Analysts vs. associates - the email

byAnonymous

1 January 2007

3 minute read

When analysts and associates don't get on...

From: Associate

Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 6:04 PM

To: Analyst

Subject: wgl

Can you put together a working group list in next hour using template I've previously sent you (vcards attached)?

Contacts are MF, SF, C and me

From: Analyst

Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 6:35 PM

To: Associate

Subject: RE: wgl

There is really no reason to get testy. I was here all night, you know that, and I am curious as to why you are passing this off to me.

I am aware that it takes 5 minutes to do, but you should know there is a difference between "pushing back" and wondering why (for the 2nd time this week) you are giving me in particular a WGL. I thought that's what staffing is for.

From: Associate

Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 8:24 PM

To: Analyst

Subject: RE: wgl

There is ABSOLUTELY a reason for me to be upset and let me be clear that you grossly misunderstand how things work.

In banking all nighters are part of the job, not an excuse for an attitude. I spent most of my weekend in the office and have been at work past 3am for 3 days in a row. I'm mature enough to understand that my superiors have their own problems and me not getting too much sleep is not something I should be advertising/whining about. Learn this.

As far as staffing is concerned, do NOT tell me how the system works. If anyone in this firm has a short assignment which they need help on and assistants are gone, they can and will ask you. Unless you want a crap reputation, your attitude to work at this point in your career should be thanks, give me more. Nothing else.

Thanks for the wgl.

From: Analyst

Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 8:56 PM

To: Associate

Subject: RE: wgl

I am willing to take the high road here and not bicker about this any more. However, under NO circumstances will you to speak to me like that, EVER again. Outranking me is one thing, but condescending is completely unnecessary and insulting is absolutely unacceptable. I sincerely hope you take that to heart immediately.

To be crystal clear, I was not whining, advertising my hours, or "telling you" how anything works. I am well aware of how to maintain a reputation in the workplace. But, because C has given me EVERY assignment so far, no matter the size, I was trying to understand why all of a sudden you are as well. If the system is that any associate can give work to an analyst, I am more than fine with that, but that is not how the staffing system was explained to me. There is a difference between that and pushing back. So, since I "grossly misunderstood" things, let's leave it at that - a misunderstanding.

Finally, if you're "mature enough" to understand your superiors problems, then certainly you are mature enough to clear the air over this. I think it would be beneficial to all parties given that we are working together. I apologize for the misunderstanding, and I have said my peace.

AUTHORAnonymous

Insider Comment

Le
Leveraged finance gal
8 September 2007
fire them both. The credit crunch will make a valid excuse.
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Na
Natasha
16 August 2007
Sounds like the associate needs to improve his ppl skills, remebering he was once an analyst, and that makin his analyst feel like this is only detrimental to himself and dept. Also sounds like the analyst needs to grow a pair and stop this namby-pamby typical jumped-up public school boy bickering. Either suck it up, or have it out with him live in person.
ps. good use of caps lock tho! lol
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St
Stewart
14 August 2007
Would they have said this face to face? Maybe communicating by email is the problem. Too easy to talk to the computer and hit the button
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Ba
Bad boss's worst nightmare
14 August 2007
Hahaha. Not the way to do it.
Analyst is right. Associate is a pushy idiot (as are all those Associates answering this blog that believe they can mistreat analysts just because they got treated like that, and it is the "industry standard.) Best way to work with them is ignore idiots. Simply do not hand in the assignment on time. It's passive aggressive, but does not leave a paper trail. Plus usually the thing your boss is dumping on u is something he had to do himself. This means that the person that will get in trouble is him. He will not be able to say "so and so did not do my homework for me"
=D
Will pushing back hurt your career? Most definitely. Can it be done? Only if your political capital is sufficient and you are willing to deplete it. However sometimes IT MUST BE DONE otherwise some bosses will work you to the bones. Happened to me as the highest ranked analyst at a top consulting firm. Tried to keep up with demands from an unreasonable/lazy/stupid MD and was about to burst (could not do more than the 100 hrs I was already pulling). Took all my political capital, but I destroyed the MD. Almost got fired but I still pulled 2 small promotions in 2 year
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An
Anon, ex Inv Banking
13 August 2007
Problem with M&A - no one bothers to come out and tell you the score at the outset, instead hoping to get a few good years of flagellation out of naive young over-achievers. Do the math, on an hourly basis, you can make more at McDonalds.
SO many more fields in finance that are interesting and rewarding, without having to be another nobody who sells the best years of his life to the churn'em burn'em machine. Take a risk, start a business, join a hedge fund, be a trader, do equities, anything except flog yourself at the M&A grindstone, where money (ie. self-enrichment) is a substitute for humanity, deceny and respest for your fellow man and creating shareholder value.
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