Life Balance

Question

I think the people who are gunning for i-banking or MC or PE usually are the most outspoken here and at BW.

I'm curious though, is there anyone out there who really values free-time who is planning on moving into something with very reaonsable hours? In other words, are we all pretty much of the mindset, "I'm going to work really hard after school, even if it means 70 hour weeks, because I need to pay off school and start making serious money," or is there anyone out there thinking they want a nice life balance (like 40-50 hour weeks) and if so, what type of work would this be?

lepium · Answer

50-60hs, tops. Beyond that, I don't perform.

rhyme · Answer

50 to 60 hours. Max. My goal is not the most amount of money, but the most amount of happiness. I've learned that they dont always go hand in hand.

This means

no IB
no MC

It means:
Brand Mgmt
Corporate Finance
General Mgmt
etc..

lepium · Answer

Plus, I'm getting old, ya know... :lol:

dukes · Answer

I thought you were thinking about MC.

eazyb81 · Answer

I definitely want a normal work-life balance at some point, but I don't think it is necessary post-MBA while I am still in my late 20's/early 30's. I have no problem working 80-90 hour weeks for a few years while I pay my dues and move up the corporate ladder, but I have no desire to do that for the rest of my life.

Ozmba · Answer

Fk MC and IB..I want a work life balance and Money is the least motivator!!!

wshaffer · Answer

Right after college I worked 80-90 hours weeks at a law firm, sometimes more. For the most part I didn't mind it, but there were definitely days that I wished that I could leave before 10. After that I started working at a start up company where I work 40-45 hours per week and, honestly, I miss the intensity. I'm definitely busy, but I miss the rush. I miss everyone coming together on a project (or a brief, at a law firm) to do the best possibe job. Don't get me wrong - I don't miss the all-nighters, but I miss feeling like I was part of something larger. My goal after bschool is to find a middle-ground between the hours and culture at my job now and my previous job.

lepium · Answer

wshaffer, I feel you, I used to think the same way. But then I got the chance to experience working with great people who achieved a lot within normal hours (maybe not 40 and not a minute more but probably 45 - 50hs/week) and I changed my mind. I think you can be a "rush junkie" and still enjoy working normal hours.

wshaffer · Answer

lepium - that is ideal. I will definitely be on the lookout for that type of culture!

lepium · Answer

Well, I've had 4 bosses in my career so far and only one of them was like this! And I think I was lucky! But I try to be the same kind of boss nowadays.

haddy74 · Answer

corporate finance in a Fortune 500 is the way to go.......

johnnyx9 · Answer

I've asked this before in another thread, but when people talk about corporate finance, exactly what sort of work are we talking about? I mean in a very specific sense, what sort of titles or heirarchies are there in corporate finance or general management? I imagine if varies a lot by industry. 

For instance if you worked in corporate finance for Coca Cola, what would the heirarchy look like? CFO, then directors, then managers, etc? 

Do people in corporate finance work reasonable hours?

I realize these are vague and maybe naive sounding questions, but I just haven't been able to do find much material on what corporate finance is all about.

gmatclb · Answer

I need the work/life balance, but I don't want to get into an industry without any strong exit opportunities. General management (at Nabisco or Hershey's) would be a good job out of b school, but if you get bored of the job, you won't have many exit opportunities.

I need the work/life balance. I'm an equities trader now and if I can get a similar job after school, that would be perfect. I'm on the west coast. How's this sound. Get in work at 6:30AM, get fed breakfast and lunch (company pays and delivers, but you have to eat at your desk) and leave work at 1:30 (2:00 tops). My pay is crap right now, but looking to change that soon.

I think IB and MC are the safe bets. If you don't like them after 1 year, you are in a good position to move into almost any industry. Corporate world is more risky. If you want to jump ship, your experience doesn't sound sexy enough for the PE, hedge funds, VC, or <insert>

kidderek · Answer

I wondered how that worked in west coast. Some traders get in to work in NYC at 6:30am. How do you do the same in west coast?

rhyme · Answer

If its MC with Bain or McKinsey or BAH or some other ultra-elite, then I'd probably do it. The exit opportunities are just too big. Would I go work for some boutique consulting firm and travel like a moron with no brand recognition? No.

EconGirl · Answer

rhyme, where do you expect the exit opportunities to lead you to? just evaluating my own goals and I feel like we might be thinking along the same lines...

rhyme · Answer

I'd also love to see an answer to this.

gmatclb · Answer

I've heard of corporate finance referred to as investment banking.

As in the corporate finance division of IB.

eazyb81 · Answer

Generally I think that is what everyone is referring to. Some IB divisions are called "corporate finance", but 90+% of people refer to corporate finance as working as a C-level, director, or board member of a medium to large corporation. 

From my experience, corporate finance has very reasonable hours, but the downside is that many times you are limited in moving up the ladder. There will be occassions when you can't go up any further until someone dies or leaves the company.

Life Balance

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards