Getting staffed with weak analysts

That's just my opinion but your job is to work with everyone you are staffed.

Stop complaining about others, be a decent human being and do your job.

readingsandsuch

Associate 3 here (just became 3); MM TMT group

Had a decent review, was told that they see me as a VP and see me long term at the firm but they want me to improve my technical skills (MBA grad so 2.5 years in); also offered sending me to training (only me) and pay for the course

Problem is that whenever I get staffed on a new deliverable I get staffed with the weakest analysts in the group. I also get primarily staffed on pretty mundane tasks like creating books for meetings, not on live deals.

Thoughts?

Well because your technical skills are bad (2.5 years in, this shouldn’t even be discussed), they can’t staff you with the good analysts because they would disrespect you and you can’t be trusted on live deals. I would view fixing your technical skills as pretty existential. 

Getting staffed on the mundane, non-deal work with the weak analysts implies that you are also a weak associate. Become a good enough associate to actually get on live deals, let alone the more complex live deals and you'll be working with the strong analysts that were capable enough to be put on those deals.

While many of the comments above are rude, they are also true. The firm will never risk placing people with a low skillset on the most important deals or tasks. The fact that you are As3 and still aren't getting staffed on live deals or technical stuff suggests that you do not have the required skillset. As a result of that, you will get staffed on less important deals and tasks together with other people that are not staffed on the more important / difficult deals and tasks (the weak analysts you're speaking about). 

It does not sound as if you're in a position to educate the "weak" analysts. As such, I strongly suggest that you put all your efforts into becoming better yourself. When you become better, you will get staffed on more important tasks and deals, together with stronger analysts. Take the training course and make sure you put all your effort into it. Learn technicals on your down time or spare time. Try to learn from colleagues that are really good at technicals. Ask to get staffed on more technical stuff, even if it's just smaller things to begin with. 

technical skills suck / associate 3

They’re staffing you with the weak analysts because they want / need YOU to learn how to do the work. Don’t ever give an analyst an assignment you couldn’t easily handle. 

Meanwhile, some other thread in the forum:

“Analyst 2 here (just became 3); MM TMTgroup

Had a decent review, was told that they see me as a senior analyst and see me long term at the firm.

Problem is that whenever I get staffed on a new deliverable I get staffed with the weakest associate in the group who doesn’t possess any meaningful technical knowledge, yet tries to micromanage me and takes credit for my work.

Thoughts?”

You are the reason why I have to go in the model and fix the FCF in crunch time because I don’t trust you

what is your age range +/- ?

Is OP really this naive lol

This thread is a bloodbath. The fact that OP couldn't figure out the message their firm was trying to convey without having it spelled out for them also says a lot. Hopefully, this is your wakeup call otherwise, you're going to have a rough career.

Dude. People are getting fired left right and center right now, with mass layoffs through the roof. Instead of firing you in a time where letting people go, especially weak employees is easily justified due to the climate your firm is offering to pay for a course and keep you without putting you on a pip to improve. Why the fuck are you complaining and being ungrateful? Seriously, if I were your md and I found out you were complaining, I’d fire you right now. They’re doing you a favor by not firing you, and are even encouraging growth for you by paying for a course for you and staffing you with analysts at your level.

One approach is to ask even the weak analysts tons of questions. It'll teach the "weaker" analysts to think and I think you'll be surprised how much you (and all of us) would learn.

This thread is brutal. 

A large part of being a VP is bringing up your Analysts and Associates. Also realizing what their fastball is and setting them up for success. Even better is seeing their potential that may flourish with care/time spent from a VP that knows the best assets are the ones you build not the ones you neglect and condemn.

Said another way, maybe spend more energy on ways to create an optimal environment for success over complaining about others.

Also… if your technical skills are lacking to the point there have been formal discussions/decisions made, that may be a sign that perhaps the weakness isn’t coming from down the chain, but perhaps elsewhere…

Dude am I the only one here who realizes this is satire??!