Financial and Investment Analysts
Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.
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š”Inside This Career
The financial analyst evaluates investments, companies, and financial conditionsāconducting valuation analysis, building financial models, and producing the research that informs investment decisions or corporate strategy. A typical day involves heavy analytical work. Perhaps 50% of time goes to modeling and analysis: building financial models, analyzing data, evaluating investment opportunities. Another 25% involves researchāreading reports, tracking industry developments, meeting with company management. The remaining time splits between report writing, presentation preparation, and communication with portfolio managers or corporate leadership.
People who thrive as financial analysts combine quantitative capability with business judgment and the work ethic that demanding finance environments require. Successful analysts develop expertise in valuation methods and industry dynamics while building the communication skills that translate analysis into actionable recommendations. They must produce accurate work under time pressure and defend conclusions to experienced investors. Those who struggle often cannot handle the demanding hours or find the competitive environment exhausting. Others fail because they cannot communicate findings persuasively or lack the business judgment that distinguishes analysis from mere calculation.
Financial analysis spans investment research evaluating public companies to corporate analysis supporting internal decisions, with analysts producing the information that shapes capital allocation. The field has evolved with data availability, quantitative methods, and technology that enables sophisticated analysis. Financial analysts appear in discussions of investment management, corporate finance, and the talent pipeline for senior finance roles.
Practitioners cite the intellectual challenge of investment analysis and the potential for significant compensation as primary rewards. Evaluating companies and predicting performance engages analytical and competitive instincts. The work provides exposure to business strategy across industries. The career can lead to highly compensated senior roles. The intellectual environment attracts talented colleagues. The work has clear measurable impact. Common frustrations include the demanding hours, particularly in investment banking and asset management, and the pressure of being evaluated on prediction accuracy. Many find the competitive culture exhausting. The work-life balance in demanding finance roles is poor. Junior analyst work involves significant grunt work before progressing to interesting analysis.
This career typically requires a finance or business degree from a competitive program, often enhanced with CFA certification or MBA. Strong quantitative, analytical, and communication skills are essential. The role suits those who enjoy financial analysis and can handle demanding environments. It is poorly suited to those needing work-life balance, uncomfortable with competition, or preferring qualitative work. Compensation is strong, particularly at elite firms, with significant upside for those advancing to portfolio management or senior corporate roles.
šCareer Progression
šEducation & Training
Requirements
- ā¢Entry Education: Bachelor's degree
- ā¢Experience: Several years
- ā¢On-the-job Training: Several years
- !License or certification required
Time & Cost
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AI Resilience Assessment
High AI Exposure: Significant AI applicability suggests ongoing transformation
How much of this job involves tasks AI can currently perform
Likelihood that AI replaces workers vs. assists them
(BLS 2024-2034)
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š¬What Workers Say
48 testimonials from Reddit
Why KPMG is stigmatized?
I know hereās a strict hierarchy system in finance but why KPMG is rated so inferiorly? I watched a video of a professor saying youāre cooked that youād be working at McDonald, or even worse, KPMG for a whole life.
This Entire twitter thread is making me rethink this job (IB)
Look up this account on Twitter (X) @ BoringBiz\_ (IDK why I cant link this thread) Why am I fighting so hard to get a job where I will get chewed out because the font on slide 42 is slightly off or work 140 hours for pitch decks that only the MD will see. These real life experiences sound like fkn nightmares...
Can I (a caveman) break in investment banking?
Ugg want to break in Merger and Acquisitions. Ugg hunt mammoth when he 6 year old. Ugg learn from village elder. Village elder tell me Morgan Stanley take Ugg. Ugg trade copper for wheel. Ugg not know work life balance. Ugg no know there other jobs with good WLB and ok pay. Ugg want to short fur and long wheel. Ugg want lots of seashell for currency. Ugg think wheel industry good. Ugg scared accounting will be automated by sabretooth tiger. Can Ugg do this.
Destroying an entire generation
Kinda crazy how Iāve been running a small construction company (I hate it I want a office job) for the last few years, but I canāt get a job typing some fucking numbers in excel. I can sell a 6 figure job, and manage the project from beginning to end, but āhe doesnāt have enough experience making power pointsā Like fuck you. Fuck you hiring managers. Fuck HR. Fuck everyone. People are out here CRAVING to work their asses off, but they wonāt get hired because theyāre expected to have years of experience in a field that no one hires for new grads for. And then the company will complain theyāre understaffed. What a fucking joke. Ruining an entire generation of people willing to work. CRAVING to work. Shame on every hiring manager and every HR director. Itās embarrassing.
Finally breaking $100k at age 31.
I just turned 31, have 7yoe in financial services (mostly back office) and wrapped up my MBA last month at an average school that I did while working and got tuition reimbursement. Was getting discouraged in the job search and not getting far with roles that were $100k+. Just got an offer for a finance manager job at a healthcare company in a MCOL area. $120k base + 8% target bonus. Will be leaving a role paying $77k + 10% bonus. So about 50% raise. Taking a WLB hit but otherwise super happy with the role. My wife makes $60k so having a $180k HHI with very little debt is absolutely life changing for us. My wife could even quit hers if she wanted (doubt she would but that security is there now). Just posting this as encouragement, $120k is a lot of money to me coming from where I did. Stay hungry y'all, it will pay off.
I finally did it.
