So I just started as an analyst the past couple of days and haven't been given any actual deliverables to do; my associate is handling some model building we were assigned because I wouldn't know how. I don't want to ask for work so will my associate/VP tell me when I need to do something? Just feels sus sitting here with nothing in my inbox and getting paid. Seems like I'll be over my head soon
| +202 | MD Can’t Unplug | 52 | 3m | |
| +186 | 2nd casualty of BofA, 25 yo credit trader | 61 | 3s | |
| +131 | Associates not checking my work and getting mad at me? | 25 | 8h | |
| Am I insane? (NEED ADVICE) | 59 | 1d | ||
| +78 | How Much Parental Assistance Do People Actually Have? | 32 | 1h | |
| +78 | the new "email template" | 25 | 2s | |
| +67 | BofA Assoc who died had sought to leave, citing long hours | 17 | 4h | |
| +49 | How is Northwestern? | 15 | 3h | |
| +39 | Another BofA trader died? This is insane... | 24 | 3d | |
| +39 | Fitness vs Traditional Watches (in Office) | 24 | 30m |
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Just get in the mix and try to be proactive, you'll be alright
mans said i dont wanna ask for more work lol
Bruh why would you
I was just about to make this same post right now no lie, so you're not the only one. My (uninformed new analyst) opinion is that we should just relax and take it easy. When the work comes you won't have a choice and I find it difficult to think what exactly I could do now to prepare for the inevitable mountain of work to come. There's always going to be something (especially virtually) that you won't know how to do and become stressed about no matter how much you prepare, so better to just enjoy your time now?
Maybe someone more experienced can come in and say what we should be doing with this free-time, but I've been just leaving all my email open and hanging out enjoying myself. I think it's difficult for analysts and associates to take the time to train virtually when they have their own deliverables to meet. Interested in what everyone else has to say??
Then again for full disclosure, I have done a weak job on the few deliverables that I have been given because I can't figure out how to do things without help, so take my opinion with a grain of salt again I may just be a bad analyst or maybe it's imposter syndrome?
Trust me I feel imposter syndrome too. Feel like I don't know how to do shit
This always how it starts, very slow and almost anti climatic. it’s hard to ramp someone, and getting them on going on their “first steps” just takes A little bit of supervision and you’re A little limited on what you can do week 1. But very quickly people will give you work (likely not have any choice) and every time you try it, you’ll fuck up something but you’ll learn everytime. And then the amount you’re able to do will grow and grow until you are an independent rockstar analyst.
BUUUUUT until then, it takes a while. Pass your series exams, take some excel courses or tutorial videos, ask to play around with a draft model and get familiar with it, review old CIMS or (what I would probably do) is just wait patiently and be ready to work hard when you are called upon.
Just keep communications with your VP and below and let them know you’re available. Remote work has made it harder to start people and judge people so just make sure to stay on good terms initially as you don’t have any office rapport.
But yeah it’s very normal and you’re gonna miss that free time lol
Bump
Speaking as a staffer - everyone feels this way in the first week. My strong recommendation is to just chill. You'll get busy soon enough, and everyone knows you're lightly staffed for now. If you are extremely motivated / bored then ask someone on your team to send you model/comps/etc templates that the team uses so you can start to familiarize yourself
Trust me dude, they’ll get their money’s worth out of you sooner rather than later. Don’t worry about it.
this^
The Void is omniscient and inevitable - soon enough, its insatiable appetite will consume you in a violent whirl of confusion, solitude and indescribable weight. As you progress in your journey, be cautious of the infinity that lurks on either side of the path, as it will beckon you like sirens to the sailors of old. Good luck.
I was hoping someone would make this post. I'm in the same boat. I have been wandering aimlessly in the morning and don't get hit with requests until the afternoon. I honestly feel guilty not doing much even though I should be enjoying the time to myself. Major imposter syndrome indeed. My team is pretty organized with everything, but I feel like a complete jackass when I fumble my way through some of their templates. I know it's supposed to be normal, but it doesn't feel like it. I actually want more work so I can get really good at my job, so that way my life is easier 6 months down the road. It feels like I'm not ramping up quick enough, but my analysts keep telling me it takes months to get up to speed.
Yes I mess up everything too. Like we learn about comps, models, and all that stuff from interview prep and school, but it’s so different I feel in practice looking at some of these formulas and work in action.
Have seen this in many classes now. Everyone is bored in the first week, some are even bored after the first month. You are not doing anything wrong, it just takes some time to figure out how to integrate new people onto projects. In 4 months you will absolutely not feel that way. Enjoy the free time.
It is the first month now for me not week, is it still okay to just sit back and relax or should I be proactive in learning something? Seems like there’s always something I don’t know regardless so I will need to be taught everything. I may too stupid for this.
You are not stupid. It's just hard to pull someone new onto a project that's had the same analyst/associate on it for 6 months and give them meaningful work. Go sit outside and enjoy the weather is my best advice - sitting at the computer all day is a waste of your time if you have BB work notifications on. This job ebbs and flows.
If you are dying to learn something, go flip through some old models/books in the drive and see how they work - save a model to your desktop (key) and mess with the assumptions - like understand why the acc/dil changes when you go from 20% debt to 50%. Don't bother trying to recreate from scratch, you will basically never do that in this job.
The 4 months mark is pretty accurate, I had my worst month ever 4 months in, this is when you reach the phase when you’re integrated in projects but are still inefficient and unable to forecast capacity so take on more than you should. Also Senior analysts / asso will gently push down all the admin stuff to you
Also asking for work is how you get on the bullshit projects than they wouldn’t give to anyone otherwise
Just wait until February :)
Weep.
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