IB analyst. Want to quit without my next job lined up. Thoughts?

Been grinding for two years now and really getting worn down. Don't like the sector I cover and don't think I could do this for another year. I've heard stories about people leaving banking with nothing lined up -does anyone know anyone that's done this or have opinions / thoughts? Going through a rough patch so appreciate any advice. Thanks WSO

 
UFOinsider:
OP have you contacted recruiters?

This. Keep your job, slack off, and look for other jobs. Looking for jobs while unemployed is a nightmare and it takes you out of the position of power.

"For all the tribulations in our lives, for all the troubles that remain in the world, the decline of violence is an accomplishment we can savor, and an impetus to cherish the forces of civilization and enlightenment that made it possible."
 

Allow your work quality to drop and feign incompetence / lack of interest in improving. This will quickly cause people to avoid working with you or putting you on challenging stuff, and your hours will drastically improve. Obviously don't push so far that you get fired. Just imitate one of the bottom analysts in your group.

 
LifestyleBanker:
Allow your work quality to drop and feign incompetence / lack of interest in improving. This will quickly cause people to avoid working with you or putting you on challenging stuff, and your hours will drastically improve. Obviously don't push so far that you get fired. Just imitate one of the bottom analysts in your group.

This. Basically what I'm doing, pretty awesome because I don't give a sh*t and there's relatively less stress.

 
LifestyleBanker:
Allow your work quality to drop and feign incompetence / lack of interest in improving. This will quickly cause people to avoid working with you or putting you on challenging stuff, and your hours will drastically improve. Obviously don't push so far that you get fired. Just imitate one of the bottom analysts in your group.

This is pretty terrible advice. The other analysts/associates are going to have to cover your slack, and they will hate you for it. You've started an actual career now. Can't have people calling your previous employers and hearing about how you checked out 12 months in.

 
triplectz:
This is pretty terrible advice. The other analysts/associates are going to have to cover your slack, and they will hate you for it. You've started an actual career now. Can't have people calling your previous employers and hearing about how you checked out 12 months in.

No former employer would make this observation (law suit risk). The only people you have to worry about are your references.

"For all the tribulations in our lives, for all the troubles that remain in the world, the decline of violence is an accomplishment we can savor, and an impetus to cherish the forces of civilization and enlightenment that made it possible."
 

Don't quit until you have something else lined up (as someone above mentioned). It will suck, but it's 10X easier to get another job when you are already employed. Just make your search a priority and get ready to have a lot of 'doctor/dentist appointments'.

 
Best Response

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've been pushing back a bit more on work but I don't want to completely piss off my coworkers and make for an even poorer work environment.

I've also met with recruiters but it's very challenging finding opps outside of my sector with my non-traditional background. Agree with most of you that it probably makes most sense to continue looking while employed. Fundamentally, the issue for me is figuring out what I want to spend my life doing and I guess I'm a bit too idealistic to be motivated simply by making money and "advising companies". I don't really have expensive tastes and don't find the work itself that fulfilling - I've worked on and closed a couple deals which frankly I was indifferent about. I've found myself thinking - if that's the epitome of success in banking and I can't appreciate it, I'm probably in the wrong business. Don't know if others have felt similarly but would be great to hear other perspectives.

People tend to think life is a race with other people. They don't realize that every moment they spend sprinting towards the finish line is a moment they lose permanently, and a moment closer to their death.
 
rickyross:
I've also met with recruiters but it's very challenging finding opps outside of my sector with my non-traditional background. Agree with most of you that it probably makes most sense to continue looking while employed.
Don't just work with recruiters if you want to look into other areas. Recruiters will only think in the box, because that's all they get paid for. Personally, I think they are completely useless.
rickyross:
Fundamentally, the issue for me is figuring out what I want to spend my life doing and I guess I'm a bit too idealistic to be motivated simply by making money
Apply to a number of different things and convince yourself that each one is the right job for you. Get a bunch of offers and decide what you want to do from there.
 
SirTradesaLot:
rickyross:
I've also met with recruiters but it's very challenging finding opps outside of my sector with my non-traditional background. Agree with most of you that it probably makes most sense to continue looking while employed.
Don't just work with recruiters if you want to look into other areas. Recruiters will only think in the box, because that's all they get paid for. Personally, I think they are completely useless.
rickyross:
Fundamentally, the issue for me is figuring out what I want to spend my life doing and I guess I'm a bit too idealistic to be motivated simply by making money
Apply to a number of different things and convince yourself that each one is the right job for you. Get a bunch of offers and decide what you want to do from there.

Thanks for the input. I agree with your view on recruiters / HR and generally try to avoid them entirely. The interviews I've gotten have primarily been through my own networking efforts or through friends / colleagues.

People tend to think life is a race with other people. They don't realize that every moment they spend sprinting towards the finish line is a moment they lose permanently, and a moment closer to their death.
 
TheFix:
Is the issue that you don't like investment banking or that you don't like finance (including buy-side) in general?

I think I'd actually like banking and finance if it wasn't for the combination of being overworked, underappreciated, and not liking the type of people I work with and that high finance tends to attract. I come from very humble beginnings so I'm always rubbed the wrong way whenever I hear the first world complaints. But I get it, that's the world we live in.

Having grown up relatively poor, I do want to make money, but haven't figured out if I'm willing to put up with the personalities and day-to-day BS that you encounter in banking (or similar careers). I want to be able to work with people / leaders who respect their subordinates (and vice versa), are down to earth, genuinely care about their employees, and want to do something to improve the community around them while still making good money.

Frankly, my view is that it's pretty sad that people simply work certain jobs so that they can maintain a certain lifestyle or the promise of that lifestyle.

People tend to think life is a race with other people. They don't realize that every moment they spend sprinting towards the finish line is a moment they lose permanently, and a moment closer to their death.
 
rickyross:
TheFix:
Is the issue that you don't like investment banking or that you don't like finance (including buy-side) in general?

I think I'd actually like banking and finance if it wasn't for the combination of being overworked, underappreciated, and not liking the type of people I work with and that high finance tends to attract. I come from very humble beginnings so I'm always rubbed the wrong way whenever I hear the first world complaints. But I get it, that's the world we live in.

Having grown up relatively poor, I do want to make money, but haven't figured out if I'm willing to put up with the personalities and day-to-day BS that you encounter in banking (or similar careers). I want to be able to work with people / leaders who respect their subordinates (and vice versa), are down to earth, genuinely care about their employees, and want to do something to improve the community around them while still making good money.

Frankly, my view is that it's pretty sad that people simply work certain jobs so that they can maintain a certain lifestyle or the promise of that lifestyle.

I honestly am not sure if things are better in other industries - I feel like things are pretty much the same everywhere else. As they say, "the grass is always greener."

 

ok shithead not sure why you would post something like this but here's my advice

  1. do you like money? if so, don't quite yet and just collect your pay checks until you get fired/find something else

  2. triplectz is right - you started a career and cant burn any bridges, the finance world is too small for your name to get around as a shithead

  3. interview elsewhere, get something (maybe corp/biz dev) and once it's secured, you can let it go.

It's really common sense but apprently it's not that common anymore

 

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