Guy's im speechless. just got accepted into a finance rotational program. I'm a first generation american who lived in a mobile home for most of my childhood. My parents don't even know how a credit score is calculated. No connections to any rich people. I can't believe this. I worked so hard in university to achieve this goal and it finally happened. I'll be making $110k first year for my total compensation. My advice to you guys is don't give up. I was so close. I've had thousands of applications. MULTIPLE last round interviews only to get rejected because every other applicant had banking experience or went to a big university.
Can we normalize being honest?
āI am a 32 year old barista at a Portland new burger joint but after the penjamin I watched a tiktok about salaries in top quant hedge funds. How can i turn my life around without much effort to become a quant analyst in few years?ā Bro wtf is wrong with you, ofc you cannot. Stop gaslighting people in the sub comments that they can suddenly trigger a magic switch and join the industry with terrible job market rn and huge instability. Half of the subreddit is now flooded with posts like ābreaking into citadel as a 35 yo balding midget stripperā. Get a grip. Sorry for wording and bad grammar but im tired (of you)
Is there a secret investment banking cult I wasn't invited to?
Like seriouslyāwhere doĀ youĀ even learn this stuff? Schools donāt teachĀ youĀ āthis is how to be an investment banker.ā Nobody sitsĀ youĀ down and explains the lingo, the models, the workflows. Yet somehow there are sophomores out here casually walking through LBOs and DCFs like itās nothing?/!??!?1/1? How do interns know what to do? Is someoneĀ holding theirĀ handĀ the whole time? Are they just reading a bunch of books? YouTube? Adderall?? At the MBA level, is there some secret meeting where someone explains everything in a dim, candlelit basement with cloaks on and shit? The terms, the acronyms, the expectations? Because from the outside, it feels likeĀ youĀ need to already know everything just to get in the door. Iām trying to prepare for interviews for next year and sharpen my skills in general but holy shit half the time I donāt even know what I donāt know.
Someone asked me why I hate working in VC. This was my response...
\> do masters in astrophysics \> get first/4.0 gpa \> start web3 business in 2021 \> fail web3 business in 2023 \> want vc job \> apply for vc job \> get rejected cos no consulting/IB experience (repeat 100x) \> get vc job \> "wow im so smart - look how much value im providing" \> "im going to be a vc forever cos im so smart and im providing so much value and startups need vcs more than anyone" *2 years later* \> click click \> āhi whats ur businessā \> ānah that sounds badā \> click click \> āyes Iāll make a presentation that no one will read but iāll still spend 100 hours on itā \> click click \> go on plane to Next Gen Novel AI Unicorn Startup Con 2025 \> āwhat do you invest inā \> āoh wow thatās so cool - no one else does thatā \> "a16z invested? yh count me in" \> fly home \> click click \> get epiphany \> realise how dumb vc is these days \> get existential about how im wasting my life in a dumb job \> write reddit post to alleviate my pain
the truth about investment banking
While I'm cognizant that this sub-reddit is a circle-jerk for IB and everything related to it, I want to give my opinion on the industry from my experience. Most of you (like 99%), are 15-18 and have never truly worked a 40 hour week, let alone an 80 hour week. And while there is plenty of time left to determine whether or not you are capable of doing so, the reality is most of you could barely touch 40 without tapping out. There isn't much of an emphasis on the reality of an 80-110 work week. Somehow many of you are convinced that you will break into this industry and begrudgingly work 110 hours a week, 7 days a week, holidays included, for 2 years and then what?... retire? While junior salaries are relatively high, it isn't millions of dollars. The people who end up at these BB or EB shops and work there for 2 years and move on to mega PE funds don't think about the hours. These people are machines and they could care less about WLB and also care a lot less about the comp. Especially considering that the comp becomes pretty negligible past $90k. While it is nice to make a shit load of money, you will realize that there is only so much you can do, especially when the only thing your salary goes towards is an uber black at 3 am back to your corporate apartment just to take the same uber back to the office at 4 am. The reality is, don't waste your time. If you have enough time to be scrolling through this sub, find another career path. You won't make it, and that's even if you get an interview, which you won't. P.S. Employers don't give a shit if you did a goldman possibilities summit you look like retard putting that under experience
Jaime Dimon doubles down on RTO mandate and plans to cut DEI initiatives.
Jamie Dimon reiterated his mandate to implement full RTO measures. He says a hybrid schedule with Friday being remote does not f***ing work. He expects every employee to RTO by March, which is just around the corner. He also mentioned that he will drop DEI initiatives to scale back on unnecessary investments, training and meetings. He said that since the laws changed after Trump came into office, the organization should āfollow the lawsā and āremove bureaucracies.ā Other Wall Street firms are following suit and cutting back on DEI policies. Notably, Goldman Sachs is removing the requirement to have women or minorities in IPO clientās board seats. What are your thoughts on RTO and DEI scale back? Looks like the hybrid petition didnāt work.
Is investment banking worth the 80ā100+ hour weeks? My thoughts as a former JPM analyst
Itās been 7 years since I left J.P. Morgan, and some distance from my banking days have offered me some perspective. Here's my take **Definitely worth it if you are:** 1 ā Looking for the absolute fastest learning pace possible No other job throws you into billionādollar deals with exposure to Cāsuite execs immediately upon graduation. Youāre also working twice the hours of a normal job, so the rate at which you learn will be twice your peers. 2 ā Aiming to break into the buyāside (Hedge funds, PE, VC)Banking is still the #1 gateway to becoming an investor because of the fundamental technical skills you develop. All other paths to the buyāside are much more challenging (besides VC). **Might be worth it if you are:** 1 ā Unsure what you want longāterm but want optionality If youāre young and just graduating, itās okay if you donāt know what you want to do after banking. So many doors open for you that after some exploration, you are bound to find your way. 2 ā Doing it ONLY for the money Working in banking just a few years to pay off loans or make some money quickly is (perhaps unsurprisingly) a very strong motivator. But unless you have a genuine interest in finance, you will eventually burn out as the lifestyle grinds you down. **Probably not worth it if you are:** 1 ā Hoping for passionādriven work right away Junior banking roles are dealāfocused, not missionādriven. Banking can lead to purposeādriven careers as you get more senior but moving logos around as an analyst at 2am wonāt feel meaningful in the moment. 2 ā Prefer creative, highly unstructured environments The banking environment is hierarchical, processādriven, and rigid. If you thrive when you can experiment and think outside the box, youāll likely feel boxed in as a junior banker. Personally, if I could go back in time, I would still start off my career with a few years in banking because of everything I learned. Hope this is helpful - let me know what you guys think too.
