Drinking

My MD's Morman...

I don't drink (at all) and it has never been a problem.

Too much Mad Men

grow some nads. you choose your level. of course they're going to test you and maybe haze you and maybe initiate you, etcetera. but if you stand your ground in a tactful way that doesn't get you fired for the most ludicrous reason ever, you'll gain higher respect for it.

It's pretty important to be able to handle it. You don't want to that drunk idiot at the Christmas party.

Sirtradesalot, we tend to hang out in the same places.... Get back to work.

That said, funny story time. I know a girl who's been nicknamed 'donebeforedinnergirl' in her company because after three company Christmas parties, she still hasn't lasted until dinner before getting put in a cab.

Being able to drink a lot isn't important at all.

Being able to remain composed with what you DO choose to drink is hugely important.

If you don't drink at all it might be a little awkward and difficult to explain at times, but it's not a dealbreaker. Plenty of extremely successful people that abstain from alcohol.

Backing up MFFL, don't pull a Farva circa Super Troopers: "I'll have six schlitze please, open bar man!"

thanks everyone, i appreciate the comments. i do drink just not as much as others.

Depending on who I am with at the bar after a few I start switching over to tonic water. Everyone is usually too bombed to notice anyway....

it's not always about being able to drink like a fish, but always about how you handle yourself when you're loaded.

Never out drunk your client on an outing. Clients are relying on you to be the guardian on a drunken night to keep them from doing shit that will get them fired or divorced while being drunk.

Why bother worrying about this when you won't even have the time or energy to drink. The only time you'll ever drink with colleagues are at the holiday party or once a blue moon. Trust me you'd rather sleep then go out and suffer the next day. And drinking with clients? Let's be realistic it's not gonna happen anytime soon.

Gotta have composure, besides that don't worry about it.

It is just about being able to handle it. However, in the broey culture of many IBs, a lot of time it is part of the requirements. Keep that in mind.

I don't think it's that big of a deal. If you don't drink at all and it's not for religious reasons, then yeah people might think it's weird for whatever reasons they have. I'm not a heavy drinker for the most part (although there are times when I'll go all out like for holidays, etc.) and avoid it primarily for health purposes, but when people want to go out, I'll only order 1-2 drinks and down them slowly throughout the course of the night. Most people don't even notice/call you out on it because they're too gone by that time.

not that big of a deal...if you can shot the shit and take a joke you will be fine.

Try cranberry juice. Or Cranapple.

Had an interview 3-4 years ago when I was looking to switch jobs at the Duke's hotel in London (where Ian Fleming decided that his charcater would be a martini drinker). Had two of their drinks, they don't serve you more than 3 or you'll be too drunk. In this situation if you don't drink or don't handle your drink well, you most likely won't impress your interviewer a lot... In the s&t culture it's very prevalent, you just do; someone said clients count on you to put them in the cab. That's a load of bull shit, the client counts on you for paying for the drinks, having a good time; and if you disapear that's life, but this time he will be too drunk to remember who he is.

That said, I am getting ready for a triathlon/ half marathon etc... all the time... So I just tell the guys sorry won't drink as getting fit. As long as you do it occasionally they won't think you are a bore. And if you really can't take your alcohol you can be sneaky about it - I just go to the pisser and pour half of my pint in the loo, very useful when you are doing rounds with the lads... (Thank God this forum is anonymous or I would get my testicles removed for saying something like that...) You don't have to get sloshed, do it when you are young, but I like to keep it together in work events (when it's just me and a client and we are on a mission that's different :))

M&A? No idea, but some of my best mates are doing banking and thye are all raging alcoholics when they are going out.

If they attempted to fire you for not drinking, could you file a wrongful termination lawsuit?

It's fine if you don't drink as long as you don't try and act like a moral puritan about it.

It's fine if you do drink as long as you can hold your shit together.

If you don't fall into one of these buckets, you're doing it wrong.

Never drink more then you can handle. That's just obvious. I think embarrassingly overdoing it is much worse then not drinking at all. You're just a dick if you force people to drink. Last time I checked, bonus is not linked to alcohol consumption.

Just stick to the same drink throughout the night and you will be Ok. Of course everyone has his own limits, but one way or another, if you limit yourself to, say, 4 or 5 pints of Guiness per night, you will be fine 100% of the time. To be able to drink materially more than 5 beers and remain fit, you need practice, though - and it is usually difficult for americans (provided your legislation prohibits drinking till 21, so analysts have really limited experience compared to peers in normal countries, where they drink as they please)

I used to think I was talented at drinking, then I met securities lawyers... Damn near killed me. That said, doing my MBA got me back into prime conditioning.

To the guy that asked if they could fire you for being a shitty drinker: Let's be fair, If an MD's wife calls out your name during sex they can fire you. They can fire you for anything, they just can't say that's why they fired you. Grab random fifteen excuses to fire you without severance, you'll probably be guilty of ten of them, one of them could be that you're just not fitting in with the team. And... if they are willing to pay severence, they don't even have to give you a reason, just cut you cheque and kick your ass out.