WSO Weekly Wrap-up

December 20, 2025

Hey WSO Monkey,

Last weekend before Christmas (for those who celebrate and for those who are just pretending to work until year-end). If you’re half in holiday mode and half staring at Excel, the forum’s still doing its thing… scroll through whatever looks useful or entertaining.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. Is PE F**ked for Our Generation - "I don't even mind not having a life outside work, but facetime when you have nothing cuts into sleep and fucks with productivity - leaving you worse off when work comes your way. Couple that with the fact that even VP's get churned by having to prove that they are worth making a partner when the last partner promote was a decade ago, you see a lot of talent start losing their minds and quitting with nothing lined up..."

  2. Quant PM - Q&A - "My background is in mid frequency quant equities though I have managed people that trade other asset classes and horizons. Non-PhD but strong undergrad, built an early career as a QR at large collaborative firms and climbed the ranks, before moving to pods where I have been the last 5-10 years. First part of guarantee will be the largest bonus I have collected to date, but prior to that will give range of 5-15mm for max bonus."

  3. To the Young Millenial and Old Gen Z White Men, Please Read This - "What’s sad is that the working class white guy and run of the mill US born minority still gets screwed, and the new beneficiaries are upper middle class women and minorities. I don’t feel bad for the rich WASPs, they’ve had it good for a long time, but the current situation is no more fair and that explains the anger. I’m lucky that my team is successful enough that we do our own recruiting and no one tells us what to do or who to hire. Ironically, that makes us more diverse than most others without forcing it."

Ask the Questions That Build Careers: WSO Academy Office Hours

Forget office hours with professors who’ve never worked a day in the real world. With WSO Academy, you’ll be invited to 7 Office Hours every week where you can ask anything—live—with real finance pros who’ve climbed the ladder.

These aren’t theory-driven lectures. This is actionable, insider advice from the people who’ve done it. And whe we say you can ask anything—we mean anything.

⏰ Flexible Sessions for Every Time Zone
With 6 sessions a week, from bright & early to late at night, you’ll always find a time that works—no matter where you’re located.

💬 Open Q&A, No Limits
From cracking technicals to navigating tough interview questions, you’ll get real answers from real professionals. Plus, our CEO, Patrick Curtis, regularly hosts Office Hours, offering firsthand insights into breaking into and thriving in high finance.

🌟 Learn From Leaders, Live
This isn’t a classroom. It’s a unique opportunity to pick the brains of people who’ve been where you are and know what it takes to succeed.

Stop counting on clips from The Wolf of Wall Street and The Big Short to learn about the real world of investing. Come see it first hand with WSO Academy.

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. Q&A: Public Finance IB at BB - "Started at a Non-Target and ended up interning in Munis at a BB. Went from Intern -> Analyst -> Associate all in Muni Banking. I have experience across sub-sectors (GOs, Healthcare, Higher Ed, etc.), but the majority of my time has been on high-yield deals (Project Finance, Corporates, etc.)"

  2. Most impressive Real Estate Careers You've Seen - "I hate to say it as an NYC guy but Donald Bren is the real estate OG. While everyone else is figuring out how to syndicate deals and generate fee income, he created one giant syndication and spends the rest of his career buying out all his partners. Something tells me he had some very friendly GP control provisions baked into those documents."

  3. Q&A: Senior Consultant / Jr Manager at Bain - "Bachelor from semi-target university; 2 years at a large bank (non-IB role / strategy & digital); 5 years at Bain, multiple projects in M&A, strategy, VCP with PEs, corporate and family-owned clients. Worked across US, Europe, Asia"

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • From Italy to Saudi Arabia: Claudio’s Global Finance Journey & Lessons in Mentorship

  • Breaking Into Investment Banking: Vamshi’s Journey from UChicago to Private Equity Success

  • WSO Academy Mentor Reveals: How Students Break Into Top Finance Roles

  • From Brazil to Wall Street: Arthur’s Journey Through Wharton, Banking, and Finding Purpose

  • From Business Data Science to Banking: My Journey & Lessons for Students

Hot Jobs 💼

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…" 

Finance Expert - “Mercor is recruiting U.S./UK/Canada/Europe/Singapore/Dubai/Australia-based Investment Banking or Private Equity Experts for a research project with a leading foundational model AI lab.”

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.”

Insights Senior Manager/Principal, Private Equity - "The Insights Private Equity group at Dialectica plays a key role in driving growth and scaling an emerging business unit within the company..."

Investment Banking, Private Equity, and Hedge Fund Professionals - "This is a remote, part-time role ($100-$150/hr; 20-40hr/week) where you'll apply your foundation in accounting, valuation, and financial modeling to create high-quality content used to train AI models. You’ll break down real-world finance scenarios, craft rigorous problem sets, and translate complex concepts into clear, structured reasoning across corporate finance, accounting, and investment analysis. Ideal for IB/PE/HF professionals with 1-5 years of experience looking for part-time work while contributing to AI development."

Pre-MBA Private Equity Associate - "We are seeking a Pre-MBA Private Equity Associate to join our team for a Summer 2027 start..."

Private Equity Investment Associate ~ Advanced Industrials ~ San Francisco - "This role offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on exposure across the full private equity lifecycle, from deal sourcing and due diligence to portfolio value creation, working directly alongside senior investors and portfolio executives..."

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