Maybe A Bit Too Self-Confident

Aleksey Vayner, a senior at Yale, produced a videotaped interview where he shared his thoughts on success (he has an "insatiable appetite" for it) and the importance of cutting "losers" out of one's life. Like any good video producer, he knew enough to avoid long views of himself talking. So he intercut images of himself bench-pressing (up to 495 pounds, we're told in one superimposed title), breaking seven bricks with his bare hand (though one blogger noted the breaks were suspiciously even) and ballroom dancing (though we never get a good look at his feet, his face his suitably intense.)

The New York Post says the video has been making the rounds on Wall Street, and that Vayner is considering suing UBS, claiming the video leaked from its offices. (UBS says the firm is reviewing the matter.)

Vayner has certainly succeeded in getting himself a reputation on Wall Street, though it's probably safe to say it's not the kind he envisioned. Observes one recruiter: "Within reason it's good to be creative but not wacky." Adds another: "If that guy were any good he could apply to anywhere - Merrill, UBS, or wherever, and get four or five job offers. That's what the market's like at the moment. You don't need to do all that."