# The Greener Pastures Phenomenon

1. Nov 30, 2005

### bigplanet401

The "Greener Pastures" Phenomenon

Good Morning,
How many here are thinking about switching out of physics to persue a career in the financial services industry?
Three students were graduated from my old research group: All of them decided to leave physics and work on Wall Street$$^*$$. Anyway, would you please post here if you are considering a similar transition at the end of your program? Please also mention if you are a B.S. or Ph.D. student.
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$$^* \small{\text{What's this planet coming to!?!?\cdots!?}}$$

2. Dec 1, 2005

### michealsmith

im going to write a thread wat do u think of it..(dont be a physicist)...srry just want to get as much comments as possible

3. Dec 6, 2005

### TMFKAN64

I'm not a physicist, I'm a computer scientist, but I did work on Wall Street for a couple of years quite a while ago. They *love* physicists there... especially if you can claim any connection with NASA whatsoever. "REAL rocket scientists!" they'd whisper...

Over a decade later, I'm *still* not paid as much salary as I was then... it was a lot of fun, but it had a "through the looking glass" quality to it. Much of the time, I felt like saying "Greetings from the planet Earth, I come in peace..." to almost everyone I met there. The money was great... the feeling that I wasn't really doing anything productive, less so. I think two years was just about my limit.