We get straight talk from two recruiters about the current job market and how to suss out opportunities. More

This week we interview professional beach bum Hans Keeling, who said goodbye to a life of corporate drudgery a few years ago, started his own business in Brazil and never looked back.

Q: To make a long story short, you used to be a lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell, but now you own Nexus Surf, a surf/adventure travel company based in Florianopolis, Brazil. Tell us about how you went from an idea to something concrete.

A: Wow, where to start… Well, I took a job at S&C as a summer associate in 1999 and stayed on full-time until early 2004, so I had a couple years under my belt to get a good feel for the industry. I worked in M&A and securities, which as everyone reading this knows isn’t an easy field to be in. But in a weird and semi-sadomasochistic way, I enjoyed my work and definitely feel like I learned a lot about discipline, multi-tasking and professionalism (which I basically define as managing to successfully waking up at 6am after less than one hour’s sleep, shaving without cutting your own throat and making it to the airport in time for your flight out to the next due diligence or printer’s session on a semi-regular basis). Most important of all though, I learned what I didn’t want out of a career and work/life balance in the long run, and this gave me the resolve to actually make a change in my situation. Re: the change itself, the real difficulty in going from idea to action is overcoming the mental roadblocks that make getting started so difficult. We’ve all heard colleagues (if not ourselves) bitch and moan about the downsides of the job, or day dreaming about a million odd-ball occupations that one “might” be able to do well. More

This week we grill David Bledin, the author of the Bitter Investment Banker email as well as a new book expanding on similar themes, Bank.

WARNING: the below contains graphic and distinctly unglamorous descriptions of junior investment banking life, and may not be suitable for all readers, especially those aspiring to careers in finance.

Q: Let’s talk about the Bitter Investment Banker email – the genesis for Bank. When did you write that email?
A: I wrote the e-mail about ten months in, after a particularly bleak week of almost-all-nighters. The almost-all-nighters, when you work until 5 or 6 in the morning, are the worst of the bunch. With bonafide-all-nighters, the senior staff typically come in, see you in the same shirt you were wearing the day before, and send you home for a few precious hours of rest. But with almost-all-nighters, you’ve had an hour or two to go home, slip in a tiny stretch of comatose sleep, before the brutal ringing of your alarm clock, a quick wank and a shave, and then you’re back in your cube without anybody taking obvious pity on you, since you’re freshly groomed. So you’re stuck for another 14-hour shift.

Q: Weren’t you afraid you were going to get fired, or did you just not care at that point?
A: I didn’t care. I stopped caring about four months in. You should have seen my corporate e-mail outbox before I left, a lot of subject headers along the lines of “I’d rather gouge my eyeballs out with a paperclip than have to stick around for another six months.” Even though the “Bitter” e-mail was sent out anonymously, my firm was able to trace it back to me, and a colleague relayed that HR did eventually comb through these rather blatant and crude e-mails. But at that point I was already safely ensconced in a new city, so I didn’t care.

More

This week we talk with James Buckley, European fund manager by day, novelist by night, about his new book, Celebrate Myself, a book that ”penetrates the hallowed halls of business school academia to reveal a simmering world of unbridled lust and unchecked ambition. When tragedy strikes during a riotous evening on the town, the students’ entangled lives become irreversibly altered. Amidst the recrimination and despair surrounding unfolding events, powerful lessons are learned that could never be taught in any classroom.”

Q: First, great title. What’s the relationship between this little known “shoegazing” genre of music that the title is presumably based on, your own beliefs, and MBA-types?
A: Thanks. Shoegazing was described as “the scene that celebrates itself”, hence the title, which I thought had a great read across for MBAs and in particular, the angle I wanted to give the novel. It was also a chance to link two very disparate themes.

Q: Let’s talk about the book itself. From reading Chapter 1 online, I’m reminded of Brett Easton Ellis’ characters and the satire of Tom Wolfe. Where do you put yourself?
A: I read both authors, so that’s extremely flattering! The idea was to write a readable story that people could relate to, even if they’d not done an MBA or ever listened to a Slowdive record in their life. I wanted to end up with a fast-paced black comedy, which isn’t to be taken too seriously, but nevertheless does make some points about the huge self-importance of the business school industry.

Q: And what are those points?
A: I guess they’re found in the tone of the novel, which is very cynical, particularly towards business schools’ tendency towards pomposity. This is a work of fiction though, not a critique of the global business school marketplace. Nothing turns a reader off as quickly as an editorialising writer.

More

It’s the time of year where you may not only be forced to hang out with your family, but your dreaded in-laws or in-laws to be. Isn’t it funny how f’kd up other people’s families can be? But for those of you with bfs/gfs from a different background, these are dangerous times — you’re like a fish out of water, a banker out of of his cubicle, if you will. B.A., our controversial resident WASP, has some tips for those of you who have to spend your X-mas among the white-bread, freckle-faced crowd, and to do it with elan.

Q: First, B.A., where do WASPs celebrate Christmas? Where will they take me????

