What hours do Investment Bankers work?

[eyebeebe]

Following on from the kerfuffle about the European Working Time Directive thread, obviously if this nonsense happened the world of High Finance would be affected. I was wondering what hours you guys working in this area actually put in. It's bth idle curiosity and a field I'd like to move into post-MBA.

I'm guessing the traders work the least as the markets close early and there's Spearmint Rhinos to attend and the M&A guys put in the most around deal time with Research somewhere in between.

So what is the average number of hours per week worked and by whom? I'm under the impression Analysts are in the worst position it gets better for Associates and at VP level and up it's a bit more like a normal job. Is this right?

And finally how much of it is face time and how much work actually gets done?

[eyebeebe]

And what do your associates and VPs work? Is it less than the analysts?

[eyebeebe]

zed sump said:

think i know the answer to this one.... is it really too late to start a career in trading/ investment banking at age 28 (and with an engineering degree)?

It better not be as I'm 26 now and likely to be 29 post MBA!

Thanks for your answers guys it preety much confirmed what I thought. I applied to be a trader when I was at uni but I guess I didn't put enough key words in those stupid online apps to make the cut.

I figure with an accountancy qualification and the MBA Corporate Finance is probably the best fit for me. Having said that from the little I know about it Equity analysis seems really interesting too. Anyone care to share the nitty gritty of what it really involves?

Oh and every single lecture I ever attended stated that as the markets were pretty much semi-efficient, fundamental and technical analysis were useless. If that's true why do the banks pay the analysts?