by meridith dennes | Feb 10, 2026 | Compensation Trends, Interviewing, Lateral Recruiting
Sign-on bonuses, guaranteed compensation packages, relocation stipends, deferred payouts — these are the building blocks of investment banking recruitment and retention. They’re also squarely in the crosshairs of new legislation in California and New York... 
by meridith dennes | Feb 7, 2026 | Interviewing, Lateral Recruiting, Networking
The phone rings. A recruiter has a “compelling opportunity” they’d love to discuss. Before you take that meeting, it’s worth doing some groundwork. The lateral process in investment banking tends to move quickly, and a little preparation up... 
by meridith dennes | Feb 6, 2026 | Compensation Reports, Compensation Trends, Interviewing
Follow Prospect Rock Partners for more detailed intel on hot jobs and compensation. If you’ve already been told your year end bonus, we’d appreciate your participation in this year’s compensation study so we can start releasing early market data. This year’s survey... 
by meridith dennes | Jan 14, 2026 | Interviewing, News
Bank earnings show a Q4 timing shift, not a confidence problem JPMorgan’s 5% year-over-year decline in fourth-quarter investment banking fees was the number that caught everyone’s attention. The stock dropped nearly 3% despite an overall earnings... 
by meridith dennes | Jan 11, 2026 | Interviewing, Lateral Recruiting
The 2025-2026 lateral market is active, but the rules have changed. Here’s what candidates should understand. If you’ve been following the investment banking lateral market lately, you’ve probably noticed something interesting: deal activity is... 
by meridith dennes | Dec 27, 2025 | Exit Opportunities, Interviewing, Lateral Recruiting, Summer Internships
The tier obsession is one of the most pervasive—and least examined—features of investment banking culture. Walk into any campus recruiting event, scroll any finance forum, or listen to any group of analysts grabbing drinks after a pitch, and you’ll hear the same...