A: You will most likely be getting on the MetroNorth to New England. New England is the breeding ground for the WASP of the nation, and almost every WASP in the country was either born in this area, or is second generation from this area. Prime real estate areas include: Greenwich, CT Wellesley, MA and Manhasset, NY to name a few. Also, the Main Line areas of Pennsylvania, as well as the Eastern Shore areas of Maryland and DC are WASPalicious too.

More

Q: What’s the background check like?
A: For mid/high ranking people, you hire a private eye, police records, all that.

Q: Really? Wow. What about junior level people?
A: At [bulge bracket bank], they do a thorough background check. Any new hires are thoroughly investigated. It’s a regulated industry so they have to do it.

More

Debt consolidation loan frequently asked questions and bankruptcy advice. Discover which debt options can actually help you cut your debt in half. Free advice and services.

What’s it like working for a hedge fund … in Tokyo? Read on.

Q: Do you speak Japanese? Do you need to?
A: Speaking the local lingo certainly helps although it is a very difficult language to master for a foreigner like myself. Speaking some Japanese certainly helps when ordering drinks or telling the cab driver where you want to go. In Tokyo most streets have no names so it is crucial to be able to describe the way to the taxi driver if you want to make it home after a night in Roppongi.

More

Q: So all interviews must start out with the nitty gritty. Are you working more hours now that you moved back to NYC from California?

A: Slightly more. was 60-65, now 65-75.

Q: There are no good burritos in NYC. True/False?

A: False, but they’re hard to find.

Q: What exactly goes in an awesome California style burrito?

A: For sure, probably the normal stuff plus some Mexican authenticity, love & special sauces; the cuisine doesn’t have to travel as far and therefore isn’t as corrupted or mutated (I realize that I can’t actually defend this argument, but it may have some, though little, merit).

Q: When you say you used to live in San Francisco, does everyone automatically assume you’re gay?

A: Not everyone, but a few people have, including my apartment broker. More

Q: How does one get a job in P.E.? What’s the typical track? More

Do you know what “FOMO” is? If not, then read on…

Q: Describe the stereotypical HBS student.
A: “Type A” people. Bossy, talks a lot, big ego. The stereotypes we have to overcome when we graduate is that people think we’re annoying, loud, brash.

Q: What is the reality?
A: The reality is that there are nine hundred different people (in each class). I’m not saying there are nine hundred likeable people. More

Have dreams of a laid back life in the Bay Area? The following interview with a Silicon Valley VC guy may make you think otherwise.

Q: What’s it like working in finance over there on the Left Coast?

A: I am in VC and focus on IT investing in Silicon Valley. Although by definition VC is a finance industry, it is somewhat unique in that it is less about investing based on financial metrics or analysis and more about working with entrepreneurs to build companies. It’s probably safe to say that it is part art and part science, and good VC’s tend to develop a personal approach to investing that is based on experience.

Q: So does that mean people just sit around all day and get st*ned?

A: One can only dream…the average day for most VC’s is hard to describe, but generally speaking I would say that 1/3 is spent on finding new deals, 1/3 is focused on analyzing high potential deals, and the last 1/3 is spent on monitoring the current portfolio from a board perspective. This entails a lot of meetings with entrepreneurs, networking with other VC’s and people in industry, and working with the management teams of your portfolio companies. More

Meet Silicon Valley Singles - The Smartest, Fastest Way to Find Your Dream Date In San Jose and Silicon Valley.

The following is an interview with a hard-charging Chicago-based trader.

Q: Where do traders fall in the totem pole of finance?

A: I’m not sure. In an investment bank, traders often contribute a very large portion to the firm’s revenue, but seldom attain the highest levels of management due to less education and fewer tangible business skills. Traders are generally well respected but seldom understood.

More

The following is an interview with a Columbia MBA candidate.

Q: Here’s the zillion dollar question: is B-School worth it? Feel free to use your own definition of “worth.”

A: In short, yes. However, I must add that “worth” is a personal definition. B-school has allowed me to reflect on not only my career aspirations, but also my personal ones as well. I have two years to learn about the industry I am pursuing and broaden my business knowledge. B-school has developed my investment acumen and broadened my skill set.
More

Credit Cards and reviews

Goldman or Cravath? S&C v. Lehman? Someone who has seen both sides of the fence talks candidly about money, prestige and glamour. (The interviewee requested anonymity.)

BBalle: So, what are you doing now?

J.L.: I’m an associate in a law firm, currently reviewing a company’s contracts for laundry services, in addition to some other random agreements… amazing stuff.

BBalle: Let’s cut to the chase. The money has got to be better in banking. So why the move?

J.L.: Two reasons: (1) bankers are incompetent a-holes, and (2) money is only good if you don’t get canned. But if the money is REALLY good, I might be back there regardless of the aforementioned reasons. More

The following is the text of an in-person interview with a private equity “dude” working in Rockefeller Center. We had to give him a nickname for the sake of protection.

BankersBall: Do you think the Rockefeller Center is the most prestigious place to work in NYC?
Private Equity dude: No.

BB: What is?
P.E. Dude: My desk.
More