Some good feedback in this thread, and you are wise to seek it.

AML/BSA/Fintech type here.

-for small business folks to find someone like you is incredibly difficult; posters on here are correct, you are far more valuable than you know.

-Most important: enjoy your 20's...they are like morning dew...poof they are gone.

-if you truly like AML/Regulatory, here is a suggestion: 1. Degree to get in the door. 2. A few years at a bank 3. become a state banking regulator - if you can cut it, they will train the crap out of you with joint schools given by FIDC, NCUA, Fed, FinCEN. 4. In 5 years they will spend $400-500K making you a commissioned bank/cu examiner; then you are stupid valuable. 5. in that time, you will do state exams jointly with the FDIC or NCUA. Federal EIC's (examiners in charge) will track you, and cherry pick you from your state position with near 2x the state salary in your 30's, because they want 20-30 years out of you. If you are exceptionally good, FDIC regional managers pull down $400K.

Bank Examiners are the max in salary and workload; less so with credit unions, Securities BD/IA & MSB - very possible to specialize and change while at the state level.

You have to be good at what you are doing in the regulatory world, but if you are and its your thing...you have few limits.

The downside with the above examinations is the 40-50% travel, and its a killer. 50% of new hires wash out within 3 years, spouses go nuts and exert massive pressure for ball games and birthday parties. When the economy cycles in the crapper several times over the long haul of your career, you will be worked to death. Mortgages and payments for material things at upper income levels will run you.

I worked a fun job in my 20's, managed the fun job in my 30's, and got into regulatory in my 40's. Very deliberately got married in my 50's (tough to do - had a long term girlfriend), working on winding down now in my 60's. I played/slayed a lot in my 20's and am very glad I did! My friends who tore into the corporate world at major corps in their 20's are looking at punching out earlier than I can, but I had about 10 years of solid play time in my 20's they never got...excellent trade for working just 3-5 more years on the backside.

Small business works well on youth and loyalty, but offer only a few senior employees a lasting benefit...the spoils go to the owner who takes the risk and sleepless nights. Corps are harder but give back more to you over the career. Something else: if you like structure at work, then go corporate or gov; employees at small business can get away with a lot more shenanigans.

This post was edited on 6/6/21 at 6:58 am