By Lauren Silverman

A few years ago I secretly dreamed about working on Wall Street. I used to picture myself in a pinstripe business suit strutting past the Charging Bull before the opening bell. Working there seemed cool. It was like working for the company that makes the blackberry – before the iphone…or working for Enron – before the bankruptcy.

Then the bailouts happened… And I changed my mind about Wall Street like that. I remember watching the bailouts and bonuses fiasco from my desk with the other interns on TV and yelling at the screen. We were furious – I mean red in the face. Those companies seemed to throw around money like paper airplanes. Employees got their bonuses for losing big. And they didn’t seem to care about the risks they took.

Now, I know things are getting a bit better for the finance industry. I know banks have paid back some of the government bailout money. I know some investment firms are hiring again. But there’s a permanent cloud lurking over Wall Street and a bad taste that’s still in my mouth. So you won’t find me dreaming about a job on Wall Street – and most my friends feel the same way.

Previously:

• Financial Dreamers
• Learning Wall Street's Ropes
• Dead End Economy