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What Is The Difference Between An Analyst And An Associate???? Help!!

POLAND CALLING!!!

5

Hey guys can you please tell me what the difference is??

Reply 1

Guitarguru

Analyst is the lowest rung of the ladder, you join as an analyst and climb up. Usually in three years you become an associate. Analysts work under associates and do most of their "dirty" work. I've heard that the first year as an analyst is the toughest period that most people will ever face in their lives. Makes me want to experience it !

Reply 2

President_Ben

15

I want to experience it because I want to get past it.

Not because I'm into SM.

Reply 3

Guitarguru

Lol, thats what i meant :tongue:

Reply 4

jrhartley

13

Guitarguru

Analyst is the lowest rung of the ladder, you join as an analyst and climb up. Usually in three years you become an associate. Analysts work under associates and do most of their "dirty" work. I've heard that the first year as an analyst is the toughest period that most people will ever face in their lives. Makes me want to experience it !

that might not be the right answer. Associate is the entry level at most investment banks, above graduate trainee.

Grad trainee
Associate
Vice-President
Associate Director
Managing Director / Partner

is the usual seniority ranking. "Analyst" refers to your job position (so analysing stocks). In the same way you could be a salesman, trader, corporate broker, corporate financier.

So you could in fact be an analyst and an associate at the same time.

Reply 5

President_Ben

15

jrhartley

that might not be the right answer. Associate is the entry level at most investment banks, above graduate trainee.

Grad trainee
Associate
Vice-President
Associate Director
Managing Director / Partner

is the usual seniority ranking. "Analyst" refers to your job position (so analysing stocks). In the same way you could be a salesman, trader, corporate broker, corporate financier.

So you could in fact be an analyst and an associate at the same time.

No. An analyst is what you are calling a grad trainee. Very few banks, if any, are still partnerships. This is established. People are only job titled 'analysts' on TV or in papers because the common public find that easier to deal with.

Reply 6

jrhartley

13

President_Ben

No. An analyst is what you are calling a grad trainee. Very few banks, if any, are still partnerships. This is established. People are only job titled 'analysts' on TV or in papers because the common public find that easier to deal with.

Well, here we go again, the "one true gospel" according to "President Ben". Actually, you're wrong. An analyst is an equity research analyst, who analyses stocks. the reason they are called "analysts" is because, that's what they do. That's what makes it so easy to understand. And I can tell you that you're wrong, as I was both at one stage, an associate and an analyst at Morgan Stanley. I was working for someone who was an analyst and a vice-president, and he in turn was working for someone who was a managing director and an analyst. So let's not have the argument, eh? If you don't trust me, call 0207 513 8000 and ask to speak to someone in the equity research department and ask for their job title (analyst) and their rank (associate, vice president, managing director, etc).

As I have tried to point out to you before, your idea of the way things are isn't always the absolute, single answer.

Regarding "partner" - you're right, there are few firms that are still partnerships, but a lot of firms still refer to making MD as "making partner" - this is very common amongst people at goldman for example. I was just including it as it is the parlance, not because I wasn't aware of the nature of the banks' incorporation status.

Reply 7

President_Ben

15

Unfortunately, my business card collection doesn't have anyone in research (consolidated equities of fixed income) from MS so I can't verify the above but on the whole, an analyst has been established to be the rank and that's about it. A person in research is now a researcher.

Calling up doesn't tend to be too meaning. People in Credit Suisse in the states sometimes pick up the phone and still say First Boston...

Reply 8

supernova2

11

jrhartley how much do you earn out of interest.

Reply 9

jrhartley

13

I don't work there any more. when I quit salary = £80K + 150% bonus

President Ben = I know a lot of "researchers" as your business card collection seems to call them. They are at Goldman, MS, CSFB, UBS, all over the shop. Not one of their business cards says they are a "researcher". It says they are an "equity research analyst" - plus the name of the sector they are analysing.... It genuinely is the reason that when their names appear on tv or in the newspaper it says "analyst at Goldman Sachs" - because that is genuinely their job title.

Reply 10

CityMonkey

11

jrhartley

I don't work there any more.

How many years/months were you into your job?

Reply 11

Brown Patrick Bateman

10

President_Ben

Unfortunately, my business card collection doesn't have anyone in research (consolidated equities of fixed income) from MS so I can't verify the above but on the whole, an analyst has been established to be the rank and that's about it. A person in research is now a researcher.

'Analyst' has two very different meanings which can be highly confusing. Along with being the entry-level rank usually for graduates, whether in M&A, trading, sales, research etc, it's also what Equity Researchers are commonly referred to at many banks, whether they are of an analyst or MD rank.

Reply 12

MattMatt

1

I agree totally with JrHartley. An analyst is a function. To say an analyst is below an associate is not always true. In my brief experience grads will enter both roles depending on competence and their skills. I have friends in both roles, and I myself am an associate. Our seniority varies depending on sectors/departments.