Need a major surgery and worried about my career
I’ll be working at a MM PE firm after I graduate and I’m super excited to kick my career off. However, I’ve recently learned that I’m going to need to get a fairly major surgery in several years that will require me to take around 2 weeks off of work, and I won’t be completely back to normal for around 6 to 8 weeks. My team has a fairly strong culture, but I am afraid that taking this much time off will negatively impact my reputation at work and might see me get passed up for promotions, or eventually forced out. Has anyone faced anything similar? Are my fears justified?
Is this is a joke? Get the surgery, man. They legally have to give you the time to recover. It’s not like you’re a partner that’s moving processes along, someone will take on whatever responsibility you have. It’s just a job. You only get one body
Yeah I’m not joking, I’m probably just overthinking it. Appreciate the reassurance
Hey man, first things first. Get the surgery, take the time off and come back stronger than before. You'll be hopefully surprised by how seniors will look after you. I had a pretty big surgery (think 7/8hrs general anesthetic surgery) and stayed in hospital for a week and had about a month and a half of recovery.
Firms understand that and will respect it. Also, don't try to come back much earlier, once you're back people will think you're back and fully operational. Take the time your body needs, as otherwise it will affect you in the long run.
My only piece of advice is to discuss it a bit in advance with your staffer or your MD so that it does not come as a surprise, and they also have the chance to make sure you're fully covered. Good luck with the surgery! X
When you say discuss in advance, how far in advance do you mean? Months, years?
Nah just a few months ahead. Like once your surgeon will tell you "hey we think your surgery will happen in 3/4/5 months time" maybe during a team meeting or just vis a vis with the staffer anticipate that to him something like "hey btw just fyi I'll be having a major surgery in 4/5 months. I'll be off for 2 weeks and then I'll have a recovery period where I'll likely be off for another month". Again, this is just as a matter of courtesy, they can't object anything but at least they know.
Also, discuss it openly with your doctor/surgeon. Finance is not a 9-5 job and your body is pushed quite heavily by that, he/she will suggest you when it's appropriate to come back and trust him/her, even if you feel there's one day when you're feeling okayish at home it doesn't mean you would be ok to perform on high stress. What I have agreed on with my team back then was I could have anticipated my come back on the condition I had protected hours as I was still under strong drugs affecting me. It was a good way of easing my return, keeping me somewhat busy and helping a lil bit the team.
I've done something similar - had surgery, took 2 weeks off, and worked remote for 3rd week so all in all, recovery process of 3 weeks from start to finish. In absolutely no world would you get dinged on a promotion, reputation in the group, etc. and if they do get upset, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER FIRM TO WORK AT. Do not worry about this and get the surgery and just communicate kindly to your team. Also as a junior - your responsibility is not the same as a MD and anyone can cover for you while you are gone.
Also most people in the world of finance mentally check out during the months of August / December. You can book your surgery around then if you're really worried. And offer to work remotely during recovery process. Unless you're fully immobilized you can lay in your bed or something and do light tasks / take calls.
Cheers
This is just part of life. I get it seems major as a college student, but no firm will be unreasonable about a medical issue like this. People take 8 weeks off ALL the time for paternity leave (and even more for mat leave but that's not exactly the same thing) you just need to communicate a few months out so they can plan for it
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