The (never ending?) Job Search: Part 2!

If you haven't yet read part 1, I would advise you go do that now. Otherwise the story I'm about to relay won't make nearly as much sense, if any at all.

Read it?

Good, now I'll continue.

So I took a bus back from New York Saturday morning, December 8th (made me really appreciate the flight there! Yay Jet Blue!) and the next few days were essentially filled solely with studying for Auditing and Accounting. I didn't really check my email, just focused on studying. At that point I figured what's done is done and I'm in yet another waiting game anyways.

When I finally emerge from the library and all of my exams I begin the anxious waiting period. For the first time in months I had no interviews lined up. It was simply waiting, waiting, waiting. At this point I had gone through nearly 20 interviews (the CA interview was not the only one I had during the two weeks we had been back since Thanksgiving). While at the beginning I tried to gauge how well interviews had gone, I was pretty much over that. The whole process had become almost a game (probably not good to admit, but it's the truth).

It wasn't about finding a place I could do the job; if that's all it was I would have a job offer from probably everywhere I applied. Now, to be fair, I still took the job search seriously. It was still a stressful endeavor. But I was more lighthearted about it; I tried to have some fun with it.

On Thursday (the 13th) CA emails me back...as I read the email I start to get all giddy. Remember, this is probably the most interesting company I applied to for a rotation. I was really excited...because I had been moved up to the second round!

[insert sigh of relief here]

Once again they have a series of dates for me to choose from...all in January. Ok, I think. This is manageable. They start in the first week of January, so I can do the interview before I head off to Ghana. Then I just have to hope there's no important correspondence while I'm out of touch with the world and we'll be all set. Perfect!

Jokes, life is never that simple.

At this point we are into winter break. Ghana is just three weeks away. Sarina is having visa issues so she comes to my house until she can secure her visa. We spend the days hanging out, catching up on NCIS, cooking, the usual for us. And then:

11:57am, Monday December 17, 2012

I get an email from one of the companies I had interviewed with asking if I had any free time for a phone call over the next couple of days. 

12:00pm, Monday December 17, 2012

Of course! I reply, I have nothing but time. 

~12:30pm, Monday December 17, 2012

My phone rings.

It's the recruiter from Braver PC (http://thebravergroup.com/)

I begin to pace as Sarina watches nervously.

I hang up.

I got the job!

At this point I'm shaking and teary eyed, all excited and such. But I have to keep calm. I have emails to send and people to call. Everyone's been waiting for this moment for months now.

1:00pm, Monday December 17, 2012

I take a seat and a deep breath. Success!

I had emailed every company I could recall that I still had open interviews with, including CA, explaining my situation. So I was now, once again in a waiting game. I had to see what other offers would come in, what companies would decide to just make a cut, and if CA could move the interview process forward any.

~3:00pm, Monday December 17, 2012

My phone rings.

It's the recruiter from another company I had interviewed with.

At this point I'm right in the middle of something so I have them call me back in half an hour.

~3:30pm, Monday December 17, 2012

My phone rings again.

It's the recruiter again.

Offering me a job.

In three and a half hours I had gone from no job offers to two. Yay! Wonderful!

Except (of course there's an except!) they both want an answer by December 31st. 

My interview with CA is scheduled for January 7th. It would be incredibly gutsy of me at this point to reject both offers hoping that I would get the offer from CA before even going for the interview. It would be incredibly rude and senseless of me to back out of the CA interview considering how much I had fought for the first interview and how much I was impressed by the company. So what's a girl to do?

It's more of that waiting game. Throughout the coming days I hear back from everyone I emailed. For simplicity, let's just imagine we have three companies that we're dealing with.

CA responds. They can move the interview as early as January 2nd. That's something. But not quite what I was hoping. So now I need to make a decision. I can try bargaining on time with the other two, accept one of the other two, or reject both of the other two.

I email Braver for an extension, and get an explanation of how they do offers on a rolling basis as they find candidates they like until they have filled all of their spots. He agrees to extend my deadline until they are ready to make an offer that would fill their final spot. Seeing as they can't predict if people will accept or how quickly people will accept, they can't really guarantee how long I have. But I figure I can at least get through the CA interview no problem. Then maybe I'll have decided I really like the idea of a rotation more than Audit/Tax that I'd do at Braver or the other company, or I really won't like it?

At this point it's December 21st. Quite the whirlwind of a month! And I still have to decide what to do about the other company. I decide to take a few days to mull everything over. I focus on Christmas, and figuring out how I'm going to get to my interview in New York (this time on Long Island).

And so I leave you yet another cliff hanger...

The (never ending?) Job Search: Part 1!

My fall semester was pretty much occupied by job applications, interviews, writing cover letters, reviewing my resume, and pretty much everything else that could go into a job search...on top of classes & trying to spend as much time with Parvati as possible before she graduated.

It was quite the process. Much more intense & overwhelming than I thought it would be. I expected to have accepted an offer by the end of October. After that I would get into Babson's MSA and life would be smooth sailing for the rest of the year.

Totally didn't happen that way.

I went through the process of applying to all the major accounting firms, as well as some mid size firms and rotational programs, but the main focus was on the big companies.

