I-Banking

So I had the pleasure to have lunch today with an investment banker of a regional investment bank with a presence here in Utah. It was nice to meet with him and hear his perspective on LBO's., IPO's, and the markets in general. One especially nice thing to hear was his opinion of an automatic ethical responsibility of disclosure that exists when brokering the sale of a company, something I-bankers often don't get credited for.

Another important distinction - the idea of the 100+ hour work week for I-bankers - myth?. He confirmed that many analyst programs, especially on Wall Street, can consist of these types of hours. The important distinction is between Wall Street firms and the second or third tier firms. At these firms, the hours tend to be less intense, although still heavy.

There is no question, I-banking can be a great place to start a career, just be prepared to work a lot. But if it can fit your lifestyle, you can make great income and gather fantastic exposure for future career moves. Not for me though...