Barclays Analyst Sends Satirical Email to Wall Street Interns: ‘Play Time is Over’
Justin Kwan, a second-year analyst at Barclays’ Global Power & Utilities group, wrote a list of pointers in a message titled “Welcome to the Jungle” for bright-eyed newcomers, demanding that they “Respect them, love them, live them.”
Starting off by insisting that not wearing socks to work is fine, if not “encouraged” during the summer, Kwan moves on to intimidate the young hopefuls — who are interning in hopes of landing a full-time offer.
“We expect you to be the last ones to leave every night…no matter what,” he continues on his third tip. “That’s what good summer analysts do. (Also getting in earlier than me would be a power move – You should enjoy your casual 9:15AM PT arrival time this Friday, but I wouldn’t get used to it).”
And apparently, there won’t be much down time for the interns — unless it’s under their desks — as Kwan recommends bringing a pillow or yoga mat to work. “It makes sleeping under your desk alot more comfortable, in the very likely scenario that you have to do that,” he said.
The message, obviously written in jest, albeit dark and Wolf of Wall Street-esque, has since leaked and gone viral in the financial district and all over the country. Kwan’s employer, Barclays, doesn’t quite seem to get the joke — especially after recent speculations of company culture being too hard on junior bankers. In an email statement to the press, a spokesman from the bank said the email was “in no way authorized by Barclays.”
“Barclays is fully committed to creating an environment where both our bankers and our business can thrive. We have implemented policies and training guidelines to enable employees to gain valuable experience while at the same time maintaining a healthy work-life balance,” he said.
The full text of the leaked email can be found here.
