Struggling in banking — mindset issue or wrong career fit?
Hello WSO,
I’ll avoid too many personal details. I’m a junior banker in a T2 / T3 geography, at an okayish top bank, with an MSc in Finance. I sit in a team where the work is more bd-oriented rather than execution; I'm definitely average and I still experience learning curve. Prior to this, I had experience across general corporate finance roles with nothing particular to share.
The core issue is that I don’t like banking, and more broadly, I don’t find most finance careers appealing. PE feels like the same work to me; FP&A is something I strongly dislike as I hate financial statements; Corp Dev looks like banking with lower pay and narrower exposure. Other paths (WM, AM, S&T / markets) are even narrower in my view.
In hindsight, I likely made the wrong choice pursuing finance. I followed the typical path—prestige, pay, exits - partly driven by ego and external environment (classmaate), but the reality hasn’t matched what I had in mind.
Why I don’t like banking:
- Hours are obviously unpredictable, making it impossible to maintain any routine or personal plans (even basic things like consistently going to the gym feel unrealistic). I’ve effectively dropped most hobbies due to lack of time and energy, and I had quite a few before
- There is constant background anxiety that work can come at any moment, often driven by last-minute changes or poor planning upstream. I became anxious, angry and incendiary
- I feel no real connection to the work or clients; I don’t care whether deals get done; money is good but no emotions when it comes
- Much of the role feels administrative (scheduling, notes, formatting, being overly accommodating to seniors); Everything also seems to be very formal
- The effort-to-output ratio feels unreasonable (significant work for marginal details buried deep in the decks w/o any value-add)
- Being staffed on multiple things simultaneously leaves me with no time to properly think, understand, or improve. Brain works in a survival mode on a short memory circuit
- I’m skeptical about how transferable the “business skills” actually are in practice. Especially for non-finance exits. Additionally. the exits seem to be limited and only of finance nature
I expected that once I joined, things would click and I’d find some level of satisfaction, at least for a couple of years. Instead, I’ve become increasingly disengaged.
I’ve tried to step back and think about what I want (career, lifestyle, income, what ticks / what not), but I don’t have clear answers and frankly just stare at a blank paper. I care about being well-compensated, but I also want to do something more engaging for me personally.
For context, I’ve seen roles that seem more interesting:
- A contact working in marketing at a large tech company, managing campaigns, ad production, and launching partnerships
- Another contact in a niche advisory firm for fashion brands, working on strategy and brand-related projects
These types of roles feel more appealing, but I have no clear idea how to transition into them from a pure finance background, and I’m aware the “grass is greener” bias may be at play.
I’ve also considered consulting, but I’m not convinced it’s fundamentally different from banking in terms of lifestyle and work structure. Dunno though.
I had an early conversation with an MD who said that to sustain this job, you need to genuinely want it. I don’t think I do. At this point, I feel consistently unhappy and disengaged.
My questions are:
- Am I being entitled, naive, or unrealistic in wanting to leave this job? Is this just a poor attitude on my part?
- For those who left banking/finance for something less traditional and/or less lucrative, how did you deal with the internal pressure that leaving meant you were quitting or limiting your long-term success / wealth potential? Where did you go? Was it hard for you to start again?
Thanks!
Based on the most helpful WSO content, your situation resonates with many who have faced similar struggles in banking. Here’s a breakdown of insights and advice:
1. Mindset vs. Career Fit
2. Grass is Greener Bias
3. Exits and Transitioning
4. Dealing with Internal Pressure
5. Actionable Steps
6. Final Thoughts
If you’re still unsure, consider giving yourself a timeline (e.g., 6-12 months) to explore options while continuing in your current role. This can provide clarity and reduce the pressure of making an immediate decision.
Sources: MBA associate looking to leave, Regrets Due to Finance, Should I quit after 6 months on the job?, Life after Investment Banking, Quitting finance for something else?
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