Jefferies Careers & Jobs

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Industries: Investment Banking, Other

About Us

Jefferies is a leading global investment bank headquartered in New York City, offering a full range of investment banking, capital markets, sales and trading, equities research, and wealth management services. Founded in 1962 and employing over 4,000 professionals across 30+ offices worldwide, Jefferies has grown into one of the most active mid-market and large-cap investment banks in the United States.

For candidates who want the deal flow, training, and compensation of a top-tier investment bank with a more entrepreneurial culture than the bulge brackets, Jefferies occupies a distinct and attractive position in the market.

About Jefferies

Jefferies is a subsidiary of Jefferies Financial Group and competes directly with bulge bracket banks on M&A advisory, equity and debt capital markets, and leveraged finance. In 2024, Jefferies held a 2.8% global investment banking revenue market share, placing it among the top ten investment banks worldwide. The firm is particularly strong in healthcare, technology, consumer, industrials, and financial sponsors coverage.

Jefferies is known for a genuinely flat culture relative to larger banks. Analysts describe frequent direct interaction with MDs and senior bankers from early in their tenure, and a deal environment that moves fast and provides hands-on experience. The trade-off is hours that match or exceed bulge bracket norms, and a brand name that -- while strong in the market -- carries less recognition outside finance than Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley.

Types of Roles at Jefferies

Investment Banking Analyst and Associate The core entry path at Jefferies. Analysts and associates work on M&A advisory, equity and debt capital markets transactions, and leveraged finance deals across industry coverage groups. Day-to-day responsibilities include financial modeling, valuation analysis, pitchbook preparation, due diligence, and supporting live deal execution. Jefferies is particularly active in healthcare, technology, media, energy, and financial sponsors. Browse open investment banking jobs on Wall Street Careers.

Equity Research Jefferies runs a highly regarded equity research platform covering over 800 companies across 20+ sectors. Research analysts publish investment reports, maintain financial models, and work closely with institutional investor clients and the sales and trading desk. The firm is consistently recognized for research quality in healthcare, technology, and industrials. See open equity research jobs.

Sales and Trading Jefferies operates across equities, fixed income, currencies, and commodities. Sales and trading roles cover institutional client coverage, market making, derivatives, and structured products. The fixed income and leveraged finance desks are among the most active at the firm. See open trading jobs.

Capital Markets Jefferies runs active equity capital markets (ECM) and debt capital markets (DCM) businesses, executing IPOs, follow-on offerings, high-yield bond deals, and leveraged loans for corporate and sponsor clients. Capital markets roles sit at the intersection of banking and markets. Browse open capital markets jobs.

Wealth Management Jefferies Wealth Management serves high-net-worth individuals and families with investment advisory, financial planning, and portfolio management services. See open wealth management jobs.

Jefferies Salaries and Compensation (2026)

Jefferies compensation is in line with bulge bracket banks at the analyst and associate level. The firm matched street-wide base salary increases and pays bonuses that are competitive within its peer group.

1st Year Investment Banking Analyst: $110,000 base; total compensation approximately $170,000 to $215,000 2nd Year Analyst: $115,000 base; total compensation approximately $200,000 to $270,000 3rd Year Analyst: $120,000 base; total compensation approximately $250,000 to $330,000 1st Year Associate (Post-MBA): $175,000 base; total compensation approximately $250,000 to $350,000 Vice President: $200,000 to $250,000 base; total compensation $350,000 to $500,000+ Managing Director: $300,000+ base; total compensation $700,000 to $1,500,000+ Summer Analyst: approximately $9,200 per month (annualized equivalent of $110,000 base)

Jefferies offers health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with employer match, paid parental leave, and commuter benefits. For broader context on investment banking compensation, see the Investment Banking Analyst Salary Guide 2026 on Wall Street Careers.

Jefferies Interview Process

Jefferies recruiting follows a structure similar to other major investment banks. The full process takes an average of 25 days from application to offer for most roles.

