God opened a door to my dream role

This testimony really has been a long time coming. Before I go into the details, I think it is important to provide some context. I’ve worked in finance for the past 4 and a bit years in 4 different roles at 4 different firms. Last summer after a short time as a trader and then M&A banker I joined a hedge fund as an equity analyst. This had been a long-term dream of mine and I was ecstatic about the opportunity. However, due to a variety of reasons I had to leave my prior firm before collecting my bonus which would have been somewhere in the region of £40-50k. This was very hard to do, but I felt God was leading me and I trusted that some way, somehow it would all work out. The new role began well, but very shortly I realised how toxic the culture was and the guy who had hired me to work for him was on his way out. I felt quite lost and confused and somewhat frustrated. I prayed and asked God to give me peace despite the bleak situation.

After several months of a disappointing working experience I decided to look for alternative employment and began searching for other roles at hedge funds. For those that don’t know, the hedge fund interview process is incredibly rigorous - you go through several interviews, a 1-2 week case study which you have to present and then further interviews. I found it very tough to get a role and faced one rejection after another. Then out of nowhere I got an interview with a very reputable fund that I didn’t even know were hiring. I did the first round interview, they then gave me a case study to do which I presented the following week. The feedback was excellent and I received a phone call the same day of my presentation that they would like me to meet the founder of the company the following Tuesday.

I went to church that Sunday and I remember sitting on the balcony when the pastor asked people to come forward that would like prayer. I rarely go to the front when an altar calls happen but I felt the Holy Spirit really urging me - I couldn’t ignore the promptings. I thought to myself "what if I didn’t go out and I was really supposed to get something? Imagine I miss it!". So I went to the front and a man named Charles offered to pray for me. I told him to pray that God’s peace may be with me as I had been finding everything tough with my job search and I was still grieving the loss of my mum who had passed away the year prior. Charles did not know I had a very important meeting the following Tuesday but as he was praying he started to say ‘Lord give him the right words at his meeting’. I was lost for words. He then went on to say ‘God is going to surprise you in a way that you will know it is Him and your relationship will be stronger because of it’. I couldn’t believe it. For me, this was God speaking to me about my upcoming meeting, but I still wasn’t 100% sure.

Tuesday came along and I was very prepared for an intense interview with the founder. This guy has been investing for over 30 years and is immensely wealthy which made the whole experience somewhat daunting. When he walked into the room to my surprise his first words were ‘What can I do to make you work here? I have been told to do whatever it takes to have you work here’. Needless to say, I got the job. I was in utter shock. As I type these words, I still cannot believe what God has done for me. This was what Charles had told me was going to happen the Sunday before and I was in awe.

I hope that this encourages somebody. I had faced several rejections, left a bonus in my last job and was grieving the loss of my mother, but God had something better for me, which was more than I could ever imagine. My words of encouragement are to trust the Lord and draw closer to him. The Lord knows what you need and when you need it more than you realise. Have faith!

Psalm 37:23-24