Procrastination Central

What's my job again???

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:33:32 -0500

I've been so busy with non-research job responsibilities for the last two weeks.... it's really starting to get on my nerves.

We are hosting a swanky dinner in DC at a conference and I was in charge of picking the restaurant and the menu, managing the budget, sending out invites, accepting RSVPs etc...... We were aiming for a group of about 10-12. When it looked like we weren't going to get that many, we started inviting more people. Looks like we will have about 24 people now. Craziness!

We also have this water conference in April.... TIME VACUUM!!!

Lastly, I'm in charge of our summer internship. We have over 60 students apply so far - for 4 slots and the resume cut-off date isn't until next Friday! I have started delegating some of the student-tracking to my admin, but there's no way to push the selection process off on to someone else. I'm spending a day at Dickinson and Villanova interviewing students. We'll interview approximately roughly half of the candidates that apply in the first round. Excluding the two trips to college campuses, I will conduct about 30 interviews at 15min a pop. That's over 7 hours of interviewing and its just the first round!!!! This isn't my job - does our HR dept even exist??? About half of those students make it to the second round. Luckily, at that point, I will only have to interview the students for my intern-slot. I match a few candidates to each of the other teams hosting interns and they are responsible for making the final selection for each of their teams. We should have a great bunch of students with this many people to choose from - that part is amazing!

I was supposed to publish an industry piece during the first week of January..... I'm finally getting to it now.

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Holy Cow - What a day!

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:30:48 -0500

Feel like I've been repeatedly kicked in the face.... for the past week and half my life has revolved around getting our webpage up and running for this big industry conference that my boss and I are hosting. Conference is a big deal for our company and has the potential to generate a lot of revenue in multiple parts of the firm.... My boss is located in a different office and not a big "detail-person", so it has landed on me and our junior to get this running smoothly.... I'm fortunate that our newbie (I guess after 6 months I can't really call him that anymore) and I get along so well.

It's been a trying experience coordinating with the other departments at our firm that have zero sense of urgency - namely marketing (for the logo) and IT (web designers to upload the webpage). This thing was supposed to be done early last week. Today, finally, it's done. I'm too frazzled to go into details other to say - IT geeks have ZERO communication skills.

Yesterday, we were sitting on our hands waiting to hear that it was completed. While we were waiting, a competing industry conference email (for an event two weeks after ours) went out. Damn - not good. We had sent out "Save the Dates" previously, but the last one was back in early December.... our conference has a better lineup of speakers, but the lack of visibility is still not good.

Today, we learn that the webpage had been ready all day yesterday, they just never told us. This is AFTER we learn of a big bulge bracket competitor (investment bank) is hosting a similar conference 1.5 WEEKS before ours and INVITING THE SAME COMPANIES. Since then, life has been nothing but a blur. We've sent probably 10 different emails versions (catering to the different groups we've invited) out to over 1,000 people.... and are working on recognesance to figure out what this competing conference entails....

Brace yourself - I'll be complaining about this event until its over.....

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Holy Cow - Hard Interview!!!

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:32:18 -0500

Spent over an hour this morning on the phone with this London-based analyst that is relocating to Radnor. He started the interview with three analytical/math questions.... and I only got the fraction-question correct. 5 min in to the interview and I'm already looking to get off the phone.

He asked me what my interest-level is on a scale of 1 to 10 and I said 7.5, although, I think its more around 5, if I were to be completely honest.... I couldn't have been too awful, since he wants me to chat with a bunch salespeople/traders on Tuesday (less than a week away). IF I got through that round, they would fly me to London next - which should be interesting trying to navigate since I have AN EXPIRED PASSPORT......

On the fence about this whole thing. I was wondering to myself this morning why I was even bothering to talk to this guy for a position that I'm just lukewarm about. I'm slightly more interested after talking to him, but still not jump-up-and-down excited. Guess Adam and I have something to talk about on the trip up to CT this weekend.

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Pursuing this Job? Let's flip a coin....

