Career Planning

My rollerblade friends. Chin is from China, so young and green. Amanda is from Singapore, wondering aimlessly in Tokyo. Teru is one strange Japanese who likes to watch Taiwanese soap opera, thus, speaks good Mandarin. We hang out together most Sunday after the skating.

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I forced myself to go out interviewing every one year or so. It is a very interesting way to feel the pulse of the market and make sure you are paid the market worth. However, it is also a very good way to learn how to bluff and see how mean people can be.

I had one very scary interview with the investment bank in New York. The technical test can be easily passed given a couple of days of preparation. The psychological grilling was the real killing. The trading floor rewards people well if you can take the abuse and violence. Traders are basically all 5 years old in Amani suit, they scream and swear when things don't go their way.

The people seeing me were all sharp and quick. I think I was intimidated the moment I walked into the floor. One of the managers asked me how much I am making and how much salary increases I have earned. He wanted to know why he should hire me (this type of bloody blunt questions are really good and scary, you have to be so sure of yourself to answer it well). The manager's body language was all showing impatience and "why am I wasting my time with you". I went back to the hotel and slept right away to ease the emotional trauma, but woke up in the middle of the night sweating.

I was not confident enough and yet too naive, I might be eaten alive if hired. I am sure I can do better if going there again, I will walk into the trading floor as if I own this place and perhaps throwing a couple of comebacks.

I am recently interviewing people, I find myself talking and behaving like the mean manager in New York i-bank. I would set up traps, inducing the interviewees to agree with my thinking then turn around to question why if it is so, why that is not so. Most of them couldn't turn around quickly enough. I cut out interviewee's answers if they are not concise. I guess they would think twice whether to work with such a smart ass if joining the company.