For starters, I moved to Chicago a little over a month ago to pursue opportunities outside of the realm of Michigan and its failing automotive industry the state depends on. It seems like most people from my immediate social circle is going to stay close to their families and hold onto things they know and love. That's great and I respect that. However, I wanted to do something different and someday even live internationally. The world is just such a wide-open unknown place to me and I feel that if I stay "close to home" my whole life I will be missing out on who the hell knows what. The most important thing my parents taught from infancy was that I am fully able to do whatever I wanted with my life and they will fully support that decision. I genuinely thank them for that, for we both share unconditional love for one another. What more could you ask for?
In the last month I have been doing quite a bit of soul, as well as job, searching to find out a mere general category of what I ant to do with my working life. Which I suppose is the next fifty some years or however long I decide to do the ant-like human activity of working. During this time I have been talking to as many people as possible in as many different industries I have been able to reach. In my conversations with people I have found either one of two things - they are doing what they are doing now in hopes of doing something else in the near future (stepping stone like) or they love what they do. My first question to the former group os why don't you do what you want to now? Common response - this is the normal/required process. Thoughts - "meritocracy should rule." The other question I ask the latter group is - how did you find your passion and find a way to do it as a profession? Here I also hear one of two responses - just kind of fell into it or this is what I have always wanted to do since I was a little kid. I love the little kid response, makes me feel good inside.
"It's not about what you know but rather who you know." These words were uttered to me over the years by numerous different people, since then I have tried to broaden my network of people. In coming down to Chicago I knew a few people from friends of friends, parents contacts, friends of the family contacts, etc.. Turns out these contacts were more or less a dead end, lead to other contacts, and came back to a dead end. Sounded promising in the beginning, turned out to be like the hot chick with no personality. Very disappointing. At this point I knew if I wanted to continue living in in The Windy City, matters would have to be taken into my own hands. I started calling consulting firms looking for entry-level positions, some I called numerous times. End result in consulting - the recruiting date for undergraduates is interviewing in the fall and hiring in the spring. Well since the cost of living is ridiculous, I can't wait til spring.
Other leads in finance turned out to be firing. My response, "so that means there is room for me in the firm." Sorry. Little did I know at the time that number crunching in a cubicle is not what I want to spend every waking hour doing, thanks anyway. I started getting other contacts from my original contacts, started connecting the dots of people, and turned over as many rocks as I could looking for salamanders. What did I find? Just a few rollie-pollies. I then started going to networking events, which is where all my current contacts were made. Met some great people, sent some emails the next day, and had interviews set up later that week. Felt good that a small-town Michigan boy can go out on the town with all these city-slickers making valuable contacts. My cousin Megan also introduced me to a futures trader, who I then shadowed and interviewed with his company just yesterday infact.
In my interviewing experience, let me tell you there is quite a bit of it too, I have never let the employer know how much I wanted the position until now. Yesterday at the trading interview I flat out told the guy, "I will do whatever it takes to be a successful profitable trader, not only for myself but for the firm as well. I want this more than anything." After that was said I felt really good, it sort of tingled for some reason. Results of the other interviews come out by Friday of this week, my fingers are crossed crossed crossed. There is also a second interview with a recruiting/headhunting company later this week. I will take this positions if trading somehow falls through. At this point I am doing whatever I have to in order to stay in the city, keep gaining some kind of experience, and make new friends along the way.
Bought a bike that I ride almost everyday in combination with running most of the time. Have been reading the Wallstreet Journal everyday and other literature I get my hands on. Always eating healthy and drinking minimally to keep a clear head. Took up a security position at a bar for one day, they wanted to crack into my interview schedule so I had no choice but to revoke my commitment.
Live, love, and love to live.
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