Job Survey

Featured Job Survey: Bonus Timing and Lateral Moves

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We’re still gathering responses to Monday’s survey, which asks you how big your bonus was (or is going to be). At last count, around 1,250 of you had responded, and you can still add your two cents (which is reportedly close to “market” at MWE) over here.
About a third of you still haven’t heard whether your firm will pay bonuses, and that’s clearly a source of deep frustration. But many of you have reported that the wait for your numbers is nowhere near as frustrating as the wait for the actual check. So here’s an open thread for discussion of the subject.
To kick off the discussion, here’s a tip we received from an associate in Washington, DC:

How about a story on mid-sized firms (who recruit from T14 schools) who intentionally wait until February-March to give bonuses? By doing so, they must know that the bulk of lateral openings will have come and gone by the time bonuses are given out — so if an associate waits for his bonus to lateral, it’s too late.

Today’s featured survey, brought to you by ATL and Lateral Link, is on the same topic. It appears below.
In the spirit of delayed gratification, the next batch of results from Monday’s survey will appear after you complete the survey. So far, we’ve revealed the bonus and salary responses from New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC. Yesterday, Los Angeles and San Francisco were neck and neck in the number of responses, while Boston made a proud showing in the comments.
Which city will we reveal next? Fill out the following survey to find out.
Update: This survey is now closed. Click here for the results. See the next batch of results from Monday’s survey after the jump.


So far we’ve posted results from New York, DC, and Chicago. Today’s new results are from Los Angeles:


Bonus Distributions By Associate Class In Los Angeles

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  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Less than $5,000           16.70%    
$5,000 to $9,999               100.00%
$10,000 to $14,999           33.30%    
$15,000 to $19,999 50.00%   33.30%   14.30%      
$20,000 to $24,999       20.00%   16.70%    
$25,000 to $29,999         14.30%      
$30,000 to $34,999   100.00%   20.00% 28.60%      
$35,000 to $39,999       20.00%     33.30%  
$40,000 to $44,999           16.70% 33.30%  
$45,000 to $49,999     33.30%       33.30%  
$50,000 to $54,999                
$55,000 to $59,999       20.00%   16.70%    
$60,000 to $64,999     33.30%          
$65,000 to $69,999         14.30%      
$70,000 to $74,999         14.30%      
$75,000 to $79,999                
$80,000 to $84,999       20.00%        
$85,000 to $89,999         14.30%      
$90,000 to $94,999 50.00%              
$95,000 to $99,999                
$100,000 or more                



Base Salary Distributions By Associate Class In Los Angeles

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
$77,000           10.00%    
$83,000       7.70%        
$118,000               16.70%
$120,000         9.10%      
$125,000 33.30%              
$145,000             12.50%  
$160,000       7.70%     87.50% 83.30%
$170,000           90.00%    
$185,000         81.80%      
$200,000         9.10%      
$210,000     16.70% 84.60%        
$230,000     83.30%          
$240,000   33.30%            
$250,000   66.70%            
$260,000 33.30%              
$265,000 33.30%              

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