Every year, M&A bankers at every level — analysts, associates, VPs, Directors, MDs — find out their number, see it is smaller than they expected, and spend the next forty-eight hours refreshing the anonymous banking forums, texting a peer at a competitor for...
It’s 7:50 AM on a Tuesday. Coffee hasn’t kicked in. Inbox open. And there it is — email number twelve this week from a student who wants to “cut their teeth” in markets and wants me to know, with full confidence, that I “probably...
This guide covers the full landscape of investment banking offer negotiation — when to engage, what can actually move, how to read your leverage, and what the realistic risks look like. The Single Most Important Principle Negotiation is not automatic or universal....
Every banker, at some point in their career, will need to exit a process or decline an offer. It is one of the most routine yet most poorly handled moments in professional life. Done well, it preserves a relationship that may matter significantly later in your career....
AI Is Already Reshaping M&A Recruiting M&A Recruiting · 2026 AI Is Already Reshaping M&A Recruiting — And Most Candidates Don't See It Yet Class sizes are shrinking, the ideal candidate profile is shifting, and the summer internship class is the leading indicator....
Let's be clear about something upfront: VPs are among the most desirable lateral hires in investment banking. VP1s and VP2s move constantly and with relative ease. They're senior enough to hit the ground running, junior enough to develop, and priced at a level where...
