Summer Associates 2014: Thoughts, Anxieties, Experiences... Forum

[NYSprague]

What happened to brother darkness?

[Anonymous User]

So how bad is it to get one bad review? I'm pretty stressed out even though it was an outlier compared to the others.

[Anonymous User]

So how bad is it to get one bad review? I'm pretty stressed out even though it was an outlier compared to the others.

more important to figure out why they poorly reviewed you and how to improve

[NYSprague]

So how bad is it to get one bad review? I'm pretty stressed out even though it was an outlier compared to the others.

What did they say?

[Anonymous User]

What if it's because the partner gave awful instructions and then threw a hissy fit when you came back and asked a follow up?

Partner said he did not want to work with me anymore and that I was not cut out for his department area because of my personality.

[NYSprague]

What if it's because the partner gave awful instructions and then threw a hissy fit when you came back and asked a follow up?

Partner said he did not want to work with me anymore and that I was not cut out for his department area because of my personality.

Is this partner a known psycho?

[Anonymous User]

Not sure to be honest, but there was another partner in his office when he threw the hissy fit, and that partner is a known psycho. So maybe psycho by association?

[shock259]

What if it's because the partner gave awful instructions and then threw a hissy fit when you came back and asked a follow up?

Partner said he did not want to work with me anymore and that I was not cut out for his department area because of my personality.

How powerful is this partner? What is their relationship with the other partners?

[NYSprague]

Not sure to be honest, but there was another partner in his office when he threw the hissy fit, and that partner is a known psycho. So maybe psycho by association?

This is bad, not going to sugar coat it. Someone not wanting to work with you is bad. Is the firm 100% offers?
You have any mentors or recruiting who will be honest with you?

[Anonymous User]

I've never heard other partners talk about him. He's not one of the rainmakers here. He's not a department head or on any committees.

Firm has been 100% the past couple but it no offered some people during the recession.

My mentor assured me that I was fine and everyone likes me.

[NYSprague]

I've never heard other partners talk about him. He's not one of the rainmakers here. He's not a department head or on any committees.

Firm has been 100% the past couple but it no offered some people during the recession.

My mentor assured me that I was fine and everyone likes me.

Will mentor be honest? Does mentor know what happened?

You are probably ok. If partner has no pull, is a jerk and everyone else likes you and 100% offers.

Maybe partner was acting out for benefit of other partner?

[Anonymous User]

What is a respectable number of hours to bill tomorrow working from home with only a long-term assignment on my plate? I just turned in 2 things, so I'm thinking 2-3 billable hours would be alright since basically the whole office will not be here. Saving my vacation days for pre-OCI screeners back home.

[Anonymous User]

What is a respectable number of hours to bill tomorrow working from home with only a long-term assignment on my plate? I just turned in 2 things, so I'm thinking 2-3 billable hours would be alright since basically the whole office will not be here. Saving my vacation days for pre-OCI screeners back home.

You get vacation days?

[Nammertat]

What is a respectable number of hours to bill tomorrow working from home with only a long-term assignment on my plate? I just turned in 2 things, so I'm thinking 2-3 billable hours would be alright since basically the whole office will not be here. Saving my vacation days for pre-OCI screeners back home.

You get vacation days?

Anon use???

Our firm gives vacation days too- I don't think it's all that rare.

[Anonymous User]

We get one paid "personal day." I'm using it to make this a four-day weekend.

[Anonymous User]

So random question, we have some random fellow SA at our firm that is kinda a douchebag. He's been going around telling people he's gotten 2 raises since he's started here this summer. Has anyone...EVER heard of ANYTHING like that? We think he's just making it up for whatever reason but who knows.

I don't wanna root for someone getting no offered, but man...he's making it hard.

[fl0w]

So random question, we have some random fellow SA at our firm that is kinda a douchebag. He's been going around telling people he's gotten 2 raises since he's started here this summer. Has anyone...EVER heard of ANYTHING like that? We think he's just making it up for whatever reason but who knows.

