by meridith dennes | Feb 1, 2026 | Buy Side, Exit Opportunities, Lateral Recruiting
You didn’t sacrifice two years in banking just to be disappointed. Here’s what nobody tells you about PE—and the alternative paths that might actually get you where you want to go. The Unspoken Truth About Private Equity You did everything right. You... 
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 | Compensation Trends, Lateral Recruiting
The investment banking lateral hiring market is entering its most consequential stretch of the year, with bonus season poised to reshape recruiting dynamics across Wall Street and beyond. Elite banks have accelerated their timelines, extending offers months earlier... 
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... 
by meridith dennes | Dec 16, 2025 | Campus Recruiting, Interviewing, Lateral Recruiting, Networking
I’ve Interviewed Hundreds of Banking Candidates. Here’s How the Best Ones Show They Were Top Performers Without Ever Saying “Top Bucket” If you’ve spent any time recruiting for lateral roles in investment banking, you’ve heard the... 
by meridith dennes | Dec 14, 2025 | Campus Recruiting, Interviewing, Lateral Recruiting
Master the Skills That Separate Top Performers from Everyone Else It’s 2:30 AM on a Tuesday. You’re still at your desk, squinting at a DCF model that should have been finished hours ago. Your mouse hand is cramping from endless clicking through Excel...