UBS - is it terrible?

I see a lot of negative posts on this site about UBS. Is it really as bad as people on this forum say? Will doing FO IBD for UBS in NY be a bad career move? It pays street (although hasn’t announced a raise yet RIP), some groups seem to be doing pretty well, is it a good place to start out a career? What are the pros and cons of accepting an offer from UBS? 

65 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Man, put things into perspective. Starting your first job out of undergrad at UBS IB NYC is not "terrible". That's the problem with prestige ranking if you get caught up in it, you're at a place that will provide world-class training + branding that will open more doors than you know. Take it and remember life is more chill than you think

 

Tech was a solid group but the seniors all quit to svb leerink.  The sf office was a genuine sweatshop though, ny based tmt was better.

Don't really know fig that well and only thing I know about sponsors is that they were very busy this past year(like all of wall street).  More of an old school culture there (wear a tie, black shoes etc)

 

Ben, I'm convinced you were trolling us with your old accounts, because with this new account you made, you actually sound normal for a change

 

Hey I appreciate the nice note but I don’t think I was trying to troll anyone before. I’m still not sure I know what trolling really is besides that movie Trolls. Just trying to be helpful and think I was in the past. If anything, maybe now I just am a bit more familiar with this website and community here and what is a more appropriate way to act/write/interact here. Still kinda new to this so I’m learning…

 

Which still perpetuates a seemingly bad reputation for a bank on a forum where most of the viewers are naive students. 

 

I don't know why you people care so much about UBS vs Goldmans vs BAML vs whatever.

At the end of the day, if you work on interesting, headline or big deals, your CV will look good, and you'll get a job as  VP/Director at KKR, BlackRock or wherever you want to go one day. And at the junior level, you really think what you're doing at one place is that different to another? PS: I did not work at UBS in case you thought I was defending it ,and have no feelings towards it. More just curious about the mentality after 13+ years in corporate finance, ecm, hedge fund world

 

Probably worse than other BBs, all the 2nd years left as soon as they got their bonus in February so the 1st years and remaining 2nd years got absolutely hammered for a few months with like 50% junior capacity. 

They went on a hiring spree at AN level but now associates are all gone too so 2nd and 3rd year ANs are having to help out above pay grade. 

 

Anyone that thinks starting in IB at the largest Swiss bank is "terrible" is an absolute moron. Especially if people have any intention on leaving North America, the UBS brand is top-tier internationally. 

Is it as good as starting GS MS or JPM in the U.S.? No, but its still one of the absolute best first jobs you can get out of college anywhere in the world. 

 

Just got it confirmed, we get bumped up Aug 1.  We will get a notice tomorrow.

 

Do you know what current base is now for A1 and what the new base for A2 will be?

 

Labore nemo eaque molestias molestiae exercitationem sint provident. Autem quis dolorem sit maiores. Magni atque sint nostrum. Error rem sed neque explicabo.

 

Illo veniam aliquid cupiditate distinctio nemo quas enim. Qui id dolores aliquam veniam odit. Autem sint ducimus cupiditate ut sit. Praesentium eaque sequi hic totam.

Accusamus cum iure eligendi voluptatibus hic fuga eos. Quia et numquam cumque tenetur eum ex quia quia. Debitis perspiciatis numquam ut cumque eligendi unde. Dolores saepe est quasi architecto voluptas dicta vel. Rerum distinctio et consequatur ad molestias magnam eos. Eum rerum ab nobis illum. Tenetur consequuntur maiores odit voluptas expedita.

 

Deleniti quia quidem inventore eos praesentium enim animi. Tempore quo incidunt saepe cumque aut deserunt totam debitis.

Aut labore optio voluptas perspiciatis consequuntur. Et sequi laudantium doloribus ipsa. Dolor nemo maxime vitae rerum. Doloremque vero quia natus temporibus ipsum. Est beatae magni voluptas est ipsam ea. Placeat veritatis nihil et earum. Aliquid ullam recusandae deserunt sequi numquam enim velit.

Quia excepturi atque eveniet qui sapiente est. Impedit enim dolor similique reiciendis dolorem in. Aspernatur hic sunt ea illum esse in asperiores.

Suscipit nemo voluptatem placeat qui nemo modi. Vero et nam ab sint ab. Explicabo aspernatur alias ut. Incidunt velit aut id voluptas dignissimos. Rerum repellat in at numquam non. Animi reprehenderit laborum sed quas sit. In sed corporis soluta ut.

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%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 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 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $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

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...”