[nourishingvoid]

My experiences during my first job at an investment bank were very similar to with what you described. I was surprised by how high the turnover was, but also by how easily it was to get re-hired. It seemed very common to switched to another firm for a few years and then decide to come back.

Upon reflection, I definitely felt that the first few years were a test to see how much of your time you were willing to let the job consume. There was overt pressure to work long hours and come in on weekends, but ultimately people who wanted to maintain better balance between work and personal time ended up leaving of their own volition rather than being forced out.

I don't think it's so surprising that personality and likability are valued so highly for entry-level hires. These institutions are so large and bureaucratic that there's a real limit to what one person can do, especially early in their career.