Mistakes mistakes mistakes

I'm a 1st year analyst in IB coverage at BB. Always considered myself to be a fast learner and a reliable analyst. However I've realized I started to make so many small mistakes here and there that I'm starting to really worry about my attention to detail. Maybe it's because I'm just physically tired from all the late nights or just not giving a fuck as the holidays are approaching...

Was wondering what kind of steps it took for you to overcome this and is it even possible to produce a "perfect" work without any comments? Thanks yall

5 Comments
 
Most Helpful
  • 1st of all, you'll always have comments, the trick is to make sure you are perfect on formatting / firm standard. 
  • When you are completing comments, use a highlighter on a printed version to make sure you got everything
  • Review the finished product printed out or at least in Adobe, not in PPT - you will be floored with what you find
  • If you have a marked up PDF, flip the pages back and forth between the new output and the one with comments to make sure they are included - this will also show you if things have shifted
  • Associate trick: when market updating, flip the new and old page back and forth in adobe using ctrl-tab. What changed? Does that change make sense (e.g. stock price went up but our multiple stayed flat -> check consensus projections-> did they change? no? then the multiple should have gone up)
  • Last step before you send over updated deck, open the attached PDF from the email (ie not from where it's saved) to give one last look at what you are about to send. Especially late at night you WILL find a mistake (missing page number, unfinished bullet, etc). 

Lastly - short of getting something done for a meeting that is commencing, always always always take an extra few min to double check. Play the tape forward when you are getting down to it - will you hit the deadline? If not, shoot a quick note to the Associate/VP saying it is taking a bit longer and you are ticking and tying and will have something by [reasonable delay].  What is prob killing you is adhering to the (likely fake) deadlines. On time and wrong is worse than a heads up that it'll be a bit late and perfect 

 
  • 1st of all, you'll always have comments, the trick is to make sure you are perfect on formatting / firm standard. 
  • When you are completing comments, use a highlighter on a printed version to make sure you got everything
  • Review the finished product printed out or at least in Adobe, not in PPT - you will be floored with what you find
  • If you have a marked up PDF, flip the pages back and forth between the new output and the one with comments to make sure they are included - this will also show you if things have shifted
  • Associate trick: when market updating, flip the new and old page back and forth in adobe using ctrl-tab. What changed? Does that change make sense (e.g. stock price went up but our multiple stayed flat -> check consensus projections-> did they change? no? then the multiple should have gone up)
  • Last step before you send over updated deck, open the attached PDF from the email (ie not from where it's saved) to give one last look at what you are about to send. Especially late at night you WILL find a mistake (missing page number, unfinished bullet, etc). 

Lastly - short of getting something done for a meeting that is commencing, always always always take an extra few min to double check. Play the tape forward when you are getting down to it - will you hit the deadline? If not, shoot a quick note to the Associate/VP saying it is taking a bit longer and you are ticking and tying and will have something by [reasonable delay].  What is prob killing you is adhering to the (likely fake) deadlines. On time and wrong is worse than a heads up that it'll be a bit late and perfect 

This is on point. 

 

Omnis eum numquam inventore tempora ut vitae voluptas. Eligendi labore est sapiente corporis eius omnis. Odit soluta nesciunt excepturi quibusdam. Sint maxime qui similique et sed consectetur.

Itaque voluptate ratione delectus dicta qui. Laudantium porro ipsum nam incidunt sunt. Fugit illum consequatur consequatur quae repellat qui rerum aperiam. Autem et totam optio officiis qui harum corrupti.

Enim sed repudiandae nihil odit. Eligendi excepturi necessitatibus earum quis. Debitis saepe dolorem eaque sint nam beatae. Molestiae impedit animi sunt et similique et placeat. Aut et neque neque eum occaecati eius dolores aspernatur. Est omnis et eum fugit fuga. Officia minima fugiat reprehenderit odit est.

Odit natus alias iure sint sunt quas dolor sunt. Error et recusandae et aperiam molestiae fugit labore. Molestiae aut magni sit. Itaque minus enim ex minima et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”