What’s the rule on alcohol
I’m gonna be underage when I do my SA. If everyone else is drinking, am I allowed to drink with them? I think it would be weird if I didn’t, but obviously it’s illegal and don’t want to get fired
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FWIW friend of mine spent half of his summer underage and the firm didn’t remotely care. Honestly if they give you shit for having a drink or two at an office happy hour when you’re 20 I’d take that as a red flag.
You’re a red flag.
Please crack open a cold one with me, Isaiah. It would be my honor.
Unless they make it clear they don’t care then don’t do it
.
You want to get a return offer and work in finance right? Your summer analyst stint is a 10-week interview. You are underage and the firm knows you are underage. Why would you do something illegal in front of your future employer? Someone ALWAYS has an eye on you and is judging to see if you have what it takes to join full-time (especially the abilities to use good judgment and be ethical, always).
It does not matter if the analysts/associates/VPs do not care that you are underage. If you get caught, they cannot do anything to help you. The reward of having a couple of drinks is far out-weighed by the risk of losing your offer. In general, don’t do anything dumb or stupid. It’s only 10-weeks long, you can forgo drinking alcohol. Also everyone is older than you, it does not make you look more mature to drink—you’re a fucking college student. If you really want to drink, do it A) not in presence of employer/colleagues, B) with just other interns, C) don’t get fucked up. Also, if you have a fake, don’t ever use it in front of any colleagues and don’t tell anyone (not even interns) you have one. It is only 10 weeks, you can do it—just ask yourself if what you’re about to do puts at risk your offer.
Idk, if my MD asks if we should hire the intern who 1) refused to drink a single sip because he’s underage, or 2) the normal intern who is easy to be around… imma go with option #2
Context is key though. At a company event, many large firms will explicitly warn interns that only those over 21 can drink. HR and senior managers DO NOT want to get in trouble for providing alcohol to a minor (and having them get wasted or worse) and really they don’t want to worry about it or deal with it (and it isn’t “cool” or “chill” to them) so while the analysts and associates want someone who is “chill” and will drink with them, the seniors do not want anything to do that at company events, and if caught there usually are consequences (I.e., fired). If you are out with your colleagues at the junior level and everyone is out, having a drink is probably fine. At company events, follow the rules.
As a senior person, I do not want to provide alcohol to someone under 21. It’s simple, it’s the law and my a** is on the line. So at an event, no drinking.
FAKE NEWS!
An MD would never care for the opinion of someone that uses words like "imma".
Stay in school, kids.
That’s why you’re not an MD.
Or...show some balls and just simply say "I would, but I'm still underage and I don't want to jinx anything." AKA, yes, I'm cool with drinking (and like most normal people, probably have a sixer or two waiting for me at home), but I'm also cool with not inviting unneccessary heat on any of us because I value my future opportunities here and this team's opinion of me not trying to show off and trying to be suave but getting caught sippin' some brew as the HR liability stasi walks by.
Seriously? Are young people really this socially retarded? If they have drinks at a company sponsored happy hour you can have a beer or two just don't go crazy. If its just you and your coworkers then who gives a fuck how hard you go. This goes both ways. They are making sure you are someone they want to spend 12 - 16 hours a day around long term. If you come off as a square who is a follows all of the rules to T how are you going to do this work? It is full of grey hazy decision making.
Never drink if you’re underage around your coworkers.
This. And even if you are of age, do so sparingly. I’ve heard horror stories of interns treating a social like a kegger at a frat house. News flash, these bros didn’t get called back despite being easy going and the life of the party.
So, only half send?
I went out with my intern class but always kept completely sober at firm events... ran into one of the senior associates outside a bar once and we laughed about it, but if it was ever a firm sponsored event or any senior or HR personnel were around, then bone dry. It probably would have been fine, maybe, but it's such low reward that I figured why risk it. Do you really want to sit there 10 years from now after getting an offer pulled for something stupid and wondering "what if"?
This. If you're with the other interns at an 'unofficial' event it's fine. Last summer I was clubbing with some other interns and I greased the bouncer to get a sophomore diversity intern in underage. He was the only sophomore so he was the only one under 21. But I would definitely not drink at firm sponsored events because it shows maturity and also you don't wanna risk anything.
I personally would not drink. But what I will tell you is I was underage and did drink with my bosses at the time, even got a bit tipsy and they were super cool about it.
I would use common sense.
Don't worry. With this level of social retardation, you won't last long in the industry.
If you are at a company-sponsored event, HR will have wristbands or ID check or some way to make sure people are 21. Do not try to use a fake here or sneak a drink, HR knows how old you are.
If you are at a coworker's apartment, feel free to grab a beer. But I wouldn't be flashing a fake ID at all
if your team or boss give you shit for having a drink at age 20, you probably want to find somewhere else to work
You are missing the point. It isn’t about giving someone shit or not. It isn’t about your boss agreeing with it or being “cool”. As you become more senior, you’ll realize that there are legal and reputation risks you don’t want to take on. While I may have drank in college, I am not going to serve a minor alcohol. It has nothing to do with my views on it, it has to do with the law and the fact that I am responsible for my group during company events.
Just make the life of your MD/seniors easy and don’t push your luck on that. Again, as a senior person I don’t want you to be “cool” and drink, I want you to not screw things up.
Very well said and, as a senior, I also agree. I organize the HH for my department and I can tell you that we definitely think about it from a risk perspective and it's just not worth it to cause any trouble for the firm. Even if its just a social after hours, well your senior has formed relationships with the bar/restaurant to bring your group there. Do you want to be the SA that risked the liquor license of someone that I (as the organizer) consider a friend of the firm and who treats us well? Do you really want to be that guy all for a cheap buzz?
Firstly, you clearly know more than I do, so I'm not arguing that. I'm also not saying get wasted or even tipsy. My parents told me a million times not to get drunk at any sort of function with people from work. I just don't see what the big deal is with having a beer at an event so you at least have something in your hand. I also just turned 21 so idek why I'm on this thread.
I think you're seriously overestimating the effect that alcohol has on making you "social" at these company events. They are far from any type of frat house event. Most seniors are having a drink or two max, not going all out. You can easily just order a soda, and as long as you engage in conversation and don't act like a robot you're no different than anyone else in the room.
Depends on context. If this is a large bank and a company sponsored event, don't drink. Just walk around with sparkling water with a lime wedge.
If this is just hanging out with the some of the FT analysts/associates, then feel free to drink. Just don't go overboard and make a fool of yourself.
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