Asperger's in Banking

I will be starting as an IB analyst at a BB bank in a couple of months and have just been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. I'm still processing what this means and am pretty worried. While interning at the bank I loved the work but did have some issues with social anxiety and awkwardness, and these were brought up in my reviews. At the time I chalked these up to being nervous about getting an offer, but after the diagnosis I've started to realise how poor my social skills are in general. While I've started treatment for this, I'll be starting work soon and am pretty worried about my long-term prospects in banking (and life), given how important social skills are.

Does anyone here have experience dealing with Asperger's/autism in IB, either themselves or through people they know?

 

Not sure about banking but Michael Burry was diagnosed with Aspergers. A lot of people say Buffett has it but these days he is pretty much a publicity hound lol

I am sure a lot more high finance people fall on the introverted side you just never see them parroting BS on CNBC.

Any transaction role is going to be more relationship based but if you are elite at what you do and a nice person you should be okay.

Good luck.

 

I have had a lot of experience working with people with autism/Asperger's, and yes you can try to see therapist (they usually help a lot) if you want. I will say, though, that by this point if you have Asperger's then it is a part of who you are. This is by no means a bad thing, as some of the smartest people in history have fallen on the spectrum. It is very likely that your condition is what makes you so good at what you do.

I will also say that the fact you were able to get an internship and proceed to get a FT offer from it tells me you are not very severe. I know kids with Asperger's who have difficulty having a simple conversation. I gather that this is not you. While you may feel awkward or what-have-you, as long as you are able to communicate effectively that is what matters.

I will end by saying that if I were you I would embrace it (like I said, it is likely what makes you good), and not try to change yourself. What you can do, though, is practice. How often do you talk to other people? How often do you talk to strangers? Simply by talking to more people (both strangers and non-), you will become better and more comfortable. Some people are natural people people [plural of people person??] and struggle learning to model. It is nothing to be ashamed about. One of my favorite quotes from a mentor is, "The most successful people know where their shortcomings are, because they are then able to address them."

I hope this is helpful. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you like.

 

Nisi voluptatibus corrupti qui id. Sint aut minus qui eveniet repellat corporis. Qui reiciendis temporibus qui optio expedita qui. Sit ad unde dolorem sed ex totam quia consequatur.

In aperiam debitis veniam. Fuga laboriosam aut necessitatibus sed veniam rem est.

Tempora iure quia eum. Pariatur minima qui adipisci nemo qui. Esse autem eum incidunt doloremque et. In nihil veritatis enim id quisquam sint.

Career Advancement Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 04 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (20) $385
  • Associates (88) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (67) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”