Most likely going to be ranked bottom bucket, even though doing well
Hi guys Analyst 1 here getting worried. I am on a team of 5 other fellow analyst 1’s and I know for a fact I am going to be bottom bucket. I have been told by seniors and associates I am doing a great job, I have a good attitude, etc, but I can’t compete with the 5 others in my analyst 1 class.
Not trying to chirp them and call them “hardos” but they care 10x more about the job than I do and are way more serious. For example if I have no work at 10pm I am going straight the fuck home. All the others will just stay at the office and practice modeling or powerpoint shortcuts, just as an example on how they are.
My issue is even though I am doing fine, realistically I will be bottom bucket. Is this a large issue? I am completely completely fine with getting paid a bit less, was just wondering if this was deeper.
Not an intern, ignore title. I am an an3 and am in the same situation as you. Don't really give a fuck though.
Trust me dude, I would way rather work with a kid like you than the try hards that are on my team. It's bad for the culture. Just creates an atmosphere of competition rather than collaboration. I would love to be on a team where all the analysts are in agreement that we leave when the seniors bounce. What you do have going for you is that these kids are usually socially inept and have no sense of humor or ability to hold a conversation - arguably the most important part of getting people the like you.
Thanks for the response man, really good and refreshing to hear.
Yeah for example when I have downtime waiting for comments I just chill and talk to the analyst 2’s about sports, our funny stories from the drunk weekends, good food spots/restaurants we found recently, etc. It is obvious the analyst 2’s like me a lot more than the other analyst 1’s, but they aren’t the ones deciding my bonus/bucketing. My good “social skills” don’t really shine to the associates/vp’s/md’s because we don’t interact with them directly much, they just see the work we are producing, which is why I am worried that these other kids will all out bucket me because they are becoming technical wizzes putting in all this extra work.
Another example of my fellow analyst 1’s is while I do that they just airpods in and do case studies and debt waterfalls and stuff. Not trying to knock them I respect their work ethic a lot its just like how do I compete with this lol I probably look so so so weak as an analyst just because my class is literally absurd.
wow your class is full of losers lol. I did exactly what you did for 2.5 years - good solid work (nothing crazy), shoot the shit about sports/weekends etc, bounced as soon as i possibly could every night, bosses loved me and was top bucket both years. I could relate very well with my associates/MDs so pretty much was guaranteed perfect reviews every year. Wouldn't completely assume you're bottom bucket though, you'd be surprised how observant seniors can be wrt to cultural aspects and stuff (unless everyone in your group is a robot then idk)
100% would way rather would work w a dude like you as well. No reason to stay there and burn yourself out past 10pm if you have no work to do. M
Those types of kids are the ones who make the culture toxic down the road cause they’ll judge kids like you when they’re associates 2’s. Absolutely hate kids like that like yes we get you wanna grind, we know man. But you can grind during the 13 hours of 9am - 10pm, no need to wear yourself out for no reason at all.
Don’t be worried. As long as YOU’RE okay with getting paid a bit less, get those extra hours of sleep man. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, you’re saving yourself your future self a ton of gray hairs and energy for down the road. You aren’t taking short cuts, you’re simply just doing your job.
Don’t worry my friend, all will be good and I’m sure some of those hardos are recognized by senior bankers for being a little to weird and hardo and they even think they need to calm down lol.
you will probably just be middle bucket and well liked by everyone.
i know from experience. always get staffed on a decent amount of cool deals, get decent bonuses, leave home at decent hours, i never think about the job when i dont need to, solid middle bucket boi
OP to provide an alternative perspective: as an analyst I kept my head down, worked incredibly hard, maintained great relationships with my associates and seniors, built my skills up outside of work (and I worked a LOT), skipped out on lots of social events, and still only got middle bucket despite overwhelmingly positive feedback.
At the end of the day you can blow all your seniors with two hands every night before leaving the office and that still doesn’t guarantee top bucket. Or you can build practice models every night until 2 AM and that doesn’t guarantee it either.
My advice, which you should probably ignore: just be a professional and person that you’re proud to be. Don’t work hard or build your skills outside of work for a rating, but definitely do it if being a competent, fast, and technically sound analyst is important to you. Don’t shoot the shit with your 2nd years if your goal is a good rating, but definitely do it if being a fun person that makes his coworkers’ days brighter is important to you. Don’t hop on at midnight to turn comments to get top ratings, but definitely do it if being a reliable teammate is important to you.
Focus on what you control, which is showing up as the best version of you. Don’t be someone else for the chance to get an extra $10k.
I'm that guy - I will stay later and read something or practice modeling. I want to be good at this job. My view is that if you don't do "extra" work and invest in yourself, by the end of the 2 years you just learned powerpoint and nothing else. I also want to prep for buyside interviews. So many people here were complaining nO oNe wAs rEaDy fOr oNcYcLE. Sure, they weren't investing in themselves and being proactive in their learning so they got upset when PE firms wanted the cream of the crop (and they weren't it).
It's interesting because seniors have recognized I'm able to add more value and so I get staffed on the best projects and they ask for my opinion. I actually feel more part of the team and it's rewarding and stimulating. Meanwhile the juniors who don't take my approach complain they get staffed on strictly powerpoint. It's great because there's another analyst here who's keen on learning so we shoot the shit while reviewing stuff. We're sharing resources with eachother and teaching eachother things, it's great and totally uncompetitive.
I'm not doing this to outshine other people or make extra money. I just enjoy it and am naturally curious. Once I feel I've learned enough and the incremental value of staying longer is zero, I'll leave. It's that simple.
My social skills are fine and am well-liked in the team. You can invest in yourself and be social, it's not mutually exclusive.It sounds like you're playing in the NBA when really you enjoy playing pick-up basketball with friends. There's plenty of banks where people do nothing more than what is asked (and sometimes less) and the pay is probably the same. Why not go there? Sounds like you would be a better fit.
You’re getting MSed for sounding like an absolute condescending loser. “Sounds like you’re playing in the NBA…”
My man, you are not Steph Curry and this is not the NBA. There are quite literally 10s of thousands of IB analysts all doing pointless menial work like yourself. You can “invest in yourself” and spend your free time alone in the office with headphones on, but don’t expect to get a cookie for it. The MD will not fuck you bro
What...the hell....this is a joke right?
If my work / performance were fine, and I had a good understanding with the rest of the team, I would be ABSOLUTELY LIVID if I was placed bottom bucket for this kind of hardo nerd crap. Literally, tell them go back into the lockers they came from.