Bullying Culture in a Small BB Coverage Team?

I’m a first-year coverage analyst at a top BB in a relatively small team, and I’ve been struggling with my experience in the group. I’d appreciate perspective from others who may have dealt with something similar.

I entered the team with the fewest pre-existing relationships and was staffed early on several high-intensity projects. As the only first-year on some of these assignments, I received limited guidance relative to peers and struggled initially. My performance early on wasn’t where it needed to be, and I was openly criticized in ways that often felt more harsh than constructive.

About 2–3 months in, I made a deliberate effort to improve. I actively sought feedback, double-checked deliverables, put in extra hours, and focused on tightening execution. During that stretch, I genuinely felt my performance improved meaningfully. However, I did not see a corresponding shift in how I was treated or perceived. The tone remained sharp and at times dismissive, and I continued to receive feedback delivered in a condescending or unnecessarily aggressive manner despite stronger output.

Over time, I’ve come to question whether this extends beyond my individual performance. The treatment of junior team members can be openly rude, with criticism sometimes delivered publicly rather than privately (many have left as a result). Comments can feel personal rather than developmental, and there appears to be a tendency to label analysts early and reinforce that narrative rather than reassess performance objectively. I’ve observed similar dynamics with other junior team members, which makes this seem less like a one-off situation and more like a recurring pattern within the team.

During placement / recruiting, I was advised by a few people to be careful about this group’s culture. I ultimately chose to join after strong initial conversations and believing it would be a good fit. In hindsight, I’m beginning to question whether the team environment relies more on intimidation than mentorship.

At this point, I’ve admittedly become more withdrawn. I come in, complete my work, and leave. My motivation has declined, and I’m trying to be realistic about whether this is something that can improve or whether it reflects a structural cultural issue.

I’m evaluating whether I should push through for another year, attempt to lateral after a year, or prepare for buy-side recruiting once eligible. For those who have dealt with similar dynamics, how did you determine whether it was a team-specific culture issue or if I should quit this field altogether. I’m a first-year coverage analyst at a top BB in a relatively small team, and I’ve been struggling with my experience in the group. I’d appreciate perspective from others who may have dealt with something similar.

I entered the team with the fewest pre-existing relationships and was staffed early on several high-intensity projects. As the only first-year on some of these assignments, I received limited guidance relative to peers and struggled initially. My performance early on wasn’t where it needed to be, and I was openly criticized in ways that often felt more harsh than constructive.

About 2–3 months in, I made a deliberate effort to improve. I actively sought feedback, double-checked deliverables, put in extra hours, and focused on tightening execution. During that stretch, I genuinely felt my performance improved meaningfully. However, I did not see a corresponding shift in how I was treated or perceived. The tone remained sharp and at times dismissive, and I continued to receive feedback delivered in a condescending or unnecessarily aggressive manner despite stronger output.

Over time, I’ve come to question whether this extends beyond my individual performance. The treatment of junior team members can be openly rude, with criticism sometimes delivered publicly rather than privately. Comments can feel personal rather than developmental, and there appears to be a tendency to label analysts early and reinforce that narrative rather than reassess performance objectively. I’ve observed similar dynamics with other junior team members, which makes this seem less like a one-off situation and more like a recurring pattern within the team.

During placement, I was advised by a few people to be careful about this group’s culture. I ultimately chose to join after strong initial conversations and believing it would be a good fit. In hindsight, I’m beginning to question whether the team environment relies more on intimidation than mentorship.

At this point, I’ve admittedly become more withdrawn. I come in, complete my work, and leave. My motivation has declined, and I’m trying to be realistic about whether this is something that can improve or whether it reflects a structural cultural issue. Quite frankly, the way I'm spoken to makes me want to quit finance altogether. I feel like a worthless loser and genuinely hate myself at the moment.

I’m evaluating whether I should push through for another year, attempt to lateral at the one year mark, or prepare for buy-side recruiting once eligible. For those who have dealt with similar dynamics, how did you determine whether it was a team-specific culture issue versus something worth enduring (the full two years) for long-term career benefits?