Weekly wrap up August 1

Author

Ivy Almirol
August 01, 2026



Hey WSO Monkey,

Everyone wants the best seat, the best firm, and the best exit. This week’s forum gets into what actually creates an edge, from hardo intern behavior and PE differentiation to elite boutique interviews, VP laterals, and honest PE career reflections.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. What’s Your Craziest “Hardo” Story? - "A few years ago, a co-intern never stopped asking for extra work. At some point, the MD crashed out and gave him literally all his personal stuff. The intern ended up doing the MD's tax filings and calling architects & craftsmen to oversee his vacation home construction in the south of France."

  2. Does Anyone Believe Their Firm Has a True Competitive Edge - "Hard to have a true edge in large-cap PE, much easier in MM and LMM, where there is a larger investable universe, as each of these advantages compound. For example, if Vista/TB/Silver Lake were MMs, I would say they have clear edges, but they don't to the same extent in large-cap PE. There are some levels of differentiation in MF PE platforms that might drive returns bps in either direction depending on how sectors perform."

  3. Q&A: Equity Research - "Open forum to ask questions to a former equity analyst covering banks and specialty financials for more than 15 years."

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They hire candidates who demonstrate technical ability, commercial awareness, strong communication, and genuine interest in the firm.

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Your GPA can get someone's attention.

Your recruiting profile gets you the offer.

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. Elite Boutique Interview Questions - "All the EB’s ask hard multi-step accounting and restructuring technicals. CVP and PWP tend to combine these with the more 'out of the box’ questions such as brain teasers, mental math, curveballs, etc. Evercore and Moelis are known for long, long accounting. PJT leans more restructuring-related. Lazard asks more about industry."

  2. Lateraling at Senior Associate / VP Level - "I’m up for VP next year, so thinking waiting for the title might make me more marketable externally. We have title deflation but feel like market should care more about YOE. Lastly, am I dumb for wanting to leave my seat? Considered a strong performer, and I don’t hate my life. I just don’t think becoming a Partner here is a probability for me (don’t think it is for 99% of the mid-levels here). My other thought is should I just try to ride the wave as long as I can and can figure out alternatives if/once I get pushed out…the comp is nice, but time and age are the biggest opportunity cost I’m battling..."

  3. Do You Regret Doing PE? - "Overall, in hindsight, if I could find a good lifestyle IB group where I liked the people and deal flow was solid (but not crazy), I'd choose that over PE. Actually, I would have done 2 years in PE and then gone back to IB instead of staying in PE."

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • How This 'Non-Target' Math Major Broke Into Investment Banking (Starting in January!)

  • From Pre-Med in Vietnam to Wall Street: How This Non-Target Student Broke Into IB

  • Before You Choose a Finance Career, Watch This

Hot Jobs 💼

Associate - "We are hiring a full-time Investment Associate in our Baltimore office to help us find, evaluate, and close our next investments in late-stage software and technology companies..."

Associate Director, Investments (New York City) - "As the Associate Director of Investments, you will play a critical role in shaping the College Board’s long-term business strategy. Your work will directly influence how we expand access to education for millions of students..."

Investment Banking Analyst Intern - "Westcove is seeking an Investment Banking Analyst Intern to join the team as soon as possible for a minimum 10-week internship. This is a structured, full-time, in-person role based in our Los Angeles office five days per week. Candidates must reside within a reasonable commuting distance of Los Angeles or be prepared to relocate to the Los Angeles area before the role begins and available to work in person for the full duration of the internship..."

Investment Banking Vice President - "This involves reviewing AI outputs for correctness, methodological rigour, and commercial relevance—then building evaluation criteria and model answers that reflect how things are actually done at top-tier banks…"

Private Equity Expert - "Mercor is recruiting U.S./UK/Canada/Europe/Australia-based Private Equity Experts for a research project with a leading foundational model AI lab."

Financial Modeling Expert - "In this highly visible role, you will deploy your deep expertise in financial modeling, valuation, and deal structuring to support major investment decisions across diverse sectors..."

WSO Mentor - "Are you an experienced professional with a background in investment banking, private equity, hedge funds, S&T, venture capital, asset management, equity research, quant finance, corporate dev, real estate finance, or top-tier consulting? Passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders? Wall Street Oasis (WSO) is expanding its Mentorship Program, and we're looking for outstanding professionals to join our mentor roster—an elite network supporting students and young professionals as they prepare for high-stakes careers. Whether you’re looking to give back, stay connected to rising talent, or sharpen your coaching skills, this role offers you the chance to make a meaningful impact, remotely and on your schedule..."

On Deck - Training 🎓

All in Eastern Standard Time

Stay Strong,
Patrick Curtis
CEO and Founder, WallStreetOasis.com

WSO Mobile App: iOS | Android

PS - We're also always looking to add resume reviewers and WSO Mentors to our team. Set your own pay (from $40/hr to up to $400/hr) to increase or decrease mentee flow. To submit an application, go here.

PPS - Think you have an interesting story? Want to share it with our podcast listeners? Hit reply and let me know!




* PE Interview Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the PE Interview Course
** FMV Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the Elite Modeling Package
*** IB Interview Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the IB Interview Course