Telling Headhunter I care about WLB
I am talking to a couple of the bigger headhunters in Real Estate (think Glocap/CPI/Bellcast/RETS). I have around 1 year of experience. Would telling them I care about WLB and do not want to work 65+ hour workweeks regularly make them not want to invest in me? My concern is that the recruiters may view this as someone who is not willing to work hard (thus either throwing me out entirely or placing me on the backburner), but really, I just don't want to work Megafund/IB type hours and want to have a life outside of work. I am ok with working max of 60 hours per week or on rare occasions more hours if needed.
You earn the right to say this after a few years in IB / at an intense REPE shop. Otherwise just keep the comment to yourself and focus on asset management roles.
Or just do your DD on opportunities prior to joining. Don’t join fortress expecting WLB. Intense firms will ask you during the interview process - “are you willing to work late / on weekends”? They don’t want people joining thinking it’s going to be chill and then quit after 6 months
You 100% can say this. They want to place you in a role that works for their client. If they place you in a role that’s 90 hours per week - you’ll quit. You also don’t want them to put you up for roles that are 90 hours per week. Be straightforward. No need to beat around the bush. If they show you a role you can ask - is this expected to be a 80 plus hour week role. They could say the culture is brutal or 100% no. For example-I work an acquisitions job. I probably work 40-50 hours per week. I work nights and weekends when needed but not every night or weekend. Maybe once every 2-3 weeks. That’ll take me up to the 50 hour per week mark. I specifically sought out a place where I would have a life. Even when I was an analyst. I wouldn’t survive IB/Mega PE hours. Frankly-I’ve actually quit a role with those hours with nothing lined up. I screwed up figuring out the lifestyle part because I didn’t do enough asking. The company also screwed up bc they didn’t bother asking if I would work until 2 AM 6 days per week. It was a cultural mismatch day 1. I don’t function on those hours. So I won’t do them. Know yourself. Figure out the firm you’re interviewing with by asking question. Be straightforward with what you want.
I'm not sure I agree that recruiters are thinking that far ahead about keeping their clients happy and their hires not leaving in 1 - 2 years. I wouldn't give them too much credit.
I'm a bit torn on the question. I think you're better off not mentioning and doing the DD yourself in interviews or asking around (ask an ex-employee to meet and get their experience). Many recruiters don't know the reality of work life of the clients they're hiring to anyways.
Recruiters are more concerned you leave after 60-90 days, and if I ever got a job that made me work more than 60 hours a week I'd quit in the first 60-90 days. It's important to be clear with them about that.
Even though its totally fine to enjoy WLB, I’d recommend not until you secure the interview. You should be able to figure out the firm’s culture/working hour when you meet the team. That when YOU get to interview them to see if you are getting what you want. Al the old saying goes, a bird in your hand is worth two in the bush.
Look, you have every right to lay down the conditions under which you'll be happy (and therefore likely to stay and be your most valuable).
Potential firms have the right to judge you for it. You're going to vastly narrow your range of potential landing spots, but you'll probably be much happier with whatever's left. If that's a gamble you're willing to take, then saying something is smart.
But I would be careful with how you phrase it
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