Upside of going from mid-bucket at tier 1 bank to top-bucket at mid-market shop
I spent 5 years at a top tier bank where I was far from the worst but was never going to be a stand out on my team. I was good in the role (nothing more nothing less) but quickly found out that the caliber of my team and the corresponding demand / pressure outpaced my own skill set and desires.
I initially assumed that the amount of shit I took was just part of the learning curve but by the tail-end I knew I was never going to be a rockstar on that team no matter how hard I tried. Once I solidified myself as “good enough” it became more difficult to differentiate myself from others who frankly were just better and cared more than me.
An opportunity came up to take a title bump at a smaller mid-market shop but it was with a new team that was looking to build out a presence and team with a portfolio of zero deals when I joined. I figured why not, a bit more of a business development / marketing angle (which I was better at than pushing paper) and I could come in at ground zero and take some ownership in any success we might achieve.
Fast forward to today and the analogy I like to tell my wife or friends is that I went from a benchwarmer on the 1998 Chicago Bulls where I wasn’t (or ever) going to be a real driving factor for any success and instead opted to take more of a leadership role with a team at the bottom of the playoff picture but where I was immediately viewed (and appreciated) as a star player.
In all honesty, I do credit any and all success that I’ve been able to achieve in this new role to what I was taught on my previous team… While I wasn’t the best, I was able to transfer and apply the same best-in-class practices that were beat into me as an Analyst/Associate to differentiate myself. It’s almost Stockholm Syndrome because while I hated every second that I worked for my previous MD, I can now (with certainty) say that the higher standard he held me to did in fact make me me a significantly better banker than I would have otherwise been without him…
Ultimately, a long winded note to say for everything I read here that “if you’re not top bucket in high-finance you’re not truly successful” all I can say is just find your niche… For me, the comp as captain of the 10th seed has been comparable to warming the bench for Jordan / Pippen / Rodman but pairing that with the mental health and confidence boost in the new role has been worth every penny.
Molestiae sit non est enim rem et. Et quae consequatur placeat voluptate quas hic similique.
Provident hic provident recusandae eum quia expedita quod. Molestias consectetur minus exercitationem est autem. Similique voluptates laborum omnis commodi et. Voluptas perspiciatis quo quis sapiente porro.
Et asperiores et porro recusandae qui quasi nam. Expedita sed quaerat fuga enim. Eligendi eos qui repellat nihil sequi et.
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...