Burnt out second year analyst wondering what to do

Glad I could help. Been there and know it can get pretty grim looking. Personally, I don’t believe you can make a rational career call unless you are well rested and have had time off. In fact, it’s common at my bank for them to give people a several week break if they ask to quit and don’t have plans lined up.

One other thing, it depends what you want to do, but I really think 1.5-2 years of the job is worth it in the long run. It’s hard to see that when you are in the thick of it, but if you focus on trying to learn what you wish to learn and bail and never look back, the experience is quite helpful in alternate careers.

I think you are right on the money tbh. Corp dev in tech is generally more liberal in terms of being more respectful of hours and remote work. I think the paradigm in the future really will be hybrid/ in 3 days a week for the majority of work places. While I think remote work will be more prevalent, I do think there are numerous reasons people want to go into the office especially if it isn’t a crap working environment. 
 

Sorry if unhelpful, but my recommendation would be exactly what you are doing/ start looking for ops in tier 2 cities for Corp dev. You can also look at FP&A, but as mentioned seems kinda hit or miss from the people I know. The only other option that can be good, but is majorly hit or miss is a family office—know a few individuals who got great learning/ hours/ responsibility at family offices, but word of caution a family office is basically a shop where one person is king. If that one person is an asshole it’s a horrible experience, if they are chill it can be very chill. 

Situation dependent. I 100% have seen people go back for various reasons after various lengths of time. This is the reason why professional people don't burn bridges on the way out of a role. As an example, I hated my banking role and got treated like crap, but when asked by HR, I said I would work there again and I also gave a ton of advanced notice, worked hard till the last day, and gave appreciative emails to my group heads and major managers. You never know what happens in the world or your professional career and leaving a place where everyone has a good taste in their mouth and you were known as a high performer almost ensures they will have some role for you if you expressed a desire to come back. Now that role might not be great and it might be you come in at the spot you left without any credit for your work experience post your departure, but they still will likely want you back. It is just so difficult finding competent talent with a good attitude that even if you go away for a year or two they will take you back.

Now where this gets tricky is whether you were actually a good performer, where you went, and why you left/what you told them was the reason. A few examples I have personally seen of people coming back:

1) Analyst left after 2nd year for a PE firm, was there 8 months and hated it, asked to come back and they let him come back on the same track as the analysts who stayed.

2) Associate moved to Denver/Phoenix/Milwaukee and took some crap job explaining their wife's father was sick. Came back 2 years later in the same position.

3) People do an MBA unsponsored, take a role, hate it, and come back

4) Analyst left for a startup did it for a year, came back.

I think the issue you will run into is you need to have build rapport with someone, so they will vouch for you. Also, I wouldn't expect to get credit for your additional experience or they will hammer it. So assuming 2 years of corp dev, they might just say you come in with the class that was below or 2 below you depending on when promotions occur.