Hi Everyone - I did an internship at a middle tier BB last summer and going through training for full time this summer. I noticed the people who go home earliest have been at the bank a year or two and can crank out work unbelievably quickly. Aside from “more reps,” what other ways can bankers get really fast at work output and increase efficiency? Any tips would be extremely appreciated! Thank you
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Go slow. That sounds kind of counterproductive, but hear me out.
Let's say someone rushes through something in 10 mins. Then, later on, they realize they made a mistake. Or want to double check. Or have to revise something for their MD. Let's say that takes another 20 mins. So all-in-all, this guy took 30 minutes.
Let's say someone else takes their time going through a task. They do it meticulously, and are sure to gather all the requirements beforehand. Maybe it takes this guy 25 mins all-in-all. So, basically, this guy got it done quicker, even though he took longer, seeing how he was careful and meticulous from the get-go.
There's a saying - "if you don't have time to do it right, you won't have time to do it over," or something like that. Basically, do it right the first time so you won't have to spend even more time fixing your errors.
Some easy ones off the top of my head: -Learning every possible keyboard shortcut for excel, powerpoint, outlook and browser. Spend some time setting up you quick-access formats in whatever excel plugin your firm uses (eg FactSet, CapIQ, Macabacus, Turbo etc) -Left-hand mousing - allows quick access to the keypad if you need to use mouse. -Learn proper typing technique to increase your typing speed >100wpm and invest in a mechanical keyboard -Save commonly used chart formats down as custom templates -Maintain control over your inbox with a good foldering system. My method is using the inbox as a triage folder.. anything that I can't immediately answer goes straight to archive, things that need more time go to actions folder, otherwise respond straight away. News emails automatically filed in a reading folder. Also your view settings in outlook are key. Just find whatever works through experimentation -Keep your emails sharp and to the point
Those with few years' experience likely have template slides and models for everything. After a while it all just becomes second nature. Their drafting is probably quick and professional first time too. So spending less time mulling over wording, the best form of response, mapping out slides, formatting etc. Some will pick it up quicker than others, but there's no substitute for time at the desk unfortunately.