Working hours - Pursuing a MBA at one of the premier b-schools

Pursuing MBA at one of the premier B-school, would like to opt for a finance job, would like to know the life style and typical working hours in Investment banking industry, from the posts i see it averages 90-100 hrs a week, is that true....

Could any one suggest a 5 Day week 9 to 5 job in the finance world..

Regards, Acgr

10 Comments
 

Very little is 9-5 in finance.

S&T might get you 7am-6pm 5 days per week. ER can do ~9am-8pm, with some flexibility.

If you really want 9-5, brand management/marketing at a f500 is pretty good. CorpDev can have good hours, depending on the company.

Finally, you could try wealth management. You basically work as hard as you want, and, once you build your own book of clients, you are looking at 500k for maybe 20-30 hrs per week. It's actually pretty awesome, but requires good people skills.

 
Best Response
samoanboyI work on the buyside (endowment / quasi-family office) with a concentratio on PE and I work 8-6.30pm most days, no weekends (except when on international travel)....

If you've got an MBA no reason you cant land a gig like this.

Good idea samoanboy. I forgot about these type positions. If you work for a college's endowment office, you can get a near academic lifestyle, especially if if operates as a FoF. I think the hours get a bit worse if you work at a university that makes direct investments.

Also, check out public funds like CALPERS. I met a guy there once, and it seemed like he basically worked government hours. You won't get rich (I think it is 55k out out undergrad, with very senior guys making 250+), but the lifestyle and benefits are great. You also are basically unfirable.

 

There is some light traveling associate with junior positions in IB. Mainly kickoff diligence sessions (after signing up a new client) and management presentations. I'd say on average you'll be on the road once every month or so. MDs should be on the road every week assuming they're not completely in execution mode.

I generally hated having to travel as an analyst but some people had some luck with it. If you get to go somewhere cool for management presentations you may get to post up there for a week. You do the meetings during the daytime, get a nice dinner every night with the buyers, then have some free time at night to go out or hang out if you're lucky. I was usually couped up in my room doing work using the slow hotel Internet after the dinner so never really any room for fun.

 

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