Thought I would start an informal discussion about what you wish you had known before you started as an intern or later as an analyst in IB. What would have made your life 100 times easier if you knew it beforehand?
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What do you mean by politics?
1) how important it is how your boss and your management look at and present you 2) what are the interpersonal dynamics, how do you read people, what is meant "between the lines", what are the "unwritten" rules 3) how to gain trust 4) how to influence and manage people, some of them senior, who you have no direct influence over 5) how much presentation, looks and eloquence matter in order to make a lasting impact
(1) how much PowerPoint the job entailed (2) how important cultural fit is to having a good experience
One of the most important things I wish I knew when making a decision about doing IB in the first place was how little spoon feeding and instruction there is. This is a start contrast to schooling where you are hand held and taught through everything. The general expectation is that when you are given something to do, you are supposed to somehow figure out how to do it without much direction. That doesn't mean it's wrong to ask questions and ask for guidance where appropriate but someone who doesn't ask for help that much and can just get the job done is much better off and perceived as better than someone who asks a lot of questions and expects people to help them through every step of the way.
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