BREAKING: JPM TO FIRE ANALYSTS IF THEY ACCEPT ANOTHER OFFER DURING THE FIRST 18 MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT
This is one of the most stupid emails I have seen in a long time: \- JPM banking program was already mediocre, top undergraduate talent was already not going to work there as a first choice \- Now, every student who is not a complete idiot will never be interested in working at JPM \- JPM is simply missing the point, the best analysts leave, but they can still be top analysts - the best banking analysts on the street (PJT RX) all leave after 2 years (and accept offers before starting at PJT), but they are still great analysts \- JPM has client relationships with all the firms that hire their analysts, it is pathetic they take it out on 22 year old who are simply trying to do what's best for their career What is your view? Will they walk this initiative back? https://preview.redd.it/05acxlrm3b5f1.jpg?width=465&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b20c45e34bd6537d7950febaf82f3b53e23295ab
How I failed Goldman Sachs interview and learned why networking is so important
I recently went through a Superday for Goldman Sachsā Wealth Management Professional analyst role and wanted to share my experience. I made it to the superday since my current role is somewhat related in operations, I work with retail clients but on an adviser track. Going in, I thought I had a understanding of the role, but I quickly realized how specialized the WMP role is. As you become more senior you get more responisbilites but still stay as WMP managing the PWM team. During my third interview, they asked me what I knew about the position. I mentioned things like discussing portfolio performance with clients, researching investment opportunities (which I read on Reddit). I also brought up that Iām pursuing CFA Level 1 in August. But the interviewers were very confused since WMP don't do any investments. I just started my career in Finance and still thought this was an amazing opportunity for my career so I had to quickly pivot and scamble. One big realization: if you have prior internships or connections, itās a huge advantage. You already understand the team structures and internal processes, which makes it much easier to navigate interviews. I tried to connect with a few associates in my area but didn't get any responses so I was definetly blindsided. For anyone looking to break into Finance, Iād recommend networking with people in the role, learning how teams are structured, and getting familiar with the day-to-day responsibilities beyond whatās publicly available.
JPMorganās new plan to cut 67% of junior bankers & shift jobs to India
Source: https://www.efinancialcareers.nl/news/jpmorgan-cut-junior-bankers-ai P.S. it is interesting to note that they have recently boosted junior hiring and are planning a expansion of their London office (after also opening their new NY office); sources: https://www.ainvest.com/news/jpmorgan-plans-major-office-expansion-london-foster-partners-design-2509/ & https://www.efinancialcareers.nl/news/junior-banker-recruitment-recovery
Cringe-worthy networking mistakes I've seen in IB
As a non-target who endured theĀ IBĀ assembly line, networking was huge for me. For some reason, this time of year, I always receive a massiveĀ uptickĀ in networking inquiries. I'm guessing it's bc a bunch of New Years resolution-makers are trying to get their shit together with 2026Ā IBĀ recruitment around the corner, or whatever. Given it seems to be a popular time of year for networking, I figured it'd be helpful to share painful mistakes I see kids make over and over again, every year, to hopefully inform networking efforts. * DON'T attaching yourĀ resume to theĀ initial cold email.Ā ThisĀ diminishes personability, and appears way too transactional. The worst part about this that many don't even know is thatĀ most of the top firms automatically flag attachments from unrecognized addresses as spam mail anyway.Ā Not only will you not reach their inbox at all, but if this happens enoughĀ your personal email address might get flagged by email service providers like Gmail as a spammer, and your reputation / overall deliverability could suffer * Over time, I feel likeĀ students have taken a more and more awkward / structured approach to "coffee chats" or whatever you want to cal them. I get that on-campus resources andĀ IBĀ clubs teach you to come to the call with "good questions" toĀ ask, but simply rattling off 5-10Ā questions in linear order is not howĀ effective conversations are curated in the real world. If you make a question list, use itĀ as a "backup" to reference if the chat hits a "dead end"Ā and instead of awkwardlyĀ asking disparate question afterĀ disparate question, try to follow a more natural conversation pattern in order to learn more about their role while articulating your interest in investment banking. Like everything you say should ideally have some relevant link to what they said, and so on... * The BIGGEST blunder I see students make is not having ANY idea how to convert coffeeĀ chats intoĀ actual actionable recruitment opportunities. No matter how well the conversation goes, directly asking for a referral always appear too transactional imo. Sure it's a bit of a paradox because all bankers who get networking inbound know the sender isn't actually genuinely interested in their role / firm, they just want help through the recruiting process, but it's best to keep that as an unspoken rule. Instead of directly asking and breaking that barrier, "open the door" for whoever you're networking with to help you into recruitment. For example, at the end of the coffee chat if things go well, askĀ āwhatās the best way to stay in the loop for recruitment?ā or "how can I learn more about formal recruitment atĀ \[Firm\]?" instead of ācan you refer me for an investment bankingĀ summer analystĀ role?ā ā though subtle, this is much more emotionally intelligent approach and surely if the convo actually went well and you were well-liked, next steps will ensue and perhaps you'll be told a month or date to follow up closer to recruitment. And from there perhaps they'll put you in touch with whoever is running recruitment * LinkedIn can be fine for networking, but there's a lot of other resources to try if you aren't seeing results. In reality, LinkedIn searches only revealĀ public profiles (a fraction of what's actually out there), and few bankers actually put which product or industry group they're in, which is crucial information for networking, especially for those who know which team they want to join. Instead of LinkedIn, try RecruiterBase or something else that includes verified work emails and product / industry groups along with universities, hobbies, and other criteria. Most bankers don't check LinkedIn very often anyway, it's better to land directly in their inboxĀ Ā Am I missing any? Or curious if there's anything folks disagree with. I have skin in this game here too even though I'm already to theĀ buy side, given it's brutal watching kids fail over and over again at networking haha
Finance pays well, but feels empty after seeing the World... How do I keep going ?
