I'm willingly aiming to become a 9-6pm slave in BO (Operations)... care to advise me?

Hey guys - I'd really appreciate some advice on the following. I know the traditional wisdom surrounding BO being a waste of time and the strong focus on FO roles here, but I've made a conscious decision to pursue the BO. You'll see why below.

CURRENT SITUATION
* 23, Male, London (UK), entering final year of BSc Computer Science degree at a top 5 university
* Strong academic and extracurricular profile (Three technology internships inc. Big 4, top Data Science company, and Financial Regulator. Graduate job offers from all three in the low-mid £30-35K range), (Other strong experiences include being elected full-time Vice-President of the Students' Union and a year working on the underground)
* Strong interviewing and networking skills. I (very thankfully) have the gift of the gab and have never failed an in-person interview (once I'm there, that is).
* I take care of my mum (she has a long-term illness), and need/want to spend good time with her everyday. She takes precedence in my life and I don't give a crap about FO money. This will continue into the long-term and isn't something I'm going to give up. Any career I choose will need to fit around this.
* Assume that I have a complex personal situation (too long to explain) meaning I'm not including the cost of relationships/wife/kids in my long-term planning. Relationships/wife/kids is something I'll think about much later in life, if it happens.
* I'm decidedly frugal, from a lower-middle-class background, and thankfully have some financial security (jointly own, with mum, a small ex-council flat in a run-down area of London).

GOALS

  • To have a job that fits around my caring responsibility.

  • To maximise the income of that job (Ops is around £40-43K vs the £35K of my current offers), while retaining a schedule that's mainly 9-6 with some occasional late stays

  • To work for around 10-12 years, saving most of my income (it's realistic, I've run the numbers) and working towards frugal financial independence (FIRE for those that know), and thereafter dive back into education (Masters and PhD)

  • To have a job that leaves me ample time and energy to grow a small property business that I've started with some friends as a side-hustle

My goals above have guided me towards a BO job - preferably in Operations or possibly a Business Analyst-type technology role. I understand both can be mind numbing. That's fine by me - I want to conserve energy for my main hobbies: reading and gymming. I just want to make sure of the following, and would really appreciate input - particularly from those in the BO:

  1. For those working in Ops or Tech, especially in London, what are your general hours like? What's the working culture like?
  2. What exit opportunities have you, or someone you know, successfully pursued?
  3. What's the progression like beyond Associate 3? Is there a significant ceiling preventing many people from making VP Operations?
  4. What are London salaries like for Analysts (1,2,3) and Associates (1,2,3)? Glassdoor gives me approximates of mid-£40K range for Analysts and mid-£60K for Associates, with £80-95K for VP Operations.
  5. Any other general advice that comes to mind when you read this? It'd be much appreciated!

I am of course very much open to any advice you can give me, including that of the type "What the hell are you doing, aim higher!". Just give me a braindump of your thoughts.

 
Most Helpful

I would recommend looking at Audit. I did Audit and also have friends who work in BO at Banks so have a decent handle on both.

Audit will pay you slightly less out of university (c.£30k) but gives much more optionality. You essentially buy three years to figure out what you want to do. The W/L balance is great apart from busy season (2-3 months), you can pretty much come and go as you please in the summer. There is also a strong social side if you care about that.

Ops will pay more, maybe £40k, but as you alluded to this is more stagnant w.r.t promotions and you are very much pigeonholed in that field. Within 10-12 years in Audit you would be a director in Audit and pushing partner, maybe on £150-£200k. Not really sure what the progression is like in Ops, but I assume slower, and most definitely less of a clear path (Audit has pretty much guaranteed promotions).

For what its worth pretty much everyone in Ops hated their jobs, people strongly disliked Audit too, but the variety of exit opps and chilled culture made it a lot more bearable.

 
Analyst 3+ in IB-M&A:
Audit will pay you slightly less out of university (c.£30k) but gives much more optionality. You essentially buy three years to figure out what you want to do. The W/L balance is great apart from busy season (2-3 months), you can pretty much come and go as you please in the summer. There is also a strong social side if you care about that.

Can confirm. Took me a year and a half to confirm what I want to do, but glad I've had this time to make my mind up for sure.

Analyst 3+ in IB-M&A:
For what its worth pretty much everyone in Ops hated their jobs, people strongly disliked Audit too

Can also confirm sadly.

 

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