The Best Investment Banks To Work For In 2018

IF CENTERVIEW OFFERS YOU A JOB, TAKE IT!

Another M&A executive echoed these sentiments, arguing he wouldn’t work as an investment banker anywhere else. “The firm is small enough that you can really make a difference and become an important part of the culture. There is no disappearing or becoming another cog in the wheel. We have created something really special here.”

Still, diversity doomed the firm in 2018. Compared to Goldman Sachs and Evercore  — where a diverse workforce is a calling card — Centerview Partners ranked 9th (overall diversity minorities and LGBT) and 6th (women). Although this places the firm in the top tier, their overall averages were still a few tenths lower than their main competitors. The same is true with prestige, where Centerview placed 6th, just .155 of a point behind Evercore.

In the end, that was a blip on an otherwise banner year. “There are three things in life you never turn down: a table at Rao’s, tickets to a playoff game, and a job at Centerview,” jokes another survey respondent.

MOELIS IS THIRD BOUTIQUE TO MAKE VAULT’S TOP 5

Ken Moelis, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Moelis & Company

Centerview Partners wasn’t the only investment banking boutique earning rave reviews from its employees. Take Moelis & Company, which broke into the Top 5 in this year’s Vault Banking 50, buoyed by ranking first in benefits and business outlook. Ranked 16th just two years ago, Moelis is known for fast growth, collaborative culture, strong training, and above average pay.  Their peers are taking notice, as its prestige ranking has climbed from 16th to 8th over the past six years.

These external accolades are simply the fruit of Moelis’ more entrepreneurial culture, which has given junior bankers a leg up in gaining valuable origination and development experience. “I could not possibly be more grateful to be working at Moelis,” writes one Los Angeles banker. “As a relatively junior employee, have been focused on attaining the greatest learning opportunity and have had the opportunity to work with the best and brightest on Wall Street. The firm’s results speak for themselves and to be in the room when key decisions are made, despite my junior role, has been invaluable to my development.”

As the boutiques rose, several big names took a tumble. Exhibit A: JP Morgan! This blue chip plummeted from 5th to 18th overall, as its average score was cut in half from 7.758 to 3.214. Once lumped with Morgan Stanley and Bank of America as heirs to Goldman Sachs’ mantle, JP Morgan failed to register a Top 15 finish in any of the 23 workplace categories. Its saving grace, however, came in prestige, where it held onto its 3rd place ranking, just .14 of a point behind Morgan Stanley.