Cassandra Tognoni | Rethinking your career options

Now that it's On Campus Recruiting season, I think it is safe to say that most of the senior class is freaking out.

Because one bad interview, one bombed brainteaser, and you know you've blown your chance at future happiness.

But don't fret, dear senior, you haven't. You don't really know what will make you happy.

Imagine this: You are about to receive a mystery prize and then complete a boring task. If I were to ask you to predict your happiness after these two events, would you rather know a) what exactly the mystery prize was or b) how a stranger who had just received the prize and completed the task felt afterwards?

Most everyone would answer "a." But when a study just like this was conducted with two groups of volunteers, those in the group with the knowledge of "b" were significantly better predictors of their future happiness than those who were told what the prize was.

In his book Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert reveals our mind's fallibility in predicting our future contentment.

The Harvard psychologist explains this study by citing our imagination's tendency to fill in and leave out details that matter.

Those in situation "a" had to use their imagination, which misled them to believe that receiving a prize would make them happier and that joy would extend even beyond the completion of the boring task. But those in situation "b" couldn't use their imaginations and had to rely solely on the report of a stranger, whose elation at receiving the prize dissipated after the task.

In other words, scoring the Goldman i-banking job sounds great today (instant bragging rights!), but may not be as great when you experience the 100-hour work week and won't have time to do others things from which you previously derived happiness (no more friends to brag to).

Gilbert concludes that "the best way to predict our feelings tomorrow is to see how others are feeling today."

So finding out exactly how many pitch books or models you complete each day might not be as helpful as simply asking someone who works at Goldman now how they like their job.

But even after showing subjects the results of the study, they still chose to receive more information instead of a first-hand report from a stranger. And you probably would too.

Because you think you're different. Your resume will testify that you are the "founder of ." or "first to ." something or other. You, unlike all the rest of the heartless Whartonites, probably want to champion some great global cause in the future ( . just as soon as you make your millions).

If someone complains about their hours, you rationalize that they must be weaker than you. If someone bemoans the lack of respect he receives from superiors, you can't imagine that could matter to you. If someone tells you calculating DCFs all day gets old, you'll think boredom is worth 100 grand a year.

But let's face it. We aren't all that different. We are all here because we think working really hard is worth it, and because we want to "make something" of our lives. And most of us do find it more fun to be in a bar with friends than in a Huntsman study room.

At the end of the day, we are all just looking to lead happy, fulfilling lives.

So instead of assuming you know what type of job, or which firm, will make you happy, realize you probably don't. The person who has that job now likely has a better idea.

So go to as many info sessions as you can (even the ones that aren't in finance) and rather than focusing on the content of the presentation, engage as many people as possible with regard to their experiences on the job.

Better yet, go out and try to find other people that work at the firm or in an industry that aren't trying to recruit you (and may give you a less rosy and more accurate account of reality).

And at the end of the interview, when you get asked if you have any questions, ask your interviewer how happy he is. And pay attention to the answer.

Cassandra Tognoni is a Wharton junior from Andover, Mass. Her e-mail is

tognoni@dailypennsylvanian.com. Skirting the Norm appears on Mondays.

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