Transitioning to corporate America has been rough. I have excessively used slang in my life and found myself slipping up on the job. I approached my VP later in the evening and said “YO, YO, can you take a look at this”. He paused and gave me a wtf look. I am now making a continued effort to talk like the respectable young gentleman I am. Anyone experience this, will I be fired?
| +168 | How to stop feeling like shit for not making it in IB? | 63 | 3h | |
| +121 | If Tik Tok is forced to sell, what banks do you think would be involved in the deal? | 59 | 9h | |
| +85 | Updated LA Banking Scene (2024) | 61 | 3h | |
| +40 | Ranking banks that went under | 24 | 5h | |
| +39 | Burnt Out M&A ASO | 22 | 1s | |
| +36 | Relevance of A-Levels for U.K. London recruiting | 25 | 3h | |
| +33 | A strategy for SA applicants late to the game like myself | 17 | 4h | |
| +27 | Series 79 Help / Tips to Pass The First Attempt | 11 | 2d | |
| +27 | Intern Ettiquette | 4 | 1d | |
| +23 | What are hours like at BBs in London? | 47 | 1d |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
No you won't be fired but you really can't talk like that in a professional environment, except maybe as a joke to your analyst buds
Imagine you're an MD when you go to work. Walk into the office and act like your associates, VPs, MDs etc are your clients. You might have the urge to say something really casual or stupid but you obviously can't or you will lose the business. Just restrain yourself for a few weeks or months and then it will become natural.
I also would watch how you talk with your friends / on weekends.. do whatever you want, but if you're talking like a drug lord on Saturdays and Sundays it's more likely you will slip up on monday
Lmao- absolute tool. Moderate how you speak on your breaks too? This is one of the saddest examples of corporate brainwashing and robotizing… have a sense of self dude
--
I open almost every internal zoom call with “yo” and am still chugging along. Dude saying treat coworkers like a client must be insufferable to deal with on a daily basis.
With outside parties I’m much more professional with my words
same lol
Same here... I shoot the shit / curse with and in front of my EDs here and there.
Less so my MD, but that's really just because it's not in his personality. Never once has he ever scolded me
Obviously time and place, I'm not going to open up a call with "what's good you motherfuckers, long time no see!" or speak unprofessionally when more senior people that I'm less familiar with are in earshot...
Just read the room, it's a skillset.
Super suss. Lmao you’re a walking meme. That was the big joke this year, the analyst 1s and interns coming into the office and using slang.
I think the bigger issue is that you can't read people. Just because someone has an adverse reaction to your choice of words doesn't mean you will be fired. It just means they will like you less and you've harmed your reputation.
Honestly thought this was satire but maybe not. Have you never spoken to anyone in a position of authority or respect ever??? Never had a previous job? Never spoken to a teacher/professor? Never to your girlfriends parents?
How is this the first time you're coming across this "problem"?
I'm not sure why but this problem is surprisingly common among 22-24 y/o analysts today.
I mean this is simple code switching. I would've thought most people had learned that skill by now.
Social media ruined us man
I was a kid on the West Coast who loves Yo MTV Raps. Death Row dominated my teenage years. I would say I start 50% of my conversations with a Yo.
I feel like you will be fired. This is professional environment not a drug deal buddy.
the issue is you don't know your audience. you absolutely can go up to certain juniors and say 'yo' if they're your buddies. I even know MDs who would happily say 'man' or be called 'man' by directors / VPs. You just have to feel their vibe although a lot of type-A people lack EQ and there are a lot of type-As in banking.
I suggest you talk with him one on one to understand expectations in the workplace. Try to grab a conference room so you can sit down and state clearly, "no cap, finna be real with you, why you acting sus, fam? This ain't it, chief. For real for real." Good luck.
It’s hilarious but Gen Z interns were legit talking like this during the summer haha
Kendall Roy has entered the chat: "“so, I just wanted to get the gang together early in my tenure to say..yo!”
I think you’re fine in the long run. Yes, probably not right to say it to your boss if you don’t have that type of relationship (since they’re your supervisor not a friend yet), but it’s a learning experience and this job is trial / error so you now know what not to do going forward, which is more important. Better to do this with a vp in a low stakes way than a client on a big pitch or deal…
No. You won’t be fired.
I drop F-bombs and other such "unbecoming" language with MDs all the time, no one cares. There are definitely some uptight people in our industry but I couldn't give a shit less how an Analyst or Associate addresses me. Interacting with a new fresh class of first years is usually an interesting experience for me because they often start off very stiff and "professional" but after a few months get their footing and realize we can be pretty casual with one another.
Heard from the team your MD’s gonna pull you into his office later and say “YO YO ur fired fam”
good luck brother
Just read the room. You definitely won't get fired lol but ive had associates who wouldn't like it and at the same time directors who I talk to in a much more lax way. just dont keep rubbing your vp the wrong way
Emphasis on (do keep) rubbing your VP
You most likely won’t get fired, but you certainly won’t get respected either. It’s important to develop that “executive” presence if you want to move up the ladder, and speaking like an “executive” is one way to develop that presence and be seen as a leader. The only people can say whatever they want and in any manner are either 1) the big boss/owner or 2) real genius who extrudes knowledges/talents that you know 99.9% of people can never reach that level
Depends a little bit on the culture of your team. Some teams are v. "whiteshoe" whilst others are more relaxed. Generally speaking as an A1 you need to keep your individuality to a minimum. The higher up you get/ more you deliver, the more you can let your "eccentricities" run wild and your team will chalk it up to "that's just how he/she is." One of my old teams we had an MD who was total rainman numbers genius but was borderline insane and would often have these episodes where he would yell very loudly and throw chairs then laugh about it. Everyone liked him, especially clients.
Time and place is always going through my head. I love to joke around and make the day better than it actually is… If your work is good you can get away with more lol
Some people really don’t like the word yo. Went to an Irish bar in NYC, tried to get the Irish bartenders attention and guess I started off with “yo!”. He was so angry over that word he literally would not get me a drink. Had to leave the bar the dude was so mad. So to answer your question you’re probably going to get fired
Vero ut natus nesciunt ad natus aut autem. Et a autem et eum inventore. Ducimus fugit ipsam magnam odit. Ipsum magnam consectetur ea provident voluptate rem sit. Sit dolore perferendis placeat alias maxime aspernatur consequatur. Autem unde quae delectus et. Nemo aut qui quia.
Eaque voluptatem ea et placeat quisquam eveniet qui qui. Doloribus sed quisquam vel vel. Qui consequatur voluptate accusantium illum temporibus.
Sequi sit ex ipsam ipsam. Perspiciatis mollitia enim est. Et tempore beatae dignissimos quidem iure dolores aut. Voluptas beatae blanditiis est iste rerum dolores dolores.
Atque qui voluptatibus voluptate. Est accusantium magni fugit velit consequatur. Et qui nisi sed natus illo. Quidem blanditiis quia et aut placeat. Quia aspernatur nihil quae sed. Aut perspiciatis fugit aut eveniet et.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Sint nihil deleniti excepturi quia commodi omnis. Consequatur nulla eos ipsam.