Hey Bankers,
Long time lurker, made an account just for this. I could really use some help, but unfortunately, can't ask anyone at work and I don't think I've spoken to my friends since I started in banking.
Long story short, I worked in Lev Fin at a BB for a year and a half before leaving to do sell-side M&A at a MM boutique. I've been at this boutique for the last five months. I thought the move would invigorate me (coaching private business owners through the sale process, faster paced, less bureaucracy), but it's just more of the same. Petty office nonsense, and as expected, IB hours are a grind. Nothing like being at the office at 3am on a Saturday trying to get a deck out. But more than that, I looked around and realized that I do not give a shit about finance.
I got into this for the money. I actually thought everyone did (where else do you pull six figures at 22?) but some of the guys at this boutique truly love their jobs. I shit you not, we went out for drinks and they spent 45 minutes debating hypothetical EBITDA adjustments. Everyone works weekends and no one takes vacation - they just work from a more tropical location twice a year.
So I already know I'm getting out. The plan is to head back to school, get an engineering degree, and actually build some shit. The real question is this: what's the right move? Do I quit now? Stay through year end and collect the bonus check? Stay two years to round out the experience?
Bonus aside, I would feel a bit guilty about leaving - not because I'm a prized possession (trust me, mediocre IB analyst at best), but we're a small team and we're slammed. I wouldn't want to throw the other analysts & associates deeper into the shit storm if I could avoid it. On the other hand, sticking around in a soul-crushing job to round out experience that will be almost irrelevant in the field I'd like to pursue seems like a waste.
Thoughts?
The advice I've given to people in your situation is not to have an over-developed sense of loyalty. When it comes to quitting, you should be as clinical with your firm as your firm would be with you.
Your firm would likely not show you much loyalty if push came to shove and they had to cut costs. They'd be nice, they'd wish you well, but they wouldn't care much about the impact on your career and they'll escort you out of the building.
If you were fired, your colleagues would feel a little more concerned/worried, but would be glad that it was you, not them. They would move on.