Advice Needed: Bad Performance Review
Recently had my YE performance review. I’ve just joined the team recently (3 months ago) on the graduate program.
I’ve just had my first annual review and it was pretty bad, I’m unsure what to do and need some advice on how to fix this. For context we are rated on a scale of 1-5, 5 being top bucket, 3 Average and 1/2 below average. I got a 2 due to a few factors my VP highlighted to me.
Firstly, they say I haven’t progressed as fast as they would’ve liked they question my understanding of the technical aspects of the role. He told me I need to ask more questions, which I do try to but often times get pushback either telling me to figure it out or to ask someone else and “build relationships” but since I am new and so is he have no clue on who to go to. My VP is also new (joined on the same day as me) so whenever I have questions about a system we’re using he says to ask someone else, when I do ask someone else they’ll say this is your VP’s area he should help you, then when I take a while longer get told that I’m being slow, when I tell them I’ve been trying to work through he once again says to me that I should’ve asked questions if I didn’t know.
I also get a lot of tasks in the day that pile on and on so often times I’m rushing to complete work, this has led to some sloppy work where there have been silly mistakes which has also been highlighted to me. They then say that my attention to detail is lacking, when I ask powerpoint or Excel questions which I’ve tried figuring out myself he asks if I’ve used them before. Have a lot of experience with excel not PP and he says I should’ve told him that so he could’ve told me (then doesn’t teach me anything about powerpoint). For example, today I was struggling with creating a chart I sent him detailed pictures of what the issue was and he told me to figure it out. Told him I had been trying and since he needed it soon I would highlight to him that I was struggling, then went on to “do it himself” and returned to me with the exact same issue still present in his chart and said he had “done it” even though the problem was still present. I admit I’ve made a few mistakes but really 3 months in don’t feel like these are abnormal mistakes to make considering I have no experience whatsoever. On top of that don’t even have an associate I can go to so it’s just me and the VP.
I’m not really sure how to improve or what to do and would appreciate any advice people have.
Bump
Tell that VP to meet you outside then teach them a lesson
If not then id suggest actually trying to "build relationships" outside of just that VP. Speak to fellow analysts or any seniors willing to give you the time, you can turn to these people for tips and concerns. Explain your situation properly and odds are they can all relate to that initial learning curve.
I have tried this, the problem it’s a really small team and the only other analyst/associate covers a different asset class so can’t help me much.
When I go to other senior people they tell me that I should go to my current VP because it’s her area and they don’t handle it.
It feels like a lose lose situation.
I would just remember that seniors don't want to be mixed in with the day to day operations.
I would try and get a standing weekly call with your VP (~15 mins on a Fridays) and cover anything that you need to ask them. Tell them it can be standing and that it can be canceled if its not needed, but that it would help you greatly.
TBH you kind of lost me at the point where you said you’re asking your VP how to do charts in PPT. I don’t know all the ins & outs of your organization but I feel like it’s on you to either know PPT or grind for those answers on your own.
Now if the PPT problem is really unsolvable (which maybe it is, since VP apparently couldn’t solve it either) that’s another matter. But what does the other associate say about that? Covering another asset class isn’t a reason to not ask him PPT questions
Honestly, I completely understand where OP is coming from. Charts can be weird and when something, is as easy as knowing where an option is, IDK why it is a big deal for someone to point it out.
Although it is probably ask an analyst vs. asking a VP. I mean the other option is to try and take a PPT course created by either a consultant or IBer. I often find that if I am googling something that a lot of the guides for like your typical Corporate normie is not very useful.
The issue was that he at first told me to figure it out myself. I had already spent 2 hours on one chart and wasn’t getting anywhere. He told me to paste value the underlying data (which I had tried because I’m not an idiot) and told him that didn’t work.
He then said he had done it himself. When I opened it up he had the exact same issue that I had told him about, which I don’t understand why because I literally sent him a screenshot and a detailed explanation of what was going wrong.
He then told me to manually do it (essentially adding data labels on a scatter graph which it simply wouldn’t pick up) which I had suggested initially but then he told me just figure it out and didn’t even bother to answer my question.
Also the other associate is busy himself as I said we’re a pretty small team one analyst, one associate and the rest are VP’s. Whenever I go to other people they pushback and say if it’s for my VP i should ask him
What do you think I should do because it feels like a no win situation on my end. I get told to ask questions but either get told to figure it out myself or ask someone else.
If I try work on it without any guidance obviously it will take longer, but I have to meet a deadline. Therefore, have to try complete it fast but because no one took the time to teach me the deck often has errors which makes me look incompetent, then get told I don’t ask enough questions…
I’d understand if I lateralled in as an experienced hire but I’m completely new with 0 experience whatsover. I want to learn but I can’t do it without any guidance whatsover.
