I’m a New Grad Who Gave up a Six-Figure Finance Job

I majored in political science but took classes at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Being around career-focused students who always talked about their résumés and internships challenged me to start caring about those things.

I tried out a variety of internships in college: I worked at a non-profit media outlet, an advertising company, and a think tank.

My strategy has always been to add 100-150 jobs to a spreadsheet with their details and apply to five each day until I run out. In my final summer before graduation, I managed to land three internship offers — from a consulting company, a consumer goods company, and JPMorgan.

When I got that phone call that I got the JPMorgan internship, it was so exciting and I felt really grateful. I would be working in their private banking division in Seattle. I wasn’t too nervous because they made it clear that even if we knew nothing, they could teach us.

Despite everything I have heard about banking from other friends, the interns and even the analysts we worked under did not have to work beyond our hours or on weekends. I didn’t find that my internship was taking a toll on me — physically or mentally.

When it came to getting full-time return offers, I expected to get it because I thought I did a good job and felt like I deserved it. They picked three out of five in my cohort, including me.

But by the time the offer rolled around, I think I had already had this lingering sense that this wasn’t the environment I wanted to be in long term.

I definitely had mixed feelings about the offer, even though it put my starting salary at $100,000 a year.

The number one factor in my pros and cons list was financial stability and knowing that a six-figure salary was one signature away. I don’t come from money, and my mom is a single parent to me and my three siblings. I was able to attend university because of several scholarships.

It was a hard number to say no to, but I have a strong growth mindset and I care a lot about how I spend my time and who I’m becoming. I wanted desperately to be in a place where I feel stimulated and I’m interested in the work I’m doing.

I was doing well, but I didn’t get that feeling at my internship. I didn’t have any bad experiences — there was just not enough work that I really enjoyed, like building models.

I didn’t have any other offers. The alternative was job hunting from scratch, not knowing what I would land and whether the offer would even come close to what JPMorgan was paying.

I thought, “What is the worst that can happen if I turn this down?” The answer was that I won’t have a job for a few months, but I’ll find one. I consulted my family, and one professor from my business school about my decision and turned it down.

Once I sent that email, I did not wallow about my decision. I went right back and found more jobs, made my spreadsheets just like before, started going for interviews. In a couple of months, I applied to a role at Unilever for a leadership program.

I used a lot of the same skills that helped me land the finance internship in my Unilever interviews.

I landed an offer at the company’s New Jersey office and am due to start working this fall. The pay was a significant cut from my first offer, but I see it as: If I enjoy what I’m doing, the money will come.

There was definitely the prestige factor of having JPMorgan on my résumé for a few years, but I just didn’t care that much about it as compared to what else I was looking for in a job.

I think that’s how many other Gen Zs are viewing work nowadays. They no longer want to give away 40 years of their lives for an annual paycheck. We’re being a lot more demanding about wanting a company culture and more than just wages.

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