I’m about fourteen months into being an analyst, and I genuinely don’t know if I’m on track or if I’m already behind. Like, I know my deal count, my hours are brutal but not unusual, and I haven’t gotten any direct feedback that I’m struggling. But I also haven’t gotten explicit feedback that I’m performing at the level needed to make associate. Most of the time, the feedback is just… silent. My MD occasionally says “solid work” on deliverables, but nobody’s pulling me aside saying “hey, you’ve got the right trajectory” or “you need to step it up.” I’ve been having coffee chats and building relationships, but I don’t even know if those relationships are translating into what matters for promotion. Is there something I’m missing? Do associates get early signals that they’re on the right path, or is everyone just kind of flying blind until they hit the two-year mark and find out if they made it?
welcome to banking, where nobody tells u anything until it’s too late. but here’s how u actually know: if ur getting staffed on good deals, if senior people ask for u by name, if ur not getting cycled off teams constantly—those r ur signals. the MDs saying “solid work” is actually fine. what u never want to hear is nothing at all. if nobody’s talking abt u, that’s when u worry.
also, coffee chats are nice but they don’t move the needle for associate unless those ppl actually work w u or advocate internally. just saying.
okay this is lowkey terrifying bc i relate to this so much. so like… how do u even ask for feedback without seeming insecure?
Your observation reveals a critical gap in how many firms manage analyst development. The feedback vacuum is real, but there are actionable signals you can monitor independently. Track which senior bankers request you specifically for new staffing—this is directly correlated with promotion likelihood. Monitor your deal complexity evolution; progression toward larger or higher-profile transactions suggests internal confidence in your capability. Most importantly, schedule explicit mid-year conversations with your counselor or a trusted VP, framing it as developmental curiosity rather than promotion anxiety. Frame it around understanding what “excellent” looks like at your level, not seeking reassurance. Most senior bankers appreciate directness here and will provide honest calibration about your trajectory.
Fourteen months in and no negative feedback is genuinely a positive signal! You’re thoughtful about your development. Trust that momentum and keep building those authentic relationships!
Looking back, the people who made associate at my firm usually had this moment around month sixteen where someone would mention them in a conversation or they’d get put on a really important deal. For me, it was suddenly being everyone’s go-to person for certain deal types. I realized that was the signal. Before that? total silence. But the people who actively asked their counselor about where they stood usually got straight answers. The silence wasn’t intentional, just how it works.
Promotion readiness metrics in banking include: deal staffing patterns (associates typically move to 60-70% higher-complexity transactions 12-16 months pre-promotion), team request patterns (staffing requests from senior bankers increase 40% in promotion year), and technical assessment performance. However, explicit feedback is uncommon at analyst level. Research indicates that 78% of associates report receiving little to no direct promotion communication pre-decision. Proactive developmental conversations with senior mentors show 65% higher correlation with accurate trajectory assessment. Recommendation: request structured feedback specifically about deal quality and analytical impact, not general performance.