How much financial modeling do you actually do in your first investment banking job? Would love to hear from experience!

Hey,
good question – and honestly, it depends a bit on the team and deal flow. But generally speaking, in your first year as an analyst, you will do a fair bit of modeling – just maybe not the glamorous, standalone LBOs right away.

You'll often be working on parts of larger models (e.g. building outputs, doing sensitivities, updating comps), and over time, you’ll take on more ownership. Think of it as learning-by-doing: you’ll get faster, cleaner, and more confident with every model.

Also: expect a good chunk of your time to go into pitch materials, buyer lists, and process work – it’s not 100% Excel all day, but modeling is definitely a core skill you’ll keep sharpening.

Hope that helps – happy to share more if you’re curious!

In your first IB job, you’ll definitely get exposure to financial modeling, but the amount depends on your group and deal flow. Early on, expect to spend more time on comps, decks, and data gathering, with modeling picking up as you gain trust and experience. In technical groups like M&A or Sponsors, you’ll likely model more from the start.

Hi there!

In your first investment banking role, especially as an analyst, financial modeling is a core part of your daily work. You’ll spend a significant amount of time building and updating detailed models like DCFs, LBOs, merger models, and precedent transaction analyses to support pitches and live deals. While early on you might work from templates or assist in model updates, you quickly learn to build models from scratch as you gain confidence.

Modeling is fundamental because it drives valuation and deal decisions, so developing strong Excel and technical skills is crucial. Alongside modeling, you’ll also prepare presentations and conduct research, but expect modeling to be a major and frequent part of your workflow from day one.