Ask Questions

Younger folks about to start internships or analyst roles, if I could impart one piece of wisdom before your first day, it's this: ask questions if you aren't 100% positive of what is expected of you (and in the beginning ask even then to confirm).

We have had a few new people join the team during quarantine and, even though they are highly qualified, they come from other companies with different cadences and expectations. One of the most frustrating things that has happened over the past few weeks is having given someone instructions, having them confirm they know what to do, and two hours later they deliver an output completely off the mark. Instead of spending 15 minutes upfront to ask clarifying questions or work through an example, we wasted a ton of time waiting and then fixing something for the client.

Obviously, there are limits: don't ask something you can easily Google and try not to ask the same thing multiple times; but don't be afraid to ask smart questions. Being known as inquisitive and exacting is far better than being known as "someone who doesn't get it" or, worse, someone who doesn't listen.

 

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