Vault’s Verdict

Greenhill is looking for hardworking, driven, personable candidates with strong communication skills and high levels of competency in accounting and finance. The firm runs a valuable internship program, offering students significant hands-on experience, exposure to a variety of transaction types, and the ability to work alongside senior bankers. For its full-time professionals, Greenhill offers extensive career development opportunities, including great mentorship, helpful formal training, significant on-the-job training, and a generalist program that exposes new analysts and associates to a variety of industries and deals.

Greenhill’s culture is described as collaborative, open, and friendly by its professionals. In addition, there’s no busy work—the vast majority of work is meaningful and purposeful. And while hours can be long sometimes, taking vacation is supported as long as you give your team adequate notice. As for compensation and benefits, they are in line with the Street average.

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, Greenhill is making a significant effort, though insiders say the firm still has work to do, as its staff is not too diverse. With respect to Greenhill’s business outlook, employee morale is strong, and while the firm is still in an integration phase in the wake of the Mizuho acquisition, insiders believe the merger will ultimately help Greenhill grow.

EMPLOYEE REVIEWS

Hiring Process

“We generally conduct information sessions and informal coffee chats to meet candidates. Then we host first-round interviews, followed by a Super Day. We generally seek well-rounded candidates that demonstrate an interest in banking and display high levels of competency in accounting and finance.”

“Callback process is fairly quick after your first round for a Super Day. The firm is seeking diligent, hardworking candidates who can communicate well with peers and clients.”

“Other than getting technicals right and being a pleasant person to speak to, the most important way a candidate can differentiate themselves is by showing a genuine interest in Greenhill and our platform.”

“Looking for driven but personable candidates who are highly capable with respect to technical topics. Managing others (as associates will be working with analysts) is also considered to be important.”

Interview Questions

“Standard technical questions, plus a stock pitch.”

“Walk me through a DCF.”

“Pretty extensive technical questions, including real merger math, share buyback analysis, etc.”

“Paper LBO, questions about valuation.”

Intern Experience

“The best aspects of my internship were the diversity of my transaction experiences, close-knit relationships with my intern class, and level of responsibility and exposure I got at the junior level.”

“High quality live deal experience. Team is dedicated to the internship experience, and many people make an effort to get to know the interns outside of work.”

“Real experience. Short training program—the firm gets you staffed almost immediately on real teams. They believe you learn by experience and by doing, which inspires a shorter ‘training period’ and more immediate staffings.”

“Best part of the internship was how closely it mirrored what the full-time job would be like. We did not need to focus on a final project/homework—upon finishing initial training we were immediately staffed on real projects with full-time bankers. Really no negative aspects to the internship.”

Career Development

“Great mentorship—nice genuine people who want the best for you. And the generalist program allows new analysts and associates to sample different industries and work on very different deals before deciding which industry they want to focus on.”

“Greenhill has a very helpful training program, and everybody at the firm is willing to support your career development, from your fellow analysts to the most senior MDs. They are also supportive of you whether you decide to stay on post-analyst program or explore other opportunities.”

“Most people leave to go to private equity after two years, but they have said there is room to stay if you are qualified. Most American employees don't go work at international offices, and a lot of the associates are from business school. The mentorship here is amazing because of the collaborative culture and flat structure that allows even managing directors and interns to work together.”

“Greenhill is an incredible place for strong performers who really actively manage their careers—due to the firm’s small size, it is quite easy to ‘stand-out’ relatively early on and make a name for yourself. The firm does not have the most extensive formal training program, particularly for associates, but the culture of the firm is quite good for on-the-job training due to the collaborative and collegial nature of most Greenhill bankers.”

Quality of Life

“Quality of life is great here. I get to do meaningful work and enjoy the people I work with. The culture is phenomenal, and I get great exposure to client meetings.”

“There is very rarely busy work at the firm. When a person is on a deal, they are doing meaningful work that is often used in advising clients or making presentations. We have very little work that doesn’t have a purpose.”

“Taking time off is very supported as long as there’s adequate time that the team is given notice so everyone can plan accordingly.”

“Culture is quite pleasant, collaborative, and friendly, and there’s not much of a ‘face time’ culture. As long as you’re performing well and getting your work done, you have a great deal of freedom. Not much in the way of formal protections for work/life balance, so when you’re busy it can be a bit relentless, but when things are quiet there tends not to be a lot of busy work.”

Salary and Benefits

“The benefits have improved over the course of my employment. The 401(k) match is now more significant and the work from home policy is more robust.”

“Compensation is average for the Street but below fellow boutique banks. Benefits and perks are average to slightly below average, as nothing is exceptional.”

“Pay is good. Benefits are just okay.”

“Good 401(k) match.”

Wellness Efforts

“The firm makes an effort, but I haven't sought out most of these amenities.”

“Great nutritional snacks in the breakroom.”

“Not sure about our efforts here. Hasn’t been communicated that well.”

“Really not much done formally here.”

Diversity and ESG Initiatives

“The firm is very open to diversity and I think almost anyone would find the culture very friendly and welcoming, but the bank is not extremely diverse.”

“The firm makes a concerted effort to hire and retain the best talent, regardless of their diversity profile. There are diversity events for women, and I have never seen nor heard of someone being discriminated against at all due to a personal characteristic.”

“I think we have a very friendly, open, and collegial culture. I’m a veteran and have always felt quite supported here.”

“The firm makes a great effort in its DEI efforts, but the office I work in is not very diverse.”

Business Outlook

“The business outlook has continued to look stronger. Employees seem to be very satisfied with the culture and benefits.”

“We are working through an integration phase.”

“I think the recent acquisition by Mizuho will really help Greenhill grow.”