Best work/life balance

I'm a rising sophmore and I personally would rather make 100k/year working 50 hours a week rather than 500k working 100 hours.

My question is, what position at, let's say a f500, would allow for the hours I desire, and have a decent salary? What would be the starting salary at said job?

Thanks!

 

I get what you're saying and all, but temper the expectations on the 50 hours for 100k, 100 hours for 500k projection by a factor of about... a lot. I guess if you're happy with like 50 hour weeks making 60-70k with marginal bonus, then moving up to like 80k, 100k, etc. and maybe topping out at like 300k, then the F500 corp. dev. thing works for that I think.

But if you wanna earn big you usually have to start off somewhere that's intense, otherwise everyone would be doing it, no?

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 
BlackHat:
I get what you're saying and all, but temper the expectations on the 50 hours for 100k, 100 hours for 500k projection by a factor of about... a lot. I guess if you're happy with like 50 hour weeks making 60-70k with marginal bonus, then moving up to like 80k, 100k, etc. and maybe topping out at like 300k, then the F500 corp. dev. thing works for that I think.

But if you wanna earn big you usually have to start off somewhere that's intense, otherwise everyone would be doing it, no?

Most F500 corp dev requires IB experience.

MM IB -> Corporate Development -> Strategic Finance
 
happypantsmcgee][quote=Flake]I think you're looking for <a href=http://www.averageassjoeoasis.com.[/quote rel=nofollow>www.averageassjoeoasis.com.[/quote</a>:
Not to be that guy but 100k in your mid twenties is only average on WSO.

Well that's just cuz Heister fucks up the average

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 

Compliance starts at 70k with a small (5-10k?) bonus. They work ~50 hours per week. You could hit 100k 3 years in. Easy to do.

Within the F500 world, let's say you do GE FMP. Granted, the hours are more than 40/week. I think they start at 60k. Corporate audit (2 years in?) is ~90k. Another year or two and you should be at 100k.

Or forget finance all together. Work in IT for a large bank. Work as an engineer. You can clear 90k with a few years of experience as an radiology-technician. You can do even better as a nurse.

The 100k barrier is not that high...if you study something practical and navigate recruiting competently, you should be fine.

 
West Coast rainmaker:
Compliance starts at 70k with a small (5-10k?) bonus. They work ~50 hours per week. You could hit 100k 3 years in. Easy to do.

Within the F500 world, let's say you do GE FMP. Granted, the hours are more than 40/week. I think they start at 60k. Corporate audit (2 years in?) is ~90k. Another year or two and you should be at 100k.

That all sounds good, but when you compare that to IB, the opportunity cost by the 3rd year is over 100k.
 
Connor:
West Coast rainmaker:
Compliance starts at 70k with a small (5-10k?) bonus. They work ~50 hours per week. You could hit 100k 3 years in. Easy to do.

Within the F500 world, let's say you do GE FMP. Granted, the hours are more than 40/week. I think they start at 60k. Corporate audit (2 years in?) is ~90k. Another year or two and you should be at 100k.

That all sounds good, but when you compare that to IB, the opportunity cost by the 3rd year is over 100k.

Oh, there's no doubt about that. Any FO provides vastly more career growth. And considering how that first job can alter your career trajectory...it's no wonder that people are not fighting to work in compliance. However, if you just want to earn 100k, and not much more, compliance is a straight path.

 

I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

 
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.
I agree with this statement completely. This answers the question that all the people who live in mediocrity have been pondering over for decades. Does Wall Street bring out the greed and overwhelming desire to be great, or does it just attract the type A's. It's obviously the latter.
 
Connor:
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.
I agree with this statement completely. This answers the question that all the people who live in mediocrity have been pondering over for decades. Does Wall Street bring out the greed and overwhelming desire to be great, or does it just attract the type A's. It's obviously the latter.

Agree. I'm the same way. I am not sure I will ever be content...I have a number (500k, coincidentally) beyond which more more money is pointless, but I think I would be miserable if I didn't keep trying. I used to think I hated the stress...now I realize I need to be working at some concrete goal to keep going.

 
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

No way in hell would I settle in NYC/SF etc for 100k, but in low cost of living states you can live like a king off 100k

I'd personally be cool with 100k as long as there's no compliance rules for trading my own account

 
WSOWill:
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

No way in hell would I settle in NYC/SF etc for 100k, but in low cost of living states you can live like a king off 100k

I'd personally be cool with 100k as long as there's no compliance rules for trading my own account

I would always look at people more successful than me and be unable to cope with the fact that I never even tried to get there.

