What A Senior Financial Analyst At Berkadia Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Commercial Real Estate Industry
Sydney, a Senior Financial Analyst at Berkadia, reveals a crucial, unanticipated aspect of the brokerage side of the industry: the persistent demand, even after several years of experience, meaning "deals are constantly on, on the clock," making it difficult to take time off, even during holidays, because "it determines your splits for the next year." This unrelenting pressure to remain engaged, even while on vacation, is a reality that should be better understood before entering this career path.
Industry Realities, Workplace Challenges, Work-Life Balance, Compensation, Career Development
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sydney Ladrech
Senior Financial Analyst
Berkadia
California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obsipo
N/A
Business Management & Admin
Real Estate
Real Estate
Video Highlights
1. The initial years in the financial analyst role are primarily focused on learning and development, with limited time off.
2. Even after gaining experience, taking time off remains challenging due to the continuous nature of deals and deadlines.
3. Success in this field often requires working extended hours, even during holidays, to ensure deal closures and maximize earnings for the following year.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
I think I'd give a very blatant answer. Everyone kind of says, especially on the brokerage side, that when you start out, you're really just being paid to learn and you're not expected to take a lot of time off. That was very well communicated.
But I think what's not communicated enough is that even once you've passed maybe the one, two, or three-year mark in your career, it's still very challenging to take time off. The deals are constantly on the clock; they're not going to slow down.
We've had several times where we have deals closing right around Christmas or New Year's. Those are super crucial to get in because they determine your splits for the next year. Even if you're on vacation, you're almost never truly unplugged.
So I would say that's something unique about our industry and something everyone should know before they dive in.