Plan B

Last week I had a terribly humbling conversation with a recruiter. I had applied for a programme manager job with the Institutional Investor Group on Climate Change, one of my prime targets.
“But you’re a journalist,” she said. “I worked for financial companies for the past 18 years,” says I. “But you’re a writer.” Undeterred, I said: “This position is about persuasion, about advocating for responsible investing--that is primarily a communications job.” She made it clear that her client, IIGCC, wanted someone with an investments background--a portfolio manager or a fund analyst.
Sigh. I have been rejected on so many grounds at this point that I have to shift gears.
So late last week I sent out resumes for four jobs as an investment writer--what I did for 18 years at American Century and Vanguard. If nothing else, U.K. asset managers are more focused on socially responsible investing than their U.S. counterparts. Even if I’m not in that segment of the business, there’s no saying there won’t be overlap or a later opportunity to join an ESG team.
Within a few business days of sending those resumes, I’d heard back from three of the four posts. I have a Skype interview lined up with one of them, after a screening call with the recruiter. I’ve had a phone interview on another, with a follow-up writing test assigned. And I’ve had a screening interview with the recruiter on a third job. It’s a lot of activity after a whole lot of nuthin' in recent months.
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