<p>^^Nice work. Logical and unemotional for an emotional discussion.</p>
<p>Anyone thinking that teachers are some noble breed apart will have had that notion challenged merely by watching the mau-mauing of the Chicago Teachers Union in their strike last fall. They eventually won because (after the kids were home for a week) the public realized that they needed taxpayer-funded babysitters for their kids.</p>
<p>The “viral” aspect of this message is more about the Wall Street banker responses than the college student. The letter boosts the egos of the bankers, placing them atop Mount Olympus as Titans of Industry (which they are not, of course, but don’t tell them that). The email followup responses are classic and worth a good laugh IMO.</p>
<p>Without those comments below, there really is nothing to this.</p>
<p>chrisw–my money is on you to write an even better cover letter!</p>
<p>In our state, the teachers’ union is so powerful, my kids have had teachers who’ve announced they don’t plan to teach the class, because they can’t be fired no matter what they do. In fact, just this week a teacher acquaintance of mine says he only teaches the first ten minutes of every class. Lovely. All the same, I would never bash the entire teaching profession.</p>
<p>For those who debase the letter because they find it unimpressive or not cunning, you are missing the point. In the letter, the applicant displayed honesty, passion, loyalty, and dedication in the most pure forms, which took the employers by surprise because the typical letters are swamped with mundane, embellished details about the applicant’s successes. The student no doubt deserves some props.</p>
<p>I completely agree with you. Those posters on this thread who do not see this kid as having pure genius are NOT getting Wall Street internships. They would never get one because they are totally clueless about what would be impressive to such a hiring manager. McDonald’s is a more likely career path than Wall Street for those people. Good luck flipping burgers.</p>