Former Goldman Sachs executive director Greg Smith isn’t the only restless professional fidgeting with his too-tight tie.
After Smith’s recent resignation, countless cubicle-captives have been flocking to Escape the City, an organization whose mission statement dares workers to “Stop Dreaming and Start Planning. Don’t Wait for Permission. Do Something Different.”
In fact, in the week following Smith’s resignation, Escape the City’s website registered a four- fold increase in hits and overall membership.
Founded by two ex-management consultants from London’s corporate nucleus, Escape the City “showcases exciting opportunities for a community of talented corporate professionals and employers looking to change up the game,” says team member Mikey Howe.
Having recently expanded from London’s financial district to New York City’s, the organization has discovered antsy sentiments stemming beyond Wall Street.
“We originally targeted people in standard corporate positions like finance, law and accounting, but we’ve actually tapped into something that is relatively universal,” says Howe. “Our demographic is mostly 20- and 30-year-olds, but I get e-mails every day from people who have been working for 30-plus years in a wide range of industries they’re now leaving.”
Not only does the site offer job postings from Cambodian resort management to sustainability work in Sierra Leone, it’s also a neighborhood-friendly forum. “We are very member-focused. Any of our members can reach out to communities of escapees, learning from those who came from similar backgrounds or entered their particular field of interest,” says Howe. “It’s a great mix of people both offering and looking for help.”
Job requirements
Escape the City’s job listings are far from arbitrary adventures in the wilderness. Partner companies must offer “jobs that match at least one of our four criteria: social impact, entrepreneurial, exotic location and exciting products,” says Howe.
