Banker trying to break into SWE

Nov 18, 2021 16 Comments

Seeing you all post these crazy TC have me wanting to switch careers.

Tips anyone?

TC: 105k
YOE: 4 years

Currently at Goldman Sachs as a fund manager

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TOP 16 Comments
  • Amazon
    Mudiji

    Go to company page Amazon

    Mudiji
    For SWE specifically, bootcamp at the very least, formal grad school if you want to really grow down the line. As much as folks here might make it seem like doing a few LC problems is all it takes, most of them have CS backgrounds. It also really matters, knowing the fundamentals and not just the syntax.

    If you want to get into adjacent careers that pay well but not as much as SWE, data science and analytics is your best bet. Much easier to break into as long as you have at least some sort of quantitative background and can do some coding.
    Nov 18, 2021 2
    • I appreciate this! Thank you for giving a quality answer and not trolling
      Nov 18, 2021
    • Amazon
      Mudiji

      Go to company page Amazon

      Mudiji
      No problem. I personally made a switch into analytics. I love it.

      You’ll see a lot of comments here telling you to give it time and/or how some find manager somewhere makes 1m or some shit.

      Three points:
      1. Outliers make that much in finance, as you must know. Randos in tech make >150k. Often close to 200k
      2. Real killer is the hours worked. Unless you’re in horrible teams at certain companies, you’re masking these salaries for working 40hrs a week at most. Often less. I worked 2 hours today
      3. Who is more valuable in 2021, a finance person or a finance person who knows technology?
      Nov 18, 2021
  • Amazon
    greenteaa

    Go to company page Amazon

    greenteaa
    For a second I read it as - SWE trying to break into a bank
    Nov 18, 2021 2
  • Breaking into IT is possible and doable but don’t break in because of TC because this will be your day to day job at least make sure you like it. So I’d recommend to join a bootcamp. Since you’re in Dallas, check SMU and Oklahoma Uni they have good bootcamps for beginners.
    Nov 18, 2021 1
  • Intuit
    gTbo74

    Go to company page Intuit

    gTbo74
    I thought fund managers make more than that? One of the bank fund managers in my gym makes 800k

    Also do you have six months of free time to study 13 hours everyday? Or 5k hours to spend on studying ? Followed by another six months of just doing algorithms ? Some people who did this dont even make that much TC because of selection bias
    Nov 18, 2021 2
  • Amazon
    coe_god

    Go to company page Amazon

    coe_god
    an experienced CFA makes senior SWE FAANG money in LCOL area, just give it time
    Nov 18, 2021 0