Quitting After 6 Months

Title says it all. Am 4 months in right now and I can tell this isn’t the job for me. The work isn’t interesting (despite what Lazard’s CEO thinks). And I know that at my stage, bottom of the totem pole, it’s not going to be interesting. You do the grunt work, you align the logos, you earn your right to the “higher level tasks” by demonstrating competency. But even these supposed cooler tasks don’t appeal to me. I don’t care to be a financial modeling wizard. 
 

Under normal circumstances, I would be willing to suck it up for at least year to get the paycheck / street cred and then dip. Unfortunately, these are not normal circumstances. 
 

Primary reason for wanting to leave: am starting to get physically ill and it’s freaking me out. For context, I have a pretty severe autoimmune condition. Has been in remission for a while and when I did my summer internship, the stress of that caused it to act up a little. But not to an unmanageable amount. This is getting unmanageable. Maybe over the summer the 10 week limit gave me false hope? Because it was all temporary, the hours, the stress, the constant state of panic. Now it’s not temporary. I’ve lost ten pounds since I’ve started. I can’t eat because I’ve no appetite. I can’t sleep. My condition is acting up. Got depressed again and doctor just put me on antidepressants. Don’t think that’s gonna solve the root cause. 
 

I don’t want to quit when I worked so hard to get here. I’d like to at least have something to show for all this, experience wise. But I don’t think I can physically last. I’ve been applying to other roles but I’m at the point where I might just quit with no safety net and let the cards fall where they may. 
 

is 6 months enough time to leave? What should I do? Please advise. 

6 Comments
 
Most Helpful

I was there buddy. I used to work in HL / PJT rx. People here would kill for the job but i feel sick 2 months in. Got physically and mentally sick.

But eventually i pushed through because some A1s are really cool and we worked together. Pushed through the trenches. I did 1 year and quit without safety net. I did my masters and doing corp banking now.

I am not saying you should stay for 1 year. But my advice is try to see if you can make your situation better, and re assess if you can do it for longer. For me is brfriending my fellow analysts. You mentioned your SA is bearable because you have a time limit - now you do too. Just internally set a clock and tell yourself you are gonna quit in x time.

Anyway, if your body doesnt allow you to continue, just quit. No one will blame you. If asked when recruiting just say you have a condition that needs medical care in a hospital.

Good luck and cheers

 

See if you can't get some annual leave/ PTO. Cite health or mental health break to tbe staffer. 

Get to a year and then leave, leavingb6 months in is damaging and undoes a lot of the hard work you've got to get in the seat. 

Focus on a role in a family off or more chill LMM PE house where the hours aren't hell.

Just my advice.

Sponsors M&A (London)
 

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