I just started my first full-time analyst job in the front office at a BB bank. I come from a rather poor background, so the salary and expected potential are extremely significant and life-changing for me. During college and my internships, I was really excited about this industry. But after graduating, I took an extended break to backpack around the world for several months, and it was a truly eye-opening experience. Now, I feel like I no longer belong in this environment. The egos, the luxurious lifestyles, and everything I see among my colleagues no longer excite me. I have always been a simple person : I donāt care about fancy hotels or high-end restaurants. My only priorities are taking care of my family and achieving financial freedom, which is the only reason Iām staying in this industry. Have you ever doubted the meaning of all this hustle? How did you find purpose again after such an experience? How do you stay hungry when you lose your sense of purpose?
Education Journey to secure $80k-100k job post-grad?
So I decided to go back to school to get a Bachelor in Business/Finance. The pathway I have in mind is go to Community College (RCC) then transfer to University (SOU) to finish up. Community will cost me ~ $13,000 without any grants or scholarships. University will set me back ~ $33,000. But at SOU, they also offer a Certificate in Applied Finance and Economics (CAFE). I have the class that they have but does it necessary?
Jefferies Death - Advice to my younger self to handle the hours (IB RX - Large-Cap PE)
One month into 2025 and the financial industry has seen yet another death I did my two years in banking, and am now a private equity associate, so I wanted to write a letter to myself when going through those 80+ hours weeks 1) No one at work cares for you 2) You do not need to be top-bucket 3) You will not get fired 4) For the love of god, do not use drugs 5) What are you working towards? 1) No one at work cares for you Every single company in finance is a for-profit entity. The goal is not to have happy employees, to develop your career, to teach you skills, or any stupid cliche HR tells you. The goal is to make money. Period. In order to make money, the value created by the employees (total profits) has to be greater than the value paid to the employees (total compensation). Companies only want one thing: to make more money. Now let's use the equation illustrated above and we know that profits = value created by employees - value paid to employees See what I am getting to...companies just want to get as much value as they can out of you. They are not evil, they are just for-profit entities. Sadly, in finance, this value equation results in junior people working really long hours which sometimes leads to death. I like to remind myself of this point when I am overworked because it helps me put things into perspective. The company does not care about me, my development, or my well-being, they only care about extracting value from me. That's the game we are playing. 2) You do not need to be top-bucket Finance attracts Type A personalities: ambitious, competitive, and self-motivated. You can imagine when you put together a group of Type A personalities and you motivate them by saying "The top 10% gets an extra $20k at the end of the year". People will sacrifice everything to put "Top Bucket" on their resume but I think that's a stupid trade (unless you are desperately trying to get promoted). You are working 10 hours more per week to make $20k extra. That's $20 per hour after tax for working extra hours at 12am. Manual labor extra time literally pays more. That's a joke. Remember this is the trade you are making. 3) You will not get fired This concept is really hard to grasp because everyone in banking / PE is generally smart and motivated, so it is not imaginable that someone would put in a mediocre effort. Think about it: how many people have you met who were fired from junior banking roles? I know literally none. The point of this is not to say "Slack off" but rather "Be willing to look mediocre rather than damage your health". This brings me to my next point. 4) For the love of god, do not use drugs Sometimes I wonder what I will remember when I am 60 about these years working very long hours. Humans tend to forget the negative emotions, so my hope is that I will just remember the positives. One huge caveat, my health might not be great at 60 if I took drugs to "survive" these years of very long hours. We all remember the WSJ post from a few months ago claiming most bankers are on drugs, well I just want to remind everyone to never fall into this mistake. I really want to make sure young students / bankers understand that doing drugs is absolutely not required to succeed in the industry. I am fully anonymous so I can flex as much as I want, and the truth is that I am doing pretty well in my career without ever doing any form of drugs (and I am far from being a genius, I work in finance after all). Just please, bookmark this if you have to, but never take drugs. Look at it this way: "You are damaging your health so that the company you work for can make more profit (you will not get any of the upside)". Brutal, but true. 5) What are you working towards? One of the most negative realizations of starting my Private Equity role was seeing how unsatisfied people are with their lifestyle for an extremely prolonged period of time. I know this is specific about working for a large-cap fund, but what I want to stress is to put things into perspective by looking at your future. Are you working 80 hours a week because in two years you will go down to 60 and in four years you will go down to 50 or are you just lying to yourself? Do you wish you were 10 years ahead in your role or picturing yourself in your bosses' life is a nightmare? It is never too early to ask yourself those questions... What do you guys think? Any other advice to keep in mind?
