The case for the P.S.D. candidate.
"PSD stands for Poor, Smart, and a deep Desire to become rich, a hiring philosophy coined by Alan "Ace" Greenberg of Bear Stearns to prioritize driven, hungry talent over traditional, high-pedigree résumés."
Hiring lore, Wall Street, attributed to A. Greenberg
Poor
I am not insulated by inherited capital or an alumni network. Every interview I get is one I have to earn on the merits. That asymmetry produces a higher motivation per dollar of comp than the typical pedigree hire.
Smart
3.67 GPA, Dean's List, and a Cybersecurity concentration within the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. The transcript holds up to scrutiny, and so does the underlying curiosity that drives it.
Deep Desire
Four years leading a research team while still in school. Self-directed work in behavioral finance, blockchain market structure, and applied analytics. Currently preparing for CompTIA Security+ and AWS Cloud Practitioner. None of it was assigned.