Salaries in Finance

Has layoffs affected your mindset and mentality? My favorite coworker just got laid off. No warnings and no explanations. It’s hard to focus today when the news broke. How do you cope with the fear of… more

Working at a Top 3 firm is starting to feel like a very expensive vanity project. I’m making $140k and living in a tiny apartment in Midtown just so I can have a famous name on my resume. Meanwhile, m… more

Has anyone successfully fought a bonus reduction related to protected leave? I found out that my discretionary bonus was slashed because I took my full paternity leave this year. HR says it’s because … more

How do you realistically protect your work life balance when your job culture subtly rewards being “always available,” even if it’s never explicitly required? My company doesn’t directly say it but I … more

What salary would make you feel truly content—not just getting by and why? I’m curious how you decide that number. Do you base it more on your lifestyle, cost of living, savings goals, or work life ba… more

I’m currently staring at a job offer that would double my salary but require me to move to a city I absolutely loathe. I’m talking about a jump from $120k to $250k. The office is in a suburban corpora… more

Was recently told that at last years comp discussion I was “taken care of”… and it was implied that I shouldn’t be upset about current lack of knowledge and leadership I am seeing in my group. Not wi… more

What’s one company benefit you didn’t think would matter much at first, but now actually plays a big role in whether you stay or leave? For me, I used to focus mostly on salary, but over time things l… more

My MD joked that if I want a promotion, I need to start staying until 9 PM like the rest of the associates. I’m the most efficient person on the team and I get all my models done by 6 PM, but apparent… more

What is a good amount that you should save for PTO? How much money do you budget for vacations each year?

My company was recently acquired and in the beginning, everyone was celebrating because the benefits would be better. However, we recently noticed that there was a lot of quiet layoffs from our compan… more

I just hit my number for FIRE at 34, but I have absolutely no idea what to do with my life now. I’ve spent the last decade obsessed with work. My friends are all still grindingl. I’m debating staying … more

How do you tell the difference between normal work pressure that helps you grow and unhealthy pressure that’s slowly burning you out and at what point do you actually push back?

The family culture at my boutique firm just evaporated the second our Q1 earnings missed the target. We went from take care of our own to cutting the 401k match and the coffee service in a single morn… more

I’m being paid good money to stay in a role that’s effectively a dead end for my career. My base salary is $210k, which is way above market for my specific analyst duties, but I haven't learned a … more

What was your biggest salary increase when you moved to a different company? What about within your company? Mine was 30% when I moved to a different and 4% increase within the same company.

Can someone explain why the back office is always the first to be cut when budgets get tight? We’re the ones making sure the trades settle and the clients are happy, but we’re treated like an expense … more

My company promotes a lot of wellness benefits: mental health days, apps, stipends but I rarely use them. Does anyone else feel like these are hard to actually take advantage of without feeling judged… more

I feel like a total fraud, even though I just negotiated a massive raise. I look around the room and see people who seem much smarter than me, and I’m just waiting for the day management realizes they… more

Do employers unconsciously favor employees with shorter or more flexible commutes over those dependent on public transportation?

I rely on public transportation and have about an hour-long commute, whi… more

What was one piece of data or info you used during your last salary review, or when negotiating for a new position that actually worked? I’ve taken on new responsibilities for a while now with no rais… more

For those of you in office, have you noticed a compensation difference compared to colleagues that are remote? I’m starting to notice remote employees getting overlooked for promotions and raises, and… more

Has anyone been asked by their manager to break up their maternity leave instead of taking it all at once? Is that illegal? I was just asked since it is going to be very busy when I’m on maternity lea… more

Why is it so taboo to just talk openly about our salaries? Every time the subject comes up, everyone shuts down. I know we’re all technically allowed to discuss pay, but the social pressure to keep it… more

Besides salary, what’s made you leave a company? My current manager is leaving—she was amazing—and is getting replaced by someone that I’ve heard is way more strict and expects crazy hours. I’m not qu… more

Since AI is now used for screening resumes, how have you changed your approach when applying for jobs? I used to get a lot more responses after applying for jobs and now I’m lucky if I have one resume… more

How do you start off a conversation to ask for an out of cycle raise? I’ve been taking on more and more responsibilities and I think I have decent points for why I deserve one. I’m just nervous to sta… more

Hola espero estén bien, soy analista financiero y ando buscando un rol de FP&A , tengo experiencia en procesos contables y financieros. Consolidación financiera, servicios compartidos, reporteria regulatoria.… more

How do you actually value equity in a company that hasn't gone public yet? I’ve been headhunted for a dream role at a startup, but the pay cut is making me sweat. The stock options are technically… more

Is a raise increase from SFA to FM a large increase? I am aiming to get that promo by the next promoting cycle. What is the average increase that I can expect?

What’s the biggest financial opportunity you missed because you hesitated in terms of career growth? Mine was not participating in the ESPP sooner. I missed out on a few thousand dollars…

Can someone tell me the salary range and bonus of Portfolio Manager III at Bank of America?

What are your thoughts on switching roles with another department for a year? Leadership is thinking about implementing this change as a way to cross train and I can see how it can be better in the lo… more

I’m trying to decide if the stress of a Portfolio Manager role is worth the extra $50k over my current analyst gig. I’m already working late, and the idea of having actual P&L responsibility feels… more

If a manager straight-up yells at you in a meeting, do you call it out in the moment or stay quiet and deal with it later? What actually protects your career more? This happened to me for the first ti… more

My company just announced a mandatory rto, and the morale drop is badddd. I’m already checking job boards for remote-first alternatives because I’m not losing two hours a day to a commute again. Are a… more

How much, if anything, does your company contribution to your HSA? Mine does $500 for individuals and $750 for families. I’m interested to know if this is typical or not.

Is it just me, or does everyone have a side hustle these days just to keep up? I’m currently consulting on the side, but it’s eating into my weekends and leaving me exhausted for Monday morning. Does … more

How do you make yourself stand out in interviews? It’s been a few years since I’ve applied anywhere, but I’m restarting the application process again and need all the tips I can get.

When interviewing for a new job, how big is the salary range you typically provide? I used to provide a range of $5k (for example, $120-125k), but now I’m wondering if I should give a wider range. Wou… more