IB Hype
I feel like 95% of what people talk about here is asking how to get into investment banking. I understand people want to make a lot of money, but genuinely, why are people so ready to throw away all of their free time? There are so many other careers in finance you can go for and your work life balance will be tremendously better. You will still make way more than the average American even just doing an operations job at a bank, let alone wealth management, corporate advisory, or trading. Life already throws enough curve balls, work will always bring an added stress, but you donāt need to make it your whole life. Just my 2 cents
There is always a backdoor into Finance
Writing this for anyone concerned their progression may not be by the book or concerned about breaking in as my journey has been odd so far: 1. I graduated college with bachelors in Business Management and Business law, and took a position as a recruiter straight out of college (2022) and was successful but hated my life. I ended up being the main guy for accounting and M&A positions and was super interested in their jobs. 2. I quit my recruiting gig in December 22ā and leveraged my finance industry knowledge and accounting courses in college to land a fund accounting analyst role with a large admin service provider specialized in derivative hedge funds. 3. Stayed there for 2 years and progressed to supervisor, then this past December leveraged my professional accounting/finance experience and my old Business Law degree to move into Regulatory and Compliance for Hedge Funds at another large service provider with 6 fig comp. I hope to then utilize this experience in the future to progress to the SEC. All goes to show, Iāve created a diverse financial career so far with neither a finance nor accounting degree.
Is Wealth Management the next Investment Banking ?
Investment Banking continues to attract thousands upon thousands of students, making the competition for internships and entry-level roles exceptionally fierce. This has led many to explore other avenues within finance. Given the upcoming "Great Wealth Transfer", where Baby Boomers will pass trillions of dollars to younger generations, a logical question arises: **Will this massive inflow of capital cause a "gold rush" into Wealth Management, replicating the intense competition and prestige of Investment Banking?** Or will it largely retain its current reputation as a more accessible career with a better work-life balance?
Corporate Finance job feels like glorified data entry
I graduated from college last year with a finance degree from a non target school in a big city. And since then Iāve been working in corporate finance as a Financial Analyst (controller for the IT team) at a Fortune 500 company in the energy industry. The company is really nice and I have great career progression opportunities since Iām part of a 5 year rotational program. But to be honest the job just feels like glorified data entry. Thereās no real analysis, creative thinking, or problem solving involved. I just do the same stuff every week/month like updating spreadsheets, inputting data in SAP, and giving my business partners their numbers. Iām not sure if this is how itās going to be indefinitely or maybe itās like this for now since Iām just a level 1 analyst. I was thinking of switching to something like investment banking, private equity, portfolio manager, or something of that nature because Iām really interested in stock market investing and personal finance. So what do you guys think? Should I make the switch to a different career path or stick to corporate finance for now and hope that it gets better?
TRANSPARENCY SALARY POST: Title, How Much You Made In 2024, Experience years, Happiness out of 10
I've seen this done on a few other subreddits, but I'm curious for the finance people. There are many new people on here (myself included), and I think getting a realistic picture of salaries and titles will help figure out what we're getting into. The years of experience in finance along with happiness level adds another layer of perspective imo.
UPDATE: GOD did, last minute clutch on a spring 2026 internship!
Made a post last month on how as a rising senior I got my last rejection for a 2025 internship before I gradued this spring and how I felt lost. [Here is the post](https://www.reddit.com/r/FinancialCareers/comments/1l1zvip/got_my_final_rejection_letter_for_summerfall_2025/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). I got a lot of good/helpful comments thank you and a lot of bad ones no thank you. Even though I wallowed in despair for 3 days, I got and persevered and god did his thing. After a total of 124 total internship/ft applications for 2025/2026 so far I got 53 no responses (43%), 52 straight rejections (42%), 11 hirevues/first rounds (9%) and 6 second rounds (5%) and I got 1 internship offer with a less than 1% success rate. This is from the company that rejected me for the fall internship and inspired my og post, turns out it was very close and I was runner up. So when I found out, I applied for their spring internship as soon as apps opened and emailed the hiring manager. She never responded but according to HR she remember my resume and wanted to extend the offer without interviewing again. Im so happy and kinda shocked because people at my current job are getting fired and quitting so the future was unclear. But now I have an intership on the finance team at a big recognizable names company and a subsidiary of a fortune 50. It may not be my first choice but its better than nothing, and it makes me a bit more competitive for full time roles in this ass job market. So i just wanted to you guys know and thank everybody whos given me actuall constructive criticism over the last 3+ years.
First deal of my career closed yesterday
The past 4 months my small team of three haven been working on a transaction that closed yesterday. CRE deal (little more than 1/2 billion). I graduated a little less than two years ago and had a major role in this transaction. Worked the models for months, checking numbers to the penny, dealt with 100+ investors, due diligence from the buyer, etc. Feeling proud of myself and my team, although still feeling a bit anxious! Now back to the normal grindā¦.till our next deal.
Words from a Finance Professor
Wanted to share a post from a college finance professor that came across my LinkedIn today: āI lost a mentee today. I donāt know the exact circumstances, but he was extremely despondent about his career situation. I donāt need anyone to offer condolences, or see if Iām OK. I just want to make 2 points: To my students and mentees: Donāt ever give up. If you feel like you canāt handle the pressure of life, Iāll be there for you. To all my other Linkedin connections: Please be kind and constructive to anyone looking for a job. Your words and help may mean more than you think.ā I wanted to share as I see a lot of folks on here trying to break in. Donāt give up! I made the pivot in my early 30ās, and so thereās no āperfectā path. Everyoneās journey is different. And for my peers already fortunate enough to be in the industry, donāt forget to leave the ladder behind you.