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:30:30 -0500

I updated my resume and sent it on to that headhunter (I help interns edit their resumes all the time - I forgot what a pain in the ass it is!!!). The guy who is hiring lives in London, but his wife's family is in Radnor - so it looks like I'm interviewing next week. This seems to be moving very quickly.

I don't remember what I already wrote about this company, but it is a London-based independent (that means they don't have investment banking relationships and can claim to have unbiased research) research shop. They cater to European clients, but focus on domestic (US) names. It's a very interesting business model. They are trying to get a leg-up on the bulge bracket firms that follow these stocks out of the NY and have a harder time servicing the large European accounts. So, they need someone on each side of the pond to pull that off. You need someone in London to service the clients, but its easier to access management teams and attend Analyst days and conferences, if you are based on the East Coast..... hope this makes sense.....

The head-hunter asked what I make currently and I cranked the number up by 25K. He didn't bat an eyelash and said they are willing to pay for an experienced candidate. Hmmm -- more money is always nice. But is it worth job hopping? This is a small firm with less name recognition than where I currently work. I'm not giving it any serious thought right now, at least not until I meet this guy.

the positives: European travel and more money are two nice draws..... I would work the first three months in London and be required to make periodic trips to visit with clients.

The negatives: I like the team I work with now. I would be working inter-continental, which sounds like a royal pain. My current boss is in DC that is already an obstacle at times. There's also less bonus upside, since my current bonus is loosely tied to investment banking deals and next year is looking to be a big one....

Hey, there's always a chance I could use this to get a pay-bump where I currently work - that would be phenomenal. It's an interesting situation. Stay tuned!!!

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Apparently, I'm a BadAss

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:18:55 -0500

The head of my department, who I have mentioned numerous times, is a slimeball lacking social skills. He tries to find lame ways to include himself in conversation and doesn't know when to stop talking. There's a nice German expression for these people that just keep talking and talking about stupid mundane shit - "Dumschwetzer" (I hope I'm spelling it correctly). Literally, it translates as dumb-talker.

Anyway, this morning I am in the library talking to our associate (he's stuck with a cubicle there). I'm talking about how many of us were grandfathered into a securities rule. Our boss walks by and says to me "What did you say, that your a grandfather? You can't be a grandfather!!! Blah, blah, blah" And then proceeded to correct my usage of the word, without having heard the beginning of my comments, which would have made the context appropriate.

He kept talking, but I blocked him out. I had a newspaper on my lap, so I picked it up and started perusing. I didn't make eye contact with him or acknowledge his comments.... after another minute or so of blabbling, he finally left.

There was another Associate in the library during all of this. Afterwards, he came into my office and said "You are SO badass!". Granted, it wasn't the most polite thing to do, but there is no way to get this guy to SHUT-UP otherwise.

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It's a strange, strange world.

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:10:34 -0500

Got a call today from an executive search firm. Its a slow day, and I was in a good mood, so I was willing to hear what he had to say. Turns out his client is a London bank looking to expand its operations to PHILADELPHIA and is interested in hiring an analyst to follow utilities... hmmmm.... The job would require three months of living in London and would entail some international (European) travel. COOL!

So, I am sending over my resume and may interview with this guy next week. Random, huh?

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A quick look back....

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:18:21 -0400

One of the nicest things about having this blog is its ability to allow me to look back. Hard to believe that just a year ago, I was working at {Big NY Investment Bank} nervously waiting for {Little Philly Co} to make me an offer to return. Wow, that seems like ages ago! On Halloween last year, I left early to have dinner with my dad and sister, completely screwed something up at work, and got my team royally pissed off at me, right before I (out of the blue, in their eyes) quit to work at my old job.

Ah, those were the days. UM, NOT!

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Fashion = Pain

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 20:27:47 -0400

Today I wore my new black & white shoes that I "thought" were absolutely fabulous, even if they did pinch my toes. I've already worn them a few times, so I figured by now I'm through the worst of it as far as breaking them in goes.

