Pros
The team members are nice, but personalities don’t close deals.
Cons
Working here was the biggest mistake of my career. If you are reading this, you are probably hoping this firm will either help you break into investment banking or provide a better work life balance. Unfortunately, it does neither. The reality is simple. In investment banking, your career growth, compensation, and exit opportunities depend directly on deal flow and firm performance. At this firm, you will not get the deal exposure, financial rewards, or stability needed to progress. Before joining any IB firm, ask yourself and your interviewer these questions: 1. Deal Closures: How many deals has the firm closed in the past three years? A healthy firm should close at least one deal per MD per year just to break even. If they are not consistently closing deals, the business is not sustainable and you will not see a bonus. 2. Bonus History: Have employees consistently hit targets and been paid bonuses over the past three years? Remember, you will be working nights and weekends whether or not the firm makes money. Without profitability, your compensation and career trajectory suffer. 3. Staffing and Resources: How is work actually executed? If the firm does not have enough junior staff, tasks are often sent to offshore teams or whoever has bandwidth. This creates inefficiencies, poor training, and minimal learning opportunities. 4. Firm Reputation: Does the firm have real credibility in the market? If they are not showing up in league tables, getting press, or carrying weight in the industry, you will have a much harder time lateraling or landing the exits you want regardless of how many hours you put in. The bottom line is this. If a team is not consistently closing deals, you will not get paid and you will not get the experience needed to move up or move on. You will sacrifice your time, health, and career trajectory for very little in return.
