Should i stay or should i go? Pension Fund or Non-Profit
Afternoon,
Posting on a throwaway account for obvious reasons.
I work in Canada at a large pension fund in their real estate investment arm. I work on the finance and treasury team within loan compliance as an analyst. I have only been in this role for a couple of months.
The dilemma is that I've been offered a real estate investment analyst role in a global non-profit organization where i will work with affordable housing doing acquisition and development, work that i actually have a great interest in. The pay is slightly higher however less bonus and benefits, and obviously less prestigious.
The question is, should i take it? Will i burn bridges leaving a rather large company by leaving so early? The experience i'll gain within the non-profit would be huge as i want to want in development. But is it look down upon because its in the non-profit sector? Would it be wiser to stay at the pension fund and look to move into the development or investments team a year from now?
I'm super conflicted at this moment. Let me know what you guys think.
Cheers.
This is clearly super personal. If you go, yeah it will not look good, they probably won't like you, but that can happen.
The only way I would say to go is if you are very sure this next job is really what you want, and you can stay there for a while (like many years). Not that you have to, but you better be prepared to do that. Job hopping is not good for a resume, so you may want to just drop the current gig its only a couple of months altogether from future resumes.
If this really is what you want to do, then maybe you should take it. This will sound 'cliche' but go with your gut on this one. If you regret not taking it, you probably won't be a better employee. So I'd suggest taking it like this.
Pick the job you most want, and think gives you best career long-term. But just imagine you are at an equal starting point (i.e. you haven't taken the current job), that will give better clarity.
Yes dude take the non-profit job.
Doesn't matter if you've been at the PF for a few months, your current role is back office as fuck. Trust me, I was in debt asset management most likely doing the same thing as you. It's not a good job for someone who has ambitions and is motivated, which appears you are. You will have trouble getting to development from your current position alone, and staying there definitely won't do you any good to get there. Why are you considering this when you have a development job in front of you? Quit worrying about what others are gonna think of you - is it your career or theirs?
If you give them a honest reason as to why you are leaving, they shouldn't care and they should wish you well. If they get upset and try and threaten or convince you to stay, you don't want to be working there in the first place.
Your pension fund doesn't care about you as a professional. They would not think twice to let you go if it came down to it. There should be no blind loyalty in this business.
Let's see if we got this right.
I think you get it. Do not worry about burning bridges if you leave a company early. I left my first job after 8 months and I haven't looked back, no reason to. As the anon analyst said, your large pension fund would not hesitate to fire you if they had to cut costs or if they thought you were slacking.
You don't want to get into the scenario of you declining the non-profit offer, staying with your current firm, and getting laid off in 3 months with no prospects, dreading you declined the offer. End of the day, it is your decision, but I think it's an easy one to make.
Agreed with all of the above - I went from BB back office to lending at real estate debt fund even though my eventual goal is to get on the equity side.
It’s much easier making that jump when you aren’t in the back office any longer.
Stop existing within the paradigm that you owe your employer anything. 90% of the time you do not. I'd argue that once you get to a certain level that dynamic changes.
Go do what you want to do. Also, don't seek advice when you know the answer already. Not being a d*ck, you seem a bit younger, try trusting yourself and not leaning others opinions to validate big decisions.
Best of luck - go to the non-profit.
Thanks guys, appreciate the help. I think you all hit it on the head. I'm definitely thinking to take the non-profit role now. Do you think i should negotiate salary?
I'm going to be a contrarian here.
I don't think switching companies in this environment is a good idea. No one knows how much worse this coronavirus pandemic will get, and I'm sure your pension fund will offer you a lot more job stability vs the non-for profit.
You said you were at a prestigious pension fund, and that's probably why you got the interview. Why not give it one more year to wait out the coronavirus and then try swithcing internally and/or applying outside?
I don’t know your personal finances or situation. All I will say is that getting opportunities that you are genuinely interested in, in which you feel you can learn a lot and see a lot is RARE. Like really really rare.
How are the people at both organizations? That’s another question. The people are so important in helping you grow and develop.
How well is non profit funded?
Finally on leaving. You can do it well. You can be gracious. Being up front with your superior and colleague “I want to let you know that I have gotten an amazing offer doing x. I am personally interested in that and very excited by my growth prospects or whatever. I really want to thank you and all of you for all that you have done and I have really enjoyed every minute of my time here working with all of you. I want to ask you, is there anything I can do to help with the transition to make life a little easier?”
Or something like that. People move jobs all the time. And if this is a real interest and great opportunity most people who are sane and half decent will not only understand but actually encourage it. It’s called personal development. Someone doesn’t like it or acts awful... they have issues (sorry but not my problem) and/or well f*** them.
Congrats on the offer! Especially in these times.
Good luck
Ps the money and status (or chances to get one or both) will come. I assure you.
Take the habitat for humanity role and don't look back.
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