WSO Weekly Wrap-up

October 04, 2025

Hey WSO Monkey,

Just thought to let you know in case it might be of interest - we have a Financial Modeling & Valuation Bootcamp next weekend (Oct 11-12), where you can learn financial modeling from a top pro with IB and PE experience.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. Loser MD Pens Essay: “I’m an MD in a Bank. My Juniors Hate Me and Think I’m Rich” - "Something has broken in the investment banking industry. I have worked in this industry for well over a decade and never have I faced such animosity from the younger generation. It's harder than ever to get anlusts and associates to put in the hours necessary to get the job done. When I explain what is expected of them, I am hit with a barrage of resentment. Often this is expressed in demeanour rather than words or actions, but sometimes it's so obvious that I have felt threatened. This was particularly the case a year or so ago when we made a round of layoffs that impacted some of the juniors on my team. I was blamed for letting them go even though the matter was out of my hands..."

  2. Why Is PE Like This? Shocked by Culture After MBB - "I actually really enjoyed my time in MBB, I got exposure to a bunch of stuff, didn't work weekends, my start class was actually very close and even did some trips together outside of work and regularly went out, etc. We worked hard especially when staffed on diligence cases but it felt structured. Everyone in PE (not just my fund, know 3 friends who made the switch as well), feels militant. No one laughs at work and there is no sense of camaraderie, people are so bought in to the job. Also I know this was what I was signing up for but there is no sense of work ever being done. When you're done with a deal sprint it's back to portco work, reporting, LP comms, biz dev stuff..."

  3. FT Recruiting Is a Nightmare - "Texas teams are very sensitive to people bolting to NY, and honestly no matter what you say they will likely read your story as as "I got a role in NYC but didn't get a return offer, so TX is my fallback until I can get a year or so experience and hop back to NY". Other geographies don't have such a strong dynamic here, so if you're open to other T2/T3 cities I'd also keep an eye on roles there..."

Investment decisions hinge on having the full picture, but critical details often hide in plain sight.

Investment decisions hinge on having the full picture, but critical details often hide in plain sight.

That’s why we built Global Search: to help investment firms not only find information faster but also uncover insights they didn’t even know they had.

Global Search is already helping Blueflame users reduce research time and surface insights they’d otherwise miss. A few real-world examples:

✅ Build company summaries using deal notes, CRM records, emails, and public data
✅ Reference historical deals to inform comps, memos, or diligence workflows
✅ Search firmwide knowledge for everything related to a sector or theme
✅ Prepare for LP meetings with relationship-specific insights and internal context

With one interface for firm knowledge, connected apps, LLMs, and the web, Blueflame helps dealmakers and investment firms go deeper—and move faster—without sacrificing accuracy.

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. The L/S Entry-Level Toolkit - "Pick 3 or 4 stocks you like or find interesting. Put them on your Google or Yahoo Finance monitor, and follow them regularly. Find out why they move on days when they move big. Are there company-specific news? Was it sector news, or something macro-related? What are the debates affecting the company? Is there a bull and a bear thesis? And so on. You will learn a lot this way, including that sometimes stocks move for no apparent reason. Or that previously accepted truths are proven wrong. And so forth."

  2. Will Analyst Base Pay Go Up in 2026? (London Edition) - "I love investment banking. Nothing quite like building a 120-slide CIM at 2am while a VP gently reminds you with that infamous orange box stating that the formatting “still looks like shit”. But between inflation, tax, and the £20 cocktail that HR called a “networking event,” I’m wondering: Is our real income dead? Will the base ever rise again?

  3. Quitting to Run Around Naked in the Woods - "Been in PE as an analyst for a year and a half. Work has bled into everything (obviously know what everyone deals with this) health, dating, lifting, diet. Used to be in a good place, now it’s all shot. Parents both have a condition, not terminal, but time with them is limited in the next couple years. Have also barely seen them since starting this job. After two years I don’t plan to jump to another seat right away. Thinking about stepping away completely , missionary work, off-grid, whatever. Don’t even care about a paycheck lined up. Take a few months off and come back to finance after. For what it’s worth , I do love finance and doing something real as opposed to having a fake email job..."

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • Colby to Associate in Consulting at BCG | Chat with Luis

  • Ohio State to RX Investment Banking at Ducera in NYC

Hot Jobs 💼

Experienced Analyst - "As an Investment Banking Analyst, you’ll work alongside senior-level management and play an integral role in supporting the full lifecycle of transactions. You will be challenged in a fast-paced environment by managing competing priorities and demonstrating initiative. Our culture is focused on creating “entrepreneurial bankers” and we strive to facilitate an environment that fosters professional and personal growth while leading with integrity..."

Finance Expert - "Mercor is hiring seasoned Finance professionals to join an exciting collaboration with a top AI research lab. The role involves contributing to the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems built to mimic real-world workflows across Investment Banking, Private Equity, Asset Management, and Equity Research. You'll help train, test, and calibrate AI agents on complex financial tasks derived from M&A, IPOs, debt offerings, equity research, pitchbook development, and more..."

General Finance Expert - "This role involves contributing to the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems designed to replicate real-world workflows across Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Strategic Finance, Corporate Finance, Treasury, and Budgeting & Forecasting..."

Investment Services Expert - "This role involves contributing to the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems designed to replicate real-world workflows across investment banking, private equity, asset management, and equity research..."

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..."

Research Associate (Equity Small Mid Cap) - New York, NY - "This position will support the Small/Mid-Cap Equity research team and initially be responsible for covering multiple sectors in support of current team members."

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