I’m currently a PE associate in a city I don’t like. I’ve been in several processes to lateral to another geo with no luck. It’s a great job and I believe good for my career in the long run. I also have strong conviction I can make VP in 2-3 more years which seems more and more difficult to come by these days. I like my team and have a great WLB, again just really don’t like the city. I’m struggling living somewhere I don’t want to be in my 20s but don’t want to make a bad career decision. Is it worth it to stick it out?
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Is this SF
T2/T3 city
Lol first thing I thought too.
I did 2yrs at umm fund in a city I didn’t like and someone regret it. Really thinking you want to do PE for the next 10-15 years because you are in your 20s once
Did you stay in PE after?
Ya another PE fund in another city (mixed on the city. Will likely pivot out of PE if I don’t get vp this summer)
the combination of (1) liking your team (2) good wlb and (3) a credible shot to make it to vp is extremely hard to come by so would think three times before giving that up
every city has something unique to offer - look harder
Don’t live in a city you don’t like — you only live once
That said, it may be best to move after a VP promotion if everything else about the oppty is solid
Started my career in Houston and forced my way out to NYC.. 5 years later trying to go back since I have kids now
Left NYC banking for SF MF and was a big mistake to leave nyc. if you like nyc, can't undersell how much more fun it is than any other city in yours 20s. going back shortly
Name the city if you want help. There's a big difference between SF or some tier 3 city in the burbs versus options like Chicago, Miami, Austin, LA, Dallas, etc
Im not OP but SF is seriously making me depressed. Think it was better pre-COVID
Yeah SF is a very interesting case. It's *technically* a top tier city only bested by NYC and leagues above the rest on paper, but in reality this is not the case. For whatever reason, SF on a social/entertainment level acts on par with a tier 3 city akin to a place like Denver or Seattle. It's not a great choice for those outside of the tech/VC social bubble world and many lower tier southern or southeastern cities are a better choice.
T3 city
Just name the city and I can be more helpful cmon.
I can’t imagine living in any other city than NYC or perhaps LA (maybe Miami is a distant third) in this country. So I deeply understand what you mean. American is about suburbia, family, nature, the outdoors, and a slower life in general. Americans get the “partying” out of their system in college (to a European or Latino that phrase get the partying out of your system makes no sense at any age).
So if it’s not for you, move.
My best advice is to suck it up and learn to like it
We don’t all get everything in life
Not saying you shouldn’t strive for more, but if you have a clear shot to Vp and are getting paid well I would think long and hard about giving that up
When I was younger a transfered McKinsey offices thinking I was upgrading (to a more desirable geo) and it ended up being totally worse in every way
You're not getting laid?
Something has got to give. You either have to choose to sacrifice the job or the city.
I personally choose the job. I’d much rather live somewhere I love where I can be close to friends and family than do my absolute favorite job. If my dream job is something I’d rate 10/10 would love to do every single day of my life, I probably wouldn’t compromise to anything lower than a 7/10 or 6/10. After all you do spend the majority of your life at work so pick wisely. That being said I’m taking the 6/10 job and 10/10 city any day of the week.
you have to also take into account your circumstances when making this decision. Meaning is there parents you gotta take care of or financial obligations that you need the money from your current job to fulfill? If that’s the case then the city has got to give. Assuming you can’t make the same $ elsewhere.
Whats the in office mandate at your firm? Also what is the geographic focus of the firm? If you volunteer to do most of the dilligence traveling you can make the case that you need to be in a market with a robust airport (think NYC, DFW, LA) to maximize travel flexibility. If you are in a market like OKC where pretty much all flights need to connect through DFW, ATL of Chicago then there is a good case to be made to allow you to move to a major market.
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