Step 1 -- Online application. Apply through the Jefferies careers portal at jefferies.com. Campus recruiting targets a set of core universities; off-cycle and experienced hires apply directly. Employee referrals are a common path. Note: Jefferies has flagged fraudulent impersonation attempts -- all legitimate Jefferies emails come from @jefferies.com addresses only.

Step 2 -- Online assessments. Some roles require numerical and verbal reasoning assessments covering financial document interpretation and written comprehension.

Step 3 -- Phone screen. A conversation with HR or a recruiter covering background, motivation, and fit. Some candidates progress directly to a first-round video interview. Expect questions on why Jefferies specifically and why investment banking.

Step 4 -- First-round interview. Typically a 2-on-1 video interview with an analyst and associate or VP. Mix of behavioral and technical questions. Technicals cover accounting fundamentals, DCF, LBO mechanics, EV vs. equity value, and comparable company analysis. Behavioral questions focus on resume walkthrough, why banking, and situational judgment.

Step 5 -- Superday. Five 30-minute interviews, typically 1-on-1, with team members across seniority levels from analyst to MD. Interviewers vary between behavioral and technical emphasis. Candidates describe the process as conversational and noted that Jefferies interviewers are notably collaborative and willing to work through problems with candidates rather than simply testing for right answers.

Jefferies Coverage Groups and Sectors

Jefferies organizes its investment banking division into industry coverage groups. The strongest and most active groups include:

Healthcare -- One of Jefferies' most prominent franchises, covering pharma, biotech, medtech, and healthcare services. Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT) -- Active in software, internet, semiconductors, and media M&A and capital markets. Financial Sponsors -- Significant private equity advisory and capital markets activity supporting sponsor-backed deals. Industrials -- Aerospace and defense, chemicals, engineering, and business services. Consumer and Retail -- Consumer brands, retail, and food and beverage advisory. Energy and Power -- Oil and gas, renewables, and energy transition. Leveraged Finance -- One of the most active leveraged loan and high-yield bond franchises outside the bulge brackets.

Jefferies Office Locations

New York, NY -- Global headquarters and primary banking hub. London, UK -- European headquarters covering EMEA M&A and capital markets. San Francisco, CA -- West Coast technology and healthcare banking. Chicago, IL -- Midwest coverage and financial sponsors. Houston, TX -- Energy banking. Charlotte, NC -- Industrials and financial services coverage. Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo -- Asia-Pacific operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jefferies a bulge bracket bank? Jefferies is not traditionally classified as a bulge bracket bank -- that term usually refers to Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Barclays. Jefferies sits in the tier often called "leading independents" or "upper middle market" alongside firms like Lazard, Evercore, and Houlihan Lokey. In practice, Jefferies competes on deals directly with bulge bracket banks and pays comparable compensation at the analyst and associate level.

What is Jefferies known for? Jefferies has the strongest reputation in healthcare investment banking, leveraged finance, and financial sponsors coverage. It has been consistently ranked among the most active banks in healthcare M&A and equity capital markets. The firm is also known for its entrepreneurial culture and the speed at which analysts and associates are given real deal responsibility.

How does Jefferies compare to Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley? Jefferies is smaller and carries less brand recognition outside finance, but offers comparable compensation at the analyst level and arguably faster career progression due to its leaner structure. Analysts at Jefferies typically get more direct client exposure and deal ownership earlier in their careers. The bulge brackets offer broader product and geographic exposure, larger deal flow, and stronger name recognition for exits to private equity.

What are typical exit opportunities from Jefferies? Jefferies analysts exit to private equity, hedge funds, corporate development, and business school at rates comparable to bulge bracket peers, particularly for analysts in the healthcare, technology, and financial sponsors groups. The firm's strong leveraged finance platform means many analysts transition to credit-focused PE and direct lending roles.

When does Jefferies recruiting happen? For summer analyst roles (rising juniors), Jefferies follows the accelerated Wall Street timeline -- applications open in February to March with superdays in April to July. The majority of the summer analyst class is filled before August. For MBA associates, recruiting runs September to November with offers by Thanksgiving. Diversity programs for sophomores open in January to February.