 
BVMadden:
WSOWill:
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

No way in hell would I settle in NYC/SF etc for 100k, but in low cost of living states you can live like a king off 100k

I'd personally be cool with 100k as long as there's no compliance rules for trading my own account

I would always look at people more successful than me and be unable to cope with the fact that I never even tried to get there.

I'm confident I can get 40%+ return in the market YOY

I wouldn't be cool with 100k capped out total return

 
Best Response
WSOWill:
BVMadden:
WSOWill:
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

No way in hell would I settle in NYC/SF etc for 100k, but in low cost of living states you can live like a king off 100k

I'd personally be cool with 100k as long as there's no compliance rules for trading my own account

I would always look at people more successful than me and be unable to cope with the fact that I never even tried to get there.

I'm confident I can get 40%+ return in the market YOY

I wouldn't be cool with 100k capped out total return

 
SRRubio123:
I'm confident I can get 40%+ return in the market YOY
HahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahHAHA-HAHAHA-HAHAHAHA!

Your overconfidence will be your downfall. Nobody, literally nobody, who has actually invested in the market thinks that is a remotely realistic return target to achieve consistently. I guess you think you will be the best in the world by a large margin......that seems like a safe bet, right? Everybody else in the market must be a dummy.

 
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

I don't understand how people are able to settle with having little or no free weekends during the prime years of their life. I don't see how people aren't motivated to always have more free time to do whatever the hell they please. Personally, I like trekking up in the mountains/national parks most weekends, staying overnight on a bunk bed in a little hut, playing cards by the fire with tourists/trekkers from all over the world, walking through the crisp 0 degree mountain air. I'm happier staying in a cold mountain shack than I am in a Fifth Avenue hotel. My advice: don't confuse having "more" with having "more money". And planning to grind it out in your 20's so from then on your wealthy is a foolish idea. There isn't an old, rich person in the world who wouldn't give every penny away to be young again.

 
jacksooon999:
There isn't an old, rich person in the world who wouldn't give every penny away to be young again.

Just like there isn't an old, poor person in the world who wouldn't give all he has to be young again and work through his early life to support himself and his children later on.

"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old"
 
jacksooon999:
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

I don't understand how people are able to settle with having little or no free weekends during the prime years of their life. I don't see how people aren't motivated to always have more free time to do whatever the hell they please. Personally, I like trekking up in the mountains/national parks most weekends, staying overnight on a bunk bed in a little hut, playing cards by the fire with tourists/trekkers from all over the world, walking through the crisp 0 degree mountain air. I'm happier staying in a cold mountain shack than I am in a Fifth Avenue hotel. My advice: don't confuse having "more" with having "more money". And planning to grind it out in your 20's so from then on your wealthy is a foolish idea. There isn't an old, rich person in the world who wouldn't give every penny away to be young again.

Wall Street 1 ('87): "The most valuable commodity I know of is information." -GG Wall Street 2 ('10): "The one thing I learned in jail is that money is not the prime asset in life. Time is." -GG

Occupy

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.
jacksooon999:
I don't understand how people are able to settle with having little or no free weekends during the prime years of their life. I don't see how people aren't motivated to always have more free time to do whatever the hell they please. Personally, I like trekking up in the mountains/national parks most weekends, staying overnight on a bunk bed in a little hut, playing cards by the fire with tourists/trekkers from all over the world, walking through the crisp 0 degree mountain air. I'm happier staying in a cold mountain shack than I am in a Fifth Avenue hotel. My advice: don't confuse having "more" with having "more money". And planning to grind it out in your 20's so from then on your wealthy is a foolish idea. There isn't an old, rich person in the world who wouldn't give every penny away to be young again.
There is truth in both of these posts. Competition is healthy, but just wanting "more" makes a person feel empty inside. Rockefeller was once asked "How much is enough?" His answer: "Just a little bit more." He was worth ~$300 Billion in today's dollars.

My goal in life is to be happy. Unique / interesting experiences make me happy. Money is a tool that can be used to help achieve these ends; however, it is important for me to make sure that money does not become an end itself. If I feel like working in finance changes me to this effect, I'll quit.

 
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

You've obviously never worked. Getting a front-office SA position where you spend 80+ hours a week performing menial tasks might change your outlook. If you have friends/a girlfriend or boyfriend/family/enjoy having fun/getting a healthy amount of sleep and exercise you may find that spending your 20s playing with powerpoint and excel isn't necessarily having "more".

 
BVMadden:
I don't understand how people are able to settle like this. I guess it's a good thing because it takes away from the competition, but I fail to see how people are not motivated to always have more.

