What is the big deal with front office?
Why does everyone want to work in the front office? What is it that is so appealing? Anyone got any thoughts?
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Oh so you're NEW new to WSO....
But to answer your question from my observations: Front office is coveted because it provides a clearer and faster path to success than many other roles in finance and other fields. It can be looked on by peers as prestigious and the pay certainly helps perpetuate this. Also the term "front office" inherently sounds like it is client-facing whereas middle office and back office do not have this connotation. I think that many people on this site, myself included, think of middle and back-office roles as stable career paths that are more along the lines of what people think of when they think of working 40 hours per week for 40 years. Nothing wrong with it, but I have the mindset of working hard while I am young to hopefully reap the rewards later in life; I am sure that middle and back-office people look at people in the front office like they're crazy for working the hours that they do. Just different perspectives and this site is largely dedicated to pursuing front office roles so keep that in mind as well.
It seems to be a bigger deal when you're in college.
Once you're actually on the job for a few years you start realize there's more to life - at least that's what many of my peers went through.
And in all honesty, FO Finance has lost some of its prestige as everyone now has a chance to get in.
Would you rather be the QB or the water boy?
Preftige. Being able to point to an acquisition and say, "I made that happen."
As I get older I would much prefer being a higher-up in the back office (e.g. Director of HR or some shit) and actually having work-life balance.
why rob banks??
because that's where the money is
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