I have been applying for jobs for many months now, and finally something of substance came through. About 3 weeks ago I carelessly applied for an entry position as a equity settlement analyst with a major global bank. It was not a grad scheme, just an entry level job. I said carelessly, because I had only downloaded my CV and my university transcripts, forgetting to submit a cover letter. Amazingly enough, I got a call 3 days later inviting me to the interview. I had been very nervous and prepared thoroughly for it. I picked up my course books which had started to collect dust and reviewed all there was about global equity markets, what derivatives are and what the major kinds of them are. I had prepared answers for all potential competency based questions against the expected behavioral framework of the company, as well as brushed up on my technical knowledge. I also found a website explaining the processes of clearing and settlement, so that I had an idea of what the job entails before the interview.
I was sat before two men and ten minutes into the interview I suddenly felt I was not nervous anymore and in control of the situation. It flowed smoothly from then on. I never once had to refer to my notes. My answers were to the point, brief but rich, delivered at the right pace in a fairly fluent manner. I did not kill the point by talking endlessly about the same accomplishment as I know I may have done in past interviews, not did I go "eh, eh... let me think".
At the end I was asked some practical questions such as booked holidays, and a very surprising one "What is your salary expectation". Well, that was one question I did not prepare for and I staggered. I asked what the band was and there was no band, however I was told not just to pluck a figure out of thin air. I was aware it was an entry position, but I was also aware it was in the global markets department, aka, in investment banking, and everyone knows these guys rake in a lot. I went for "low 20s" and that's what they wrote down.
The interview was on Friday and on Monday I got a call at work. I dared to answer it where my manager could not see me and it was someone from the bank calling to say I did very well on my interview, that the two men were impressed and that they're offering me the position! I was so insanely bugged out freaking ecstatic that I thought I was going to levitate or combust into some unknown matter, I wanted to jump and scream and cry the tears of joy! I sat at the counter, leaned back and let out deep breaths of satisfaction.
So today I dropped off my signed contract and I hope to start in about a month's time. Things are FINALLY working out for me, after so many years of shitty, low-paying jobs where I was treated like a half-wit and patronized by middle management, asked to behave in a way which was contrary to my values and expected to follow idiotic sometimes procedures. Oh yes, this is the first job where I can wear my own clothes instead of a moronic patronizing "corporate wear" (prison-like) uniform. I will not miss my previous jobs a bit, though I will miss a few people I met there.I will be based downtown and work in a large office.
