Learned very little in banking, anyone relate?

Just about at the end of my 2nd year, never wanted PE, sounds terrible. I can do the basic work, but I just feel like I'm doing as I'm told, realized a long time ago my input doesn't matter. Reviews have been good, decent relationship with the team, but I just am a robot and don't use any critical thinking. Wish I did consulting instead. Even during calls these days I hardly listen, can't bring myself to care anymore. Need to get out and go to corporate I think

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I went to corporate post banking (I was a low to mid bucket analyst, but in a great group tho) and felt the same way. You don’t really realize the full value of your banking experience until you leave to be honest. The way that I literally run circles around managers at my new corp using a fraction of my previous effort it’s not even funny.

 
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Strategic, and yes that’s part of it but unless you were completely sleep at the wheel, you actually do learn some pivotal skills that come into play.

- critical thinking about what actually matters to drivers business value. Many lifelong finance operators have zero clue what drives valuation, how to position the business, or even think about how investors value their competitors. This background basically informs the thesis behind any model/slides you’ll build because you’ll exclusively think the way that a good cfo and ceo will
- good at synthesizing value in an attractive way. “Building pretty slides” is our industry’s own form of self deprication but it’s a real skill to tell a good story that’s visually appealing in 10 slides, gotta treat mgmt like toddlers watching coco melon because they will not go into the weeds with you
- executive polish. I visibly cringe when my managers show such a clear anxiety when they have to present in front of executives or our board. I didn’t realize that for most people they’re lucky if they have a reporting meeting with a ceo after 10 years of work experience, which is something you’re numb to as an analyst because you only interact with boards and c suites

None of these are like “tactical” skills like building a market map or whatever but that shit literally does not matter. Corporate is just a bunch of grandstanding so your ability to ruthlessly prioritize, execute and look good while doing it should make you an early star in that world

 

I’m also a robot and don’t use any critical thinking and it’s hurting my career in the long term and for interviews too as it sounds like I contributed nothing to deals I’m panicked and don’t know how to fix it. This is an early career mistake and it seems unrecoverable now 

 

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