An interview with a first year analyst

His senior year, he decided to focus on investment banking because it seemed like the logical next step for someone with a finance degree. He came across Livingstone on his school’s job board and decided to apply alongside a handful of other firms.

He described the Livingstone interview process as similar to the other handful of firms he interviewed with – a short introductory call, a 30-minute technical call and then Super Day, all-day group interviews held in the Chicago office. Now, with a little more than a year under his belt, we decided to ask him about his experience so far.

When & why did you choose Livingstone?
I was fortunate because, in addition to Livingstone, I had 3 competing offers. I ultimately decided on Livingstone because of the culture, the fact that it seemed to be staffed with really smart people I’d learn from and because my mentor, a professional on the PE side, told me I should. He told me that the culture at Livingstone really was different and that I would learn more here than at the other firms.

What does a typical day entail for you?
Everyone says this and I hate it because it’s cliche but there really are no typical days. I can tell you that typical responsibilities include drafting marketing materials, performing industry research, and financial modeling. But the reality is, you hop on multiple calls, you talk, and listen to, different people, often experts in their fields, so you can work to learn new businesses and industries as quickly as possible and then try to help those businesses get sold.

What is the most enjoyable part about working at Livingstone?
There’s no sitting around. I know analysts wait for work at other firms but that’s not the case here. I’m busy and always learning. Our small deal teams mean we all work closely with senior partners, tackle more responsibilities at a faster pace and interact with client management teams. Besides that, I really like the people I work with. We’ve all bonded in the year I’ve been here and the annual Livingstone retreat helps cement those bonds further.

How has Livingstone impacted your career? Or, how do you hope Livingstone will impact your career?
This is a tough question because this is my first job out of college and it’s hard to gauge your own growth. I know I’m an all-around better professional – better at speaking with clients, more skilled at financial modeling, even powerpoint.

What is your most memorable moment working at Livingstone?
Our annual trips are incredible because we have the opportunity to spend 3-4 days with all of our co-workers and really get to know them on a personal level.

What is the most memorable deal(s) you’ve worked on?
Without getting into specifics, I’ve worked on several deals across a variety of industries – healthcare, media and technology, business services, and consumer. The best part has been getting to know the management teams on the deals I have been involved with, working to really understand different industries that I would never come across if I didn’t do what I do, getting better at building financial models, and working in Excel.

What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of work?
I like to golf, make music, fish, exercise, and meditate. I got into meditation in the last year or so, eventually segueing into transcendental meditation for the structure inherent to the practice.