Resetting Career Advice (Industry --> Finance)

Water Cooler Careers
#1

Currently working at a top tier tech firm (think Google/Twitter/Facebook) and approaching 2 years here. I am due a promotion soon (youngest team member and fastest one to be promoted) and a salary increase. My team value me and everything is fine except I feel quite ‘wasted’ here and not really sure how anything I do sets me up for a successful career (e.g. I don’t do deep enough statistical analysis to become a data scientist, I can code to a basic level but not enough to become an engineer and so on).

I have been told that my current firm are willing to sponsor my VISA this April so I can move in July (takes a few months to process). As it is an L-1 VISA I can get a green card after 1 more year so in theory by next July I could have eligibility to work anywhere in the US too (currently only able to work in the UK). I’m not sure I want to relocate to SF though as I’m not sure tech is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

Overall problems:

  • My salary is good but not great as I work in a regional office not the HQ. I’m not seeing much upside potential either. The finance industry in general pays much better and I’m not afraid of working long hours / working hard so feel under-compensated. If I move to HQ, salary improves, but the role remains the same.

  • Sticking to this role means I can work in the US/UK which is nice but its still another year down the line. I’m not even sure I want to do this role anymore and am pretty bored out of my skull despite doing my best to keep the role interesting. Another 1.5 years of this is a big ? for me.

  • It is way too late to get onto an analyst programme at a BB meaning the whole BB --> PE etc route is not an option unless I get an MBA. I could restart as an intern but I’m a clunky fit for that too… as I’m several years older than a normal analyst now.

  • I’ve been looking at HF roles, and given what I do in my current role, I could potentially swing a junior analyst role and/or middle office operational role at a HF with a better salary than what I have now. Not really sure I want to do that though and if that results in a ‘dead end’ ie can’t move to Front Office/Research Analyst/Portfolio Manager type role.

Quite stuck and not sure what to do - any advice?

#2

Two years tech experience is not that long for a switch to IB or finance in general but you do need some kind of high ed for the connection for the most part outside of hardcore networking. I have a couple friends who worked at one of those three firms you mentioned but made a switch after a couple years to IB after a one-year master’s degree.

They made the switch for similar reasons you mentioned, decent pay for the amount of work but not enough substance if you are motivated to do something more.

#3

Thanks for the reply.

Did they do a one year Masters and start as analysts?

Or MBA and starts as an Associate?

I went to a target for undergrad - could I not network without the Masters? I’m not really in a position to give up my job to get back in education otherwise I would.

Was this in the US or Europe out of interest?

Do you think its worth waiting it out for the green card as banking/PE/VC is much bigger in the US so opps are wider vs the UK/Europe especially for non-EU language speakers.

Do you think doing the CFA would help?

#4

Bump