Renege Offer

I'm now a junior. Last semester, I recruited for 2025 summer internship and signed an offer for an IB position.

Unfortunately, this summer I found out that I have cancer. I don't have any family history and I also don't smoke and drink. My physician said it's primarily because I stayed up late almost every night and had too much internal pressure. I went through surgery and was told to prevent the cancer from returning, I'll have to find a future where I can have a healthy schedule and good mental health, which I think is somewhat impossible in investment banking.

So I've basically decided to quit this career path. How do I renege the offer? Do I just say I have health issues so I can't commit to this job?

And also, what are some other possible jobs in finance that I can try to pursue given my condition? I'm not looking for really high pay, as long as I can feed myself after I graduate. Thank you!

8 Comments
 

Unfortunate man, wishing you the best. You matter more than any of these guys and just know that to them you’re 1/1000 kids that want this job. Take care of your health, life>money

 

Best wishes to you, I hope you feel better. Communicate exactly this to the hiring team. There’s so much more to life than banking. Stay strong

 
Most Helpful

Hey man. 100 priorities when you have your health, only one when you lose it.

I actually had something similar. Had bowel tumors and grade 4 hemorrhoids develop because of my diet and no sleep like around 2017-2018. (I was doing like 6 classes in aerospace engineering and 3 labs in a single semester along with 20 hours weekly tutoring work). 

I had to go back home and get a couple of surgeries after months of unemployment graduating in 2020.  
Thankfully, tumors were not cancerous. But I suffered lot in those 4 years.

So, always, health first. Career doesn’t matter when you’re in the hospital bed riddled in pain barely hoping to get through.

Just tell HR the truth - however much detail you feel comfortable.
Other careers you can do in finance is wealth management, pretty good hours and good pay for the hours (esp in independent shops, don’t know about large banks). Can work at OCIOs, family offices, etc. Or depending on your major, can work in a different industry.

Better to have a long term healthy life than short term money and sick life.

Hope you feel better and find something less strenuous that you enjoy. Just do more research and meet more people across industries, get an idea of what it is like. Lots of careers there in this day and age. 
Might just be TikTok famous with the motivational come back, make more than IB.

 

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