Do people swear at the office?
Title should be very straight forward. I was wondering if people usually swear in IB. I don’t mean like in front of clients but more like an associate talking to their analysts.
Trending Content
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
May 31, 2024
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
You're allowed to swear but it has to be justified. If it's 3PM, you're on your second week and only have two live deals to work on and you're bitching and moaning throwing F bombs around left and right then you're just soft.
On the other hand, if it's nearing midnight and you go to the kitchen to realize that one of the Associates has fucked the apple pie that your mum packed you with your lunch, it is acceptable to come back to the floor and be like "Yo, did you fuck my apple pie???"
You are LowCaliberTalent aren't you.
Probably, they were both created within the same week
lol yeah of course. People swear all the time, especially seniors. Just be careful with how far you push it
Depends on group. Interned in a group where saying Yup was too far for my staffer
Jesus fucking Christ. How do you deal with someone who can’t handle “Yup”? He sounds like my grandmother.
You would be surprised how eccentric people are in Finance and how much of a need some insecure people have to exert their "power" over interns.
As others have said, it needs to be justified. Something else I'll add is that it can't be particularly offensive to a specific group. I like to say "F**k is OK, but 'Son of a B!tch' will have HR make you apologize to all your coworkers born out of wedlock."
-
F, D, S are the most commonly heard ones. People do use other ones. I would say about an FX show-level of cursing at my workplace, maybe a bit less than that, so definitely more than typical Corporate America. I don't curse, personally.
Not excessively and never "at" someone but no one is gonna cry if you say fuck every once in a while.
This is the answer.
No one is going to swear AT someone anymore, even on the trading floor since everyone is forced to take those workplace harassment / hostile workplace environment seminars. But you will be damn sure there will be F bombs being thrown around mid sentences not specifically at anyone or phones being slammed.
When I interned at a PE fund people swore all the time, having the partners quasi cuss out a client was hilarious. they also didn't give af when I swore (neither did anyone else on the team
Swearing at someone is never cool. Murmuring swear words to yourself like a half cocked homeless person because you’re calculating how late into the night all these last minute senior asks will take you is table stakes
Yes.
Amusingly, I know a guy who left a fantastic job because they "swore in the office." One of the most comically lame stories I've heard.
It depends on your vibe. If you have the vibe you can swear, if not, don’t. If you can’t tell the difference then do not.
Swearing in finance happens 1000x more than regular corporate america. We're getting softer but not there yet!
Unprofessional and signifies a regression in human development.
Communicate clearly, be reasonable, and have self control and there’s no need.
Creates a better office culture - hence why PE forms with kind cultures are highly coveted and have much better retention rates.
Win win for everyone
When I worked in PE for a short time, my boss would never cuss except that one day he got hit with a $300K water charge at a portco warehouse and cussed like a drunk sailor. He was a Navy guy though. I was scared. Was very unexpected. I think the water meter broke and we got most of the money back.
Culpa alias exercitationem ea quasi laboriosam ea ad. Ullam sed in atque eum exercitationem quo. Non omnis possimus nobis nostrum eaque qui. Tempora dolor est velit ipsum natus totam eum. Voluptatem rem cum eum.
Voluptas et ut incidunt similique mollitia. Nisi similique iure aut qui deserunt ea.
Voluptate est quam laboriosam. Quo illo nihil officia sit distinctio repellat.
Dignissimos excepturi est quae illum ea sunt. Ut culpa iste laborum ad excepturi ducimus. Porro debitis voluptatem sunt.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...