Is it OK to Take Some Time Off After Leaving a More than 2 Year Investment Banking Stint During COVID?

I've decided that I don't want to get promoted and become an Associate. I'm aiming for more relaxed jobs with more work-life balance, maybe like Corporate Finance / Strategic Finance (but not really very modeling intensive / heavy technical stuff like Corp Dev). 

Is it normal to take a break / time off after more than two years in banking without a job lined up? With the vaccines starting to arrive, would it still be very hard to land a job that is "lower on the hierarchy"? How long can I take a break for without a job lined up so that I don't end up being unemployed for several months? Also, how long is too long to take a break for?

For the record, I worked for 1.5 years at a boutique IB after college and then lateraled to a BB where I've been for more than a year. Haven't had as much success in banking as I'd hoped given the fast-paced nature and almost 24/7 work. I differentiate myself by the extra time I put into my work but banking doesn't really allow for that. I've also found I'm not the best when it comes to complex modeling and / or financial analysis. I'm open to business roles outside of finance (just not a big people convincing job like sales).

Appreciate the feedback and help!

2 Comments
 

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