002

WRONG.

I had an errand to run around 9am that was about 8 blocks away. I wasn't even there yet before I realized that I had blisters the size of quarters on each of my heels.... I was pretty much limping back to the office and wore flipflops I had left in the office by mistake (thank goodness) for the rest of the day.

Not a happy camper. Take a look for yourself -- I'm sure everyone is just thrilled to see a picture of my feet!

Yikes - Do I have Cankles? Must be a bad angle!!!

seriously...... its been hours now since I' put neosporen and bandaids on my blisters and they are KILLING ME!!! What the heck am I going to wear to work tomorrow??? My outfit is going to have to revolve around my FEET and I can't even wear slingbacks because of where the blisters are... ugh

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Work Grouchyness....

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:40:45 -0400

I have been slaving away on a comprehensive industry report. Our Associate and I have been working on this thing for the better part of the last 5 or 6 weeks. My boss, who tends to procrastinate on the really important stuff, hadn't written a lick during this time but thought we could still get this thing published under the original timetable as she planned to complete her section over the (last) weekend. So, on Saturday my Associate and I put in a lot of work (I was in the office from 9:30am-5pm) and she was supposed to finish things off, in time to get it to our editors on Monday morning. Of course, she misjudged how long it would take to write her section. She didn't get her section fully written until mid-morning Tuesday, leaving me and our junior no chance to give it a healthy edit before sending it off.... It needed more editting than normal, because she was so rushed, but delaying the report further would have meant there was no way to get this published today. Earnings season starts for the other Analysts on Monday, so we need to get this out before than zaniness gets underway.

So yesterday, my boss and I are both in NYC on seperate business trips. We learn from our Associate that there was some heavy editting that needed to be done in the middle sections of the report, so the head editor wasn't able to get the report back to us when planned. The publishing date wasn't likewise moving back a day and our Associate and I were bracing for today to be a mad-sprint to the finishline.

This morning, as I am walking to work, I read on my blackberry a message from my boss pleading with our editors to push the publication date back by a day. I'm frustrated that things aren't going smoothly, but relieved that I will have an extra day to dot my I's and cross my T's. I see an email back from the editor incinuating that there is SO MUCH work that still needs to be done, he thinks it shouldn't go out until Monday. AND, he references the section that I slaved over as specificially needing some rework... UGH, crappy way to start the day. This report has taken over my life and I NEED TO STUDY FOR THIS EXAM. I really don't want this report hanging over my head anymore.

Won't get the report with edits back for another hour.... sitting on my hands in the meantime, bracing for the worst.

As I'm waiting, I decide to clean out my inbox and catch up on the news. Stumbled on an interesting article in the NYTimes about how people seem to mis-interpret emails. (quote below). Maybe, these edits won't be as bad as I fear.....

One reason for this is that we tend to misinterpret positive e-mail messages as more neutral, and neutral ones as more negative, than the sender intended.

Stay Tuned.....

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Catching up.... Conference Antidokes

nobody@vox.com(Heike) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 22:22:30 -0400

Off to a rocky start: I arrive in to the hotel on Sunday around 5pm, a few hours later than planned because of travel-related nonsense - so much for lounging at the pool. What was I thinking? The Welcome Reception, which is an ideal time for exec-schmoozing starts at 5:30pm, so I don't have much time to settle in or relax. I'm in my room for less than 5min before Guest Services call. The nice woman informs me that housekeeping had made a note that there "might" be a problem with my toilet and she asks if I would please flush the toilet and tell her what happens - after some hesitation on my part, I flush - low and hold, the toilet floods all over the place. She informs me that she'll send up Engineering. Less than a minute later there is a knock on my door. I tell the guy that the toilet is overflowing and he responds, "Didn't Guest Services call you to warn you NOT to flush the toilet?". Um no, the exact opposite. So, by the time he does his thing and housekeeping comes back, its already 5:30pm. Didn't end up being a big deal, since those receptions don't get rolling right away. Funny little antidoke to share during conversation lulls.

