Investment Banking Associates

The work environment at a typical investment bank is demanding, fast-paced, and often stressful. There is constant pressure to manage the work of analysts and ensure that it is of the highest quality; respond to requests by senior bankers, who are often very demanding; and meet deadlines—and meetings these expectations often translates into long work days. Hours for investment banking associates aren’t as long as those worked by entry-level analysts, but they are still quite substantial in comparison to the average hours of workers in other industries. A typical day for an associate during a busy period might start at 8 a.m. and end at 11 p.m., and a few “days” may even end as late as 2 a.m. On weekends, associates spend some time checking analysts’ work and participating in conference calls. Associates often travel to meet with company executives, participate in road shows, and attend industry meetings and conferences. After some tragic deaths of overworked investment banking professionals, some banks (such as Goldman Sachs and Bank of America) have created programs to improve their employees’ work/life balance. Each year, Vault.com compiles a list of the best investment banking firms in terms of prestige and a good work environment. In 2016, the leading firms were: