Forgive me, but why do people who are in their mid-30s and beyond stay at companies and firms known

[Anonymous]

for horrible WLB? Is it money? Why do people stay at places like Goldman for 10+ years? I’m talking about companies that are known to be placed that you absolutely want to get experience at when you’re a new grad, but not later on. Is it fear of the unknown, of uncertainty?

[Anonymous]

Inertia. Leaving a job is scary. Doubly so if you're looking at a salary cut.

[Anonymous]

I'm 37 and a director at a Big 4. The salary is pretty nice and I'm debt free with minimal bills. I don't have kids,but my fiance and I do want to possibly have one soon. We have a house that is paid in full and I could be a SAHM for a few years if we have a little one. If not, we will buy a second home and other material "nice to haves". I need over a $200k salary and a mostly remote role to jump, but now just isn't a good time since I'm contemplating TTC.

[Anonymous]

Can’t wait to watch a bunch of grouchy women give their explanations.

[Anonymous]

Some places are also *known for* terrible WLB but it's not universally true. I stayed in BigLaw for 15 years because every year it got easier and I was paid more for less stress. Not true for everyone at my firm but it was my experience.

I still sometimes find it useful to let people assume I have nose-to-the-grindstone tendencies.

[Anonymous]

Golden handcuffs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can’t wait to watch a bunch of grouchy women give their explanations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Inertia. Leaving a job is scary. Doubly so if you're looking at a salary cut.

It's this. I have a number of friends in this situation. They've complained about these jobs for years (in some cases, two decades), their spouses hate their jobs, plus the company has a name that would help them get any number of very well-paying jobs with better work-life balance. But they are afraid of trying something else, discovering they don't like it or can't deal with the paycut (there's pretty much always a paycut), and then having the option of returning to their current company foreclosed.

The longer it goes on the worse it gets because they become really entrenched at their current company. They mostly just talk to colleagues who have also been there forever and it confirms what they already fear. Even when it's obvious that they should not be listening to these people. They also create lifestyles that are reliant upon that income.

[Anonymous]

For many it's that the WLB improves considerably at more senior levels. Not to something easy, but to something that can be managed.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely the $$. SAH spouse whose future earnings potential is limited, private school, vacation home.

Also the prestige.

[Anonymous]

I thought you were going to ask why they stay at companies that are obviously so bad for the world!

[Anonymous]

One of my best friends from college was one of GS’s superstar traders in HK for about 10 years from his late 20s-late 30s. Kid made NBA money that entire time. He seemed pretty happy with his “WLB”. He’s since moved on to other things, but not necessarily anything easier.

Some people are winners. Other people ask how much PTO they get and whether their supervisor is nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my best friends from college was one of GS’s superstar traders in HK for about 10 years from his late 20s-late 30s. Kid made NBA money that entire time. He seemed pretty happy with his “WLB”. He’s since moved on to other things, but not necessarily anything easier.

Some people are winners. Other people ask how much PTO they get and whether their supervisor is nice.

Life is short.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my best friends from college was one of GS’s superstar traders in HK for about 10 years from his late 20s-late 30s. Kid made NBA money that entire time. He seemed pretty happy with his “WLB”. He’s since moved on to other things, but not necessarily anything easier.

Some people are winners. Other people ask how much PTO they get and whether their supervisor is nice.

This is all made up lmao. & the last sentence isn’t mutually exclusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Inertia. Leaving a job is scary. Doubly so if you're looking at a salary cut.

It's this. I have a number of friends in this situation. They've complained about these jobs for years (in some cases, two decades), their spouses hate their jobs, plus the company has a name that would help them get any number of very well-paying jobs with better work-life balance. But they are afraid of trying something else, discovering they don't like it or can't deal with the paycut (there's pretty much always a paycut), and then having the option of returning to their current company foreclosed.

The longer it goes on the worse it gets because they become really entrenched at their current company. They mostly just talk to colleagues who have also been there forever and it confirms what they already fear. Even when it's obvious that they should not be listening to these people. They also create lifestyles that are reliant upon that income.

They can always go back to the big 4. Have a few friends that have gone back 2 or 3 times and hopped between the big 4. No big deal.