WSO Weekly Wrap-up

March 09, 2026

Hey WSO Monkey,

Monday check-in. The headlines out of West Asia have been rough, and the market has been reacting accordingly - oil has been moving fast the last couple of days on supply-route worries. Thinking of everyone directly affected and hoping things cool down soon.

If you’re taking a break from pretending your inbox is “under control,” check out some discussions on career anxiety (AI included), recruiting and culture debates, and deal chatter.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. Honestly, What Are You Going to Do When AI Kills This Career Forever? - "The reality is you still need folks to wield these AI tools and you'll need people who understand how to provide differentiated advice because this will be a commoditized technology every bank has access to. Senior bankers focused on relationship development won't be spending the time to learn these tools and manage the technology to create their own deliverables and manage transaction processes so there will be a need for junior support teams to manage these processes unless somehow the technology evolves beyond what I can see is feasible..."

  2. Are You American PE Guys Okay With What You’re Doing? - "I think the headhunter point is driven by perceived cultural differences that have some merit on average. Not saying the general European outlook on WLB is a bad thing… we’d all love to work a little bit less sometimes… but it is incongruent with US PE “grind it out at all cost” mentality which has its own pitfalls. It’s just different and HH/hiring decision makers are cautious of it. I’ve done few deals in Europe / had good and bad euro teammates. Some grinded and some vacationed A LOT. Guessing but imagine polish attitude to WLB is somewhere in between that of Germany/FR and U.S… maybe closer to US’ because you guys generally seem to have a harder edge / more intensity within… again no hate..."

  3. $110BN Media Megamerger. Every Bank on Earth. No UBS - "You have a deal with more advisors than theatrical releases next year and somehow UBS still couldn’t squeeze onto the tombstone. This is the exact type of situation where every bank with a pitchbook and a pulse fights for relevance. Media consolidation. Mega equity issuance. Monster debt stack. Rights offering. Regulatory complexity. Board special committees. And UBS is watching it on CNBC like the rest of us..."

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It’s the same VDR game. SRS Acquiom is just changing the rules in your favor.

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. Software Bankers and PE Investors: What’s the Mood Like? - "On the traditional SaaS names, it’s bleaker. The risk isn’t somebody just vibe coding it. It’s the rapid progression of coding tools in combination w/ advancements in coordinating agents that are scary and hit term value. I don’t think a solo l33t vibe coder is going to make a product and start beating them in RFPs consistently. Most of the damage will come from companies switching to internally developed SW that previously were too expensive and complicated to build without AI / ‘teams’ of agents. It’ll also allow for better and faster true customization for enterprises. F100 companies are getting whatever features they ask for Salesforce but every customer has a priority ranking and there are only so many engineers to go around right now..."

  2. Raise your hand if you are still manually calculating DSCR in Excel. Stop it. - "Your portfolio is too complex for manual data entry. LoanBoss doesn't just store loan docs; it automates them. One-click covenant testing. Live forward curves. Instant cash flow forecasting. Stop the manual repetition. Modernize your debt management today."

  3. PE Is Incredibly Boring. Is HF the Answer? - "You will have a steep learning curve regardless of the seat you go to, so just because you work in PE doesn't necessarily mean you're better off at an SM vs. MM. Your first few years (and I think career trajectory) will be shaped by the PM you work under... so instead of chasing prestige, you need to find the right PM to work under (even more important at an MM). So speak to people at different funds, get a sense of what exactly you want to do, and then decide whether HF is truly the right seat for you. Yes, your simple multiple expansion will get laughed out, but that doesn't mean you can't learn to think about what and how to pitch. You'd be surprised as how much you can learn under the right person."

  4. How Do You Find a Good Partner? - "Dating apps seem pretty bad for this these days, and meeting friends of friends in third spaces has been way better but this doesn’t happen often enough. Currently typing this as my Hinge date for the week has rain checked for some bullshit reason, and honesty I’m ready to cash my chips in and exit the casino. I just want to find an equally-attractive partner who is aligned with me, but this is an even bigger grind than recruiting lol. My parents advise me to just chill and let it happen naturally but these days that seems like a speedrun to still being lonely at 55..."

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • From Non-Target to Rothschild: How She Landed UBS & Lazard Offers

  • From 100+ Rejections to Investment Banking — Nikita's Story

  • How Jaden Broke Into Investment Banking (Non-Target to Offer)

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…"

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..."

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!




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