Man, I worked for BAC for too long. Appreciate what I learned, but as a career vehicle it is a dead end. New job is incredible and my mental health I think has improved significantly. Don't underestimate how much BAC is weighing you down in life. You only get one life, do you want to give BAC 33% of it given how they treat you?
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They can't force you to give up your sabbatical time because it's a company benefit, it's fine to say "no thank you" to your leadership and disconnect/mute your phone. Same with working on vacation time, it's fine to say no, I'm not going to work, shut you phone off and return when you're scheduled to come back. You have to draw boundaries somewhere. The only exception is if you are a band 0-3, there's going to be some reasonable level of connectivity to work all the time but pay should reflect the inconvenience.
If you are in the tech org, you can go anywhere unless you are just very mediocre. Then it's best to stay at BoA where you can call up a meeting at any time to get people to solve your problems. I have never worked with SWEs so dependent on others to finish your tasks than at BoA. And then there are plenty of non technical old timers who basically merged into the tech org and now with zero technical background. They are just managers but completely helpless. They will never be able to find jobs outside the company.
10 years in I waited for my 2023 March RSUs to mature and got out with no plan. Best decision for my mental wellbeing ever. I wonder if 2024 will be a correction year for them with regards to staffing levels. Expect people trying to recruit you back hoping for easy “knows how we work and can hit the ground running” in 2024 or 2025.
Would love suggestions on where former employees have moved to. I have been looking for a while at competitors and I am not finding anything good.
Same! Left after a very long (35+ years) career. Was asked for forfeit 3 weeks of sabbatical time, work during vacation and even bereavement. i put in all sorts of hours, and there was always a firedrill to be on call for. No raises, and bonus cut every year. I left for a different company where I'm making more money, have better work life balance, and respect. Sad as i wanted to retire at BofA, but my mental health was more important.
Left recently, better comp all around, work from home full time, such a great culture and environment where ideas are actually welcomed.
Sometimes it is beneficial to hire a prepago to deal with mental stress. I find it quite helpful
As a SVP I left BAC several years back and doubled my salary in 5 years working for another bank. Salaries are low at BAC. They debanded me and lot of folks in technology from Band 4 to 5 and I decided to leave and have never looked back. It won’t sink and It’s a good company to learn but not to build a long term career. The moment you hit a certain salary range you become a layoff target. They won’t miss a beat if you leave or get laid off.
Anyone care to share if their new positions are 100% remote/hybrid or in office? Ideally even where you went and/or what type of work you are doing? Without some kind of detail, and people here looking every day for a different job, it is frustrating. No one will go after your new position, but instead it will show us what people are finding, and give a glimmer of hope.
RE sinking ship - what happens next year? Bank specific or recession stuff or both?
The Hotel California has historically been a hodge-podge of various bank acquisitions. It's only in recent years that they tried to hobble the Golem together with glue stick and bubble gum. That's why you find these strange fiefdoms where Betty Sue has 300 people that report to her that count paperclips. It's still too big to fail.
Agree 100% with OP. I left 2 months ago and my new job is so much more positive and until I left, I didn’t realize just how horrible my mental health had become at the bank. I feel like I was released from prison,
Been stuck at the same position for over a decade like many others. Very difficult to get any raises or promotions here unless at entry to mid-level. The bank is benefiting financial for my lack of desire for change.
It’s a sinking ship. Wait to see next year.