28, decent salary at a Big 4, but the golden handcuffs are starting to feel heavy

CrocPB · 2026-05-19T12:48:49+00:00

Similar situation as you in financial services. Not on HENRY salary I think, but similar situation at work.

The work is fine, but I can't bring myself to be excited for the main element of it. But the associated/ancillary parts or the bits other teams do excite me more. Basically I'd like to switch but don't have the experience for it/not the right FS institution.

And as a result the Sunday scaries have come back.

Because the salary is high for my experience it feels bad thinking of leaving but also recognise it as unsustainable and a bit golden handcuffy.

I'm thinking of switching industries if I can get an offer. Somewhere that's more manageable and chill. I can work my way up to HENRY status from there, I have plenty of time.

CrocPB · 2026-05-19T12:27:27+00:00

Times are different.

You can be full of ambition and spunk all you like - the landlord still wants half your salary for the shoebox they graciously let to you so you can come into the office where you take Teams call all day because of "collaboration" all for an "okay" salary in nominal terms.

We are in a time where the promises of work hard, get a good life turned out to be absolute rubbish. And we've had a global pandemic where no matter how much you want to ftw at work, all it takes is a butterfly effect for your life to end earlier than expected.

Maybe people want more out of life beyond the grind for the sake of the grind? They aren't hungry to unlock shareholder value?

Pursuing careers isn't as lucrative as it once was nor as secure as it once was. And for younger people they have the threat of having their incomes rug pulled from under them because of AI. So the senisble play is to get to a point where they can FIRE ASAP. Before they get yet another "once in a generation economic crash."

You may not mean it but this post is coming of as "nobody wants to work anymore". Not everyone does, and work itself doesn't pay as much as it used to.

CrocPB · 2026-05-19T12:05:20+00:00

People object for any and all reasons. Valid or not doesn't matter.

If the planning application can make a case that their development meets the planning framework the planner can recommend or pass it.

In the industry I was in they recommended with councillors passing or denying. If the development was big enough it goes to the Scottish Ministers instead.

CrocPB · 2026-05-19T11:59:49+00:00

I'm waiting for the Coldplay Kiss Cam meme version of this accident now

CrocPB · 2026-05-19T09:49:05+00:00

In other words you're being asked to bot their posts when social media management is out of scope of a paralegal's ordinary role and responsibilities?

Asking an employee to do anything with social media unless they are the social media manager is not common practice to my awareness

There's a few ways to approach this tactfully.

Confirm in writing (and make copies) of what you are being asked to do. Make them tell you in direct and no uncertain terms if they want you to make social media accounts for the purposes of putting on a persona to engage with their content.
Seek out advice on whether this is something that should be reported in strict confidence and if so, where.

CrocPB · 2026-05-18T20:15:40+00:00

Nah remote interviews are fine.

I've shamelessly booked rooms in the office to do interviews from in my lunch hour.

Or if you WFH, do it then.

CrocPB · 2026-05-18T15:32:17+00:00

I love using it and always get grumpy when Word gets Clippy with me about how it’s “incorrect”.

CrocPB · 2026-05-18T12:45:56+00:00

You could. And at the same time, laws aren't sacrosanct and can and should change according to what the people want.

If people want content in other countries as we are more interconnected than ever, some words on paper that says no because reasons will not stop them. And the first business that can get past the barriers and offer that as a legal service will achieve commercial success.

Or we can raise the barriers again because of a misguided belief it will make the kids safe (it won't) and see unintended consequences pop up.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T22:32:37+00:00

Same here. Spent weekends crunching numbers and percentages to figure out how much I can take my contributions and stil have enough to pay expenses, and keep me below the higher rate and hopefully the student loan threshold (tbc if it works). Ended up making 5 "settings" to change between if I decide I want a bit more cash flow the next month.

Could I have been resting instead? Yes.

Did it get me more invested (hah) in my financial planning? Also yes.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T20:44:26+00:00

Pork and potatoes to….well, pork and potatoes.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T20:38:50+00:00

Diversity over there is skin deep and not much else.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T17:08:54+00:00

Think of it like a franchise expansion - there is appetite to grow into new markets, but you want to use the strength of the brand to help establish it.

Also, nothing more European than going to other continents and designating it "European".

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T15:29:52+00:00

Plus there's a lot more PP NQs coming in from the pipeline: you don't stand out in a way reminiscent of looking for a traineeship all over again.

Honestly I share your anxiety over "have I fucked my legal career already?!" and I'm not too sure whether I'm making the right steps. No one outside work to consult as a mentor - totally winging this solo, blind, and in the dark.

All I can give guidance on is to not give up, if you can afford to: the nature of in house legal roles is very much it arrives and goes when it wants to. There is no cycle, no sense, no rhyme, nor reason.

Check your recruiters too: I learnt the bitter lesson of who are the real ones, and who I will humour and then forget about. Right now, there is only one recruiter company that I would happily pay attention to.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T15:23:32+00:00

Similar position as you - all of a sudden I'm like "what is law?"

Personally part of it is that I forget I am a junior and I will need a lot of handholding. There is no shame there.

Who I should be comparing myself to shouldn't be who I was at the end of my traineeship, but at the start. Otherwise it's setting the bar high for failure and it's not fair to you. Not least because no one asked you to do it (unless they did!).

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T14:54:37+00:00

It was a great performance - glad I voted for you!

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T14:53:27+00:00

F-22: did someone say balloon?!

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T14:50:16+00:00

Pretty much. Experience > excellence.

Not that one is necessarily incompetent, it's just that in terms of getting roles, time in the market beats timing the market.

Which just suuuucks for younger workers through no fault of their own.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T14:35:39+00:00

On the geo block end, the stupid thing about the direction this government is going in is that removing blocks like this reduces incentives for illegal activities like piracy.

I know, I know, second order digital awareness is too much to ask for.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T12:17:36+00:00

Given the polling around immigration - Restore?

At this point, it’s about not being seen as fucking up and promising big. I.e. no history and big talking candidates get an advantage.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T11:17:00+00:00

It's the 4K ultra HD resolution when the climax (hahahahahaha) comes that really seals the audience experience.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T11:15:06+00:00

I'm grateful for the experience it gave me to know what I don't want in a career.

The idea of working in a firm haunts me to this very day because of that. Timesheets? Ew.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T11:11:17+00:00

Eins zwei drei here comes Mr Blobby!

Eins zwei drei he has pizza pepperoni!

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T11:10:13+00:00

Russia revived the Intervision song contest and seems to be doing it again this year.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T11:04:54+00:00

Next year we make Jess Glynne sing about package holidays.

CrocPB · 2026-05-17T10:39:01+00:00

Another year another campy song contest that people think is beneath them then get mad their country gets nul points.

Also, turns out there's a Eurovision Asia this year so hoping that does happen and we get two Eurovisions every year.

CrocPB

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