Investment Banking - Developing Nation (3rd World) worth it? - Advice needed
Gonna give a background first; new to this forum so I hope you guys take it easy on me and someone gives advice to a fresh graduate.
I am currently working in the investment banking team since the past month for a local bank which has pretty the much the biggest presence/deal flow in my country. I'm from a developing nation in South East Asia and I have an aim to move to NA in a couple of years via the masters route. Nothing special.
The only reason reason I considered IB here was for the experience: I was hoping to pick up on modelling and deal experience while getting some exposure to capital markets. No plans on staying in banking in the long run beyond 2 years.
Due to culture issues, trash pay (5000-6000USD/year) and a garbage management, I feel as though being an excel monkey is not even worth it here. Especially given that I want to have a life (prep for GRE, research Universities, workout, learning SQL, spend time with family while I'm here etc.) Hours here are not nearly as bad as western markets (around 60 hrs a week).
I have an option to move to a more relaxed Corporate Credit analyst role in the next month. Lower stress, better hours etc. But even then, I am getting shit on for considering a middle office position over FO IB. Another option is in Treasury ALM (very operational and basically monitoring FX inflows/outflows on a daily basis). Classic exits like Corp. dev roles are rare here and VC/PE are almost non existent and don't have standard pipelines. With me planning to move abroad I don't think my local IB (albeit at the biggest bank here) experience would mean much in NA anyway. Future plans are probably a role in Corp Dev, FP&A, AM or another route towards a Business Intelligence role through a masters. I know, pretty vague but thats what I am aiming to figure out and narrow down in these 2 years.
What would you guys say should be my choice: IB and suck it up, or Credit Analyst and pidgeonhole myself potentially? Would IB experience be valuable abroad?
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