Econ Consulting -> Boutique Industry Focused IB: Worklife Balance Q. How do you handle 80 hours a week?

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Currently working in as an analyst at an industry-focused econ consulting firm. Realistically 50-65 hours a week but 65 hours a week are rare. No growth at the junior level at this firm, but the industry is booming. Have interviews at a boutique bank entirely focused on this industry. Spoke with the MD and he explicitly said the hours were 80 hours a week. Industry is energy/utilities/infra. Here is my Q:

For CURRENT juniors (analyst/associate) at boutique IB firms - are you actually working 80-100 hours a week? What does that look like (hours during the week/weekends, tasks, etc)? What is your daily schedule? When you interviewed, how did you sus out the vibe? Is the culture toxic? What are you outsourcing (food, household chores, friends, etc) something has to give?

For more experienced bankers, did high performers ever work less hours? Is presence what is valued? Any tips for finding out the culture surrounding hours during interviews?

I deal with chronic illness and have family responsibilities, so I'm trying to figure out if this will ever be feasible with drs appointments, physical therapy, auto-immune flareups. I'm currently a high preformer at my job and have a lot of flexibility to do these things, but obviously the hourly expectation is different. I'm really fascinated, qualified, and passionate about the work, but I want to be realistic here.

I know this question has been asked before, but I'm interested to get a current read on juniors, especifically from a boutique (70> people) bank with such an industry focus. The comp would be hard to pass up, but I don't know if I could physically tolerate it. Perspectives from people with chronic illness/other similar situations are also highly appreciated.

Posted Mar 5, 2026, 4:56 PM UTC

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