"Working at Changxin Bank was my childhood dream."
Takeshita Masato, a junior student with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a righteous expression, sat upright in his black suit, answering the interviewer's questions word by word with deep emotion.
The interviewer remained noncommittal and continued with the process, asking, "There are so many banks, did you not consider any others?"
"No!" Takeshita Masato paused briefly, then softly stated with even greater conviction, "Your esteemed bank is my only choice."
"When I was young, I often read in newspapers how certain companies, relying on loans from your esteemed bank, successfully developed and grew. How certain companies, relying on loans from your esteemed bank, achieved global expansion."
"At that time, a small seed was planted in my heart: in the future, I must join your esteemed bank and, just like how your esteemed bank initially defied all opposition to support Toyota Motor, I too want to help cultivate world-class giant enterprises."
"Upon seeing your esteemed bank's strategy of fully entering the real estate industry, my determination to join your esteemed bank became even stronger, because I am equally optimistic about Japan's real estate industry."
"Japan is an island nation with limited land area. With the rapid growth of its economy, both industrial and residential land face a situation of tension and scarcity. It can be said that, for Japanese real estate today, buying it essentially means making a profit."
"Your esteemed bank's vigorous deep dive into the real estate industry will surely, in this process, both help real estate companies develop and grow, and also share in the abundant profits of the real estate industry. It is a good company and a good leader in my heart."
"Therefore, your esteemed bank, which is Changxin Bank, is my only choice."
"I am very eager to work for your esteemed bank."
Changxin Bank faced a management crisis after entering the 1980s, internally splitting into two factions.
The reformist faction advocated for transforming Changxin Bank into an investment bank. The conservative faction chose to maintain the status quo, still focusing on the credit industry.
Currently, the conservative faction within Changxin Bank holds the advantage, and this advantage is growing stronger with the continuous development of the Japanese stock market and real estate.
Takeshita Masato's clear support for the conservative faction made it easier to win the interviewer's favor and achieve success in the interview.
The interviewers were almost all members of the conservative faction. After a brief discussion, although they were extremely satisfied with Takeshita Masato, they still spoke in a formulaic manner with poker faces.
"Understood, the interview is over. If you do not receive a message before midnight tomorrow, it means we are not fated. Please understand!"
"Okay!"
Takeshita Masato bowed politely and then respectfully exited the bank interview site.
"Not bad, not bad. My sincere speech wasn't in vain, there's actually this much."
Leaving the bank and returning to his rented apartment in Tokyo, Takeshita Masato finally opened the kraft paper envelope given to him by the bank staff.
He looked at the 50 Fukuzawa Yukichi bills inside, a happy smile involuntarily appearing on his face.
February 1986, although not yet officially in the bubble era, the competition for talent among major Japanese companies had already become increasingly abstract and exaggerated.
A junior student from a prestigious school like Waseda, Takeshita Masato, even if he performed very poorly in an interview, would receive a 100,000 yen Gift money .
If he performed relatively well, large corporations would even directly pay for him to travel for a year in Hawaii, the Caribbean, and other overseas locations, to prevent him from being snatched by competitors.
The reason behind this is simple:
Japan's economy was growing at a high speed, and after becoming the world's second-largest economy, it began to catch up with the United States, which was in first place.
Not only did it defeat American companies in industries such as automobiles and home appliances, but it also suffocated American companies in the emerging semiconductor industry.
More importantly, with the signing of the Plaza Accord in 1985, Japan continued to open its financial markets, broadening corporate financing channels and increasing their available funds.
With more money in hand, and with extreme optimism about Japan's future economic development, companies naturally accelerated their expansion.
Corporate expansion required a large number of talents, but the talent pool in the market was limited. Companies then turned their attention to future talents, namely graduates from prestigious universities.
The number of graduates from prestigious universities was also limited. Under the fierce competition among companies, a severe imbalance between supply and demand emerged. After one company implemented a 'silver bullet' strategy, subsequent companies could only follow suit, forming a prisoner's dilemma, ultimately leading to the curious scene of companies giving money to prestigious university interviewees.
However, speaking of it, while Waseda University is good, it still falls short of Japan's two pillars, Tokyo University and Kyoto University. Companies would go to extreme lengths to compete for students from these two schools.
Large companies would directly offer high salaries and exaggerated benefits at campus recruitment fairs at these two universities. Then, as long as a student showed interest, they would immediately take that student on a year-long cruise around the world on a yacht that had already been prepared. As for activities like tempting with beauties, they were indispensable, considered Japan's version of the 'Haitian Feast'.
This frantic and agitated talent war made Japanese university graduates at that time the happiest group in the world. Many university students simply didn't work, earning a large sum by interviewing for one or two months a year, and then traveling the world.
If they ran out of money, they would just return to Japan and go through another round of interviews.
Takeshita Masato was also a student of the same type; he participated in interviews solely to receive the Gift money . However, unlike those who indulged in play, he wanted to acquire more principal to invest in the stock market and earn even more money.
The stock market and real estate market during Japan's bubble era were incredibly hot; buying essentially meant making a profit. He naturally wouldn't let such a good opportunity pass him by.
Among these, the real estate market belonged to physical assets, which were troublesome to buy or sell and easily attracted shady groups, making it unsuitable for someone from an ordinary family like him.
Besides, he didn't have that much principal to buy a house.
The stock market was different; he was a player so small he couldn't be smaller. Any operation was very convenient, and he wasn't easily targeted.
He had actually considered borrowing money to speculate in stocks, but after thinking about it, he gave up on that idea.
Although the risk of stock speculation in Japan's bubble era was very small, what if he encountered a butterfly effect? He was a reborn person, with plenty of opportunities to make money, so there was no need to put himself at risk.
Better to develop slowly than to fall into a crisis.
Takeshita Masato lay on the bed, counted the banknotes several times, and then contentedly put them into his wallet. Afterward, he lazily reached for the small table beside him, brought the documents on it to his eyes, and began to check the next company for an interview.
"Let me see, tomorrow is First Real Estate Company. Very good, not only is it a real estate company, but it's also a notorious nouveau riche, so it seems I can get another 500,000 yen in gift money."