Ethical dilema, please advise
Hi guys, I have a bit of an ethical decision I can't quite come to a decision on.
This past summer, I completed an internship at a BB in the technology division (Comp Sci background). I received an offer at the end, but turned it down because I wanted to try my luck at an FO role.
Afterwards, I began my Master's degree of which I'm currently 2 months in. I redid some applications for the same bank within Fixed Income Structuring (my preference) and just left them there. However, after some time thinking about my situation, for various personal reasons such as student debt and sense of security, I decided to ask for my offer back with technology and they obliged. I signed and sent off the contract a week ago.
I assumed they would have automatically rejected my structuring applications. However, I just received an invitation to interview for the Fixed Income FX Trading and Structuring desk from the same bank. I told the HR guy on the phone that I had already signed full time with technology but he said 'It didn't matter.' I asked him explicitly if there'd be any sort of conflict and he said 'None what-so-ever.'
So here's the problem I face. I already turned down my original offer once, after which they went out of their way to re-establish my offer. I said I'd accept and have signed the contract, but as you all know the difference in salary between Technology and S&T is nothing to laugh at, not to mention the nature of the work and the future path is much more desirable.
Of course, I don't exactly have a job offer from Structuring yet, but at the same time am I doing something wrong by even continuing to pursue this path after having turned Technology down once and then accepted the second time around? Would they be more understanding given that I'm only trying to move around within the same bank?
Please, ANY advice is appreciated. I honestly don't know what to do. I'm also based in the UK if that matters with regards to typical corporate culture etc. Also, don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about further context.
It doesn't sound like it's a big deal with the bank. If HR told you not to worry about it, I wouldn't worry about it.
Look at it this way: if you had accepted the offer the first time around and then this opportunity arose for you while you were working for the bank, no one at the bank would begrudge your exploring a move to the front office.
It's not like you got the bank to re-instate your offer just so you could use it as leverage to force a rival bank to offer you a job.
Don't worry about it. If the FO told you not to worry about it then don't. FO are the rainmakers, HR will have to oblige to them.
Nevermind what the HR thinks (as a matter of fact, your only practical concern should be whether your tech offer would be rescinded if you were unsuccessful in your structuring interview).
Since you've pretty much decided - assuming you get an offer for structuring - where you'd want to be, just stick it out. There's hardly anything unethical about it - if you aren't going to look after your interest, who will? Do you seriously think you'd rather take the tech offer and look back 10 years from now wondering what might have been if you had accepted the structuring offer?
Right, that decides it. I'll go ahead with pursuing structuring and whatever happens, happens. Worse comes to worst, I'll look for another job in technology elsewhere, that should be a fair bit easier with my background than trying for an FO job. It just doesn't make sense to let fear make me pass up such a good opportunity.
Thank you guys, now to start practicing for my interview.
I was in a similar situation. I waited it out and successfully got my desired position, although it cost me some decent relationships.
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