What are the underperforming analysts doing wrong?

Hey guys, I am merely a summer intern yet, still I like to know why underperforming analysts are underperforming? Are they too slow in what they are doing? Are they lacking technical knowledge or social skills?

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Best Response

One piece of feedback that I got early on in my analyst program was that good analysts "take ownership" of whatever project they are working on.

Given that it was the first time I'd heard the phrase it took a while to sink in. What my MD was saying is that a lot of underperforming analysts treat their work like college. You get an assignment from your professor, you do enough work to check all of the boxes and get an "A." In business, there is no plug-and-play formula to get that "A."

By taking ownership, even if you didn't initiate the analysis, slide deck, etc., treat it like you have the final draft that the client will see. The ability look beyond the "boxes to check" on a requested deliverable and see how it benefits the overall deal is invaluable. With this ownership mindset, you will take extra time to add meaningful content and catch small errors beyond what your overworked VP did not have the time to spell out. Beyond being an IB analyst, this paradigm will serve you greatly in all other aspects of business.

 

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