The 7 "Good" Work Habits of Bad Analysts
This is all representative of commonsense (but ultimately bad) advice I got during undergrad and followed blindly during internships. I sorted it all out by the end of my analyst program, but this was frequently accompanied by discomfort, late nights, and general suck.
You might disagree with my stance here. In fact, if you do, feel free to tell me in the comments. I'd very much like to hear that there are workplaces where the following work habits are rewarded rather than punished.
1: Turn changes as quickly as possible.
This is sometimes a recipe for disaster. The earlier you finish, the more time your boss has to second-guess everything. If you know your boss will iterate until the last moment and beyond, it often pays to build in a small amount of downtime for yourself. The finished product will be just as good (or bad), and you'll be slightly more rested for the next shit show they throw at you.
2: Never turn down a project.
Good general principle, but don't be dumb about it. It's nice to accept projects and workstreams up front from a wide variety of people so that your big workload is evident to all. This reputation can last a lot longer than the workload itself, giving you a chance to pick good projects and do well on them. On the other hand, use this reputation to parry anything likely to turn into a fire drill.
3: Read the WSJ and have informed opinions.
At the analyst level, few people want to hear your opinions on the economy. If you have opinions, don't share them unless asked, or unless you are 100% certain you don't sound like a douche. (Hint: In your early 20's, you can never be 100% certain you don't sound like a douche.)
4: Work through lunch.
Sometimes, nothing is going to save your ass. Just go. Find a friend in the same boat and drag them with you. Life will be better afterward.
5: Fire on all cylinders all the time.
Recipe for burnout. If you're chained to your desk 90+ hours a week and pushing yourself the whole time, you are going to make a bad mistake or fall asleep during a meeting. You have to carve out small nonobvious breaks. Critical part of being a good analyst.
6: Search for work to do when you're not busy.
No. Search for high-impact work to do. If there is none, go home and rest.
7: Follow directions exactly.
Wall Street is full of people who'll give you a recipe for making a shit sandwich and then complain when they don't like the taste. Once you know what you're doing, do it the way it should be done. The boss will like this better than the sandwich.






Comments
I agree with all of them
I agree with all of them except #7.. I'd be very hesitant to change anything without getting an OK from my boss first. Maybe it was done that way for a reason, you can't be sure.
awesome list
awesome list
Thanks Bankerella :-)
Thanks Bankerella :-)
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Great post
Great post
Agreed. And never forget:
Agreed. And never forget: UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER!
finance is the science of goal architecture.
I disagree with number three
I disagree with number three in that you should absolutely read the wsj and have informed opinions. Are there times to shut up? Absolutely. But I think it would be dumb not to be keep up and be as informed as possible and discuss it with others.
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bankerella: 1: Turn changes
1: Turn changes as quickly as possible.
This is so so so so true. Might even be more true in consulting.
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Agree with all of them. On
Agree with all of them. On #7, better to make a suggestion when you disagree with what your boss asks for but definitely don't just disregard his/her directions because you think they are wrong.
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Agree with comments above
Agree with comments above regarding #7. Great advice - very very true. And manging your boss's expectations is very important.
bankerella: 1: Turn changes
1: Turn changes as quickly as possible.
This is sometimes a recipe for disaster. The earlier you finish, the more time your boss has to second-guess everything. If you know your boss will iterate until the last moment and beyond, it often pays to build in a small amount of downtime for yourself. The finished product will be just as good (or bad), and you'll be slightly more rested for the next shit show they throw at you.
I'm not quite sure if I understand this. Do you mean one should refrain from returning changes/updates quickly?
Won't one be known for working slowly?
Good list...one thing I would
Good list...one thing I would add to #7: if possible, do it both ways (as you were instructed to do it, and how you think it should be done)
You have to play the game to find out why you're playing the game.
prospective_monkey: bankere
1: Turn changes as quickly as possible.
This is sometimes a recipe for disaster. The earlier you finish, the more time your boss has to second-guess everything. If you know your boss will iterate until the last moment and beyond, it often pays to build in a small amount of downtime for yourself. The finished product will be just as good (or bad), and you'll be slightly more rested for the next shit show they throw at you.
I'm not quite sure if I understand this. Do you mean one should refrain from returning changes/updates quickly?
Won't one be known for working slowly?
I'm kind of confused, too.
Do what I gotta
1: Turn changes as quickly as possible.
This is sometimes a recipe for disaster. The earlier you finish, the more time your boss has to second-guess everything. If you know your boss will iterate until the last moment and beyond, it often pays to build in a small amount of downtime for yourself. The finished product will be just as good (or bad), and you'll be slightly more rested for the next shit show they throw at you.
I'm not quite sure if I understand this. Do you mean one should refrain from returning changes/updates quickly?
Won't one be known for working slowly?
I'm kind of confused, too.
If I understand correctly, the OP is saying that yes, you should always complete your work in a timely manner. However, the point was that one shouldn't always rush to complete the assigned work *ahead* of schedule. Sure, it's good to finish early..on occasion. But, after a while, this will just lead to more and more work being assigned to you, since you have more spare time.
prospective_monkey: bankere
1: Turn changes as quickly as possible.
This is sometimes a recipe for disaster. The earlier you finish, the more time your boss has to second-guess everything. If you know your boss will iterate until the last moment and beyond, it often pays to build in a small amount of downtime for yourself. The finished product will be just as good (or bad), and you'll be slightly more rested for the next shit show they throw at you.
I'm not quite sure if I understand this. Do you mean one should refrain from returning changes/updates quickly?
Won't one be known for working slowly?
I'd exercise best judgement. There is a line between acceptably slow and unacceptably slow. What I'm saying is that in my experience, the better analysts come down on the line of acceptably slow as opposed to "wow, that guy is blazingly fast".
Everyone loves it when you whip through changes in fifteen minutes, but that love turns to hate pretty fast when they catch a mistake. They remember that much more clearly than they will remember the ten times you were slightly slower than they wanted you to be.
So, two good reasons to be a little slower in the long run: it allows you to spend more time either on product quality or on self-care (food, rest). Obviously, it's up to you to choose how you mix the two.
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Downeasta: Do what I gotta
Downeasta: Do what I gotta
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When turning changes I would
I'm liking your posts more
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Great post: I'll add my
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illiniPride: Great post: I'll
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bankerella: illiniPride: Gr
Leadership can be defined in two words: "Follow Me"
illiniPride: The life of a
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Damn it. There was a
linoxgill: Agreed. And never
Agree so much with the lunch
This list is dead on.
She is back!
awesome list
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ricky212: FrankD'anconia: D
Damn, I thought she was back!
Damn, Bankerella still posts?
solid post