Controversial

View from a former staffer here:

  • analysts never have a good sense of 1) what being busy is, and 2) how the team is actually busy
  • staffing is a team game: if one analyst doesn’t take it, another will. So the balance is to assign new work to those that have the most incremental work capacity relative to the rest of the team. Ideally, the staffing also gives that individual new learning experience of something additive for his development.

So, as a staffer, the analyst who would try to just tel me “no I can’t, I don’t have any spare capacity” without asking and giving further context would not be super well received.

What would be a better way is:

  • give an update on what you are currently working. Deliverables, timing, actual workload.
  • ask what the new staffing entails, and have a good discussion on whether it’s a good idea

If your staffer is decent, he’ll take this into account. It doesn’t guarantee that you won’t be staffed, because there may not be a better option for the team anyway.

If the staffer is an ass, at least you won’t be perceived as trying to avoid work.

 
Most Helpful

View from a former analyst.

Staffers never have a good sense of how busy some analysts are(or they dont care).  I submitted reports I worked 90 hours a week and would still get staffings  because 99% of staffers dont have the balls to turns down MD requests and tell them analysts are at capacity.

So guess what, if you won't turn them down....I will.

Staffing may be a team game, but getting through the analyst years is NOT a team game.    You need to look out for yourself sometimes.  If you do good work, the seniors will not care that you turn down some staffings here and there (in fact, they may respect you more).  

 

Associate 3 in IB - Cov

View from a former analyst.

Staffers never have a good sense of how busy some analysts are(or they dont care).  I submitted reports I worked 90 hours a week and would still get staffings  because 99% of staffers dont have the balls to turns down MD requests and tell them analysts are at capacity.

So guess what, if you won't turn them down....I will.

Staffing may be a team game, but getting through the analyst years is NOT a team game.    You need to look out for yourself sometimes.  If you do good work, the seniors will not care that you turn down some staffings here and there (in fact, they may respect you more).  

You sir are spot on and the bozo staffer above can kiss my nuts

 

Agree on everything what you said except the part that staffers care about individual development ;)

 

Would echo all of the above. Some of my co-analysts are afraid to turn down staffings and have been working til 6am submitting terrible work. Meanwhile these could easily get restaffed to other analysts who are at 50% capacity… Never hurts to say “I don’t think I have the capacity to take this on because of x and y projects - but I’m happy to help out if needed”

 

Having been a staffer before, I'd draw the line at whether you would have to pull an all-nighter for the task given. If so, I would ask for some additional help even if it's temporary. A reasonable staffer should understand this. If not, go speak with your office COO

 

Everyone has different levels of what "at capacity" means. For some people it's logging off at 10 PM every day, for others it's 4 AM. At DLJ during the 90’s, it was famously ~112 hours a week…

Before you refuse a staffing, just make sure your definition of being "at capacity" is in line with the other analysts in your group. But assuming it is and you are actually at capacity - definitely do not take on a staffing that puts you over the top. Producing exceptional, well thought-out work for a few people is far better than producing mediocre work for the entire group.

 

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