I don't understand how you can preach this despite so obviously not following it in your own life choices. You can't even put in the modest effort required to get into a first or second tier school yet you say you don't understand how people aren't willing to devote their entire life to work.

Do you realize how hypocritical you sound? Do you also realize that the jobs you classify as mediocre far exceed the jobs even the top northeastern graduates typically get?

 
reformed:
I don't understand how you can preach this despite so obviously not following it in your own life choices. You can't even put in the modest effort required to get into a first or second tier school yet you say you don't understand how people aren't willing to devote their entire life to work.

Do you realize how hypocritical you sound? Do you also realize that the jobs you classify as mediocre far exceed the jobs even the top northeastern graduates typically get?

I don't even know why I'm responding to this, but anyway... it's interesting how you think that spending $200k on an ivy league education is simply a "choice" one can make. I'm not going to go into details because I simply don't have to nor want to, but sure, why doesn't every good student just hop on the ivy league train?

 

The only way I would settle for 100k/year is if the year was 1947 where 100k/year is equal to 1 million/year today.

Robert Clayton Dean: What is happening? Brill: I blew up the building. Robert Clayton Dean: Why? Brill: Because you made a phone call.
 

It'd be interesting to see the posters here separated by clueless kids in college and people actually working. Assuming happiness in life is of any value, there's defnitely marginal utility of making more and more money. I'm no baller but my wife and I don't worry about money all that much, which is nice. Would I be willing to work twice as much to make twice as much money? Absolutely not. All I would end up with is a bigger house that I'd have to hire more maids to clean and maybe a nicer car.

 
rjroberts1:
It'd be interesting to see the posters here separated by clueless kids in college and people actually working. Assuming happiness in life is of any value, there's defnitely marginal utility of making more and more money. I'm no baller but my wife and I don't worry about money all that much, which is nice. Would I be willing to work twice as much to make twice as much money? Absolutely not. All I would end up with is a bigger house that I'd have to hire more maids to clean and maybe a nicer car.

It's pretty ignorant and close minded to assume that I'm clueless simply because of my age. You have no clue who I am or what my circumstances are, and I have no intentions of sharing any of that information with you. I don't even know why I'm responding to you, not even worth my time.

 
BVMadden:
rjroberts1:
It'd be interesting to see the posters here separated by clueless kids in college and people actually working. Assuming happiness in life is of any value, there's defnitely marginal utility of making more and more money. I'm no baller but my wife and I don't worry about money all that much, which is nice. Would I be willing to work twice as much to make twice as much money? Absolutely not. All I would end up with is a bigger house that I'd have to hire more maids to clean and maybe a nicer car.

It's pretty ignorant and close minded to assume that I'm clueless simply because of my age. You have no clue who I am or what my circumstances are, and I have no intentions of sharing any of that information with you. I don't even know why I'm responding to you, not even worth my time.

Chill out there sport. The point is that the world looks much different at 18 than it does at 30, and priorities tend to shift as you get older and enter the real world.

 

I realize that all of you in IB/PE/HF would not understand. I'm in TX; very low cost of living in most places. 100k in NY probably wouldn't get you much, but here you're doing fairly well (unless you just want to live in a over-priced neighborhood..) I agree with above posters, where I enjoy being outdoors; so if i was cooped up in a little cube for 100+ hours, I'd probably get depressed.

This is why I asked what has the best work/life balance. Not how "average" I'm trying to be. Kudos to you making 'more'. But, you value money more than free time, whereas I do not. Each to their own.

Again, thank all of you that were actually helping me out with my questions.

 

some people just aren't obsessed with a specific figure... when you get to a certain age, you start to realize that the extra money might not be worth the hassle

 
Paul.Allen:
Come on man, how can you go into life thinking like this...

Gee maybe some people value life outside of work and work to live rather than live to work? Just a thought. I don't understand what's so wrong about taking a pay cut for having time outside of working. Plus, making "only" 150-200k isn't as easy as a lot of you think it is. Sure bankers make that in 1-2 years, but most people will never see 100k much less 200k...

 

Bumping because I am just like the OP...

I was strongly considering actuary/underwriter type jobs in insurance/reinsurance. My dad is an underwriter for a reinsurance company and is now making 500k (not in NYC). He definitely made over 200k by the time he was 35 or so and he has always averaged a classic 9-5 workday with many golf outings and client lunches. He also says he would never choose a different job. The only reason I haven't strongly considered this career is because I feel like he simply just got lucky with his job and nothing else to make that amount.

 

Move to a socialist country in Europe. I work 35-50 hours a week and get 30 days of vacation to spend around Italy, etc. You'll earn enough money after a few promotions in a multi-national.

 

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