You think you have problems...

I went to a top 25 school BA in economics and my GPA was shit. My freshman year I was diagnosed with cancer and it was stop and start from there. I'd get halfway through a semester, have medical problems, get depressed, stop going to class. I had a number of medical withdrawals, dropped classes, F's. I landed an internship at a big insurer in their annuities group and then derivatives group. Had a job offer but didn't graduate in time to take it. After graduation I couldn't find anything and then was involved in a near fatal car accident. Now I'm basically starting from scratch. I never thought it'd be this difficult. I'm extremely bright, high test scores, high IQ, I'm well spoken and charismatic.

I don't know where to begin. I'm trying to be realistic about my job search but so much shit has happened to me that it's very difficult to be optimistic. As I see it my options are as follows:

Take classes at another school get my grades up, transfer and get a degree there.

Or just keep knocking at the door and hoping someone answers.

Ideally, I'd like to be a trader. I have exposure to derivatives and a good understanding of macrotrends. It just seems to hard to imagine a place taking a chance on me. It seems even MM places have kids from target schools who graduated with honors working for them.

I really have no idea how to frame my past.

I appreciate any advice.

 
pepper1235:
so much shit has happened to me that it's very difficult to be optimistic.

Why would you pessimistic when you have almost lost everything? What's the worst that could happen?

pepper1235:
As I see it my options are as follows: Take classes at another school get my grades up, transfer and get a degree there.

Can you take the classes that you failed and bring your grades up?

Can you also talk to the school and ask to withdraw the Fs because you were sick ? (as a generosity).

Do whatever you have to do, transfer if you must, but please don't drop out, don't give up. Finish what you had already started.

Power and Money do not change men; they only unmask them
 
Best Response

OP, try this thought experiment: What would you do for money, if you knew for a fact that no one would ever give you a job? If you ponder this question seriously for a couple of hours, I think you will see that there are plenty of ways to make money without having a traditional job. Generally speaking, making money falls into one of two categories: working for someone else, or working for yourself. When you work for someone else, where you went to school, what grades you received, whether or not you graduated, and a whole host of other factors that impress your interviewer/boss become fairly important. When you work for yourself, many of these things are much less important. My point is not that you should necessarily work for yourself, but rather that a lack of credentials only hurts you for some career prospects.

A variant on the above thought experiment is this: What would you do for money, if you only graduated from high school and could never set foot in a college? (Or, what would you do for money, if you dropped out of high school?) There are plenty of people who don't go to college, and still wind up being very successful. Sure, they might not become traders at prop shops, but they still wind up fairly successful. When my friends and I were 18, the most financially successful among us dropped out of high school and decided to become a truck driver -- dude made $75K his first year on the job. My brother never went to college, eventually went into sales, and now makes $200K a year. I'm not saying you should go into these fields, but rather that there are opportunities out there. Plenty of people with weak educational backgrounds have seized these opportunities and become successful.

Lastly, these topics above are just worst-case scenarios. If you are bright, articulate, and charismatic, you should be able to get solid jobs -- I would shudder if I had to compete against someone with the aforementioned attributes and that kind of story. Your story demonstrates struggle, the building of character, and perseverance (assuming you know how to spin it). A potentially good option for you is to get into grad school (probably an MSF or MFE) and spend those one or two years very wisely (get really solid grades, network your ass off, get an internship, etc).

 

Dude, with your mental strength and character you only have to network. You have rebounded from what have ruined the life of 99% of the world population and you are still going strong. Don't get bitter and upset, if you can be positive and optimistic about life you'll meet someone who would appreciate these qualities, and you'll become a trader with the biggest balls globally.

Basically, there is little in life that can shoot off track now, you only need to convey this message to the right people.

 

If you've hit rock bottom, then what do you have to lose? The only way you can go now is up. Don't EVER let anyone including yourself hold you back from your goals. It doesn't matter what your background is - if you want it that bad, then be strong enough to do whatever it takes. Set your goals, see what you need to do to improve, & go do it. You will have to network your ass off to make it, but it's not impossible.

Also, don't bother comparing yourself to others - that's just a waste of time & you're just tearing yourself apart. When you're feeling down, it's so easy to look at others & think the doors keep opening for them. Think of it as if you're breaking into a party. The door won't always open for everyone. Climb in through the windows or come from the back door. Either way, you're in. So, find your own path to make it.

Some days, it will be quite hard to keep going when you keep doubting yourself, but you gotta keep moving. If you can't believe in yourself, at least believe in the people who believe in you. Do whatever you need to do to make sure you keep moving. Your life is in your hands - if you don't take charge, no one else will. Don't let a few bad years of your life ruin everything. Don't let your failures hold you back. With every step you take to stand up, you've become that much stronger. Because you've failed in the past, you know how to pick yourself up now.

It's all about perspective. See the positive in those years instead of feeling as a victim. And I'm sure that'll help you when you tell your story to people.

The people here in this forum can help you out with career advice more than I can so sorry if I sounded like I was preaching haha Good luck!

 
pepper1235:
I'm extremely bright, high test scores, high IQ, I'm well spoken and charismatic.

I sort of feel for you and all, but you could've left that part out. Makes you sound like a douchebag.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 
Flake:
pepper1235:
I'm extremely bright, high test scores, high IQ, I'm well spoken and charismatic.

I sort of feel for you and all, but you could've left that part out. Makes you sound like a douchebag.

LOL

By the way, not that many people will care about how bright, articulated, and charismatic you are if your stats don't show that. I am telling you that for your own good.

If you have all the aptitude you listed but appear like a failure on paper, people will think that you are a con man.

Good with words, but lame at everything.

Power and Money do not change men; they only unmask them
 
Flake:
pepper1235:
I'm extremely bright, high test scores, high IQ, I'm well spoken and charismatic.

I sort of feel for you and all, but you could've left that part out. Makes you sound like a douchebag.

That's what makes it hard for me to give a shit/reach out. Generally, people who say this are not those things and/or are just arrogant and shit happens to them by no control of their own. Gets old.

 

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Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.

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