Holiday Greetings

Hello Joshua Persky,

My name is Mark and I'm from Hong Kong.

Today, I picked up a local Chinese Newspaper and read a column about you.

I found it very interesting and kind of compelled to write to you, and also scan the attached newspaper article (in Chinese language which I would imagine you wouldn't understand).

Everyday in the past few months since the U.S. Financial Tsumani / Global Economic Crisis has hit our world, there has been so many bad news of human kind suffering, unemployment, lay-offs, hopelessness, desperation, hunger, anger and frustration, in this world.

This newspaper article talked about your courageous story.

How your career life was also affected by this Economic Tsumani and was laid-off from your job, being employed in Houlihan Lokey in December of the past year.

Being 49 years old and MIT Graduate, continuously trying to look for other jobs in the market is like dropping a stone in the big ocean.

And on top, you are a family man with wife and 2 kids, and the wife having no other choice during your lowest moments in life, to have to resort to moving back with her mother's house in California (or somewhere like that).

Until you were, one day, thought of an innovative idea to wear a big sign, and walk around Central Park in NYC, until some head headers noticed you in the media, and found you another job in an accounting firm called Weiser LLP in NY as Senior Manager post.

So, your advice to everyone (according to this article) is to maintain a sense of humor and innovation, and never lose hope in a down economy.

Is that the jist of your story, as told by this article?

Did I miss out on any relevant details about your real side of the story?

I don't know why I'm compelled to write you this note, or whether you can actually still receive my email, as I only saw your email address on the bottom of your hung up sign.

I guess that I can somehow relate to your real life experience and story told, because I kind of lived it myself - being desperate, jobless before, laid-off by U.S. retail chain merger back in 2006, and found other jobs, then market down, and hopped to another job before they start cutting me too, and now, again, this company is going down in these tough times, so still stand the risk of being laid off again.....and also, have a family to support, and debts to pay for my own dad (whom incurred a huge credit card crunch on me)....etc.

If you got any better advice, please send me back an email. I would appreciate it much.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.  God Bless America.

Best Regards,

Mark

 

dear persky,

I saw your pic today on wsj

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/EOY2008-SLIDESHOW.html

I just wonder whether you find a job or not. please inform me.

good luck.

ali

 

Hi Joshua,

Just want to say your story made the headline across the countries. I think you are very brave to advertise yourself and you are not afraid to let people know you lose the job.

I wish you have a very happy christmas and a safe new year.

Mani

Macau

 

Hi Joshua,

I saw you on year picture of WSJ.com. I realize that you were looking for a job. Your advertizement was very creative. Hopefully you already found an ideal job.

Merry Christma & Happy new year

Sincerely,

Will