SA'ing and Weekends Forum

[Old Gregg]

So in my firm can you tell me the big difference between a SA and a SEO intern?

Were you being paid $3,077 a week? Were you being evaluated along the same metric as summer associates?

[unc0mm0n1]

So in my firm can you tell me the big difference between a SA and a SEO intern?

Were you being paid $3,077 a week? Were you being evaluated along the same metric as summer associates?

No and I already told you that. What other difference? You're really telling me the big difference is pay and how you're evaluated? Ok man you win. My internship was nothing like a SA because I didn't get their pay and I know nothing about it. This is a stupid conversation.

[unc0mm0n1]

So in my firm can you tell me the big difference between a SA and a SEO intern?

Yes, but rather than try and convince you I'll just say that after you've been a summer associate, you'll chuckle at this comparison yourself.

ok I'll talk to you after the summer.

[Old Gregg]

and how you're evaluated?

If it's obvious you're been evaluated by higher standards, then you will feel more pressure and your experience will be different.


You're right. This is a stupid conversation. You can't read and you seem to be disagreeing with me for no apparent reason. I never said that you're all somehow unqualified to make assessments about these things (perhaps, in your inability to read, you neglected to realize that an anonymous poster made that comment). I just said that SEO interns are called SEO interns and that there is *some* disconnect.

Direct your anger at someone else.

[sophie316]

From your experience, is it common for SA's to be expected to come in on a weekend? How often are summers unable to leave office at a reasonable time (6-6:30 pm) on Friday? Are social events typically scheduled on Friday nights or weekends?

I plan to go out of town on at least 3-4 weekends this summer, so I'm somewhat worried about conflicts with work.

If it something fixed/important that you need to be at(ie wedding) I think its fine to warn them in advance that you will be going away for that weekend and unable to come into the office. Otherwise if its just something fun for your own enjoyment if something comes up and you need to go to work...you cancel it. OR just don't make plans. Its impossible for anyone to promise you this far in advance if you will have to work on weekends or not. Up to you where you want to place the risk.

ETA: Most people at my SA worked from home on weekends. A few had to go into the office one or two weekends. Several actually had to travel over weekends for work, but the firm was good about accommodating people who warned them in advance about things like important family weddings.

[Renzo]

1) this thread needs an abortion

2) There were SEO interns at my summer firm. The work expectations were basically zero, but they did everything the SA's did as far as training, events, hours, etc.; so they would have an extremely accurate picture of what life as an SA would be like, and should not be ignored.

[Anonymous User]

Bumping this thread...

Is it a dumb idea to plan for travel on Memorial Day weekend? Summer job not in NYC.

[ruski]

what kind of SA program starts that early. and yea it will prob be fine. the last thing a firms wants to do is make an intern come in on the first weekend on the job, and memorial weekend at that. first couple weeks are pretty low key anyways. youll prob be busier towards the middle/end when you know more people and the associates will be less hesitant to pile on work on an intern.

[Detrox]

what kind of SA program starts that early. and yea it will prob be fine. the last thing a firms wants to do is make an intern come in on the first weekend on the job, and memorial weekend at that. first couple weeks are pretty low key anyways. youll prob be busier towards the middle/end when you know more people and the associates will be less hesitant to pile on work on an intern.

Most SA programs I know start in mid-May (either 14th or 21st).

[HETPE3B]

How are firms handling July 4? Just giving the Wednesday off? Haven't heard from mine yet.

[Anonymous User]

Bumping this thread...

Is it a dumb idea to plan for travel on Memorial Day weekend? Summer job not in NYC.

Also wondering about this. It's the first weekend of the summer program, so maybe the firm will have events planned that weekend? I'm also not in NYC. But I don't want to make plans to travel until I know for sure.

[imchuckbass58]

Bumping this thread...

Is it a dumb idea to plan for travel on Memorial Day weekend? Summer job not in NYC.

Also wondering about this. It's the first weekend of the summer program, so maybe the firm will have events planned that weekend? I'm also not in NYC. But I don't want to make plans to travel until I know for sure.

