Like the job but am tired
I generally enjoy the job and am quite interested in the work, but am starting to get burnt out from the WLB. I have a good team with all nice people (though they’re obviously quite demanding) and have received stellar feedback so far. I really struggled the first 6 months while I was ramping, but feel I’m finally beginning to settle in.
Honestly, I just want to be able to take my nights / weekends back… I’d like to be able to work out most evenings, not have to worry about canceling weekend plans, etc. Unfortunately, I have been enjoying the job more (besides the WLB part) and see myself growing in this role and hopefully make some serious bread lol.
Probably the 50th time someone has posted a thread like this, but would be good to hear other’s thoughts.
Just like in banking, you acclimate to the hours.
They only ever get better as does pay, and you worked hard to get the seat you're in. I'd embrace it for at least the full year, especially since you've now built your reputation up and have a good image.
What I'd advise is you now work on not being known as the guy who will do anything at all hours (which it sounds like you did to build your rep in the first place). Set some small boundaries so people know they cannot instantly go to you, and do not be extremely nice / accommodating to everyone (I make sure the most annoying, useless, and difficult people to work with wherever I go find me as unpleasant as possible). This will help you recapture some of your time.
Might be a team /cultural thing because cause it feels like my whole group has the “ASAP” mentality, and I’ve been getting hit with a lot of 8/9pm asks which feels like I’m just in banking again.
I think almost everyone who left PE feels the same way… most people who didn’t like investing never did PE. It’s not the job or the content that burns people out it’s the culture and people around it.
I don’t think that culture or type of people will dramatically change so you need to weigh how much WLB vs working a job you intellectually enjoy matter to you.
If you really want to preserve option value, go to bschool and recover but the financial cost of that route might not be worth it.
Just drop to a smaller fund with more reasonable WLB.
You still get to enjoy what you do, ofc pay cut, but if you make partner long term I think you could still be winning.
Be honest with yourself. If you truly “enjoyed” the job or work, you wouldn’t be getting burned out. That’s not to say there aren’t demands for ridiculous hours or asks but generally if one really enjoys their work and is getting excited to hit the desk everyday (easier said than done) then the WLB isn’t really an issue.
I would disagree with the poster above who says the hours “only ever get better as does pay.” If you think in PE of all places, you’ll get to just be less plugged in as you get more senior, you’re in for a very rude awakening. Yeah, you’re not grinding models at midnight, but work and performance will constantly be on your mind.
Think long and hard about what’d actually enjoy doing for the coming decades and if not for enjoyment than do something with a better WLB because it won’t be PE.
Being an associate is slavery. You get paid 300k great but you’re absolutely at the bottom of the totem pole. As you get more senior you see direct roi from your investments (fulfilling), you can make decisions or at least influence them - the partner has to stop and listen to what I’m saying and respond even if he disagrees whereas the associate gets ignored (fulfilling / interesting), I can just tell the associate to handle tasks and carve out time for gym / dinner etc (WLB), I want to think about my deals and be plugged in bc the economic point but also I’m not grinding as much on models (interesting work)
I think job materially improves
So you continue the cycle associates hating the job because you get to relegate just because you moved up the ranks. So nothing really changes imo.
But you have autonomy in the sense that you can be plugged in while working out or having dinner with wife.
Which, if you enjoy job, isn’t even that bad - it integrates into your life and you have the freedom to do things you love as well.
its the same with every job as you go up, "work and performance will constantly be on your mind", but hey at least you are being paid $800k min a year not including carry and don't have use too much brainpower!
I think this holds true above all else. You might like certain aspects but if you find yourself being worn down in the trenches, or are having thoughts about what life is like outside of PE my advise would be to start looking at positions that hold similar requirements but perhaps at a corporate or something less demanding.
Frankly, its good that you are beginning to ask yourself these question because too many people end up crashing out after lying to themselves that they can keep up with the work, only to do an MBA as it's the only option available at the time.
I disagree with this. It’s possible to love the job in every way but feel burnt out by the lifestyle / hate the constant lack of freedom.
Cancelling plans with friends / family / significant others gets exhausting. Not being able to exercise is exhausting. Constant sleep deprivation is exhausting.
Even if you wake up every morning excited to go to work, that doesn’t mean you love getting a 10pm ask from an idiot VP or a Saturday night call that forces you to cancel date night yet again and get screamed at by your significant other.
This is not a good take. The concept of WLB doesn’t “go away” if you really enjoy a job, because you still (should) fundamentally love other things more: your family, your friends, religion if you are religious. Saying that working 90 hour weeks doesn’t have a negative effect on your holistic life if you really love the job is just incorrect. Your personal relationships suffer, your health suffers. Burnout is 100% real for people who love the job.
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