Am I screwed? Career crisis...at 24.

[Liquidus]



People love to snicker that those who work hard and make decent money can't really be happy. But then when someone admits that money isn't everything, he gets derided for it?
In any case, I like making money but I don't want to do it in my specific job function. I like thinking creatively and having an opinion, neither of which matters much when you're working in sell-side investment banking. I'd much rather take a 50% pay cut to have the type of the job where someone gives me a company and tells me to come back in three weeks with an opinion of whether or not they should buy it.
Yeah, I'm in a great situation -- right now. I just don't want to be a salesperson for the rest of my life, which is essentially what an investment banker is. The problem is that my current group's focus is too narrow to help me get the jobs I want. I want to really dig into companies, learn what makes them tick, and then bet that I'm right. I don't want to push paper around.

I'm also curious why your girlfriend can't move here. You would lose a job by moving. What would she lose?

 

[TheFoo]



Yeah, I'm in a great situation -- right now. I just don't want to be a salesperson for the rest of my life, which is essentially what an investment banker is. The problem is that my current group's focus is too narrow to help me get the jobs I want. I want to really dig into companies, learn what makes them tick, and then bet that I'm right. I don't want to push paper around.

This is what every investment banking analyst says. But the truth is, you will "push paper" in pretty much any other finance job. And whether you are on the sell-side or buy-side, you are in the business of client service--so, in either case, you must become a good salesman at the most senior levels.

 

[Dbear]

Unless you start your own Company, nobody starts their career by "calling the shots". You put your dues in and get there if you are good.

On the flip side, are you OK with working at a Company where every new grad hired is given cart blanch authority make the calls and bet on what they believe is "right"?

 

[RedLeg]

You sound like you work in a FIG group and are upset that PE funds don't recruit FIG analysts (unless youre at GS). If that's the case, or something similiar, try making the switch to.a different group within your bank and do a third year.

 

[DocHolliday]

Everyone and their brother wants the job that both fulfills them emotionally and pays bank. Most end up picking one or the other.

If you're unwilling to live on less, the good news is that much of your decision is made for you.

 

[otc]



I'm also curious why your girlfriend can't move here. You would lose a job by moving. What would she lose?

Work visas? The OP sounds like he is either canadian or has worked there before (and its probably easier to get permission to work in canada) but his girlfriend is probably canadian with no real ties to the US.

Don't you still need a visa to move to and work in the US, even if you are coming from Canasa? It sure doesn't sound like he's going to marry her so she's not going to get in on a green card. I have several friends who went to school here and ended up having visa troubles when their student visas expired. Some found jobs that could let them stay in the US (particuraily working for universities since they don't have the same visa quotas as normal businesses) but others ended up having to leave the country since if you were trying to work at a bank in 2009, there were plenty of qualified applicants who didn't need visa sponsorship.

 

[hoozah]

no you're 24.

 

[gort]

I like the humble brag here. This reminds me of greenfrog (who has improved much after his initial splash I must say) a few months back and JV too.

Can you tell me more about your cable package and bar tabs?

 

[leftover_salmon]



Unless you start your own Company, nobody starts their career by "calling the shots".  You put your dues in and get there if you are good.  

On the flip side, are you OK with working at a Company where every new grad hired is given cart blanch authority make the calls and bet on what they believe is "right"?

But it doesn't get better. It's pretty pathetic -- and depressing -- right now watching a bunch of 50-year old managing directors panicking and travelling cross-country four days a week pandering to clients just to justify their existence.

I like the humble brag here. This reminds me of greenfrog (who has improved much after his initial splash I must say) a few months back and JV too.
Can you tell me more about your cable package and bar tabs?

I didn't think I was bragging at all that I can pay a cable bill with no problem. My assumption was that most people on a forum about high-end clothes can, too. In fact, I thought I was mentioning a couple things that were downright mundane to most people who earn a decent living. (I'm not popping bottles of Cristal, I'm going to some dank bar for some good beers.) My point was I wouldn't even be able to do *that* much if I took a major pay cut.

 

[Fraiche]



It's pretty pathetic -- and depressing -- right now watching a bunch of 50-year old managing directors panicking and travelling cross-country four days a week pandering to clients just to justify their existence.

Why is it pathetic that these 50 year olds choose to work when it's pretty clear they have enough in the bank not to work?

 

[TheFoo]



But it doesn't get better. It's pretty pathetic -- and depressing -- right now watching a bunch of 50-year old managing directors panicking and travelling cross-country four days a week pandering to clients just to justify their existence.

What job do you think will free you from serving clients or customers? Honestly, now you just sound like a kid drowning in his own naivete and arrogance. Your ego has grown ahead of your sense. Again, typical of analysts.

 

[Thomas]



What job do you think will free you from serving clients or customers? (...)

I was chatting with a small-biz owner one day, and I asked him how it felt to call the shots, be the boss. He chuckled and told me he has a thousand bosses, and they call the shots. They're his customers. The good news is that he's still in business, 15 years later.

 

[Connemara]

I'm terribly sorry that you'll have to give up the deluxe cable package. My sympathies.

 

[Connemara]



It's tough to realize how "exceptional" your opportunity is when you're getting paid surprisingly little (in terms of salary for hours worked) to log 90 hour work weeks changing font sizes and heading colors in a pitch book no one will read. The guy slinging fries at Burger King probably does more creative thinking at his job than the average IB analyst.
Investment banking analyst is, bar none, one of the worst and least challenging jobs a young person can do. It is a great opportunity if you use is as a springboard to other paths (i.e. corporate finance, MBA, etc.) but no one should be surprised when these kids start losing steam a year in to the IB adventure.

I'd cut off one of my legs in order to bank $150k/yr for playing around with documents.

 

[Joffrey]

Nothing here reads like a career crisis. More like a job hunting crisis.