Telling Your Own Story
Since layoffs are once again a hot topic on Wall Street and since I have seen more and more "life's not fair" posts on the boards by dejected monkeys I thought I would link to the following Forbes article. Don't get too excited, it is your garden variety LinkedIn plug. No need for me to quote what is already boldfaced in front of you.
I do, however, want to bring up a point that I believe is relevant and that I am noticing many of you guys tacitly ignoring. Naturally, this only applies to the job searchers amongst us but I am sure many would echo the sentiment. In my opinion, way too many of you are not focusing enough on telling your own story. Obviously, the standard requirements of a high GPA, solid internship experience, a relevant major and basic social skills are a must for breaking into any Wall Street position. None of that has changed, nor will it. Logically, in a more competitive job market with dwindling supply and skyrocketing demand we should expect wins to be harder to come by than losses. Still you do have one distinct advantage over the competition...
YOUR Story Stupid
Yes, you fuck nuts. The guy who was passed over or laid off. The guy who is moping around about not having an MD father, an Ivy League diploma, a 4.0 GPA or a magic Silver Banana cannon that shoots WSO credits all over the financial universe. You actually have something nobody else does...
Your own story.
Fucked around in high school? Drank through college? Wanted to be a backyard wrestling world champion before discovering your passion for finance? These are all examples of who you are, nobody has your exact story. Though the examples I have illustrated are purposely generic and goofy, you should focus on the underlying point. Even though many of you are young, dumb and full of the desire to succeed... you still have something in your past that makes you unique. Think about what that is, how you can flesh it out and how it can be wrapped up in a marketable package.
Every day I read a different post by some kid who has a unique story to tell, yet is not doing it. Though the article I have linked to emphasizes an online presence, there is no reason you cannot tell your story to people in person. Getting out and pounding the pavement means just that. People have to know that you exist before they will give you a shot. Many of the "that doesn't work anymore" tactics are precisely what you should be attempting if you are failing via more accepted methods.
You must remember that the key question any potential employer will ask him or herself is do I want to look this fucker in the face every morning and for dozens of ours at a time? Skills are not something you can avoid, but at the entry level almost all applicants have a comparable amount. Personality and your own sense of self, however, is something that a lot of applicants do not have early on in their careers.
Spend a little time today thinking about what makes you such a unique and special little fucking flower. Finding a way to tie your experiences as seemingly irrelevant as your lemonade stand business and that poodle you french kissed out of utter loneliness in the 8th grade to your desired future in banking can and will do more for your candidacy than running around looking for the magic formula.
Great post and good point! I have learned to craft my story pretty well lately.
i'm liking the way this Midas Guy writes! its good to see there arent people afraid to be blunt
Awesome post, Midas. Been thinking about this lately.
Agree completely. A lot of people don't really realize how easy it is to talk about yourself. It can be great.
Can drinking through college actually be part of your story?
I got put in juvenile a couple times as a kid and got placed in a high school for idiots which closed down. So as a 14 year old, I had no school and a weed habit, but I figured I have to get my shit together. Put on some khakis and a dress shirt and walked in the student placement center in my city and and landed a spot in the best high school where I proceeded to fail my first semester. Studied my ass off, applied to college because that was "the track" and graduated from a non target university.
Would an MD want to hear something like that? Part of me feels like either he'd think im lying or its out of place for a job seeker to bring up. .
I wouldn't go crazy with details about how you can roll a joint under the wheel while steering with your upper forearms. At the same time, there's a "turning point" in your story. At some point you got your shit together and became a diligent, hard worker. Precisely because of your fuck up stage, you now know the value of hard work and are much more motivated than the competition because you know you have to make up for lost time.
Again, I'd skip the weed and everything surrounding it, but flesh out that despair, sense of no direction and general malaise and then come up with a good redemption tale. I know it is impossible to know what your interviewer is like, but if you can jar out a few details about their past during prior networking maybe you can tailor your story to their taste.
My general thoughts are that you were a misguided kid from a troubled background who experienced hardship and travails which led you to realize that you wanted to work hard and succeed. If you can tell that tale without coming off as fake and insincere it at least gives you a personality among the likely sea of drones applying for the same gig. Hope that helps.
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