Can people with ADHD break into IB
I know this sounds like a joke but it is not, I have adhd and lots of it. I am okay to being destined to a life of pills to help suppress it. The common traits of a person with adhd goes against everything I have heard about investment bankers. I find it difficult to start tasks without procrastinating and sit in-front of my computer and study for hours on end, and when I take a brake I find it very difficult to get back to studying due to low amounts of dopamine in my brain. I am very very passionate about IB and I am very motivated especially when it comes to networking or getting certificates on the side, but my main problems lie in the fact that my gpa isn’t great due to bad studying habits very much affected by ADHD, and my worries about if I do by the grace of god find a path into IB will I be a good analyst, due to the symptoms of ADHD. If anyone has had a similar situation or has has a successful career in IB while dealing with high amounts of ADHD. Please let me know any suggestions you have or any advice.
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1) ADHD: There are many people in finance take adderall / vyvanse regularly. It’s probably at least a third of everyone I know. So yes, you can definitely break into finance as long as you’re smart and competent enough
2) Low GPA: This may not necessarily be attributed to ADHD. You can have ADHD and a high GPA - I had a 3.8 coming from a T15 uni. I also had friends who did not have ADHD and had below 3.5. Try to get above the minimum threshold or network more effectively.
Diagnosed with ADD when I was in middle school. Similar procrastination symptoms as you. Similar slave to pills (dexedrine and adderall). Similar GPA issues (under 3.5). Attended a target school, landed at a top tier BB, attended HBS.
I used to view ADD as a “disability” when in reality it is a double-edged sword. I process the world differently and more holistically than peers (causality and big picture strategy are my forte) but suck at the blocking and tackling of day-to-day tasks. The trick is to minimize exposure or grind through the minutiae to get to a place in your career where your strengths shine.
PM me to talk in greater detail.
Are there certain jobs, roles, or positions that are better for thinking more holistically, or utilizing your understanding of causality & big picture strategy? Is IB one of these fields or are there other ones that pay well for these skills
Stating the obvious, but the more senior you get, the more your role will play to your strengths. I tend to think buyside roles are better to suited to “the big picture”, but senior bankers need and are judged predicated on their ability to pull together the macro and micro into a cohesive picture.
I also have ADHD, but am passionate about IB and want to join the sector. May I PM you as well?
I have severe ADHD and I had the same fear when I was starting in IB but I think it was dumbfounded. I didn't take any meds and got top-bucket my first year.
I think a couple of things helped, I kept my staffing volumes lower than others - this allowed me to focus on one thing a lot more (which is where I found it difficult to focus on multiple deals at once). The way to do it in the start is a little difficult but once you establish credibility, it is pretty easy to speak with the staffer and make sure they know that you are very busy with the current staffings.
Since I knew I would procrastinate, which I did, I would get in earlier and leave later since that would allow me to take it more at my pace. I actually found that my most productive hours were post 10pm since that's when most people would leave office by and that would allow me to work in peace and quiet.
Sorry to be that guy but that isn't what dumbfounded means lol
If you don’t have ADHD before investment banking, you will after a 2-year analyst stint in an active group.
there’s an article that was published (google it) about the sheer amount of people at GS with ADHD. you certainly wouldn’t be alone in finance
They even make it to MD
A lot of people in banking take the stimmies.
Some claim to “really have” ADHD, others admit they just want the pills. It’s the same result in the end.
Yes, myself and and MDs in my group all diagnosed and none of us take any medication/stimulants (other than a shit ton of coffee?)
I think it’s important to embrace it as adhd traits make for greatness at certain aspects of this job that others can’t compete with. IMO this includes ultra quick problem solving, feeling calm when shit hits the fan and you have to work on 20 different things at one time, when you get hooked on something like a model or deck or problem you can get addicted to it, the madness plays well.
The hard part is staying organized and remembering everything for me, but I just write literally everything down with paper & pen and create detailed lists almost every morning and night as needed. Helps a ton.
I actually think ADHD people thrive in this job. You’re getting hundreds of emails a day for 5 different deals at once and random misc tasks popping up you have to quickly respond to. All the while your analyst class walking past your desk and cracking jokes. This job rewards ppl who are able to task-switch super fast moreso than deep, focused thinkers (since most work is super shallow and brain dead). That’s actually why I’m leaving this job, it’s way too ADHD for me, I prefer to focus deeply and quietly on the same task for long periods of time.
Thought I was gaming the system by taking adderall I got from a friend. Then when I took it and just felt calm and clear-headed and able to focus on work, turned out I actually just had adhd.....so got a prescription now, and now it it helps. The comedown kinda sucks though but it doesn't last that long
No.
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