Infrastructure Icebreaker: The next day, my boss is on a panel about what Wall Street views on the topic of Utilities investing in our Infrastructure. She shares WITH EVERYONE how my toilet overflowed as an example of infrasturture maintenance has really hit home. Rolled with the punches on that and was able to jokingly tell new people I met that I was the person who's toilet overflowed.....

A Surprise Visitor: At 4:20am on Monday morning there is loud knocking coming from the hallway. At first I think it is coming from a different door, but realize after continued banging, that it is indeed my door. I open it a crack (had that bolt thing on) and there is a dishelved, disoriented fella in his mid twenties standing outside. I ask him what on earth he wants and he replies "I just came back because I left my watch". I am thoroughly puzzled and thinking he doesn't pose a great risk, undue to bolt and open the door 6 inches (probably not the smartest move). He repeats what he says again. I give him a "you must be kidding look" and tell him he must have the wrong room. He's still convinced that I have his watch! I finally had to say "Dude, you weren't with me" and he finally leaves... looks like this guy had himself a one-night stand and left his watch behind. Pretty funny that even after I opened the door and he got a better look at me (for lack of a better expression) he didn't know that I wasn't his lady-friend.

Finding the Silver Lining: The panel my boss was on also had a young Analyst on it that used to work at our firm as an Associate on another Industry team, who left the firm about a year ago to become an Analyst following our sector. It annoys me to no end that this guy (and a similar {my company} Associate turned Analyst that also follows our sector now) talk as if they konw what they are talking about when they haven't been followed these stocks for more than a 1.5years and distract our clients and company management teams with the garbage they consider research (wow, am I caddy, or what???) So, in response to a question, this Analyst says something that is completely off-base and not on-point at all given this audience, and if taken to heart, vocalization of this opinion could actually hurt the companies we follow (long boring investment thing I'm trying not to go in to but isn't easy to gloss over). I wanted to scream out how off base he was, and I saw my boss, up on stage, trying to rebuke his comments, but not getting a chance to speak. At first, I was pissed that he was negatively impacting our companies. There was much hub-bub at the conference with management teams we spoke with afterwards about how off-base this yo-yo was.... So, silver-lining, this young dude completely shot himself in the foot and has helped reinforce that my boss and I really are the most knowledgeable Analysts covering this sector.

Added Benefit: This report I have been slaving away on is an Industry Primer. Its completely coincidental that it is being published a week after this conference. We have injected comments into our report rebuking this num-nuts thoughts --- we're looking pretty good.

Sinkhole in La Jolla: The morning I left La Jolla, it was reported on the news that a huge sinkhole happened in the area and some houses were evacuated - turns out this was only a few miles from where I was saying.

CA, um no: Can't say I am a big fan of South CA. So much dessert. And smog. I was driving from the conference to a company's headquarters in the outskirts of LA. I went around a bend in the highway and the air went from crisp and clear to fog filled. I couldn't believe it. To be fair, I was also in San Jose, and that part of the state I found to be lovely....

Freakishly Tired. My schedule while I was away was absolutely nutty. I was getting up at 7:30am EST (4:45 PST) in time to read the news on my stocks ahead of our company's morning meeting and to get some work in before my hectic day started. The days were filled with management breakfasts, meetings, and lunches, and when I could, attending the conferece -- conference is secondary for us, we are there to schmooze the managements attending the conference. Then, I usually had about an hour before dinner to touch base with my Associate and make sure I was handling work-stuff that I had ignored during the day. Evenings were spent at company dinners and then a drink or two at the bar. Didn't want to do that last part, but you learn a whole lot more during the informal times -- especially from drunk execs (WOW!). So, I was rolling in to bed between 10:30-11pm each night..... three days in a row! The fourth day, I was on a 7:30am plane to San Jose, so I was up early again as well..... EXHAUSTED. Didn't have time to watch 15min of TV, or even read the news, let alone squeeze in 2 hours/day of exam studying.

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