When and How should I setup an exit opp?

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You’re an IB analyst at a top shop and don’t know how to exit...interesting. Ask your analyst friends in your class. 

So much of this depends on your interests that's why it's so hard to give advice. Just figure out what you're interested in and go for it pretty simple

I can't help with a few of your questions but I have a brother going through a very similar situation and can try to answer the ones I have seen him going through.

1. I can't help with the salary part but if people drool over your bank on here I assume that's because it pays well so it sounds like you will make in the ballpark of what you're making now if you move. I'm not sure if HR can bump your base pay alone as an analyst but maybe you can speak to someone above you about a larger bonus to keep you in the firm. I'm sure you can spin that in a way that isn't douchey. I would probably wait until after bonus season to leave. If they ask for it back oh well but if you leave before you will never know if you could have kept that money. 

2. If you give your boss enough time I don't think it will burn a bridge. Moving on to a new job isn't a crime as long as you tell them you are doing it and give them some time to replace you. My brother gave over a months notice and they understood. Obviously not super happy but no enemies made. 

3. I think an analyst 2 or 3 you can probably join a bank whenever. Can't see it mattering whether you join with a new class or not. Once again, I'm not sure about this but that is what makes sense to me. Since you're asking to do this now I can assume you aren't trying to wait a full year until next hiring season so you might as well go for it and see what happens. 

4. For the apartment I can actually help a little with personal experience. I was supposed to be moving to SF for my analyst role but am still home due to COVID and want to save some money. Some of my friends I am going to live with are already out there so they are having someone sublet my room until I move. I think this is an ideal situation. If you live with some friends they can probably do the same. Times are tough for landlords right now so they might even be able to take your name off of the lease and put whoever is moving into it on. If you cant get someone to move in you might just have to eat the rent but you should be able to find a way around this. Landlords are desperate right now so you should be able to work something out that saves you some money. 

Hope this was helpful in any way.

Haven’t really thought about realizing exit opps in my role (happy where I am) but the biggest piece of advice is to tackle all beasts and reach out to analysts in previous classes that moved elsewhere. Reach out to friends and schedule chats with them.

• friends in MM/MF PE, VC GE distressed and turnaround ships (this like 10 people minimum u reach out to)
• I think HF will be a good way to go for u. You work at a great shop and u think you’re smart — try a comp structure that’s technically uncapped vs what you’re doing now. Also maybe you could start investing and taking your own positions in the market (prolly not , too much time). But I’d speak to as many ppl here because you might be able to make the jump and even then HF comp differences can be huge and firm-firm differences are high so this is an opportunity by opp basis you have to consider this. Reach out to ur network or network on your own time
• not really Corp dev they ain’t gonna pau u shit but speak with 1-2 ppl
• other banks or merchant banks or family offices where things are up in the air and minute differences make a large difference.

I don’t think you care about lifestyle (more than money at least) so focus on investing opportunities where you’re able to ‘put ur money where your mouth is’ and take risk and generate alpha and use that as a measure of your comp (with appropriate lack of ceiling so to speak)

But keep an open mind to non name brands , you could make a lot with coin vest or carry structure at more unknown firms. So much is outside ur control, but as far as comp goes this is the only way to really ‘break the ceiling’ that ‘typical’ banks/PE have where comp is structured. It’s to take on risk with higher upside potential / ceiling.

But why are u underpaid? What talent is being undervalued? Maybe that is a talent that’s marginal for banking and not valued there (insight into company dynamics and thinking critically about data, etc) while it would be on the investing side. Maybe you’re great at selling, well ur role as a junior isn’t gonna value that u have to wait 10 years.

"Top tier Firm" "Analysts here would DROOL OVER" *has other posts saying job pays 70k a year and is actively looking to jump ship*

I am dying laughing at your delusion lmao

In your other post it says you're making $70k a year in a city you don't want to be in doing fixed income debt writing or something. Idk if you browse this forum much but none of the high school hardos on here are drooling over anything fixed income.