WSO Weekly Wrap-up

January 03, 2026

Hey WSO Monkey,

Happy New Year, Monkeys. Holiday season’s over, grind mode is back on. First weekend of 2026, and half of you are setting goals while the other half is quietly updating the net worth tab.

On the forums, we have Q&As from a distressed / special sits credit analyst and a Kroll director and some honest threads on shame, “bots” in banking, and trying to get a head start. Scroll through whatever matches your vibe right now.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. Q&A: Distressed / Special Sits Credit Analyst - "My fund invests across the capital stack in both public and private credit. I have ~5 years of buy-side experience and am happy to share general career advice."

  2. 2025 Year-End Net Worth Check-in - "Drop your stats in the format below. Let's see how we compare to others at the same level."

  3. How to Get a Head Start - "My two cents are: nurture your existing connections and be strategic (but soft) on building good ones at Wharton, so when you have to you can go back to those in the future + rely on alumni meetings and network as well. But like mentioned above on the thread, just be the nice kid and not the annoying one..."

The Tools Warren Buffett Wishes He Had

If Warren Buffett had access to these tools when he was starting out, he would’ve become a billionaire way before he turned 56. Now, with the WSO Academy, they’re at your fingertips. Get equipped with game-changing resources that give you the edge legends like Buffett could only dream of, tools designed to help you dominate markets, analyze like a pro, and crush the competition.

📊 Outsmart the Market with Bloomberg News
Get access to one of the world’s most trusted financial platforms. From real-time market updates to expert analysis, Bloomberg News delivers the insights you need to make decisions like a seasoned pro—all included with WSO Academy.

📱 Research Like a CFA® Charterholder with Capital IQ Pro
Dive deep into earnings calls, investor presentations, and corporate reports from thousands of companies—all at your fingertips. With Capital IQ Pro, your stock pitches, research, and market commentary will leave jaws on the floor all over Wall Street.

🌟 Rewrite Your Career Trajectory
Buffett didn’t have tools like these, and he still made it to the top. Imagine what you can achieve with resources this powerful in your corner. There’s no limit to your potential.

This is your chance to work smarter, faster, and better than the competition. Don’t miss out.

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. Q&A: Director @ Kroll (Ex Duff & Phelps) – Mid-Market M&A, Modeling That Actually Gets Used, and What IB Looks Like Outside GS/MS - "I’m a Director in Investment Banking at Kroll (yes, the Duff & Phelps you’ve heard of, now rebranded). ~10+ years across M&A, capital raises, valuations, and cross-border deal execution. I sit squarely in the mid-market—where deals close, models matter, and nobody pretends a football field wins mandates..."

  2. Too Many Bots in Banking? - "Worthwhile to add that most banks see analysts as just resources to grind out work for hours on end (and leave for other jobs / burn out) instead of actual assets to grow into career bankers / roles where soft skills and being good at building out relationships actually matter. Being social doesn’t matter from a value creation perspective until maybe like VP or up for them. Hence waves of mechanical grinders willing to go through hellish hours. Maybe with AI taking out the grindy work this could change and we move back towards good socializing / sharp thinking & instincts matter more."

  3. How Do You Deal With Feeling Ashamed? - "If you give up and start moping about how sorry you feel for yourself, then you’re totally fucked and no one can help you. But if instead you pull yourself up by your bootstraps and go 100x harder, then you can do anything you set your mind to. It’s all in your…"

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • Mentorship, Banking & Big Deals | A Real Career Story

  • 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

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..."

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

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