Despite my best efforts to convince prospective bankers out there that it’s your team that really matters rather than whether you’re in a “prestigious” group or not, people still ask questions about the “best groups” out there.

And one name that comes up repeatedly is UBS LA. Just reading about the firm on the UBS LA Vault message board is enough to strike fear into the hearts of young wannabe bankers everywhere:

“This office is not for the light hearted. Plan on working on average about 18 hours a day, 7 days a week… If you screw up on something, you can generally expect never to be staffed with that team again unless there is really a staffing crunch. This office is not that forgiving of mistakes and once you build a bad reputation, it will always stay with you.”

People obsessed with “ranking” the bulge brackets will usually say Goldman Sachs TMT (Technology, Media & Telecom) or Morgan Stanley M&A are the “best groups.” But UBS LA has traditionally been #3. Why is it so good? Why do Analysts there work 18 hours a day, 7 days a week? Why are mistakes punished with execution?

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“Vacation time? People come and work at this firm for one reason: to become filthy rich. That’s it. We’re not here to make friends. We’re not savin’ the bleepin’ manatees here, guys. You want vacation time? Go teach third grade, public school.”

-Jim Young, “Boiler Room” (2000)

Christmas Eve, and what an appropriate topic. If you’re in your cubicle reading this, my condolences: I was actually in that same position last year as well. But most bankers, believe it or not, are actually on vacation right about now.

Vacation? Yes. It does exist, even in this job. What else are you going to spend those investment banking bonuses on? Beyond just the typical “What are investment banking hours like?” questions, this is another common one I hear. Can you actually take a vacation as an Analyst? Do you ever get any time off? Can you go home for the holidays?

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What is Investment Banking?: Ari Gold: What Bankers Actually Do, Why NOT Do Investment Banking

Investment Banking Lifestyle: A Day in the Life - Worst Day and Best Day, How to Stay Fit, Investment Banking Wardrobe for Men, Investment Banking Lingo Part 1 and Part 2, A Week in the Life (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

Breaking into Finance: How to Get an Investment Banking Job, Networking into Investment Banking, Recruiting in a Tough Market, Breaking in from Engineering, Breaking in from Law, Breaking in from the Back Office

Investment Banking Resumes: How to Write an Investment Banking Resume, How Investment Bankers Read Resumes

Investment Banking Interviews: Investment Banking Interview Guide, The Interview Selection Process, How to Close Your Interviews

Summer Internships: Summer Intern Success Guide, How to Dominate Your Summer Internship, Tips from a Former Summer Analyst, What You Do as a Summer Analyst, 10 Summer Internship "Don't's", How Summer Interns Get Full-Time Offers

Investment Banking Salaries: Investment Banking Salaries vs. McDonald's, Why Investment Bankers Make So Much Money, 2008 Analyst Bonuses

Private Equity / Buyside Jobs: Private Equity Resumes, Private Equity Interviews, The Myth of the Buyside Job, Headhunters: Friend or Foe?

Specific Groups: UBS LA, Boutiques, Restructuring, The Back Office

Quitting Finance: The Conference Room: How You Get Fired, The Farewell Email, A Day in the Life of a Former Investment Banker