This has been discussed before but analysts in general seem to be getting the worst experience so far with WFH resulting in longer hours, virtual face-time and never been able to distance yourself from work. What used to be a work hard/play hard industry culture is now strictly work hard and it’s definitely taking its toll
How are others feeling with the current situation? Do you have it worse than before? Are you thinking about leaving/quitting more often?
| +166 | How to stop feeling like shit for not making it in IB? | 63 | 26m | |
| +121 | If Tik Tok is forced to sell, what banks do you think would be involved in the deal? | 59 | 7h | |
| +85 | Updated LA Banking Scene (2024) | 61 | 3h | |
| +40 | Ranking banks that went under | 24 | 4h | |
| +38 | Burnt Out M&A ASO | 20 | 4h | |
| +36 | Relevance of A-Levels for U.K. London recruiting | 25 | 1h | |
| +33 | A strategy for SA applicants late to the game like myself | 17 | 1h | |
| +27 | Series 79 Help / Tips to Pass The First Attempt | 11 | 2d | |
| +27 | Intern Ettiquette | 4 | 1d | |
| +23 | What are hours like at BBs in London? | 47 | 1d |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
Can attest that many others feel like this. Honestly, I think AN2 and associates determine the experience a bit. If they respond when you ask for help (and you are asking for help reasonably, of course), then it's not so bad, but when some avoid responding for hours on end, it makes it tough to get any sleep. I don't think any of the 1st years blame these people at all given how everyone is getting crushed on stupid pitches, but yeah, it's not fun. The fact that PE recruiting has been delayed too makes it difficult to not stress out about that as well.
Yeah I concur and know many others can as well. It’s pretty awful. Not sure how long you have been on the desk but I’m going on month 6 and it’s getting a bit better, a lot less spinning wheels on stupid shit that shouldn’t take long at all. * The one thing that is nice is to be able to lay down in bed for 15 minutes or what ever and step away for a bit when you have a gap in the day. * Also if you use Skype or some other platform that shows your status, invest in an auto clicker for you computer to keep it awake. Turn that bitch on, set status to busy, and rip an hour nap mid day. You are welcome.
or you can set skype to show away after inactive for 1 hour instead of the default 5 minutes
Did this - life saver but you get pinged a ton. Most people just have it so it always shows away
That is unreal I didn't know you could do that
Friend of mine started as a second year analyst at a new firm and has been there for 5-6 weeks. He requested his first time off (Saturday night for six hours). He received a midnight email from his associate saying "wtf is going on." What is this in reference to you might ask? The organizational structure of a live deal folder on the drive. I would say it is a terrible time to be an analyst. He left the party to go home and work until 5 AM and still got a stern talking to at 8 AM from his Associate. He sent me a screenshot of the email, I couldn't believe it.
I know it sucks but live deals are viewed as priority but yeah if an associate didn’t sign off on the day off he should have let him know
Sounds pretty psycho to me...
This blows my mind. I literally don't understand how some associates are like this.
Same here. Im so tired. Noone can see it. I leave my apartment once a week. Have been crying everyday. Started asking myself why the fuck am I doing this?
Honestly, It’s good you’re willing to admit it. I cried my 4th week on the desk and have seen a few analysts do so in the bathroom. If your title is correct, you have 8 months and 1 of those are usually really slow and you can take a 2 weeks vacation depending on when your firm pays bonuses
I joined July of last year. I have been trying to give myself long weekends like take a Friday off but from the minute I get back, the grinding starts. To be honest, I have been crying back in the office when I started but it wasn’t every day. Some days were bad but other were not too bad. I had my weekends untouched. Now I dont know what to call it anymore. I just moved to nyc too. I don’t have many friends so it’s just me, myself and with my panic attacks
Learn to meditate. If I feel myself getting stressed I do a quick 15 minute meditation and feel completely calm and focused again.
I agree that meditation works but you gotta be pretty zen to do it in 15 minute intervals. If I'm working on something important, my mind is just racing and impossible to stop.
Yeah I've been at it for like a year and a half so it comes really easy now. If you're just starting out even 5 minutes or so is good. There was a couple month period when I was doing 45 minutes a day and its hard to overstate how good you feel when you're doing it that much
Same at my firm. A few issues are compounding to make it worse:
- MDs haven't closed much this year so they've been going hard on pitching (and going very in depth for no reason)
- Lifestyle and work hours are significantly worse than previous analysts had which is killing morale around the office
Something needs to change soon or they risk losing even more capacity
The thing is they’ll never lose capacity, they’ll just work the rest harder. I haven’t seen a single staffer tell an md no
Just want to say that this thread is heart breaking. You guys should really consider a career in commercial real estate... I work ~40 hours a week as an analyst for a lender and all my MD’s are super chill. Seriously... if anyone is interested in learning more let me know.
How much scarole, bro?
I'll probably clear around $130k-150k this year as a 2nd year analyst, but the earning potential is insane for the work that is required. I pretty much run the ship for my MD working these hours and he will have made around $1.5MM this year.
I actually interned in private equity real estate and did some other experiences in it during college as well. Starting in IB next year, are there any positions in real estate that would be exits from IB, or would it be a complete career shift?
I would assume it to be a major career shift, although I have no IB experience of my own. All I know is that CRE is a world of its own and is fairly insulted from other industries.
I have recommended Tech Sales or Real Estate to people here, but they just ignore the advice.
I know a lot of people in tech sales. They work 10-40hr weeks and get paid very very well. At the start of each quarter when quota resets they dick off for a few weeks. And the perks are insane. It's like they work at a country club. I'm sure it gets old after a while though - cold calling, prospecting etc. day after day. And I'm not sure what exit opportunities exist should they get tired of sales.
how does the prestige compare to BB IB?
I think there are several small things seniors could do to overall boost moral and culture but they just either don't care or are completely unaware of how bad things are. My group has not done a single team-building activity this entire year, other than some zoom update calls on the situation. Meanwhile, I know others who have received care-packages, virtual events or some other sort of morale booster every month or so
My group had a call and the head asked how capacity of juniors is and the staffer said “we have capacity”. Everyone is working 90+ hours a week
Yeah but all I want is to sleep
We don’t even have team building activities during normal pre-covid times.. the VPs/assoc/analy went out for lunch one slow Friday.. 30 min in and MD emails asking why no one is picking up the phones.
Am I the only one to love WFH?
I don’t have to suit up, can take a break when I want to, don’t have to facetime, I mean this is great.
cant compare re: how busy we are but I agree everyone is jammed
Est distinctio qui ad quidem. Ut adipisci sed qui eligendi. Enim sunt porro cumque officiis impedit.
Dolorum deserunt qui ut voluptatibus necessitatibus aliquid sunt. Et quos et est rerum.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Facere doloribus dolores molestiae vero sit autem. Aliquam saepe doloribus nemo quia eius quo non. Quia in quaerat facere omnis quidem soluta sapiente.
Iure repudiandae similique minus qui. Sit reiciendis blanditiis quis voluptas id occaecati veritatis. Aut eum enim aperiam fuga consequatur voluptatem suscipit.
Et labore aut temporibus accusamus ratione laudantium ipsam. Id non pariatur unde odio.
Numquam tenetur sint consequatur nobis. Repudiandae occaecati temporibus qui. Eligendi eum quod natus eum nostrum eligendi perferendis.