Ten paths
Investment banking is one of ten. Each block shows the work, how recruiting runs, the interview stages and the largest firms on the tracker. Pick any of them and the tracker, drills and firm intel follow.
M&A advisory, capital raising, and coverage across every bulge bracket, elite boutique, and middle-market bank.
How recruiting runs
Networking-driven; first-rounds are technical + fit, then Superday.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for IB
Strategy and management consulting at MBB and the major specialist firms, across generalist and industry tracks.
How recruiting runs
Case interviews decide outcomes: market sizing, profitability, and structure under time pressure, plus a fit round that counts as much as the case.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for MC
Markets desks across equities, FICC, and derivatives, plus prop shops and market makers.
How recruiting runs
Markets knowledge tested daily: know the tape, rates, and a trade idea. Prop shops add mental math and games.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for S&T
Long-only investing, research, and portfolio management at the big shops and boutiques.
How recruiting runs
Structured summer openings (BlackRock, Fidelity, T. Rowe). Fit + market awareness + a stock pitch carry the process.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for AM
Long/short equity, macro, credit, quant, and multi-manager platforms hiring analysts and researchers.
How recruiting runs
Less structured. Stock pitches decide outcomes; multi-managers (Citadel, Point72) run formal academies with early deadlines.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for HF
Buyouts and growth investing. Analyst openings and the on-cycle associate gauntlet run through headhunters.
How recruiting runs
On-cycle kicks off via headhunters (CPI, HSP, Amity, SG, Ratio, BellCast, Gold Coast) and moves in days. Paper LBOs and modeling tests standard.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for PE
Direct lending and opportunistic credit at the mega-funds and specialist shops. The fastest-growing buyside seat.
How recruiting runs
Credit analysis + LBO mechanics from the lender side. Many seats fill off-cycle through headhunters.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for PC
REPE, REITs, development, and lending. Acquisitions and asset-management seats.
How recruiting runs
Pro forma modeling and market fundamentals. REPE follows PE-style processes with RE-specific cases.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for RE
Early and growth-stage investing. Analyst and associate seats plus sourcing-heavy fellowships.
How recruiting runs
Network-first hiring. Sourcing exercises, market maps, and an investment memo or deal walkthrough.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for VC
FP&A, treasury, corporate development, and rotational FLDP openings (finance leadership development programs).
How recruiting runs
Structured university pipelines with earlier, GPA-driven screens. Corp dev seats often want banking experience.
The interview track, in order
Largest on the tracker for CF
Any of the ten, as many as you like. The tracker, the drills and the firm intel adapt to your list.
