After 1-Year Hunt, Job Search Ends for Laid-Off Investment Banker

A laid-off New York investment banker's long struggle to find another job in a horrendous economy may offer some lessons for lawyers in a similar predicament.

Handing out resumes for a week while wearing a sandwich board stating "experienced MIT grad for hire," near the intersection of 50th and Park Avenue in Manhattan, got him a lot of attention but no actual job, reports the Los Angeles Times. His Oracle of NY blog about his job search had a similar impact.

But Joshua Persky persevered, sending out resumes to recruiters and pursuing other contacts in the traditional manner. He got interviews, but, as the economy worsened, he was told more than once that the company would like to hire him but couldn't afford to do so.

His job hunt persisted for a year. During it, his wife of six years and their two children went to live with her parents in Omaha, Neb., and he moved in with his sister in suburban Westchester, N.Y., although their relationship continued to be strong. Finally, at age 49, he found a new job as a senior manager doing valuation work for the Weiser accounting company.

Ironically, a recruiter first called him about the job, in October. His new boss, Elliot Ogulnick, says he liked Persky's resume and initially knew nothing about all the publicity his new employee had generated about his job hunt. Laid off by Houlihan Lokey last December, Persky started his new job earlier this month. His wife and children plan to move back to Manhattan this summer, after the school year ends.

His advice to other job-seekers? As the newspaper puts it: "Keep hoping. Keep exercising. Keep savoring time with family."