faith renewed

While I definitely experienced a set back with my first job here in NY, my faith in my recruiters has been renewed. I went on eight (8) interviews last week. All incredible companies and great positions with great teams.  I voluntarily chose to not pursue one of the opportunities and a couple of the others I could go either way on. BUT there are three, that for me, are in the final running and I hope I am in their final running too. I had my first follow-up of the week today, a third-and-final-round tomorrow and a second-possibly-final-round on Wednesday. Today was psychometric testing and skills assessment. By the time I got off the metro, I had an email asking for me to come back to meet the executives. I am in a bit of shock, (1) to realize that we are actually living in NY, (2) that I may be receiving multiple offers from top international finance firms, (3) that I am being considered.

I read an article in the New Yorker the other day about Sheryl Sandberg--a VP at Facebook. Here's a clip:

Sandberg graduated first in the economics department. At her Phi Beta Kappa induction, there were separate ceremonies for men and women. At hers, a woman gave a speech called “Feeling Like a Fraud.” During the talk, Sandberg looked around the room and saw people nodding. “I thought it was the best speech I’d ever heard,” she recalls. “I felt like that my whole life.” At every stage of her time in school, Sandberg thought, I really fooled them.

I can identify with Ms. Sandberg. Not because I am unqualified or a bad candidate or fraudulent in any way. But, because there is something about walking into these high-powered office buildings among high-powered people that makes me look down at my $8 Ann Taylor suit from the Friends of St. Asaph's thrift store that I altered myself because I didn't want to pay the $16 to have it tailored and think to myself, "Who do you think you are?". 

Here's to thinking big and reaching for the stars. And if I can do it, anyone can do it. 

And if you ever move to New York and are looking for great recruiters, look up Glocap (Colette is my contact--though all of my interviews have come through her colleagues) and ExecuSearch (Jordana is fantastic).