It seems that all my friends who are top students have already long gotten jobs and started work. A handful are working in investment banks now, some being lucky enough to get all expenses paid overseas training before starting work. I think they probably earn around $5k a month now. It’s just me, still unemployed and looking, and still no decent offers yet. Although I’ve had some good interview opportunities, I have yet to get opportunities at some of the top places yet this season.
I try to convince myself with the following:
1. Most of those who just started work at the investment banks had previous internship experience at those banks.
2. They probably applied last year anyway (I only really started looking for a job towards graduation)
3. Investment bank work ain’t my cup of tea, although the money is good. I’ve never heard anyone working in an investment bank with decent hours. From various sources, what I understand as “decent hours” in an investment bank job is 12 hours a day. 15 or 16 hours aren’t uncommon. Actually, considering the working hours the pay isn’t that great – $5,000 to work an average of 14 hours a day. That seems more like just a reasonable sum considering the hours.
4. Besides hours, to be honest I think I don’t really like the work involved. For those with IT background like myself and no interest in front-end banking, the most likely places I’ll end up in a bank would be either operations & technology (processing transactions) or IT infrastructure (systems analysis/development). Both are not what I want to do, and will not lead to any of my desired career paths. But then, at the end of the day the pay I must say is very tempting indeed.
Well… just felt like getting these stuff off my chest. Hope I’ll get a job offer this week. At least the potential offer that I may be getting will be for a job I quite like and I think I will enjoy.
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Having a good start does not mean much. It just indicate a easy starting point. In life, what is important is the stamina. Remember the story about the rabbit and the tortise……
yup i think ive made the right choice in not gunning desperately for the investment bank jobs but instead aiming for things that would excite me and roles in which i would have more to learn and grow in.
come to think of it i guess i am really a tortoise and not rabbit. i prefer to do things at my own pace (which is why i’ve lost out on this race to get a job, when my other peers with good hons degrees have taken the “premium” ones already). but as the tortoise i work harder so i guess i won’t do too badly, i hope.
Their pay might seem very tempting, but who’s to know if they’ll be able to last….you’re still young, it’s too early to tell who’ll have the last laughs and the final bragging rights. Have some faith in yourself.
If you can afford it, take your time to find a job that can have a decent pay and the type of work you like. A good start is worth the wait. After all you have a good honours degree, right?
Furthermore, I don’t think you are the type who feel bored when jobless. I am sure you have a lot things you like to do and have time for, including blogging.
my intention is indeed to wait for the right one to come along… i hope it won’t take too long.
the pressure is really on especially when more and more graduates are going to come into a bleak job market.
thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. nearly 3 months since i graduated and 2 months of intense job seeking… i do feel a little bit down now.
i have a graduate admission exam scheduled in october but just don’t have the mood to get started on it yet. and yes i have lots and lots of trip blogging and photos to upload.
ironic that a period of unemployment is the best time to do the things i need to do/always wanted to do, but i end up sitting around fretting about why the phone calls from HR aren’t coming in yet.
heys! rene here, happened to pop by your blog. am currently facing the same situation as u..being not exactly the most keen to get a job but wanna do my own thing and set up my own biz. its been a pretty demoralizing job search in this market so far for me too.
are u currently backpacking in Canada? i’m keen to explore my options in Canada, esp to upgrade since the current job climate is so lukewarm. could u advise which schools specialize in finance?