I don't wanna root for someone getting no offered, but man...he's making it hard.

First, no. Just no. You know the answer is no. C'mon. The question made me question what you meant by SA.
Second, even if it were yes, what would that change?

[Anonymous User]

eh just kinda confirm that we knew he was making it up. Sorry just sounded so abnormal I wanted to ask. Don't know why people feel the need to lie.

[Anonymous User]

eh just kinda confirm that we knew he was making it up. Sorry just sounded so abnormal I wanted to ask. Don't know why people feel the need to lie.

I got a small raise in my second week or so SAing in large firm. No more details because anon.

but. why the fuck do you care?

[smaug_]

eh just kinda confirm that we knew he was making it up. Sorry just sounded so abnormal I wanted to ask. Don't know why people feel the need to lie.

I got a small raise in my second week or so SAing in large firm. No more details because anon.

but. why the fuck do you care?

legit confused how an SA in a "large firm" would get a raise during the SA-- were they not paying you market to begin with?

I think people care because it's an odd thing. If not true, dude tells weird lies. If true, firm does very strange things.

Kinda lose lose.

[Anonymous User]

eh just kinda confirm that we knew he was making it up. Sorry just sounded so abnormal I wanted to ask. Don't know why people feel the need to lie.

I got a small raise in my second week or so SAing in large firm. No more details because anon.

but. why the fuck do you care?

Not that anon, but that's pretty bizarre unless you started out below $3,077/wk pre-tax (or $6,667 bimonthly or however your firm does it) and got bumped up to it. These decisions are not made based on performance or any other metric they are centralized for all SA's in that market range.

Now, some people do see changes in their tax allowances from the first paycheck to second, esp if you're being switched to direct deposit or something. This could be perceived as an after-tax "raise". Might just be that.

[Anonymous User]

eh just kinda confirm that we knew he was making it up. Sorry just sounded so abnormal I wanted to ask. Don't know why people feel the need to lie.

I got a small raise in my second week or so SAing in large firm. No more details because anon.

but. why the fuck do you care?

legit confused how an SA in a "large firm" would get a raise during the SA-- were they not paying you market to begin with?

It was a circumstance unique to the firm, rather than anything amazing I happened to do in my first 2 weeks SAing. I'd love to give the explanation, but it would probably immediately out me.

It was also not a ton of $, relative to SA salary. Point is, no reason to freak out about it. Others in the office know about it and probably forgot about 2 minutes later

[smaug_]

It was a circumstance unique to the firm, rather than anything amazing I happened to do in my first 2 weeks SAing. I'd love to give the explanation, but it would probably immediately out me.

It was also not a ton of $, relative to SA salary. Point is, no reason to freak out about it. Others in the office know about it and probably forgot about 2 minutes later

sounds like it either wasn't a raise or again, your firm does some very strange things

[09042014]

Firm prob found out he was CIS XY and gave him a raise.

[rpupkin]

So random question, we have some random fellow SA at our firm that is kinda a douchebag. He's been going around telling people he's gotten 2 raises since he's started here this summer. Has anyone...EVER heard of ANYTHING like that? We think he's just making it up for whatever reason but who knows.

I don't wanna root for someone getting no offered, but man...he's making it hard.

This is not widely known, but many big firms (including the one I work at) will offer small raises to certain summer associates as a signaling device. We want those associates to know that they're valued and doing a good job. If they get a small raise or two, we hope that those associates will realize that they're sure to get an offer and thus won't spend any energy looking to "trade up" firms at 3L OCI.

Yes, I realize we could communicate the "you're doing a great job and you're sure to get an offer" message at a meeting with the SA. But, frankly, it's a lot less work for the firm to just give them a $100/wk raise. We don't have to waste partner and associate time that way.

We of course hope that those who get these merit-based raises keep quiet. We expect they'll have the good judgment not to brag about their raises to their fellow summers. But it happens.