Jump from research to banking, after bleeding during interview
I flew into London the morning of my interview, only to find that my luggage was on the next flight. Normally not too much of a problem, except that a) I had to start a final round of interviews for a banking position in two hours and b) as it was a 12 hour trip, I was wearing sandals and shorts.
The original plan had been to hit a shower at the ariport, shave, put on a clean shirt and spend the train ride in, plus an hour, polishing answers for the coming barrage of questions over the next 4-6 interviews.
Instead, I spend half an hour waiting in line to be told that the airline will pay for ancilliaries, and to fill out a form to have my bag shipped to me.
Forms completed, I hustle to the Heathrow express and cram two hours of polish into a 20 minute ride. Hit a Boots in the Tube and get to the station near my final target, I see a mall two blocks in the other direction. Avoiding the 'clubby' shops, I find a TM Lewin, walk up to the guy on the floor and say "are you on commission?, cause I'm going to make your morning".
I pick a suit, shirt, belt, and the cheap silk cufflinks, always thinking back to the idea that you really shouldn't wear cufflinks until you earn more per hour than a McDonalds shift manager. Then I find out they don't sell shoes. Ok, I get them to steam the shirt and put a temporary hem in the pants so I can get moving. Downstairs, first shoe store I walk into, decent shoes, fine, get the girl's attention, can I see these please. Oh, you don't have socks, shit. Next store, do you sell socks? shit. Next store, do you sell stocks? shit, who sells socks. Try the Banana Republic upstairs.
Now we're down to 30- 45 minutes and I still haven't shaved. Run to Banana republic, people looking at the funny guy in sandals and shorts running. Boom, got socks, back down stairs, boom, shoes, back to the main floor to get my suit.
"That'll just be another ten minutes", great, I've got 15-20. Outside, looking for a bathroom, fuck it, shave on the street by a fire exit. More people looking at me funny. Not worried everyone I'm interviewing with should be working anyway.
Go in to grab my suit, in the change room I look in the mirror and see I've made a bloody massacre of my face. Bleeding heavily from at least eight spots. Oh Fuck. Use the shirt I'm wearing to wipe up the blood. Pants, socks, shoes on. Wipe the blood again. Get all my other stuff put away nicely so it'll fit in in my carry on bag in the interview room. Wipe the blood again.
Now I have two minutes to be at least four blocks away, wipe the blood. Fuck it, shirt on, tie on, jacket on, wipe the blood. Fuck, it's all over the collar. Out the door, running down the street, phone buzzing, its the recruiter checking to see that I'm coming, fuck, I'm late. Did I mention its raining.
Ok, inside, find the visitor centre, only five minutes late, walk in, bleeding, soaked, bags in hand, MD is standing there looking very un ammused. Commence getting grilled by three different VPs/MDs for the next two hours. Cue 15 minute break. Run to bathroom, going to use Tide to Go to fix my shirt, blood soaked through the collar, Tide to Go tip is broken, god damn it. Accept that there's nothing I can do, go back to the conference room and get grilled for the next two hours.
Hit the hotel, sit in my bloody shirt for the next few hours waiting for my bags to show up, realize I've been going for the last 30 hours.
After all is said and done, two days later, got the offer.
Moral of the story, regardless of how comfortable you want to be when you fly, fly in something you'd be willing to go to meetings in.
TLDR: Flew to final interviews in shorts, bought a suit/shit/tie/shoes the morning of, shaved in an alley and bled on my shirt, still nailed the interview, got the offer.






Good story! Congratulations
Good story! Congratulations on the offer.
See my other WSO blog posts>
Moral of the story # 2: It
Moral of the story # 2: It doesn't matter if you are bleeding, you can still kill it. I know a story of a guy who drove to an interview and got to the parking lot only to realize he forgot to shave. Went to a CVS, picked up a razor, and tried dry-shaving using the rear-view mirror. Showed up with cuts all over his face still bleeding. Got the offer.
Liked this one the best out
Liked this one the best out of all I've read in years here. Good on you.
A lot of people do certain things to add days to their life. I do things to add life to my days.
Great story, being on an
Great story, being on an adrenaline rush like that is probably good for an interview.
Epic.
Epic.
Blue horseshoe loves Anacott Steel
I enjoyed the breathless tone
I enjoyed the breathless tone of your post, haha. Made an interesting read. Congrats to you!
This actually reminds me of the interview scene from The Pursuit of Happyness:
Interviewer: What would you say if a guy walks in for an interview without a shirt, and I hired him?
Will Smith: He must have had on some really nice pants.
READ MY BLOG: http://www.bateman-begins.blogspot.com
Do you have a higher starting
Do you have a higher starting salary starting as someone who already have working experience?
Congrats! That's amazing. Are
Congrats! That's amazing. Are you from the US I take it?
okay 24: Actaully, I'm
okay 24: Actaully, I'm Canadian, so close, but maybe better...
xmasboy: The salary looked flat, from the surveys I found it seemed standard. What I did get was a great sign-on bonus which likely includes moving expenses plus assumed lost comp for bonus from my current shop.
Well-Done sir Well-Done lol,
Well-Done sir Well-Done lol, I did something like that at a summer camp
Enjoyed that, I was picturing
Enjoyed that, I was picturing you running around Bank (only Banana Rep i know of).
Holy shit. Congrats.
Holy shit. Congrats.
Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
yeah, holy shit
yeah, holy shit
Awesome.
Awesome.
Oreos: actually I was running
Oreos: actually I was running around Bank. Bonus points if you can guess which shop.
Moral of the Story #3: Never,
Great story though, congrats
bloody brilliant
"It's not about pride or ego. It's only about money. I can leave now, even with Grama and KGB... and halfway to paying Petrovsky back. That's the safe play. I told Worm you can't lose what you don't put in the middle. But you can't win much either."
Maybe next time you can land
Awesome story. Resilience is
overpaid_overworked: Oreos:
So wait, you are telling me
"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old"
what's your background? how
RichardPennybags: So wait,
Maximus Decimus, actually,
confused23: what's your
Incredible story,
when i moved to NYC i dated
I need a crib, a big estate, I need a boat and that need a lake, I need some salmon that need a plate, that need a chef so I feed my safe
From trading equities to slanging wine in Latin America
A ship is safe in harbor, but that is not what a ship i
^lol
Congrats!
That's why I usually just
"A man generally has two reasons for doing anything. One that sounds good, and the real one." - J.P. Morgan
overpaid_overworked: Maximus
Awesome story, congrats!
Maximus Decimus
why would you be checking a
http://www.businessinsider.co
"Don't touch the watch." -Patrick Bateman
U AWARE BRAH?
bankers gonna bank
You didnt get the job because
I <3 NYC
bknets1234: why would you be
Exactly.
I <3 NYC
iheartnyc: You didnt get the
Boss
We can't rely on anyone these days, we just have to do things ourselves don't we?
Great story. Always gotta
This to all my hatin' folks seeing me getting guac right now..
congrats man!
"...the art of good business, is being a good middle man, putting people togeather. It's all about honor and respect."
overpaid_overworked: Just
"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old"
May I know which position you
RichardPennybags: overpaid_
Awesome post! Good for you
"Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly"
Awesome story. Instead of
That's awesome. As Teddy
"If it were easy, everyone would do it"
Congrats... don't like