Junior finance analysts get promoted faster by solving problems, not just spotting them. Instead of attacking a deal's weak points, identify the sensitive assumptions in the model and offer workable fixes that help both sides move forward. Counterparties whose trust you earn become advocates for your next role.
The way most analysts increase their notoriety, their notoriousness, their career ladder is somebody sees something in them that the current firm doesn't see, and they get hired out into a higher position. So if that's the case, don't antagonize the people who are probably the best path to a higher position. And so the transition is really finding where the model breaks, but introducing that in a way that helps the buyer and seller or both sides come closer together, not break them apart. If you are seen inside a deal, aside that trope of I'm an analyst who tries to make my side look good and the other side look bad. Everybody knows what you're doing as a young person. So going back to your question, what's the thing to do? Find the assumptions that are sensitive, highlight that, but bring an analysis that says, I think I know how to make these work. Buyers and sellers want to come together. They want to come that far where they need you to run a 60 or 400-hour model. They don't want to go to meetings. They don't want to travel. They don't want to contemplate M&A. They don't want to contemplate financings that have no chance of working. Buyers and sellers want it to work. So be part of that process. I would land the plane here in that the shortest path to high status is finding something wrong. The shortest path to what I would say people being able to trust, rely on you, and be wanting to have you around to provide insight is to find things that are sensitive and share some ways that they can be made to work. Does that make sense?
Trust and Leadership Lessons for FP&A From 100+ Top Leaders with CFO Jon Laudie
