Do you feel challanged?

Monkeys,

First year analyst here. I'm wondering if you actually feel challenged at work? Given there are lot of smart people in banking and finance, but is this the best use of their skills and intellect? One of my friends is very smart. He was a triple major, writing 3 theses, and proved his own math theorem. He now works for a BB doing IBD formatting pitch books and building models in excel. Does anyone else feel this way? Or should I shut my mouth and stay inline?

24 Comments
 

IBD isn't hard, it just proves you can get the job done regardless of the time it takes and gives you a very broad financial base for any possible future endeavors. That is all.

 
dabanoboIBD is not a highly intellectual pursuit. It's about the art of the deal, not underlying market truths.

Awesome.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 
Best Response
dabanoboIBD is not a highly intellectual pursuit. It's about the art of the deal, not underlying market truths.
At the top levels. For the first 3-10 years, depending on a lot of things, you're basically a glorified secretary who can do DCF's and the occaisional financial model....any time of the night or day. Welcome to the machine.
Get busy living
 

The challenge comes after you've been an excel/powerpoint monkey for a year. Most of your personal relationships are broken, you're unhealthy, you've realized that you don't make much money compared to the people you work for...I'll put it this way - there are a lot of people that don't work in IB anymore by choice.

 
TopDGO there are a lot of people that don't work in IB anymore by choice.
See, this blows my mind because I'm having a very hard time breaking in.
Get busy living
 

The official answer to this is that you are suppose to be picking up how the game is played and after the analyst stint is over you'll get your chance to produce some more creative results.

 
CEEBanker One of my friends is very smart. He was a triple major, writing 3 theses, and proved his own math theorem.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

This is literally the stupidest thing I have EVER read on WSO. I mean EVER!!!!

Please tell me the name of this theorem! Do you realize that nobody at the undergraduate level is in a position to contribute anything remotely important enough to math to have their own theorem?

-MBP
 
CEEBankerMonkeys,

First year analyst here. I'm wondering if you actually feel challenged at work? Given there are lot of smart people in banking and finance, but is this the best use of their skills and intellect? One of my friends is very smart. He was a triple major, writing 3 theses, and proved his own math theorem. He now works for a BB doing IBD formatting pitch books and building models in excel. Does anyone else feel this way? Or should I shut my mouth and stay inline?

Most folks in ibd arent all that smart, esp. once you move past the analyst level. intelligence gravitates towards the buyside.

Also not sure wtf you mean he proved his own math theorem, that is unpossible at undergrad level(Perelman proves theorems, your buddy does not). Did he stumble upon a previously established theorem on his own?

writing 3 theses suggests loving work and that fits well into banking.

 
leveredarb, that is unpossible at

hehe, unpossible

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 
leveredarbon a random side note, what are some of the downsides of the HF world?

Less job security, more specialized less transferable skill set?

Basically, yes. I've been contacted by HF recruiters and honestly, I'm not comfortable with that much risk. Then again, my original goal was to get into the biggest, baddest, most FUCK YOU bank I could and take it over, so I'm kinda in a different mindset I guess?
Get busy living
 

well but either u take risk or ur a little banking slave working away all your life and then looking like your 90 when your 50 and retiring looking back at the year you pissed away in the office sucking your clients dick and then you die shortly after of exhaustion.

if u fk up the hf thing just go to corporate work 50 hours a week still make a couple 100k a year, doesnt seem that bad

 
Unforseennot at all and it drives me crazy. I'm not in IBD tho. Thank god I'm studying for the CFA

But the CFA isn't challenging though...

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 
Oreos
Unforseennot at all and it drives me crazy. I'm not in IBD tho. Thank god I'm studying for the CFA

But the CFA isn't challenging though...

True, the material is not extremely challenging, but the process of preparing is, especially when you work 50-60 hours a week

 
Oreos
Unforseennot at all and it drives me crazy. I'm not in IBD tho. Thank god I'm studying for the CFA

But the CFA isn't challenging though...

Lol definite aspie
 

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