Getting better at attention to details & organizing work

Hi everyone,

First year Analyst at a BB.

I'm about 12 or so weeks into the job now and I find that my biggest weaknesses are attention to detail and prioritization/organizing.

Sometimes I'll miss just glaringly obvious things and I'll be kicking myself because it's embarrassing but also not a nice feeling making your Associates disappointed who gave you agency in creating something.

Sometimes I'll have a good week or a few days where the work I'm doing I'll feel like I'm getting it, pushing out stuff that looks good, and then like domino bricks mistake after mistake with comments coming here and there and I just feel incompetent or like the worst Analyst ever. Like miscounting something (this doesn't really happen anymore), formatting, footnotes, whatever.

I think it's especially tough when you're working off a precedent slide because you didn't create it and you're just updating it, so it's easy to miss things.

That's on the attention to detail front.

The next is to do with prioritization. I feel like I'm really struggling in how I am supposed to manage multiple workstreams. Right now, I'll just come into the office in the morning and decide what I want to work on, and then immediately switch over to something else if I get some task come in through email. But I don't think this is very efficient because I just end up with my mind being scattered. I read somewhere that perhaps a good thing to do is plan your day out by blocking out periods of time in your calendar where you will only focus on x deliverable. I feel like I want to try this but I don't know how realistic this is when some random Associate emails you asking if you can pull together some run on something. I obviously have my own work streams I need to focus on.

I'd really appreciate some tips and pointers because I'm feeling really lost right now. Feels like I'm doing everything wrong with formatting and attention to detail comments and feels like I'm drowning being inefficient with how I'm dividing up time. It's especially difficult because I have one Associate who doesn't seem to respect juniors' time when he is told that they have other stuff going on when he requests some bs data pull or something within a short deadline and it turns out it's not even for something important.

Appreciate some tips and comments beyond the "just double and triple check" and "print out" because sometimes that just doesn't work because your brain just glosses over it anyway on the second or third look.

Edit: Also unsure of how to navigate conflicting feedback on tight deadlines. Sometimes an Associate will tell me to have something ready for them at a certain time, and I'll be rushing to get it out but then I will have missed some stuff in quality control and it won't be very good, and they'll tell me that I should focus on quality over speed? Maybe being more efficient will come in time but at the moment I don't feel like I can get out perfect materials as quickly as is initially expected and then I get told I should have taken more time?

3 Comments

WSO Monkey Bot

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1y

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some detailed tips to improve attention to detail and organization as a first-year analyst:

Attention to Detail:

Create a Checklist:
- Keep a running list of general mistakes you've made and briefly reference it before submitting any work product. This can include things like making decimal places consistent, ensuring $ signs are correct, and following formatting instructions.
Highlight Completed Tasks:
- When working through comments or tasks, highlight what you have completed. This helps avoid missing any comments and ensures you address all feedback.
Print and Review:
- Printing out your work and highlighting completed tasks can be foolproof for catching errors that you might gloss over on a screen.
Standard Naming Conventions:
- Use logical folder/subfolder names and keep them clean. This helps in quickly locating files and reduces the chance of errors.

Prioritization and Organization:

Email Management:
- Create rules in Outlook to forward admin emails to an admin folder, move deal emails to a deal folder, and newsletters to their own inbox. This helps in keeping your inbox organized and reduces distractions.
Time Blocking:
- Plan your day by blocking out periods of time in your calendar to focus on specific deliverables. This helps in managing multiple workstreams efficiently.
Task Prioritization:
- Prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. Use a high-priority inbox for pending tasks and move them to a completed tasks folder once addressed.
OneNote for Organization:
- Use OneNote to keep notes organized. Create several tabs/folders for call notes, training materials, self-studying, to-do lists, etc.
Internal Networking:
- Network internally to understand individual colleagues' areas of expertise. This can save hours of frustration when using new technology or software.

Handling Conflicting Feedback:

Communicate with Associates:
- If you receive conflicting feedback or tight deadlines, communicate with the Associate to understand their priorities. Explain the potential impact on quality if rushed.
Quality Over Speed:
- Focus on delivering high-quality work even if it takes a bit longer. Mistakes can erode trust and overshadow your efforts.
Manage Expectations:
- Set realistic expectations with your Associates about what can be achieved within a given timeframe. This helps in balancing quality and speed.

Dealing with Overload:

Ask for Help:
- If you are struggling, ask for advice on balancing and prioritizing your work. This shows that you are proactive and willing to improve.
Set Boundaries:
- Politely communicate your workload to Associates who may not respect your time. This helps in managing your tasks more effectively.

By implementing these strategies, you can improve your attention to detail and organization, making you a more efficient and reliable analyst.

Sources: Vent Some Wisdom to Incoming Analysts/Interns, How do you stay organized at work (both in general and on action item lists)? (x-post w/ MC forum), Tips & Suggestions for adapting as a new Investment Banking Analyst (mine and yours), Small Developer Advice - Second Week, What I Wish Every First Year Analyst Knew

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RJRDabisco

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1 on Organization:

Pen and paper agendas on all work streams

When you’re busy tell them and say “I need xyz amount of time before I can come here”

If two people need you at the same time tell them to talk about what you need to prioritize

2 attention to detail:

- check and recheck and print out and highlight for all comments and issues

- it’s always okay to flash emails by people

- always ask “hey I need 20 to finish this right” if they double back for the materials, or take snips and ask for comments on pages you know are fine while tinkering with the others

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Always here to help!

stephensmith367

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