re: Out of work 7 months and counting...

Dude, hate to tell you, but you aren't worth what you think. I do interviews everyday and those with MBAs think they should start at double what someone who doesn't have one does. The fact is that I can get the same work for 34k . Shouldn't have spent the money sir. Get a bachelors and move along.

Out of work ? vs. Don't want to work ?

You are part of the 5% of the 9% that choose not to work. Therefore when the unemployment data comes out and drives the market down, I just shake my head.

I live in Houston. I will interview you next week. But you wont take an entry level position at $34k because you think you're above that pay scale because you went to school for a few more years than everyone else and definitely dropped a shite ton more money... all for nothing right now. This passes me off to no end !

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I read the thread. I don't understand what the issue is here. As long as his productivity doesn't decrease at job #1 then there is no reason why he couldn't also have a job #2. This is no different that someone working for a particular company say Merrill Lynch and also advising at FINRA.

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There would be nothing wrong with it if he informed employer #1 what he was doing and employer #1 gave the OK. If employer #1 doesn't give the OK, it's time to give the two week notice.

Teauxler,

quit busting the man's balls. I am sure no one with a MBA is needing to come wash cars for you

I know Alejandro and can speak to his character. Sometimes we post things on a message board, but it doesn't mean we would actually do them.

If you have never been laid off, then you don't know what it is like. He was doing well with his job one day, then is laid off the next day unexpectedly due to his company being sold. It's not like he got fired for poor performance. He was a good performer as evidenced by his tenure with the company and the promotions that he received.

You guys taking shots at him can frick off. If you don't like his posts about the Saints or LSU, then fine. But, he is legitimately asking for help from folks on the board. Show a little respect. If only you were in the same situation.

Did he embarass you with how he conducted business with one your contacts? Or was this just a reaction to a post a year ago on a message board? Come on man!


I read your posts often on the Money Talk board and enjoy them. Just think people to need to have a little perspective on this.

Well since you decided to throw out the "if only you were in that position line." I was laid off on June 30th because of a lack of business. I worked in a local accounting firm in a niche business line that did not grow for the firm over the past year, and as such they decided to let me go (which I am totally fine with). Being laid off is an ego blow regardless of the reasoning, and although my intent was to move on relatively soon, I enjoyed working there and would have preferred leave on my own terms, and I consider myself to be a devoted, capable, hard worker, always trying to maintain a professional attitude wherever I might be. I have approximately a year and a half truly useful working experience.

Approximately three weeks later (this week), I got an internship in a different city, at a bigger and larger company directly related to what I want to do, in as competitive a field as there is (investment banking) working with a bunch of people from much more accomplished academic and professional backgrounds than myself or anyone at my prior employer. Assuming I can do the job, this will likely lead to a full-time offer in September. It will also result in an approximate 100% pay raise, possibly more if you factor in a non-negligible bonus.

I also managed to get interviews lined up in the next month at the second largest energy company in the country, for two different positions (also likely 100% pay raise from prior job), as well as one and potentially two IBs in NYC, one of them being a bulge bracket. I'm not even counting the other firm, also a BB, that I already had interviewed with, which expressed a strong desire to give me an opportunity if it comes up, because they are in a hiring freeze. I did, however, contact them anyway. Let me reiterate that I have under two years of real working experience, which is only indirectly related to this field. I didn't get this opportunity because I have outstanding qualifications, I got this opportunity because I hustled for it.

I was laid off at about 3 PM on June 30th, I started calling people on June 31st at 8 AM. (eta: The key to this story is being able to create a day which does not exist, such as June 31st, as it gives you additional time. Highly encouraged.) Not because I needed money, I have 3 months of living expenses, but because I knew no one was going to come looking for me. I have a list of people that are all accomplished professionals that I have networked with throughout my life, all of which know me well enough to vouch for me on a personal basis, which is overwhelmingly the most important thing in finding entry-level jobs. If you hustle and generally present yourself as an intelligent and good person, most people are kind-hearted and will often go out of their way to try and help you out.

I purposefully keep my commentary on here as non-personal as I can, which is why I so adamantly hate when poliboard stuff leaks over here, regardless of the necessity of it to a particular discussion. If you treat TD like a sewer for all of your personal feelings, that's perfectly fine, but to then expect people to not react or want to step out for someone they've never met is absolutely unrealistic, unreasonable, jaded, and incredibly selfish. As if it were okay if you just said the same type of stuff while sitting around a table with people who you might otherwise ask for professional help. This is 2011, what you write on the internet matters. Period.

Find people you know, or people you know that know people, that do what you want to do. Then ask to talk with them. Whenever you meet someone, regardless of age, if you ask them what they do for a living and its something you are interested in, keep the relationship up. It doesn't matter if they are 22 or 50, if they are where you want to be then figure out how to do what they did, or if they might be willing to help you get there if they can. I've yet to meet a person who didn't want to help, relationships are two way streets, if they think you're capable of accomplishing things, they probably think its just as worthwile to themselves as it is to you.

I got this job because I asked this guy if he could give me career advice three years ago. I called him first, and yesterday he offered me an internship working solely for him, to allow me to prove myself to the rest of the people in the firm so that I can land the job when the interviews start. He's risking his own professional appearance for my sake, and its because I kept contact with him and have always maintained a professional attitude around him and the people that I know him through.

I guess I should edit that.