AM is underrated
Asset Management is so underrated within the finance undergrad sphere. I went to top undergrad business school (USA) and the only thing everyone talked about was IB/PE/PC. Work at independent AM shop and WLB is amazing, people are incredibly smart, mentorship is strong, and career pathways are insanely well compensated and dynamic (if you choose it to be). Am I wrong here?
Accepted a >90% raise offer, but I feel really guilty
Hey everyone, Iām in a ~1.5 year FDP at an F500 and just accepted a new position. The problem? I have massive guilt. The situation: Iāve had a great year at my current place. My manager supports me tremendously, has always believed in me, and is literally fighting these months to get me an additional promotion before my next rotation. She makes me visible to upper management, gives me interesting work, tries to develop my skills, speaks highly of me to everyone. My entire department is being moved to India. Instead of doing a ānormalā rotation as planned in the program, I was asked to stay a few extra months for the transition. The director, not my manager, even created a custom role for my third rotation once this transition wraps up. A role thatās never been opened to anyone else in the program and itās definitely interesting (similar scope to what Iām getting in my new offer). It signals trust and visibility. Then this offer comes through. 90%+ raise, significant title bump, from a larger multinational. For the same salary, Iād probably need another 3ā4 years where I am now. Objectively irrefutable for my career stage and cost of living. But hereās the drama: I know for a fact that leaving now puts her in a difficult spot. The India transition gets messier, my manager loses her only real ally on the team (itās just the two of us), and all the work sheās done to advocate for meā¦ yeah. I understand rationally that this is the right move for my career. Emotionally? I canāt shake the guilt. How do you guys handle this? How do you come to terms with leaving people who genuinely supported you? Or am I just being too empathetic and should prioritize myself, full stop?
Is wealth management really that bad?
Iām trying to find a career that fits me well as I am currently studying finance in college. Iām leaning mostly towards wealth management but it seems like everyone I talk to looks down upon it a little. All of the career rankings I have seen obviously have IB, S&T, and PE/VC, at the top of their lists and almost always have wealth management as one of the last. Why is that? All of the wealth advisors I know seem to be doing very well for themselves and have great work-life balances. I feel like Iām missing something.
Itās crazy we havenāt had a salary mega thread since 2023 - has the economy really sucks this much?
Feel free to post salaries here. YoE, title, Location, total comp, hours, stress levels
How has your salary changed with age since graduating college?
Iām curious how salaries progress over time. If youāre open to sharing, Iād love to know!!
Iām tired of this finance world. Thinking of quitting before Iāve even started.
Iām honestly reaching my breaking point. Iāve spent years studying, working hard, even getting a Masterās degree in Quantitative Finance. And yetā¦ here I am. Four months deep into job searching, sending out applications morning, noon, and night. Still nothing. Best case? I make it through HR and all the technical interviews, only to get ghosted at the end. No feedback. No closure. Just silence. And for what? To maybe land a junior position where Iād get underpaid for 5 years, grinding 60+ hours a week, just to be seen as āworth trainingā? To live the same draining āmetro, boulot, dodoā routine with no time to enjoy life, no balance, no mental space? Itās exhausting. The barrier to entry in this industry is insane. Companies want candidates with a laundry list of skills, a perfect resume, 3 internships, and 30 certifications each one costing over $1,000. For jobs that barely pay a livable salary at entry level. How is this sustainable? Finance used to be about ambition. Now it just feels like a game rigged against you unless youāve got the right connections or youāre ready to burn yourself out for crumbs. Iām honestly thinking of changing careers. I havenāt even started and I already feel burned out. Whatās the point of all this if even doing everything ārightā leads nowhere? Anyone else feeling like this?
Received MS in Finance admits from 7 unis. Need constructive advice on how to evaluate and go ahead.
I am a finance graduate from India with no full time experience, looking to pursue MS in Finance / Quant Finance in the US. I have admits from UIUC Gies (MSF with no scholarship), Johns Hopkins Carey (MSF with 44% scholarship), Stony Brook (MSF with no sch), Rutgers (MQF with no sch), Bentley (MSF with 30% sch and GA Job for 2 semesters), Stevens (MFE with 30% sch), Northeastern (MSQF with 20% sch). Anyone who has ample idea about the programs, student life, pros and cons at a deeper is more than welcome to share their opinion. My main point of confusion arises from this situation- I wanted to target top quant programs initially but a lack of programming and math background proved a hurdle, hence I applied to some "Beyond Top 10" quant programs like Stevens, Rutgers, and Northeastern. Stevens and NE I am discounting for lack of repute and brand value. Rutgers is still in contention although I haven't received any scholarship. Admits from Bentley and Stony can be comparable maybe but Bentley has a weird program and lacks any flexibility. Although, the reported numbers for employment post MSF look strong. SBU is a good name in SUNY schools but I have access to NO DATA about employment, avg salary, % employed at 3m, 6m, etc. Now, the big guns. UIUC and Johns Hopkins. UIUC allows A LOT of flexibility in MSF, as much as allowing me to take some financial engineering courses. The campus life looks very promising and vibrant. It's almost 6,500 acres. Access to Chicago but no other big city nearby. Brand value better than the colleges mentioned so far, except one. Johns Hopkins. JHU isn't as flexible as UIUC but also not rigid as Bentley. Quant isn't that much of a priority, hard and fast coursework for me. I am opting it only because of good salary. JHU is offering me the Washington DC, right in downtown next to Capitol Hill and the White House. Networking opportunities cross UIUC by a mile (I think). Brand value is immense. No such focus on quant, but instead on public policy related finance. I will target landing think-tank, policy making, govt finance jobs. Is that a viable plan? Iām willing to let go of a pursuit of a quant job hypothetically, because the job types mentioned above are more DC-oriented. But, the business school at JHU isn't THAT well known (I think). I don't know how far will JHU brand tag carry me? Is the downtown DC an ACTUAL plus-point? I've been offered a 44% scholarship but still the fees amount of 53K for the whole thing. TLDR, 7 uni admits. 2 with brand value, 4 with quant programs, 1 with GA job offer, 1 in NYC, 0 clarity on what to do. HELP.
