Thanksgiving is over and the holidays are around the corner. Lights are being strung, decorations are finding their places, and Starbucks has peppermint lattes – you know the time of the season. However, what’s happening seems to be unprecedented to me. People without any provocation are reaching out saying it may be time to move on. Who could it be? It’s not the millennials, it’s the seasoned professionals who are taking a long, hard look at the next five to ten years as they project their future into their retirement.
Is There Something In The Water?
As we enter the holiday season, in all my years I have not seen such an outpouring of requests to chat. What’s in the air? Is it frustration? Is it a tired factor of doing the same old thing for the same old company? Or are people just tired of being complacent and just going along for the ride? I personally don’t know, but there’s something. Let’s explore this together and unpack what may be going on with seasoned professionals.
Are Seasoned Professionals Taken For Granted Or Is It Actually Time?
It appears that “five years or more” is the magic number when people are questioning if they want to do the same thing at the same old firm? Are the firms taking their existing, seasoned professionals for granted and not showing them the love? Is the merger activity, which we’ve seen this past year at a definite all-time high, taking a toll on the more senior people at the firms and banks as the newer personnel are absorbed and shown more love and favoritism? This I can only surmise but the feedback tends to say yes. I am not advocating for anyone to leave their current position where they are happy and content, but when that feeling of contentment and even excitement starts to wane, then it may be time to move.
Has The Fire Gone Out? Light It Again!
Complacency at a position is probably the worst thing that can happen to any revenue-producing professional. When they get complacent, deal flows always diminish. They blame the lack of deals on the economy, interest rates, platform or even management. The truth may be they are just bored and there is no fire in them anymore. Typically seasoned professionals recognize it, so they have choices: retire or move on. By moving on, the excitement of the prospect of the future ignites their passion again. They become alive as they start the interview process in earnest. They become really excited about the future and what they can build again. Face it, we’re deal makers at heart and we want to do deals! So, if you find yourself resonating with these sentiments; there are lots of law firms seeking laterals, and banks looking for that banking professional with a niche or team. You are in good company, reach out to us.
Conclusion
You don’t need a resume to chat with us! If you would like to discuss your options, please reach out for a confidential conversation at 760-477-1284 or email at [email protected]. He can also be reached on LinkedIn. Harlan publishes a blog every Thursday here. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here, which is a compilation of our weekly blogs, so you never miss one. We have also been mentioned in Forbes, click HERE to read for yourself.
About Harlan Friedman, JD & Founding Member, H. Friedman Search LLC. Harlan is a thirty-year veteran Public Finance Banker turned recruiter who specializes in the placement of all levels Public Finance Bankers, Healthcare Bankers, Municipal Advisors, Compliance Officers, Issuers, and Bond Counsels.