Analyst vs. Associate
I've looked through the last 10 pages of the forum and can't seem to find this question answered. I see a lot about the differences in salary, but my question is what are the differences between duties and hours for an associate vs an analyst.
Also, is it true if you go to a Top MBA program, you can 'skip' the analyst position and be an associate? (You can assume that getting into an MBA program means 3+ years of non-investment banking experience, in lets say big 4 auditing)
Yes. MBAs get hired as associates and undergrads get hired as analysts.
Associates are supposed to be less in the trenches than analysts and spend more time thinking about things like a VP would.
From my experience, 1st year associates basically function like analysts( although in many situations I would argue analysts are better) and then eventually as they build industry knowledge and have transactional experience, they start to function more like VPs which means thinking about strategy, etc. for the Company. They should eventually do more thinking and less processing.
so they function like analysts, yet are paid more? Not a bad deal. : )
they have more responsibility cause if the analyst fucks up, the associate gets the shit. plus, people start thinking about families around that age which is hard to do with associate hours.
I think an associate's job (in IBD) is far worse than an analyst's. But that evens out because they get paid more. Hours are better, but marginally, unless it's time to spread comps when they're out the door by dinnertime and you're stuck there until breakfast.
The declining quality of Associates has been one of the biggest downfalls on banking in the past 5-6 years...
Really? To what degree?
Market is hot, so all these chumps from Deloitte Consulting and GE finance rotation are getting MBA's coming into IBD and are sucking it up.
In tougher times, most IB associates are those with analyst experience.
And the analyst experience of finance is such a high level maths analytics combined with intellect defying Excel skills right..?? Such a tragedy that these useless GE finance etc. guys are making in as associate now...They have no clue about anything at all ... industry/finance or much at all.
I am not going to defend what the other guy said, but I think the lack of applicable experience has lowered the quality of Associates. Not every associate is poor, but the general quality is lower than it used to be.
How can an Associate manage analysts and "check their work" when an Associate can't do the work from scratch themselves?
Towards the end of my analyst term, my group was severely understaffed and so some extremely busy PE related teams ended up being MD + 2 analysts instead of MD + Associate + Analyst and let me tell you how much better it was than having an Associate. Both people were equally qualified to do the hard work and do it correctly...
top MBA will land you an associate job. sometimes its not that easy to jump from analyst to associate at top firms.
Analyst vs. Associate at BB banks (Originally Posted: 09/30/2010)
I know this has been asked countless times before, but I am still confused... I am not sure if my experience would qualify me as an associate at BB banks, so:
If I apply as Analyst and is accepted, would I be considered the same as analysts refresh out of college? Or given my masters degree at target school and 1.5 Ys relevant work experience, I may be able to start as a 2nd year or 3rd year analyst and have a faster promotion?
If I apply as Associate and HR determines that I am more suitable for an analyst position. Is it common for them to just decline my application or would they still interview me for the analyst position?
I am applying for trading/IM positions.
Thanks!
x
Depends on what master's you got, but I believe, just to play it safe, go for analyst.
my background:
1Ys ops at a BB MFE at top school 1.5Ys trading exp at a 2B hedge fund.
Given that I have 2.5 years work experience combined, I am afraid I'll be considered 'over-qualified' for an analyst role and not having enough experience for an associate role.
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