Yeah it sounds like a bad situation. Is it possible that if your VP knew you cared this much, he’d be a little more cooperative and figure out some solutions with you? Possible he’s jaded from dealing with lazier juniors in the past and assumes you’re not trying as hard as you are. I understand of course, you’ve already been trying to communicate this to him. But maybe like, when the pressure is off, ask him for 15 minutes and tell him you’re trying to work your way out of this skill/resource gap and you’d like him to at least talk about a plan. to get there.
Damn. I think you guys should try to do simpler shit in powerpoint. I mean if you’re spinning your wheels for two hours, you ask your VP and he tells you to just figure it out, then he does it himself and makes the same mistake, I would hazard to guess you guys are stunting around in PPT trying to do something it’s not meant to do.
I did try do that tbh haha.
At first when it didn’t work and I couldn’t solve it, I instead sent a different graph showing the same data visuallised differently. I sent it via email and he said this wasn’t what he asked for and asked if I had ever even used powerpoint before despite me explaining the issue.
This is just one example of when this has happened, it has happened numerous times this was the most recent (and on the day of my annual review) hence why it was bought up.
Exactly right. I was looking for these words when I first heard it, you explained it perfectly. Central to the VP’s job to re-frame the deliverable to get around problems like that.
That’s what I thought initially. I ended up having to manually type everything in as a text box which I don’t have an issue with but usually we have to work on these decks every Quarter and it just makes it way harder to update (which he has said many times that he hates and to make everything as easy as possible).
Sounds like this VP is a dick, sorry. Hope the internal transfer goes well.
Thank you, do you think that my VP may make it so I won’t be able to transfer.
The hiring manager will definitely ask how I am but if he gives a negative review than it may not play out in my favour and I may not be able to transfer.
Sounds like this VP is the one who doesn’t know how to manage people effectively. The role of a VP imo at an asset manager or investment fund is to partially develop you into a useful contributor to the team. I’ll have to admit, a lot of people are selfish in regards to this and would rather do nothing to help develop juniors. I get it, it’s frustrating to have to help people develop but I do think that’s part of the job as you move up in a company. I think something that does help is to be proactive on things you are good at for the team. If there is a weekly report or earnings coming out, maybe try to jump the gun and preemptively prepare items ahead of time. Also, you say that other analysts associates wouldn’t be helpful because they are in different asset classes but…people are more capable than you think. Reach out for help from anyone but your VP. The worst someone says is they can’t help or they are busy. It’s your job to execute, how you get there is another story. If that means finding a person to help you before you go to your VP, then try it. My renewables team has a few analysts that have helped me with items I didn’t think they could even help with. Anyways, best of luck and hang in there. You’re still very early in your career.
also when they say you need to ask more questions, they aren’t saying you need to ask questions on how to do PP or operational tasks..etc. They are asking you, in my opinion, to ask questions that are more inquisitive in nature. Why is the covenant here so loose, what would happen if ___ happens, as investors in the bonds would we have protection if ____ this happens. Those are the questions you should ask, as it would ultimately show you are looking to learn and are engaged. But you effectively just started so that will come with time.
Thank you for the advice. Just to highlight it’s not the other analyst isn’t able to help me. They just pushback and say if it’s for the VP then to ask him for help more times than not.
I see, I do try ask these questions tbf but I’ll try push for it more and try think of questions related to bonds to ask. Should I ask questions exclusively related to what I’m doing/working on or should I ask whatever comes to mind (related to the bond market ofc). Just asking as I’ce asked about things like convexity for example and he rolled his eyes and said we weren’t traders so I didn’t need to know.
It should be pertinent to the situation you are working on with your VP. Something to show you’re interested, whatever it may be but questions that can help you learn more and also show the VP that you’re engaged. Im missing a bit of detail as to what you are exactly doing in your day-to-day but that’s beyond the scope of this. It may take more time on the job to start asking thoughtful questions where you really feel like you’re engaged and part of the process but it’ll come.
Unless I’ve misunderstood here, why on earth are you having a YE performance review for a team that you’ve been in for less than three months?
I’ve never worked at an organisation that will give you a performance grading before the six month mark. Three months is not enough to accurately judge someone’s performance.
Probation? I have been in a place that give you first indication after a month already…
It’s a standard process for all employees to have a YE review, apparently if you joined in November than you wouldn’t have an annual review but I joined in September so I had one as did everyone else who joined.
Others that joined recently have just got a rating of 3 (which is average) because of the reasons you said before.
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