Think investment banks are all the same boring old vanilla (no sprinkles)? Not Bear Stearns. Founded in New York in 1923 by Joseph Ainslee Bear, Robert B. Stearns, and Harold C. Mayer, Bear has gained a distinctive reputation on Wall Street as an aggressive trader and a champion of the little guy. It's also famous for exhorting employees to save paper clips and reuse rubber bands and envelopes, even in the late-’90s bull market (not just interoffice envelopes, either—all envelopes).

If this is a company that piques your interest, then check out this guide, which contains information on:

• How things like the paper-clip saving policy translate into what the company stands for
  
• What insiders like—and dislike—about working at Bear Stearns
  
• What the company's history is
  
• How Bear Stearns compares to other top Wall Street firms
  
• What the company's insiders say Bear Stearns recruiters look for in interviews
  
• What ex-CEO and legend Ace Greenberg is up to these days, and whether he's still a presence at Bear