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August 31, 2026
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Same boat right now, almost 5 years of exp including IB and am just burned the f out. Hours / job haven’t even bad lately but just hate this corporatist bullshit.
My thoughts are that you’d have a hard time returning to IB/PE (unless your current shop loves you, in that case maybe negotiate a return) or getting super competitive roles like VC/HF, but you can find a decent corporate role even after taking this break. That said it’s obviously better to find a job while you have a job and you’re less likely to regret quitting IB if you find a great opportunity, whereas quitting w/o job hurts your ability to do so, bit of a catch 22 here….
Yeah my hours have been pretty good lately but I'm just tired of the people / being chained to the work environment. Really want to get out and explore the world for a good period of time, especially before i turn 30...
I have enough savings to last a while so money isn't an issue. I wouldnt be too worried about a career gap in a normal macro environment - but this upcoming downturn is concerning
I’m coming up on my two years. With wfh (in a cheap city) I have saved a lot of money. I am most likely going to take 3-4 months off and then try to recruit into PE or back into a MM banking. Been told that’s an awful idea… I don’t understand why?…
I’ve seen people go from big 4 accounting to BB M&A. Why can’t someone with banking experience take a few months off.
They'll be cautious you'd pull the same stunt in a few years to them. In contrast, the Big 4 guy is more likely to stay and bust ass.
Can't you just say you had health issues or an emergency? Especially if it's only a month or two break?
I dont think 3-4 months break is bad at all and should be fairly easy to return back to the work force - that's if it were in a healthy market. However my main concern is the current macro environment where there's potential for layoffs and hiring freezes for extended period of time
They say it’s an awful idea because they are jealous and would never have the sack to quit and take time off. If you hate corporate bullshit, then don’t listen to people who embody corporate bullshit lol.
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