What is the lifestyle of an investment banker like?

<p>This question is moreso directed to CCers who are ibankers, or have had encounters with some ibankers.</p>

<p>I'm still in high school right now, and am having a hard time deciding between majoring in chem or finance.</p>

<p>Thought I'd get to know a little more about the lifestyle before I shoot for it. Thanks</p>

<p>avg 80-90 hour work week but work weeks north of 100+ hours are not uncommon.</p>

<p>Bankers neither have time for a life nor style.</p>

<p>It seems kind of awful to be spending your 20s like that, but is it really any different from, say, a rigorous college education???</p>

<p>Also, it seems like all jobs are very time-consuming these days… but please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m only 17</p>

<p>I should amend my previous statement: analysts don’t have time as a luxury. Of course, as you progress through the ranks, you’ll promote those below you to do your job so it frees you up to new responsibilities. Some weeks are better than others, but it’ll never be a “normal” job.</p>

<p>During my time as an IB analyst, I would say I worked ~ 75 hours a week, which was probably somewhat lower than average in my analyst class of ~ 80-85. However, you don’t have to do it forever (only 12% of my analyst class continued on to become an associate) and it can set you up nicely for the rest of your career in similar careers where you apply your experience (PE, HF, IM, other) and combine reasonably good compensation with a reasonably good lifestyle. In IB, it’s not that you don’t have any time, it’s just that you have little advance notice of when it will be to able to plan for anything or count on it.</p>