Graduate Job Finally Came at Citi
So after applying for like 50 jobs and not hearing back from 90% I finally got offered a role at Citi Bank as a Securities and Derivatives analyst in operations. Does anyone know what I can expect when starting the role? The salary isn't great I'll probably just about get by but at least it's a start after seeing some of my fellow students get positions earlier in the year I'm very happy to have finally made progress in the industry.
I'm genuinely surprised when managers keep repeating the phrase "we're looking for someone who isn't just in it for the money."
Honestly, what do they imagine people come to work every day for? Excuse me, but people have "trivial" things like rent and food and drink expenses they need to cover. Because my lifelong dream has always been to spend every waking hour passionately dedicated to your specific project. If the goal is high performance, say so frankly. Say something like "we need someone to increase our team's productivity by, say, 15% over the next two years.'" But to say "we're looking for people with a motivation greater than just the salary'" is, frankly, a bit dishonest. Ultimately, we're here for the financial compensation. It's that simple. Even those who focus on career development and growth do so to qualify for better roles, which naturally means they'll earn more money. Forgive me if I see your organization as merely a professional exchange, or a mutual arrangement.
Worth taking $20k pay cut to work at Fidelity?
Iām currently working at a financial regulator and leaving because of all those federal layoffs. So technically itās not a pay cut as much as me being employed instead of unemployed. However, a $20k lower salary than my last job is a big sting, and they havenāt been very open to negotiation. I really just want to get into a company where I can stay for at least a handful of years, but if I have to spend this much time just making it back to where I started Iād rather not.
At what point does a higher salary stop being worth it?
Generally curious on what peoples views are on this in 2025. Anyone got a pay rise and more responsibility and wish they didnāt get it?
1 year in retail banking follow up (there's hope).
TLDR: Took a shit retail job that I hated fresh out of school, coming up on 1 year at the same job, managed to make a pivot into a middle office middle market CB role. I posted roughly 9 months ago about hating a job I landed straight out of college in retail banking. I was being offered an FP&A role a few months in and was seriously considering it, especially after a lot of people here said to take it. Things ended up not working out and I had to stay in my miserable, mentally draining, low fulfillment retail banking job that I loathed. I only took this job because after hundreds of applications and several months I couldn't land any other job. I definitely had too high of expectations fresh out of school, especially in this market. I'm very grateful for the job as a lot of my classmates are still unemployed. But nevertheless I was unhappy at my job and needed to get out. One of the first things I told my manager was that I hated the job but that I would do it and do it well if it meant I could move to another LOB within the bank. I immediately started networking within the bank, calling, emailing, going to corporate events etc... there were a lot of people who told me retail banking was a dead end and it would NOT help me land a job in any "real" finance role. However, I was constantly talking to people in private banking, IB, commercial banking, WM, etc... I took courses in commercial credit offered by the bank, signed up for seminars, anything that would help improve my brand. Asked to be connected with anyone else that might be of help after each interaction. Followed up after a few weeks and kept in touch with people that were in roles I was interested in. Fast-forward to today, I networked my way into a middle market, middle office role at the same bank. I start next month, will recieve a 50% base salary increase, a hybrid schedule, and a clear path to a FO role. No it's not IB, PE or VC, no I'm not making 500k in total comp, but hopefully this is a glimmer of hope to any recent or soon to be grad that feels stuck in a job they dislike, can't find a job, or feeling discouraged in this job market. It does get better, if you're willing to stick it out and put in the work.
Why does Finance makes so much more than tech? Also are career in finance more stable than tech right now (which lay offs hundreds of thousands of people in a whim)?
So, I have a cousin who went to the University of Pennsylvania for Economics, and he makes 400k+ working at a bank in Chicago after only 4 years of experience in the financial sector. Meanwhile, I have 2 friends working for Google for years, and they make only 150k. Also, I have friends in tech who are currently unemployed due to layoffs, and I myself are unemployed due to layoffs. When I went for tech in college, I thought that it was the future and it had the highest pay and the best work life balance for the salary. Also, I thought that job security would be great since everyone was always hiring for tech. None of that is the case anymore. The work-life balance is non-existent, and the salaries are going down. And there is no job securities with the constant layoffs. In 2025: How is the work life balance in finance? And how come people can make such crazy high salaries with only 4 years of experience? I really feel that I picked the wrong career by getting into tech. Edit: For those asking what my cousin does is Macro Strategy
Can a career in Finance match tech salaries ?
