Perseverance is the hallmark of eventual success.
I can relate to it from personal experience. Just before 12 noon on 01 Dec 2011, I was curtly told that I was retrenched due to cost cutting, even though my team had a record year. That was after 19 years of loyalty to the same American bank. I had an hour to clear my desk.
The subsequent 10 months was a living hell for me as I had to swallow my pride and look for a job. The financial market industry had just started cutting expenses globally and headcount freeze was being implemented everywhere. Headhunters were bloody useless by then. I had so many face to face one-on-one interviews that I was a seasoned interviewee whom could be called upon within the hour.
Let me count the number of interviews I did. I lost count after it exceeded 60. Goldman was 12 rounds (many via video con calls to HK), UBS 7 (plus a requirement to draw up and propose a SME biz plan), BOTM 5 (they felt I was too American and not Japanese enough), CBA 5 (after going through the psychometric tests, I was deemed not Aussie enough), Citi 4 (again, tail between my legs), Nomura 5 (the jokers were already having big internal fights by then). Looking back, it was funny because most of those that interviewed me eventually left their companies within 1 to 2 years later.
By September of 2012, I was feeling defeated and about to give up. My ex-boss eventually managed to secure a job for me after 3 interviews, for whom I am eternally greatful to him for. I was desperate to take anything that comes along and willing to bite the bullet to take a huge pay cut (40%).
After going through that experience, it re-enforced my belief that one should not stop trying. It ain’t over till the fat lady sings… Mentally, I became stronger as a result. While I still get cold sweat sometimes (especially now that I quit my job), I am more confident that I would eventually find something along the way. I just must not stop trying.
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