Was offered a non-finance management job... take it?

I left my trader job not to long ago because I didnt like where it was going (long story). It's week 3 into my job search and I somehow manage to get an offer at a non-finance management job at a fortune 500 by working the alumni list.

The salary is $95k with avg of 10% end of year bonus. So about $105k in total. I was getting paid around $70k at my most recent job.

It seems like a no brainer, but the management job comes with a tight limit as to what I'll be able to make. I got into the finance industry to make boatload of money. And theres almost zero chance of making that happen if I take the offered job. Even five years from now, I'll probably be stuck at $150k at max.

So the upside for the potential new job is:
1) Relatively low stress job/life
2) 9 to 5

The downside is:
1) I'll be leaving the financial industry... and probably cant come back
2) Stagnant salary - regardless of the # of year worked

I guess for some this is an easy decision... but I'm having a tough time making up my mind on this one.

What do you guys think? Ditch finance for a stress free, low key cushy job or stick w/ finance for the prospect of making it big?

7 Comments
 

The "long story" of why you left will elude to what you should do next... Didn't like trading or didn't like the firm/situation? How long were you there? Target or non-target school?

Wait.......

You quit your job before you had another one lined up?? Really? MGT might be your calling bro.

Make opportunities. Not excuses.
 

Well, in short, I didnt like the firm (I was with them for about a year). Ya in hindsight, I should have lined something up before making the move, but I didnt feel like staying much longer. I had quite a bit of savings saved up after profit sharing at the end of the year and felt that I could just focus on finding another job that I would love w/in finance.

After quitting, I subleased my apartment for a month and traveled. I got back to NYC about three weeks ago and have been hunting for jobs since.

Oh and I went to a target school.

 

I made the post to gauge whether the choice I face is in fact a difficult one. Because I feel like an idiot for struggling w/ it. I must have walked around central park for four hours today (acting and looking like a crazy person) and still couldnt come to a decision.

 

I don't know much, but I don't think it's a terribly hard decision. If you're truly interested in finance, it makes a lot of sense to turn it down and keep looking. Unless you're convinced you can take this job, go top MBA, and get back into finance. This is assuming short-term money isn't an issue, and you don't need the income immediately.

 
Best Response

It is a tough choice! I've felt your pain. A month ago I was almost 2yrs deep in a BB MO job that I COULD NOT STAND ANY LONGER. Literally, near-death-by-boredom. Finally found some part time consulting work with a small M&A shop. At the same time had a slightly better middle office job offered by another BB firm with much better pay, but still, middle office... I accepted the job and put in my 2 weeks. I shared my situation to the M&A shop and asked if I could come on full time. Waiting was shitty. I accepted a job I knew I'd quickly hate but it would save me from my current Hell. I found out on my last day that they could bring me on and told the firm who I accepted the offer with that I wouldn't be starting on Monday. No hard feelings, just business.

Safe play: Accept the MGT job and push back the start date as long as they will let you. In the mean time, hunt like crazy till the start date! If you don't find anything, dig into the new job and collect some paychecks till the next recruiting season comes around. That'll give you some time to do some soul searching and hey, you might pick up something useful at the MGT job. Or you might even like it and decide to stay.

Make opportunities. Not excuses.
 
WSRenaissanceMan

It is a tough choice! I've felt your pain. A month ago I was almost 2yrs deep in a BB MO job that I COULD NOT STAND ANY LONGER. Literally, near-death-by-boredom. Finally found some part time consulting work with a small M&A shop. At the same time had a slightly better middle office job offered by another BB firm with much better pay, but still, middle office... I accepted the job and put in my 2 weeks. I shared my situation to the M&A shop and asked if I could come on full time. Waiting was shitty. I accepted a job I knew I'd quickly hate but it would save me from my current Hell. I found out on my last day that they could bring me on and told the firm who I accepted the offer with that I wouldn't be starting on Monday. No hard feelings, just business.

Safe play: Accept the MGT job and push back the start date as long as they will let you. In the mean time, hunt like crazy till the start date! If you don't find anything, dig into the new job and collect some paychecks till the next recruiting season comes around. That'll give you some time to do some soul searching and hey, you might pick up something useful at the MGT job. Or you might even like it and decide to stay.

I acknowledge your superior knowledge and experience.

I guess OP should just take the job and keep hustlin on the side.

 

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