While I chuckle at and appreciate the comment suggesting this is not the place for seeking such advice because we easily get tangled up in deciding between clear or red tail lights, I believe the OP may be asking his question here because of the liklihood that many of us are successful and seasoned professionals. In that spirit, as someone who has been working steadily since age 12, and as a business professional for 37 years, I would recommend that the OP go for the experience if he can afford to. It's been my experience that experience will always pay off.

 

Life is random. Flip a coin.

 

While I appreciate the posters willingness to get advice, without having more information how can someone possibly give a good opinion on the matter without just being hypothetical?

Without knowing specifics on the individual, the field of work someone is in, what kind of money they make, where they live, etc. it's hard to make a good assessment on the situation.

There's a lot of people out there who have tons of experience doing something they make no money at. Yet there's others with little experience at doing something and happen to hit upon something they do make a lot of money at.

Without more important pieces of information, you're back to red or clear taillights.

And back to an earlier comment, is this really the place for such a question?

Give me mindless car talk please.....

 

It depends where're you in you life / experience. If you're early in your career (less than 10 years) it makes more sense to change vs continue to do the same and being a subject matter expert past 10 years may make you more valuable. Again it varies based on what you do...I'm quoting high tech industry example...

 

For me it's either about money or fulfillment. I figured out a long time ago that chasing a job that was personally fulfilling would not meet my financial objectives so the ability to build wealth is near to top of my list. My point is which opportunity seems more fulfilling and how important is that to you?

Secondarily it comes down to which offers more money long term? I have faced that question many times in my life. For example when I was in sales I earned more than the sales management I worked for. That being said my income was not near that of senior level management or the executives. If I wanted that level of income then I had to take a step back before I could get to that level. In another case I noticed that the particular industry I was in had certain income levels that were much lower than other industries. For example I have a buddy who is a long time senior car salesman at a Ferrari dealer. He earns a fraction of what my top software sales guys earn. My point is that in order to move industries you have to be willing to start over, at a lower level.

Sometime you do have to take a step back in order to get to a higher plane...

Good luck.

ps. I'm a red taillight person myself...

 

Thank you for all the comments and I know how it can be confusing for folks here because I did not provide enough details with my initial post. Well here is my situation – I am a senior associate at a law firm. My next step will be with me getting admitted to the partnership, however, as many of you may know, that can be a difficult and task time consuming process, you need to have a sponsor, a business case, your own $$$ worth of client base and literally bring in enough business so that they can justify a new partner admit. So that is my option #1 – I have been here 10 years and amidst of all the politics the chances of making it to the next level are well 50/50. My second opportunity is to go corporate and take up a role under a general counsel which although does not promise the same amount of money as a partner would make, it does promise me exposure into the other side and a boarder experience instead of me focusing on my specific specialized field of law. It’s more general and broad based but I am sure I can pick things up quick and hit the ground running ...so I am torn ...

 

I'm not a lawyer, but I've spent my entire career in corporations, ranging from under 1000 employees up to a Fortune 20 company. And a few in-between.

Corporate life can give you some opportunities, but as JamesKen said, they can kill you with the death of a thousand ******... or something like that. Lots of ****** in a corporation. Most of them, anyway.

That said, the experience that you gain may serve you well, long-term. I can see the benefit of playing "both sides" and expanding or adding to your speciality. It's a tough call. Best of luck.

 

My experience and feedback in managing corporate v private is that in corporate you get connected to the legal issues you are dealing with... So it can be more wholesome as a vocation.... But will rarely be as financially rewarding. Those who come from the private world into the corporate world in my domain rarely go back to private... And IMO that says something positive about job satisfaction and 'purpose' over income... I don't believe in the rat race - I believe in going home happy and even more importantly going back into work happy the next day as an incentive

 

lol this thread is great. wiser men then me will have an answer for you. i will simply wish you the best of luck!

 

As background I run a public company that does a lot of acquisition work. You guys are crazy in terms of hours required to get that partner title. Our outside legal team works all the time, way more than I do. The point is I'd consider quality of life as well. You might actually have more personal time as a corporate attorney if that has value to you. Second I'd consider what stock options, restricted stock and/or employee stock plan you can participate in. As you know there can be "real" money in properly structured plans in growing companies.

Good luck.

 

yes, that is one major selling point of this job

- I will be home every day by 6.30

- typically I am home by 8.30 every evening however, I am on the Good application almost until 11 PM ....

I hate making money for my partners but I have been doing that as an "investment" with the hope that someone will do that for me when I am a partner ...so leaving is disappointing given that my "investment" is not going to bring me the fruits I have been hoping for

 

It's much like choosing between a manual or PDK, obviously the manual is better but the PDK will get you there quicker....... 👹

 

How much longer until your firm makes a decision on your partnership candidacy, and do you think that the window to jump to the corporate side will be closed by that time if you first wait it out at your firm? I'm a big firm partner so I know from firsthand what you're going through, it's a lot of upside and built-up goodwill to leave on the table if you jump before seeing the process through.

 

I made the choice years ago to go the corporate route in lieu of the firm and have had absolutely no regrets. I've had offers to join law firms since then and said "no" now mainly because of quality of life issues. Back when I made the choice, I chose the corporate route because of firm politics and and the whole client/revenue thing. I love and enjoy the law, but just can't abide the business of law. A lot of the guys with whom I came along are still doing the firm thing; however, many of them have gone to or formed boutique law firms of a certain size that focuses on specific areas of law. My advice would be to follow the maxim that you have to love what you do and it has to be self fulfilling.

 

Thanks everyone - I have more or less decided to go the corporate route and hopefully I will have no regrets