i’m mapping a timeline from summer intern to associate and leaning on candid mentor feedback. my draft: summer internship — ship a clear, documented deliverable and collect two quick feedback notes; first-year analyst — rotate through core product teams, own a recurring model, and build one sponsor; second-year analyst — lead parts of a deal process and secure formal sponsor advocacy. mentors told me to build visible wins early and log them weekly. has anyone followed a similar staged timeline and what checkpoints would you add or remove?
your timeline sounds like a checklist, which is fine, but remember firms rarely promote checklists — they promote risk reduction. if your sponsor can vouch that skipping you would be a net risk, you get promoted. that means proving you can handle client calls, correct mistakes under pressure, and own deliverables end-to-end. timelines are nice — but produce those trust signals early.
i kept a simple google sheet with tasks and who saw them. after 6 months it was easy to show impact in review. tiny but effective.
The timeline you drafted is sensible and aligns with what I’ve advised juniors to pursue. Two practical checkpoints I’d emphasize: first, obtain documented, specific feedback after each deliverable — a short email from the senior noting what you did well and one improvement; second, by mid-second year, secure a senior banker who will articulate why you should be promoted in a review. Both are deliberate acts: ask for feedback, summarize it, and keep your sponsor updated quarterly. These behaviors create the narrative committees rely on.
this is a strong plan — track it, ask for feedback often, and keep pushing. you’ll make it!
my timeline was messier — i missed one rotation and panicked. a mentor told me to focus on one reliable visible win instead of chasing everything. once i had that, other opportunities followed and the timeline smoothed out. don’t be afraid to double-down on one high-value task.
From cohort data I reviewed, interns who converted to analyst roles had two distinct patterns: a measurable deliverable during the internship (e.g., model module or client memo) and at least one documented senior endorsement within 90 days of starting as an analyst. For your timeline, add explicit measurement points: end-of-internship deliverable logged, 3-month analyst review notes, and a sponsor confirmation by month 18. Those checkpoints create verifiable evidence for promotion discussions.