Anyone else get super de-motivated / dis-illusioned after trying to leave a job in tough market?

Ignore title, I work in AM now. I've been trying to leave my shop for like 1.5yrs now. I get that in this market, I should probably be grateful to have a job at all but I've been wanted to leave for 1.5yrs with few interviews (though more recently)

Literally have just been phoning it in now for this entire period, as there's no path to promotion at my firm (despite them liking my work universally). Every day of work I get up and push it off until it's last minute, put in like 50% effort, and just do not care since what is even the point of putting in all of the hours to this firm that won't promote me. And searching for a job for 1+yrs is so incredibly tiring, esp. when you get rejected for dumb reasons (or openings are in middle of nowhere towns)

Anyway, just wanted to vent for a bit since it's just been so frustrating. I just want to leave and take that next step in my career, there's a business cycle element to it and a finance-specific one where seats don't open up very often in AM. Kind of wish I knew about all of this before going into finance, though apparently even coding is now hitting up against alot of these structural over-supply dynamics.

Anyone else search for a new job for 1+yr before landing one? How did you pace yourself and keep yourself motivated? Been at this shop now for 5yrs and just so sick & tired of it all, increasingly hard to keep my head up and keep putting in the work

4 Comments
 

Is the shop such that you can't put 100% effort for half a day and then just "work from home" a good portion of the week and enjoy the time to yourself? 

"And where we had thought to be alone we shall be with all the world"
 
Most Helpful

Anyone else search for a new job for 1+yr before landing one?

Leaving my former job took me 4 years. Covid delayed it, getting promoted delayed it, making it to the final round of an interview process but losing to the founder's grandson delayed it, and then getting to a point where I could partner with someone to go out on my own delayed it. 

The motivation is your desire to leave. That needs to be your light in the darkness. If it isn't, your lack of motivation extends beyond your current role and you need to address that as well. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Culpa consequatur saepe natus distinctio ratione consequatur voluptatum. Sed incidunt numquam facere. Eveniet id quo est quia praesentium recusandae harum. Est nam aut dolores.

Consequatur quis sit aut quas mollitia ab. Et necessitatibus voluptatem non ea tenetur. Minus ut amet non ut magnam repellendus saepe. Rerum corrupti unde iure accusamus est fuga et. Dolor earum qui cupiditate.

Nobis aut ea ut rem perferendis quas. Et dolores maiores distinctio illo. Ullam ut reprehenderit natus exercitationem rerum laboriosam.

Pariatur quod quod voluptas voluptatibus sit. Error modi eos sit repellat et qui molestias. Aperiam aut fuga voluptatem perferendis ipsum. Illo omnis odit minus dignissimos porro ad.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 03 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”