Bankers Can Spot AI in a Heartbeat: Why It’s a Minefield in Investment Banking Interviews
Banks aren’t screening candidates for whether they can use AI — they’re screening for whether they can catch its mistakes, since even the best AI models still fail nearly half their evaluation criteria on real banking workflows and require someone senior to check the output. Leaning on AI for take-home models or live technicals interviews signals the wrong skill entirely, and with junior classes shrinking and recruiting shifting toward seasoned lateral hires, that gap is only getting more visible and more costly to have.
Rogo Was Supposed to Shrink the Junior Class. Instead It’s Creating More Work for Associates and VPs.
Rogo was pitched as a way for banks to shrink the junior class, but it’s actually created more work for associates and VPs — now stuck fixing the mistakes of MDs and Directors using the tool without the on-the-ground judgment to catch when it’s wrong.
What Investment Bankers Can Actually Expect to Earn in 2026
What investment bankers can realistically expect for 2026 bonuses, using 2025 as a baseline against record Q2 2026 bank earnings, a split first half among elite boutiques (Evercore/PJT/Moelis records vs. Houlihan Lokey’s miss vs. Lazard’s 91% profit drop), and Johnson Associates’ latest bonus forecasts. The core argument: pay is rising broadly, but it’s being distributed with more discipline than in past recoveries — concentrated among revenue producers, senior MDs, and equity-focused roles, while banks simultaneously cut headcount hard in back-office functions.
Why Recruiter Outreach Misses the Mark — And What We’re Doing About It
Learn why recruiter outreach misses the mark. Discover our solutions for enhancing candidate and recruiter alignment.
Record Profits, Deeper Cuts: Where Wall Street Is Actually Shrinking in 2026
Wall Street banks are posting record profits while cutting headcount, but the cuts are concentrated almost entirely in back-office, operations, and compliance functions — not in the front-office bankers and traders who generate revenue.
Lazard’s Not So Quiet Signal: Why Senior Bankers Everywhere Should Be Paying Attention
Lazard just did something that's easy to read the wrong way. Read as a standalone story, an 80-plus managing director reduction alongside a 91% drop in quarterly net income looks like trouble. Read in context — a record dealmaking market, a firm mid-turnaround, and a...
Every Exit Has a Story: Navigating RIFs, Voluntary Departures, and Terminations in Investment Banking
Every departure in banking carries a story, and the label attached to it — RIF, voluntary, or for cause — only holds up with recruiters when it’s consistent with the U5, references, and the facts.
The Class of 2029 Investment Banking Recruiting Guide: Bank-by-Bank Timelines, Deadlines, and Strategy for Summer 2028 Internships
The Class of 2029 Investment Banking Recruiting Guide: Bank-by-Bank Timelines, Deadlines, and Strategy for Summer 2028 Internships
What’s the Big Deal About Having Closed M&A Deals?
Explore the importance of closed M&A deals in the investment banking job market and how they impact your career prospects.
What Elite Boutiques Actually Want in This Market — and When You Can Cross the Tier Line
A hot lateral market makes every door look open. Most of that movement is happening within tiers, not across them — here’s what elite boutiques are actually hiring for right now, and where the uptier really is (and isn’t) possible.