You will never know for sure.

Here's the deal: Any given weekend, there's a very small chance you'll have to work. There's less of a chance early in the summer, but no matter what the weekend, there is still a chance. If I were you, I would make your travel plans anyways, and try to get as much work done as possible during the week. If for some reason your presence is vital on that particular weekend, most firms should reimburse you for having to cancel your travel plans.

[blurbz]

How are firms handling July 4? Just giving the Wednesday off? Haven't heard from mine yet.

My firm's office is closed that Wednesday. Not sure if people will still go in or not, but the official word is closed.

[HETPE3B]

somewhat related:

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/05/weil-wants-your-weekend/

[Anonymous User]

How do you know when you're supposed to work on a weekend? I ask because I think my boss expected me to do something last weekend, but he didn't say so... I interpreted it as something that could wait until Monday. I think I messed up.

[Anonymous User]

How do you know when you're supposed to work on a weekend? I ask because I think my boss expected me to do something last weekend, but he didn't say so... I interpreted it as something that could wait until Monday. I think I messed up.

did you not ask when something was due? if you get a rather hefty assignment friday that's due monday, it's a pretty clear sign that putting in work on the weekend's expected.

[Anonymous User]

Nope, they never give me a deadline for anything. I've just done everything as soon as I get a chance, and I just assumed this was the same.

[Anonymous User]

Our firm didn't allow SA to have phones/laptops because they didn't want people being able to reach the summer on the weekend or expect the SA to spend the entire weekend working. The firm also had offices that cut off air during weekend hours, so if work did need to be done on the weekend full time associates knew to stay at home, and SAs were discouraged form spending the weekend at the office.

Truth is... as a SA you're not really good enough of for them to "need" you that desperately. Whatever work you do will ultimately have to be looked at and likely revamped by some full time associate. If the work is needed immediately, it's a better use of everyone's time (and the client's money) if a full time associate handles it. That doesn't mean if your practice group is staying late you shouldn't be front and center listening and learning, and if someone says "we're going to be in tomorrow to do XYZ, that's probably an invitation for you to be in as well. If an assignment is so urgent that on Friday afternoon you're just now seeing it and it's due Monday morning, you probably shouldn't be handling it. Not all firms will feel that way obviously.

My summer program was run out of the Firm's main office and all the SAs from all the other offices were required to be at the summer associate events. SA's were flown out to attend events on different coasts from where they worked. Obviously, your work had to be done, but the SA event was literally considered work time and was mandatory. Not to make it sound like box suites at a baseball game is bad, but it wasn't just an event that you could blow off. You were expected to stay a little late the day before or come in early the next day or do what you needed. They gave everyone a summer calendar in advance so you knew what events were when. A number of these events also called for many of the associates to travel because they were not in the same city as the office/event.
The expectation was that you were being give work that could be completed M-F during "normal business hours." In some offices SA's said they were getting in at 8am on some days and staying until 8 or 9, and they reported to partners that got in at 6 or 7am but left at 5pm. The partner happened to be an early person who liked to get in early and leave early to get his kid from school.
In offices in California SA's and NYC offices summer associates were in closer to 10, which is common especially for firms that do work with west coast companies. Many times when there was a summer assoc. conference call it was noon eastern (9 pacific). The Cali associates would stroll in 30 minutes late because they just weren't in the office that early. And most SAs said their offices were pretty empty by 6:30.

If you're coming in at 9 every day and you're the first one there you're probably in too early (unless you need to be there to get work done). You should be assigned a junior associate as a mentor. This is a great person to ask these questions to. He/She will should be more than willing to give you the good rule of thumb for the expectations. If you're in on weekends it should be absolutely necessary to complete tasks not just to rack up billable hours and show willingness to work on weekends.

[Blindmelon]

In my Boston SA, I typically worked 9/9:30 until 5:30/6:00. The latest I worked was until 7:00 (happened maybe 3 or 4 times), and I did a total of 2 hours of work 1 weekend of the summer. It seems like NYC firms worked wayyy more, but also did a lot more events, so who knows.