Busy busy busy!
Senior year fall semester means one thing to all business majors: recruiting. And it really sucks.
With the economy looking the way it is, competition is even more intense. I swear, I've been to a bazhillion info-sessions, networked my FACE off and smiled til I couldn't smile anymore. Not that I don't enjoy meeting new people and learning more about the consulting industry, but making small talk is really not the way I like to connect. In a sense, it's almost like speed dating, 15 minutes to try to impress a prospective employer, distinguish yourself and hand them your resume hoping that they'll remember you after the night and then proceed to write thank you letters to all the people you've just met. Leaving you with a stack of name cards and slim chance that you'll be invited to an interview.
I'm especially stressing out and at a disadvantage because I'm trying to jump into a field I didn't know much about until a month ago. It was through an epiphany that I suddenly realized, you know what? I want to do consulting.
Why the change of mind all of a sudden? Well, after being abroad, I reassessed what I wanted to do with my life. I could go back into the video games industry and get an entry level job that invovled a lot of crunch time, OT and minimal pay. Not that I mind the hours, but really, do I want to be stuck in a cubicle all day trying to figure out ways to crash a game? For those of you who know me, as much as a gamer/nerd I am, I'm also much more of a people person.
Being abroad really made me realize that I need to be out in the world meeting new people, learning new things and growing from those experiences. I'm also easily sick and tired of routine. I thrive when dealt with changing challenges and ideas. I need to be kept on my toes to be excited and interested. With consulting, you're dealing with diverse projects and clients EVERYWHERE. I really don't mind the travel.
All in all, after speaking with a few people, I feel that consulting is for me. After I gain some professional experience in consulting, who knows? Maybe I can jump back into the video games industry and work in production.
This stage of my life is very stressful, but at the same time, so very exciting, because there are so many unknowns. Who knows where I'll end up after one more semester at USC. What kind of lifestyle will I lead? Where will I be? So many questions. One thing I know for sure though is, despite the volatile economy, I'm getting an offer by the end of it all. Bottom line. It's what I'm aiming for and it's what I'm gonna get.
All professional matters aside, being busy is good. It's keeping my mind off of other things. Maybe it's not a wise move since I'm just avoiding things, but at least I'm not thinking about them. It'll all get better with time. Ah... growing up =) so much of it this year. Absolutely transformational, and all from a few months spent in another country. I'm so grateful. The future is bright =)
-Maria
With the economy looking the way it is, competition is even more intense. I swear, I've been to a bazhillion info-sessions, networked my FACE off and smiled til I couldn't smile anymore. Not that I don't enjoy meeting new people and learning more about the consulting industry, but making small talk is really not the way I like to connect. In a sense, it's almost like speed dating, 15 minutes to try to impress a prospective employer, distinguish yourself and hand them your resume hoping that they'll remember you after the night and then proceed to write thank you letters to all the people you've just met. Leaving you with a stack of name cards and slim chance that you'll be invited to an interview.
I'm especially stressing out and at a disadvantage because I'm trying to jump into a field I didn't know much about until a month ago. It was through an epiphany that I suddenly realized, you know what? I want to do consulting.
Why the change of mind all of a sudden? Well, after being abroad, I reassessed what I wanted to do with my life. I could go back into the video games industry and get an entry level job that invovled a lot of crunch time, OT and minimal pay. Not that I mind the hours, but really, do I want to be stuck in a cubicle all day trying to figure out ways to crash a game? For those of you who know me, as much as a gamer/nerd I am, I'm also much more of a people person.
Being abroad really made me realize that I need to be out in the world meeting new people, learning new things and growing from those experiences. I'm also easily sick and tired of routine. I thrive when dealt with changing challenges and ideas. I need to be kept on my toes to be excited and interested. With consulting, you're dealing with diverse projects and clients EVERYWHERE. I really don't mind the travel.
All in all, after speaking with a few people, I feel that consulting is for me. After I gain some professional experience in consulting, who knows? Maybe I can jump back into the video games industry and work in production.
This stage of my life is very stressful, but at the same time, so very exciting, because there are so many unknowns. Who knows where I'll end up after one more semester at USC. What kind of lifestyle will I lead? Where will I be? So many questions. One thing I know for sure though is, despite the volatile economy, I'm getting an offer by the end of it all. Bottom line. It's what I'm aiming for and it's what I'm gonna get.
All professional matters aside, being busy is good. It's keeping my mind off of other things. Maybe it's not a wise move since I'm just avoiding things, but at least I'm not thinking about them. It'll all get better with time. Ah... growing up =) so much of it this year. Absolutely transformational, and all from a few months spent in another country. I'm so grateful. The future is bright =)
-Maria