How to get to the next level as an analyst?

I am an analyst at a development/investment firm across different asset classes. I have been here almost 1 year and I've learned a lot. Starting to underwrite more deals. I have really solid analytical abilities and have performed well in analytical tasks. I recently had an annual performance review, and my managers are pleased with my performance.

One area of improvement we identified is to increase my network by going to more networking events and building relationships. I am working on this now.

Other than that, do you guys have any tips to get to the next level? I really like my job and the people I work with, so I want to move up the ranks as quickly as possible and make a larger impact. I am learning something new everyday, but just wondering if there is something else I should be doing to make myself more valuable to the firm. Appreciate the insight.

7 Comments
 

Seems like you're on the right track. 

Sometimes when I'm bored I'll do case studies I have found on here or other places online. They have been pretty helpful in learning different investment profiles outside of my companies thesis. ACR.E has some really top notch videos - I would recommend watching some of the ones that are outside of your job responsibilities. It is really helpful to understand the other pillars of CRE (Debt, AM, Acq, Dev, Etc.). Another thing is to know who all the players are in your target markets, whos who and whos doing what. Networking with other analysts / associates gets you a lot of inside scoops on things.

This book is pretty stellar and helped me a lot my first year but is a little pricey.  I also got a REFM certification which looks nice on your Linkedin but not worth it unless your company pays for it. Do you know Argus? if your company uses it you should ask your boss to pay to get you Argus certified. Most of the stuff they teach you in the cert. course is dumb but hey another stamp for your Linkedin/res. 

Random but if you're in SF PM me - I'm going to a networking event tonight geared toward analysts associates in CRE in the Bay Area. Good group free drinks. 

 

I would say: 1) Know your shit better than anyone, 2) get familiar with the market and talk with brokers, 3) read all the legal papers… to go further in your career you must be an expert of the market, being able to establish networks on your own and to understand how bad deals look like on paper.

 
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Along the networking lines, make sure that you are also networking inside the company. Take the admins, ops people, finance/controllers out for coffee/lunch every once in a while. Make sure to know everyone's name/what they do. Growing your internal network will pay dividends later, when that controller is now CFO of the firm you want an interview with (happened twice), your former cap markers guy is now at a hedge fund and thought of you when they had an opening (happened a couple of months ago), or your former admin is now the office manager for a large REPE firm and constantly has extra invites to charity events, games, golf outings and always gets you on the list, which helps you meet higher ups and network immensely.

It will also help get mundane shit done timely (my accounts payable department will drop whatever and make sure my payment requests are done because they like me. I can't say that for other members of my investment team -which is why they all know to come to me if they need anything from ops/finance; I have the good relationship with them and can get shit done).

Along these same lines, volunteer for that internal committee or project. Yes, it might eat into your personal time, but getting on a committee with the CIO of your company (happened to me in my early 20s) pays dividends when she is also the head of comp committee.

That said, this all assumes that people think you are genuine in wanting to get to know them vs. using them just for professional gains and you reciprocate when you can. I'm still friends with pretty much everyone I ever worked with (there are two glaring exceptions) and even still get drinks/attend events with the team that I left almost a year ago and grab lunch a couple of times a year with a now retired former boss from 3 jobs ago. That former boss was let go from the position about 5 years ago and I hooked them up with a consulting gig to get them through a couple of years to retirement. When I needed a reference for my job 2 jobs ago, I had a glowing one. 

 

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