How was your bonus this year?

Bonus season is upon us, and for the first time in my life, I have been part of it as a full-time employee.

When you are independent consultant, you view bonus season as some sort of other-worldly event, a day where the only people who are expected to work are the consultants. Now, when you are part of that world, you have to have to act as father, brother, priest, rabbi, drinking buddy, etc to fellow employees at various times throughout the day.

When I went into work that day, everyone was just standing around eachother's cubicles, nobody able to concentrate on anything. One division actually cancelled all meetings for the entire day. And, despite the exhortations to the employees to NOT discuss their compensation, you know that everyone knows what everyone else got.

Now comes the post-bonus season where the shuffling of chairs begins. I have already gotten calls from ex-colleagues inquiring into positions in my company. Let me give you some advice:

1) The grass always seems greener on the other side, but often isn't.

2) Did you deserve your bonus? Be your harshest critic.

3) Calm down for a day or two, and don't panic the second that you leave your manager's office.

4) Do you really want to work for Goldman? At this time of the year, there is a black hole at GS that resumes flow into. Look at quality of life. Do you want a job where your wife has to remind your kids of your name?

5) The Street is very very very small. Do not burn bridges!


So, how was your bonus?

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