pretty much was just some reflection with my VP and their initial feedback for this program was "don't get too confident" and I was definitely confused as to what they meant
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Sounds like they’re saying you act like a know it all and just need to be quieter instead of talking all the time
Yep, made a note to keep quiet.
If you don't mind, can you clarify on the "know it all" so that I am aligned with you on this point? My understanding is that I do a lot of my own research online and then present my learnings to the team member instead of saying "hey can you tell me what this means?" because I did that in the past elsewhere and I got told to use Google to find my own answers.
I do want to caviat as well that this experience is group specific and unique so this isn't a culture across both floors.
Just don’t try to come across as smart, try to come across as trying to learn. You’re likely not smarter than the full times so you shouldn’t act like it and if you are, they don’t want to feel like an intern is smarter than them. Would guess this is what’s meant by be humble
So either you are just naturally socially awkward and screwed or you have been far too Hardo and just need to cut it down / be normal. Hopefully it's the later. If you're too socially awkward, you won't get a return offer unless truly well above and beyond technically.
would say the latter: I do a lot of research and do enjoy the industry topics I look at.
socially awkward for me isn't the issue: I can talk well, hold a conversation, be insightful and discuss a range of different topics. While I said I might be on the spectrum, this is a suspicion and I would need to be tested to confirm it 100%. It's not
I don't go too hardo but for instance I do go quite into the details and make sure I'm technically well informed. The group has been really friendly and noted that I do take feedback and implement it immediately so it's not a matter of being someone they actively exclude from work.
Are you in levfin lol
y
Nobody likes a know-it-all even when it's their boss let alone when it's an intern who probably knows less than them. Know it alls and passive aggressive people are the most annoying people for most people.
From my side, it was a case of going home and studying the group's internal research materials and folders to be more informed about the deals and past products we'd worked on.
I didn't want to bother the group and ask "hey what's goodwill?" or "how does accretion / dilution work" since the answer was pretty obviously google-able so I put the time to ask more reasonable questions e.g. "in this deal, we had goodwill of X but if we had revalued the assets in light of the current macro, would you say the goodwill now be lower given market comps"
Now, that's not a question where I'm trying to sound smart but I'm trying to ask questions that are genuinely insightful instead of a waste of time. Clearly, that didn't (somehow?) go down well with the group.
That is genuinely one of the worst hardo questions I've heard, and it would annoy the shit out of anyone, especially in levfin. Goodwill is locked in at close. It gets impairment-tested, not remarked to comps because rates moved. You just invented an accounting standard. And you're in levfin, I promise nobody on your desk has thought about goodwill on a closed deal. Chill. Ask dumb questions like a normal intern. Being socially strong is the main thing that you are evaluated on as an intern, so it's important you stop doing what you are doing if you want a return.
Don't need a doctor to tell you that you are on the spectrum, based on your post and your comments. Which is fine, but you just need to be more self aware. I'd rather have someone on the desk who is more normal (or at least is able to self aware enough to behave in a manner that most people would consider normal) with average technical ability than someone who is technically gifted but impossible to sit next to without wanting to blow my brains out.
you know your seniors are probably on this website and are going to be stunned to see the exact comments they gave out abt u word for word on a Wall Street oasis post
These aren't my exact feedback since I'm continuing on this desk for the remainder of the internship so I think it won't be an issue
Ignore my title.
Sorry that you have to go through this, but I think you just are not the type of person that your firm / group wants for whatever reason. Based off of everything that you've said here, I truly don't think there is anything wrong as long as you didn't ask these questions or made certain statements without having had any other normal chats. Return offers / intern performance reviews are way more subjective than mid year reviews; if you just for some reason made someone on the team vaguely uncomfortable for whatever reason, then that can play into a factor.
What you can do is just to make the team feel as much as good as you can possibly can. No, not by doing impressing them but desperately showing that you want to be here and how you love the team, the work, and every single thing that ever existed in your office, as well as showing that you know you are a dumbass. You really have to make your team feel good about themselves. Your goal is to be likeable like you did when you networked and interviewed to get the role.
Most self aware European
Probably not neurotypical, but tbh I have raging adhd so I understand lol. I think the biggest thing is just being able to pick up on social cues and matching the vibe on the team. It doesn't matter if you know more or less than your A2 (probably less in most cases). You just have to be able to fit the team culturely. That's it really.
You should feel like a new analyst 1 that just hit the desk, slowly ramping up on work, learning the ins and outs of not only the role, but the social structure of the team. If your team is pretty intellectually rigorous, feel free to be that way. If they're more fratty, try to fit in or at least don't go against that culture. Find the person you vibe with the most, and try to befriend them so you gain at least one person who can vouch for both your character as well as your work.
Anyone can do the job, but the summer analyst program is really just a way for the team to see if you can be slotted into the team with minimal friction.
"don't get too confident" is a coachability read. the group is quietly deciding whether, if they hand you a return offer, you'll take a markup from a second-year analyst at 1am and just fix it, or whether you'll want to argue it first. interns who need managing don't get the RO, and everyone's too slammed in July to take that on.
you mentioned going quiet from here on out. don't, a silent intern reads as checked out.
if you're not sure about something, ask, don't guess out loud. when someone corrects you, write it down and say "got it," then don't make the same mistake twice.
the people writing your review care a lot about trajectory, and you've still got half a summer left to show it. reread the line where you wrote "so that I am aligned with you on this point." that's "you talk too much" dressed up as a stakeholder alignment call. drop the reframe and just take the note next time.
^^This is it. Very well said.
Coachability is really important. Respect your drive to do homework and learn outside hours but you'll learn more and get move value out of listening to people
dude sounds like they're jealous. clearly you're self aware. this honestly will be a toxic group because they want you to bend down for their egos
i pushed back a shit ton as an intern and they heavily respected my opinion.
1. this is a very hierarchial group
2. they have really shit egos
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