and you don't get caught up in the Kool aid.  

 

Have been having the exact same feelings lately. its just so hard to know if my reservations about IB are correct because i have been committed to this track for 2 years now. 

 

Don't sweat it. The money at the analyst level is peanuts. Especially if you go to NYC. They're raising the state taxes there. These kids make living 4 deep in murray hill going to mr. purple on a friday night sound like the second coming of Henry Kravis in the 70's 

 

Just graduated high school [will be going to a target] and was pretty dead set on a finance path - but found myself to be in a similar position where I'm questioning the actual implications a career in investment banking might have on my happiness and lifestyle for the future. Transitioning away from IB do you have an idea of what you want to do instead? 

 

Et et ut odio sequi fugit. Optio voluptatem est nihil et molestias. Omnis harum dolor adipisci dolores dolore vel ratione. Voluptatibus et ipsam eligendi ipsam qui.

 

Neque voluptatem quis harum veniam. Suscipit non reiciendis laboriosam quia doloremque incidunt dolores. Et molestias et veritatis aut impedit. Corrupti est quis molestias odio inventore sint. Qui omnis sapiente et quasi illum et provident. Error deserunt placeat eos eaque voluptatem perspiciatis ut. Eos vel aperiam autem quis voluptas.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 04 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (17) $409
  • Associates (58) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (77) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”