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I feel pretty bad for even thinking about this, but here it goes...
I recently started my career as a Financial Analyst for a company in the healthcare field. As a college senior, I was lucky enough to have this position lined up before walking across the stage, especially considering the fact that I never held a finance-related internship while in college. When I received the offer for this position, I immediately accepted. It seemed as though I had lucked out: the interviewing managers were incredibly nice to me, the work environment seemed to be nurturing and positive, the pay is really good, and the PTO and benefits are both amazing. I’m doing really well for a 22 year old! Despite all of this, I am seriously considering resigning from my position after between 1-2 years of service. Here are the reasons, which are in order from most important to lease important:
1.) My position is more similar to that of a Consultant than a Financial Analyst
After being an employee for a few months, this is my biggest concern. Although I love the company and what I do, I have been realizing that my passion lies within corporate finance. I would rather be working on budget forecasting, financial modeling, and preparing financial statements and/or reports. While I do analyze and interpret financial data in my current capacity, I’m working with the financial data of assigned clients. In essence, I am the extension of a third-party contractor. I would rather be working in corporate finance with a company, not with individual clients. Additionally, a defined pathway towards my ideal role does not exist. The CFO takes care of budgeting and forecasting with very little support staff.
2.) I would rather be working in the city
When I accepted this position, I knew that it would be located at a suburban office park. I didn’t mind, as I was thankful for an offer like this. As I move up in the field and gain more experience, however, I would MUCH rather prefer to work in the city. At the moment, I take public transportation to and from the city and office. I prefer taking public transportation, so this doesn’t bother me; however, it takes nearly two hours to commute about 20 miles. This leaves me with very little free time to accomplish things when I arrive home. This also means that I must wake up really early in the morning, translating to a messsd up sleep schedule. Taking the subway from my apartment to the center of my city would only take about 10 minutes. Aside from the fact that I HATE the suburbs with a burning passion, I would rather live and work in my city.
3.) The dress code
Out of all of the reasons I’m considering leaving my position eventually, this is the most minor. I would prefer to work in a position where I have to dress up in a full suit everyday. Wearing a suit at my current place of work is far from the norm.
In addition to the reasons I’ve mentioned above, the two potential advantages of pursuing a new position could be a reduction in taxes and an increase in base pay.
So, am I wrong for wanting to do this? Should I just keep what I have, or should I go elsewhere to pursue my dreams? Though this position doesn’t fully align with what I desire, I am so thankful to have it! My coworkers, bosses, the overall work environment, and what I make are all great. I’m doing a LOT better than most people my age, including several people who graduated from business school with me!
Most new college graduates should, and do, leave their first position after 1-3 years.
There are several reasons.
1. People develop specific career interests after some time in the business world. They know more about themselves, their careers, and possibilities once they have experience. This is true of you.
2. People have experience, and after a few years are generally able to gain a promotion. This shows positive career advancement and is generally considered a positive by hiring managers. Staying too long at a relatively low level position is career suicide. Also true of you.
3. Once you have a few dollars to your name and some credit, it is a great opportunity to explore the world, move to a new place, and experience something different. Also true of you.
4. Desiring to wear a suit all the time is just plain weird.
Wearing a suit to the office is a professional virtue and should be regarded as someone who displays leadership and makes wise decisions. I work in a large F50 financial corporation and in one of the largest office buildings in North America. People wear what they want - sadly jeans are permitted - but the people who take their job seriously are wearing professional attire and walk proudly. I applaud the OP and wish him well on his adventures.
Most new college graduates should, and do, leave their first position after 1-3 years.
There are several reasons.
1. People develop specific career interests after some time in the business world. They know more about themselves, their careers, and possibilities once they have experience. This is true of you.
2. People have experience, and after a few years are generally able to gain a promotion. This shows positive career advancement and is generally considered a positive by hiring managers. Staying too long at a relatively low level position is career suicide. Also true of you.
3. Once you have a few dollars to your name and some credit, it is a great opportunity to explore the world, move to a new place, and experience something different. Also true of you.
