Need advice - should I stay in tech?
Hello everyone,
Before my question here is a little background:
I'm living in a middle eastern country and I finished my computer science degree recently. I'm working as a software developer for about a year. I had to study computer science because that was the only way for me to secure a scholarship to study at the university (my parents couldn't afford).
I wanted to work in finance during the university so I did long term equity research, equity sales and fund management summer internships here. But I couldn't get a solid offer. I needed a job and I landed on a software job (which was pretty easy to find compared to finance ones). I earn better than most of my friends in finance with better or same hours.
Now my question is that I don't like my job (coding, debugging etc), feel very frustrated and I miss finance. On the other hand, my country is getting worse everyday (terrorism, war, refugees, Islamism etc.) and I definitely want to move to Europe. I'll have several tech interviews at BB banks in London in the coming weeks. But I'm not really sure what to do next. I don't want to lock myself into a career which I don't enjoy but it seems like the only option to earn money and live in a decent country since finance jobs are shrinking and tech jobs are growing everywhere. Is applying to Fortune 500 companies for finance roles a good idea? What are your opinions?
Definitely keep recruiting for finance roles if that is what you want to do, and keep the software job as a backup. Focus most of your effort on interviewing for the finance roles since it seems like you can just get another software job if you get laid off etc. to pay the bills. Also, interviewing for finance roles at your age is best since this might be your only shot at finance for now unless you head back for an MBA a couple years down the line.
Thanks!
ace,
first, if you're living in a country where terrorism is an ongoing theme, getting out of that country would be priority 1. You are obviously a smart individual if you've been able to secure a scholarship for comp sci. Congrats on that
I would submit to you that if you get any job offers in London, even if it is strictly for computer coding, that would be your best move. Living in a war zone has lifelong psychological implications for many people. And, as I've said on these boards before, it's always easier to find a job if you have a job. Perhaps you get over to London, get a few more years under your belt as a coder, stuff as much cash as you can in a savings acct., and if you're still miserable in a couple of years you may always go back for a graduate degree, MBA, etc.
Considering your situation, again, I would be moving to a secure country before I would be trying to determine what I am going to do with the rest of my life. You must be making decent money and someone with intellect and resourcefulness will always find their way in life. Just get to a safe location. It's my understanding that many of the countries experiencing what you are seeing actually go after the educated class much more than the poor.
Good luck. The job will take care of itself. Dodging IEDs in the streets is something you cannot protect yourself against.
Thank you for your response!
Agree with dm100, OP your first priority is to get away from the unfortunate situation in your home country/current area. Leave for London, even if it’s for a tech job. Easier to look for different or more interesting opportunities in London when you’re actually based there.
Something to consider - while there are a lot of traditional tech jobs coming up at banks, there are also ones that blend tech and finance. There are Fintech and innovation groups within the big banks - e.g., Citi, JPM, Goldman, I believe I saw something from Morgan Stanley starting up awhile back... GS and JPM for example have teams that look at investments in Fintech startups (usually these are either out of an investment team, strategic investment arm, or like with Citi Ventures a VC/strat VC team). There are also “innovation” groups that work with the rest of the bank to bring partnerships with startups across the firm (to boost business/client base, revenues, reduce costs, etc). Those roles aren’t exactly finance, but can be pretty interesting and could potentially get involved with the occasional investment (depending on the group). Innovation at banks have been getting a lot of attention, so it may also provide good senior executive exposure. If you do a search, people in these teams come from a wide range of backgrounds - IB, consulting, tech, etc
Perspiciatis quae aperiam quo odit quasi voluptas ut. Quidem expedita accusamus et officiis voluptatem omnis quae provident. Fuga fuga ut et reprehenderit quis officia optio.
Ipsa sit consequatur repudiandae nisi nostrum repellat vero nostrum. Natus sed amet minima sequi eaque. Laboriosam sit quidem minus soluta esse consectetur. Unde tempore voluptatem illo ea odio sit. Blanditiis quia ipsam est perspiciatis non placeat. Reprehenderit recusandae aut omnis illum porro minima.
Et voluptatem voluptatem est suscipit doloremque. Voluptas ut qui qui molestiae. Unde suscipit occaecati error enim. Ullam voluptatem quod numquam omnis perspiciatis debitis officia voluptates.
Tempora possimus iste dolores repellat tenetur cumque nesciunt. Perferendis totam repellendus fugiat qui et sint. Eveniet vel cupiditate quis molestiae aliquam. Enim voluptates error qui nam. Inventore sit ut aut libero.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...