Dear Juniper: agony aunt

I have achieved rapid professional success in many areas of the investment business and for the

last two years have been building my credentials in hedge fund management. But my firm's approach is now holding me back; we are geared more to taking long positions than to short, risky ones.

Recently, there has been some friction with my manager, who, not surprisingly, doesn't really understand the dynamics of hedge funds. This friction has left me feeling tethered by people who just don't get it. I have started to think about starting my own fund and wanted your thoughts on the risks of that in this market.

Yours,

Frustrated

Dear Frustrated

As you can probably calculate the risks better than me, I am left wondering why you have written.

Something is stopping you from making your move despite the frustration of feeling held back and tethered.

Are you as confident and independent a risk taker as you suggest? Is the business really tying you down, or does it offer you things that would disappear if you were to start up alone?

I can't judge from what you say, but maybe the security and support of an institution offers more than you are prepared to acknowledge.

How much research have you done, for example talking to people who are already running their own fund, about what it takes to successfully strike out alone? Further, have you asked people who know you well if they believe you have a temperament that is suited to operating as a lone wolf or not?

A lot of people who believe they have the drive and vision to go it alone are shocked when they discover it can be even harder and more frustrating to make progress than it is working in a large firm. Overall, I'd say that if you are seriously up for taking on a risky, but hopefully not short, position then pull the ripcord. Job churn in the financial sector is higher than it ever was. You could always come back "inside" if things don't work out.

Good luck,

Juniper

Blondie

I am an analyst in a private equity business and I love my job. However, I have problems with senior colleagues and clients. Neither seems to take me seriously, even though I have spent several years in the job. It doesn't help that I am blonde and young-looking.

Even though I am well into my twenties, I am still treated as though I am just out of school. I am embarrassed to be writing to you but I am getting desperate, particularly as someone younger than me just received what should have been my promotion. It was a bit of a bombshell, as you can imagine.

Overlooked

Dear Overlooked

Young looks can be frustrating early in a career, particularly in an industry where callow youths are fair game for their more weathered seniors. Short of dying your hair black, what can you do?

Concentrating on other aspects of your physical presence is a good place to start. How do you dress and conduct yourself and could you change this to appear more serious and mature? Your voice and non-verbal behaviour are also important areas if you want to generate a sense of gravitas rather than inexperienced youth.

Have you looked around for role models? You are, after all, in a business with a large pool of people who know how to get ahead by being noticed. What can you learn from them, particularly the ones being promoted? They could be more assertive, better at articulating their ideas, sharper analysts, more insightful at finessing data or more adept at forming influential relationships than you are. Whatever it takes for people to be taken seriously enough to get promoted in your business, you need to demonstrate more of it - and more obviously.

When you conduct yourself in ways that compensate for your appearance, clients and seniors will begin to notice your contribution and not merely your young looks, which, by the way, you will be glad of 20 years from now.

Juniper

Born again

I am a reformed alcoholic who recently started work in a back-office job in a bank. My problem is that drinking seems to be the main way to win friends and influence people in our department.

Night after night there are invitations to some celebration or other. Until last night I had always made apologies and not joined in. But one person in the department told me that I was getting the label of "loner" and that this wasn't good.

So, for once, I joined in. Now - three orange juices and one non-alcoholic cocktail later - jokes are being made about my manliness. What can I do to stop things getting worse?

Dear Born again

The fact that you managed to get this job without revealing your past drink problems implies that hiring practices in the industry are not as watertight as recruiters would like to think. It also implies that you are in this pickle because you were initially less than honest.

Now your past has come back to haunt you, there are really only two choices open to you.

One is to spill the beans and go forward honestly with the people you are working with, even if that damages your credibility and possibly threatens your position. The second is to come up with a face- saving excuse.

Ask yourself what will get you past this problem best: spreading it about that you are on medication for a heroic sports injury that causes drowsiness if you drink, or sitting down with your manager to "share" the real gig and agreeing a joint way forward, including how to communicate this more widely.

Bear two things in mind about working in financial services. As a non-drinker there are few places to hide, and as an ex-alcoholic you are certainly not alone.

It's your call,

Juniper

Juniper is written by Joy Palmer, an executive coach who runs Interactives, a US and UK consultancy. The problems are based on her 15 years in the financial services industry. Juniper first appeared in The Rise of the Player Manager by Philip Augar and Joy Palmer, published in 2002. Palmer's other publications include Delivering Exceptional Performance. She can be contacted at www.player-manager.