The Road to Wealth (part 5 — €62k): (Still) Finding a Job

Previously: €60k (30 September 2021)
Savings: €0
Unrealized investment returns: €2k
Current wealth: €62k

Progress update:

• I have yet to find a job.
• I was invited to one interview but I felt myself reluctant to appear because the job was not in equity research. The job opportunity has since passed me by. I have mixed feelings about this because it would have been better to just do the interview and manage my equity research applications meanwhile. The process of drafting a contract etc. would have given me plenty of time to see if any public equity fund would want to hire me, and I would then have this job as a backup option (assuming I would get the job, which is a little bit out of my area of expertise). Lessons learned — I just find it hard to seriously apply for anything before I’ve had a shot at applying for my dream job.
• I have almost perfected my cover letter and stock pitch that I will send along with my application for equity research positions.
• Fortunately, I have found that there are more public equity funds where I live than I had previously thought. At first I thought there were only six — it now it appears that there are at least twenty.

It would be great if I can find a job before December 31st, which is what I described in previous post as the ‘conservative’ estimate of when I should have a job. That way I have a better shot at making my 2022 target of 90k (possibly even 100k?).

As for the experience of being out of work for three months plus, it’s not perfect, but life is generally pretty easy so I can’t complain. I read newspapers, send out an application or two, hit the gym, see my friends, go on dates.

In all honesty, I thought I would be working on my applications full-time, but it has not been so. Trying to appear professional and hireable in writing and in person is exhausting, because when you are passionate about a job then you don’t want to spend time convincing other people of that. You just want to do the job.

Of course, these are just excuses I’m making for myself. Nobody enjoys looking for work. It’s just another thing you have to get through.

And even if it takes a very long time to find something, it really doesn’t matter. There are people my age with perfect career paths who have already made it to senior analyst, Head of Investment, partner, etc. There are people my age who were born into wealth and with whom I will never catch up. Hedge fund babies and princes and oil heirs. People who are better than me at everything and forever will be: better at analysing stocks, better at managing wealth, better intellectually, mentally, socially.

But that doesn’t matter. The only way in which this ‘being behind’ can affect you is if you compare yourself to these people. And why would you? The consequences are only negative: lower self-confidence, demotivation, unhappiness. Even professionally, it would be better to just stop worrying and get on with it: do the best you can and see where you end up. Living in constant anxiety because you ‘should have been partner by now’ does nothing for your career or your productivity.

So relax a little.

I will keep posting on this blog, even if nothing happens. That way I hold myself accountable.

God speed you, reader.