4. Desiring to wear a suit all the time is just plain weird.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ExpertAnalysis
Wearing a suit to the office is a professional virtue and should be regarded as someone who displays leadership and makes wise decisions. I work in a large F50 financial corporation and in one of the largest office buildings in North America. People wear what they want - sadly jeans are permitted - but the people who take their job seriously are wearing professional attire and walk proudly. I applaud the OP and wish him well on his adventures.
Thank you, both, for your posts. As for the suit thing, I’ve been in love with that look since I was a little kid. It makes me feel professional and confident, both inside and out of the office. I’m also a first-generation college student coming from a poor family (I make more than the majority of both sides of my family at 22), so it makes me feel accomplished. Furthermore, ExpertAnalysis is right. Related to what he posted, I don’t want to be an Analyst forever; instead, I want to transition into a roles with increasing responsibilities until I eventually reach the role of CFO!
While I am not sure how to advise you in terms of your progressing in your financial career, be very grateful that you have such a good, stable job now with good management. To have that kind of a job is what I wanted for myself during my 35 year career. Unfortunately, I was not able to enjoy such a job and had jobs that had lousy, manipulative, even hysterical management with high pressure, plenty of unpaid overtime work, and low quality work environments.
However, I was a software developer and pressure, overtime, and wacky management seems to be the norm in IT rather than peace and tranquility. Perhaps in Finance things are different. But at any rate, value your time with this employer and enjoy your peaceful job despite the disadvantages that you have outlined.
Definitely put in your 1-2 years and then pursue corporate finance. Consider approaching the CFO to see if he would be willing to mentor you since you are new to corporate life and interested in all avenues of financial, including corporate finance.
Make your own pathway - just because the CFO does everything now doesn't mean he WANTS to. Perhaps if you build a relationship with him you can get to a point of introducing the notion of having an associate financial officer that handles the things you want to do.
At my old company I outgrew my original role and had built a good enough relationship with my boss that I was able to obtain a promotion into a completely different role that more closely aligned what I was doing. Build that same relationship with the CFO, and see what it may bring for you.
If after a couple years nothing has come to fruition either through relationship building or mentoring, consider going elsewhere for sure.
Wearing a suit to the office is a professional virtue and should be regarded as someone who displays leadership and makes wise decisions. I work in a large F50 financial corporation and in one of the largest office buildings in North America. People wear what they want - sadly jeans are permitted - but the people who take their job seriously are wearing professional attire and walk proudly. I applaud the OP and wish him well on his adventures.
Why "sadly"? What effect does someone else wearing jeans have on you?
For most of my professional career, I wore jeans. Partly because sometimes I'd help out with the dirty jobs, but mainly because that's what I wanted to wear. I didn't interact with the higher-ups and didn't give a fog if anyone didn't like it. For a few years, I worked in a building that had no AC, and in the summer I wore shorts. That boggled some minds, but I just told people, "If they want to fire me, they know where my office is."
Now that I do interact directly with customers and decision-makers, I wear slacks and a jacket, and wouldn't think of wearing jeans. But many of my coworkers on the technical side do, and that's their choice. Doesn't bother me.
Why "sadly"? What effect does someone else wearing jeans have on you?
For most of my professional career, I wore jeans. Partly because sometimes I'd help out with the dirty jobs, but mainly because that's what I wanted to wear. I didn't interact with the higher-ups and didn't give a fog if anyone didn't like it. For a few years, I worked in a building that had no AC, and in the summer I wore shorts. That boggled some minds, but I just told people, "If they want to fire me, they know where my office is."
Now that I do interact directly with customers and decision-makers, I wear slacks and a jacket, and wouldn't think of wearing jeans. But many of my coworkers on the technical side do, and that's their choice. Doesn't bother me.
Everyone has their opinion on proper work attire, so let's not detract from OP's inquiry.
To OP, I think it's perfectly fine. It sounds like we work for very similar companies, in that I, too, am a Financial Analyst. However, during my first couple of months in, it definitely feels more like a client consulting role. That said, I do get to do more financial modeling and budgeting work, so at least there's that. The travel time and client presentations just burn me out.
I think it's perfectly reasonable that you look for something else after a couple of years. In fact, this might happen a few more times in your career before you find a good fit. It's far more common in the modern workforce. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.
Yeah, that's pretty normal. You're getting experience and figuring out what you like and where you want to be.
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