Iāve been noticing how much people in tech are making six figure salaries, even early in their careers and itās got me thinking: Can finance offer that kind of earning potential too ? I absolutely love finance. Numbers, markets and analyzing data are things I canāt get enough of. Itās my passion and I genuinely enjoy studying and working in this field. But I also dream of earning big. The idea of reaching those high salary numbers like what you see in tech is something Iām really motivated by. For those with experience in finance, is it possible to earn at that level ? Or is finance more about steady high paying but not tech level pay ? What roles or paths in finance offer the best shot at reaching those kinds of numbers ? Iād love to hear your thoughts and any advice you can share!
Would you work in an IB boutique with three people and two clients ?
What would your prefer: - accept offer in an IB boutique with three people and two clients ? - Keep working as an auditor in big4 with double salary
Would you still choose your career if money wasnāt a factor?
Iām in a unique situation. Iām a disabled veteran in my early 40s. Iāve been retired for the last 10 years. Before I was giving the option to retire from my federal job my professional background was in IT. Recently I was approved to go back to school in order to try to get me back in the workforce. For the last 5 years I have been obsessed with finance. So when giving the option of what jobs I wanted to do I said financial analyst. I live in a big banking city. I would attend a semi targeted school. Schooling and certifications would be taken care of. Iām not doing this for money right now so starting salary isnāt a big deal. Does this make sense? Or am I just dreaming? Should I focus on something else?
The remote job I got 5 months ago is no longer remote. Advice? Encouragement?
Iām in my mid 20s, had a long search to find my job. Iām paid about $70k when industry in my city for my level of corporate finance analyst is $85k. I got to see the spread of salaries for my level at my company. Iām the lowest paid analyst with mid being $85k and high $101k. Tear. I accepted due to urgency and the remote factor, because I make some money virtually with a side gig after work. I have 4 years of professional full time finance experience. I feel qualified and knowledgeable enough that it feels illogical to be the lowest paid analyst. Considering Iām not straight out of college and I have experience in buy side, sell side, and lots of āreal worldā transactions. To my surprise last week they told us that we will be required to be in officeā¦every day. Iād have a commute of 1 hour each way, have to wake up much earlier, and I will have to cut some hours of my side gig (make less money). I already felt underpaid, but now theyāre taking 10 more hours of my week via commute and I just got a very small merit raise *which leaves me with less money at the end of the month factoring the new commute.* It feels wrong to leave after so few months. I feel like Iād need to leave next year to collect my 2025 bonus ($10k). I have good benefits and work with good people. Iām feeling like an entitled gen z. I just donāt think it feels worth my while even though itās not *that* bad. Logical answer is suck it up until I get my bonus next year. Sigh. Edit: I welcome comments about how this sucks, would make me feel less glum -_-
Interview with a high school student
Hey everyone! Please delete if not allowed but I am a current high school senior who plans on pursuing a degree in finance, hoping to lead to a career in banking or accounting. For a school project, Iām tasked with interviewing a couple people currently in the financial industry (any career). This is to further my knowledge on the field and to prepare myself/see if it is a good fit for me. I will attach the questions below, and if anyone is willing to help me out please DM or respond below!!
Bizarre Call with a Recruiter- compensation
Iāve got over 15 yrs of experience in risk management and compliance in consumer banking. Was laid off from a senior director role at a top 5 assets bank last December. I am currently in a contract role for a regional bank while I continue to search for an appropriate full time role. A recruiter called me about a contract to perm role with a large bank in consumer risk. Director. Leading a consumer banking control testing team (2 lvl team with a total headcount of 15 people). Job will be to build the function from the ground up. They want someone with 10+ years of management experience in consumer risk and control and 10+ years focused on consumer lending. Experience with C-Level/exec communication and acting as a strategic partner to business unit leaders. Location is Charlotte, NC All of this sounded interesting and like something I could knock out of the park. Then we got to talking salary. Theyāre looking at paying $75 per hour and converting to perm at $150k per year. I told the recruiter that there was no way they would find competent talent in this city to do that job for that rate. I made more than that in a smaller role over a decade ago. What the hell is happening from a compensation perspective? Is this a trend that Iāve missed?
JFC Excel is way Fing deeper than I ever imagined
I posted here earlier about having an Excel test mid career as something of a senior analyst/project manager in fin tech. I'm feeling like I'm going to be yelling kids to get off my lawn before too long as I really have no clue about 95% of this. I thought I'd do a quick project to learn the functions and it's stumping me. I'm trying to load tables from websites and extract data from specific cells to automate populating salary data for my practice project. Using Power Query is hard! I've been using Excel every day for 15 years and all I've ever needed is Sum and to call specific cells from other sheets. I asked Copilot to help but am at the level of ineptitude I'm like googling definitions within definitions like WTF is M Query vs Power Query and how do I get to the correct text box? I was writing my codes into the Formula box without knowing to click the advanced editor. I'm not going to say my age, salary range, and years experience as I'm going to invite a lot of rage but let's just say it's probably assumed I'm an Excel professional at my level. Again, I'm literally doing this job now for 15 years and never used any of this... Any tips for good training to demystifying Excel?
Just got hired today as a FA
So I just got The Call less than an hour ago from a Fortune 500 financial planning company that was my top choice (they ignored my first two applications for the record). Training, exams, & licenses are all paid by them (I already have my SIE and L/H but still need my 7/66). The base salary is good for this space for a new hire, the first year commission rate is standard, the bennies are excellent (Iām mostly excited about the free gym and 401k employee match). I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity, but I also acknowledge that I may not succeed as a financial advisor since so many FAs fail and attrition is brutal. Any advice for a new FA that you wish youād known when youād first started out? For those of you that quit being a FA, where did you end up? Thanks in advance everyone!
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