Typical SA Projects/Assignments
(Baboon, 133
Points)
on 5/19/08 at 1:47am
From the beginning, what assignments/projects are Summer analysts given? What do they do on the deal team?
Also, as the weeks go back, towards the end of the summer, what is a typical project like? does a SA actually do any modeling?
SA's generally don't do
SA's generally don't do modelling
Usually, you will have some sort of SA project during the internship that lasts for approx the 2nd half of the internship and on which you will do a presentation at the end
pour the coffee, make trips
pour the coffee, make trips to the dry cleaning.
I think
they generally do the stuff the analysts would normally do that are layered on top of deal flow. This includes updating pipelines, sending out weekly market updates, and other tasks that are kind of random. If you are helping with deal stuff, it's more along the lines of formatting, turning comments (maybe), etc. The summer isn't usually the time when deals get done (i.e. it tends to be less busy).
S&T SA's?
How about SA's in S&T, what are typical assignments for them?
um
when i interned in S&T, i just sat around and read a lot. you can't do much since you have no license. if the traders are nice, they will try to give you some 'modelling' to do, but i mostly got lunch and read research reports...
A good learning experience
A good learning experience none the less I hope?
Of course
as long as you take initiative and talk to people, most of the salespeople/traders i met were more than willing to let me sit by them and listen to them talk to clients and trade. You obviously don't want to interrupt a trader in the middle of his/her work, but if they have a free second, they will explain briefly what's going on.
joefish, are you sure about
joefish, are you sure about that? The summer analysts not doing any modeling part I mean, cause I’m pretty sure I’ve seen countless resumes from SAs that mentioned financial modeling experience.
For example a guy at Lazard wrote down for his SA experience “Performed comprehensive valuation using comparable company, precedent transaction,
discounted cash flow, and pro forma merger analyses”…
At the firm you mentioned, I
At the firm you mentioned, I have definitely heard that interns do not model...mostly industry research etc.
I really want to learn modelling or at least get some basic exposure, so i will push hard to get some experience on in this summer, but not everyone does this
I still do think that the majority of IBD interns get only a very basic appreciation of modelling, but then it probably depends strongly on how much you want to learn it and how much time the guy in your team have to explain it to you
i'm sure others will correct me if I am wrong.
Depends on the bank but
Summer interns here definitely do modeling/valuation work. I gave them a lot of my work last summer. :) Honestly, having summer interns come in was one of the best days of the year...
More on what summer analysts actually do.
You'll note that you want to avoid that category of "random tasks," which in all honesty can be pretty hard as a summer intern depending on who you're working for.
I would advise talking to FT analysts and saying you want to help out with/learn modeling or at least something about the deals they're working on.
HerSerendipity is right that the summer is generally not busy, but you never know... last year I had 2 120-hour weeks right in a row in July because of multiple live deals in their final stages and summer interns helped out a lot with the work I was doing.
And yes, as others have said, S&T SAs can't really do much "work" since they can't trade... you still learn a lot but the focus is different from an IBD internship.
how would you go about
how would you go about volunteering to do a certain task or project? esp. if its excel/modeling heavy?
anyone know why a place like
anyone know why a place like lazard doesnt really let interns do modeling and whatnot? I have heard this before, and just seemed weird, since it seems like the interns would get worked just as hard.
while I havent started my SA, i know that the guys in my group basically said that youll get more and more responsibility, as you go on to prove yourself, along with your ability to have error free work and all that stuff.
Hmm
romulusmars - I would just be very outgoing and introduce yourself to Analysts, make it known that you want to do work and trust me, they'll give you work.
In all likelihood they will not let you build a really complex model by yourself because you don't know what you're doing yet, but you can definitely help out.
walters - I'm not sure offhand re: Lazard as I do not work there and don't really know anyone who does since they don't recruit at my alma mater really. Maybe someone else here knows?
Summers will do as much as
Summers will do as much as they can handle. Summers in my group have done everything from being a chart monkey to writing CIMs. Just make sure what you do is right, and that you don't burn the analyst / associate above you. If they get a licking from VP / MD for your mistake, you can kiss doing anything mateiral for them again.
G&T is so right. i want to
G&T is so right. i want to take memorial day weekend and july 4th weekend off and all i care about if making my summer competent and sharp enough to help / complete most of my stuff. just get what i give you right and you've got my vote.
The biggest mistake a summer
Really learn a lot about how
Really learn a lot about how
Very bank and group specific
Bottom line is, whatever
Maybe after you pick up the