[Intuition] Intuition is a survival skill even in job changes. Before the shock? The sense of unease in an interview that made me run away from a job offer at Lehman Brothers

Intuition is one of the most powerful weapons for survival.

Sometimes, intuition senses danger before logic does, unconsciously guiding us toward the right path.

This is a true story I once experienced, where I changed my life by trusting the sense of unease that my intuition pointed out.

1. A job offer from Lehman Brothers

At that time, about 15 years ago, I was job hunting.

Among the opportunities, I was introduced to a job opening at the global investment bank, Lehman Brothers.

However, to be honest, I wasn't interested from the start.

It wasn't a job category I was interested in, and I felt a vague sense of unease.

It was a job opportunity I really didn't feel like pursuing, but pushed by the agent in charge, I went to the interview thinking, "Well, it'll be an experience."

The agent in charge was unusually enthusiastic.

"You absolutely must take it."

And so, the day of the interview arrived in the blink of an eye.

The interview took place at their office in Roppongi.

It was certainly gorgeous, but I remember it being somewhat dim and having a strangely heavy atmosphere.

There were three interviewers.

• An older white man (American)
• A white man in his 40s (Australian?)
• A young South Asian man

They were friendly, but something was off.

The questions were decent enough, but the overall flow of the conversation was awkward, and their reactions to my answers were thin.

They didn't seem to have any enthusiasm to hire me, nor was there an atmosphere of them judging me strictly.

Rather, I could sense a slight impatience, as if they were thinking, 'We just need to hire someone, anyone.'

—That really bothered me.

2. A job offer that arrived with abnormal speed

The interview ended, and I heard from the agent immediately.

How was it?

I answered honestly, "Well, I don't really feel like going there."

And then, just a few days later.

I received a call from the agent saying, "You've been offered the job!"

It was too fast.

Even for a foreign-affiliated company, offers usually take several weeks and multiple interviews.

Yet, this speed was abnormal.

Something was wrong.

My suspicion that "there is something going on with this company" began to grow.

What made the sense of unease even stronger was the agent's attitude.

The agent in charge was a young American around 30 years old.

He was incredibly aggressive, pressuring me by saying, "Decide immediately once the offer comes."

I told him, "Please let me think about it for a little while."

Then, the agent suddenly became impatient and said this in a somewhat angry tone.

…Huh?

It was as if he were asking what I could possibly be dissatisfied with.

An elite company, a good salary offer.

But his incredibly rude way of speaking completely turned me off.

At this point, I was convinced.

This story doesn't add up.

I answered immediately.

I decline.

The agent was clearly dissatisfied, but I discarded this offer without hesitation.

And that decision ended up changing my life significantly.

Just three months after I turned down the offer—the Lehman Shock struck.

Lehman Brothers went bankrupt.

News around the world reported that moment, and the television showed employees leaving the New York headquarters carrying cardboard boxes.

Watching that footage, I thought to myself.

What if I had ignored my gut feeling and joined the company back then?

I might have been carrying a box just like them shortly after joining.

It sent a chill down my spine.

What if I had been swayed by the agent's words back then?

What if I had ignored that sense of unease and joined the company?

3. Intuition becomes a power that protects your life

There was definitely a sense of uneasy impatience drifting through that interview.

Both the company and the agent were in a rush, as if they were being chased by something.

Was something already closing in on them from the inside? Had their internal processes and ethics ceased to function?

Was Lehman Brothers already facing the imminent threat of collapse?

Perhaps that is why they were trying to secure as much talent as possible in such a short period of time.

I was able to pick up on that sense of unease.

And I made a decision by trusting my intuition.

As a result, it saved my life. Though I never could have predicted the actual collapse.

4. Your intuition will protect you

Not just when changing jobs, but in every situation in life, you will sometimes feel a sense of 'unease'.

The moment you feel that "something is wrong," even if you cannot explain it with logic.

Please, I want you to cherish that feeling.

Intuition is sometimes sharper than logic and foresees the future accurately.

If you can believe in it, your life will change significantly.

I learned this through my own experience.

"If you feel a sense of unease, it is a sign of something."

Have you ever made a choice by trusting your intuition?

Has that choice ever changed your life?

In job changes, in business, and in life—intuition should not be underestimated.

I learned firsthand that not ignoring it and sharpening your intuition becomes one of the greatest survival skills.

It is an important signal to protect yourself.

If you ever feel a "sense of unease," I hope you will stop and think about it for a moment.

Believe in yourself.

I wholeheartedly support your power to believe.

<Recommended books to read if you are thinking about changing jobs #28>

Read it every day and feel energized. X Tweets about life, career changes, success, and work
Click➡ ReDesign Career Life

Click➡ReDesign Career Life Instagram launched: Introducing books on career changes, success, and strengthening your mindset

Follows and likes are my motivation♪