Silly me. 

While I got an interview almost everywhere I applied, and many second round interviews as well, there was apparently something missing. So I kept applying and interviewing. By the end of the semester I was starting to feel very overwhelmed as I did not yet have a job offer unlike almost every single other one of my accounting friends.

And I got wait listed for the MSA on a technicality due to having not officially completing the requirements since I had been abroad. This was an unexpected wrench. I had sat down with the professors in charge and walked through how to get everything done in time & in the right way. Yet I had apparently managed to miss the point where I can't officially get accepted until I have some of the requirements out of the way. But more on that in another post.

Some interviews were easy to get. There was one company I didn't even remember to apply to but career services (go Babson being really super helpful and on their game!) got me in anyways.

Others were more difficult. For one company I was sent options of times to interview, but was apparently slow on the draw and chose the more popular slot after it was already full. It took some negotiating but I managed to get an interview...that's actually a somewhat entertaining story.

So it was the Monday after Thanksgiving and I got an email from this really awesome company called CA Technologies (http://www.ca.com/). They had two first round interview times: that Friday in Framingham, or the next Friday in Manhattan. Naturally, you would think, I would choose the one in Framingham seeing as it's right down the street from Babson.

NOPE.

See, the interviews were four hour blocks which included an information session followed by a round of one-on-one interviews and a meet & greet. As a busy Babson student I couldn't work my schedule out for a four hour block on four days notice so I called and asked if there would be a problem with going for the Manhattan one. I was told that should be fine, so that's what I went with.

While waiting for the confirmation I (very excitedly) went to Feng to tell her I had another interview lined up (at this point you would think all my friends would be tired of hearing that, seeing as I'd had around 15 so far, but she was still really excited for me. My friends are simply awesome people). Instantly she went to work, without me even asking, on figuring out the best way for me to get to New York. A bus or train wouldn't work because if they were delayed I wouldn't have much turn around time to figure things out. So instead we opted for me to fly from Boston to New York. After a little hesitation from me, we bought a one way ticket to NYC on Jet Blue (LOVE Jet Blue now). We figured I could get back however I wanted after.

Then I got an email back from CA saying the slots were all full for that Friday, but the Framingham location still had plenty of space. Well, I'm sure if I absolutely had to I could have figured something out, but it would have been really inconvenient. I already had my travel arrangements secured so I emailed them back. After a few days of emailing back and forth, talking to close friends & family and career services we were at a stand still.

Friday passes, then the weekend and I'm sitting with a plane ticket that seems almost useless at this point. At very least, I figure, I'll take the time to visit Sarah Bhuiya and Ifreen while I'm in the city. So I get in touch with them and we agree to meet up. I knew then that if nothing else I would get to see some of my favorite people who I never get to see any more, at least not nearly enough.

Meanwhile, I'm arranging a going away celebration for Parvati. The whole ordeal is somewhat of a disorganized surprise. She knew we would do something for her; she had essentially told me I had to as her best friend (I was planning on it anyways, but still). For pretty much everyone Satuday worked best. So I let her go along thinking that's what we would do. But for me, I had no idea what state I would be in on Saturday, and I knew I had a LOT of studying to do for my exams which were on Monday and Tuesday (great scheduling :P). So I arranged for it to be on Thursday. The problem was, Feng and I had to leave for the airport at about 7am the next morning & Feng is NOT a morning person. So really Thursday wasn't all that convenient for me either. But I made it work. I got a few people together, including some throw backs to freshman year, and I'd say Operation Surprise Parvati was a success. Then we were quick to shoo everyone off to midnight breakfast (my careful planning got people out of the suite early so I could get some sleep).

"Babson" waffles at Midnight Breakfast!

But that's not the point. I finally get an email back from the recruiter. Seeing as I was going to be in the city anyways they would work out how to fit me in.

Now the pressure was on. I had fought hard to secure the interview so I had to be at my absolute best so they would not regret coordinating with me. Going off of very little sleep (early flight + arranging a celebration for the night before = not the best idea for anyone who wants sleep) Feng and I made it off to the airport. I boarded my flight and was in the city within an hour.

Another side note, as soon as I really have a disposable income I'm flying EVERYWHERE. Planes freak me out a bit, sure, but the ease of a domestic flight and saving so much time is totally worth it.

I swear this same bird was at Logan when I took off for Korea!

Left too early to eat at Babson...so I got breakfast at Au Bon Pain before
heading through security.

The moment the stewardess brought out Dunkins I was in LOVE with Jet Blue!

I get to the city with hours to spare so I scope out the location of the office, then just kinda walk around a bit. I got myself some lunch, wandered through the city & some stores, then made my way for the interview.

First thing's first: find the building. Then, off to explore!

The wonderful thing about NYC in December: all of the
Christmas decorations!

I had never been in any of the NYC churches, so with time
to spare I figured I'd check one out. STUNNING organ!

Casual carrying a Christmas tree through the city?

#NOMS! Found the Hershey's Store! I went in later on but didn't take any pics

...and the Disney store. Always a kid at heart <3

So where to next? To see the Ball from Times Square, of course!

A wall of Hopes & Dreams, how sweet!

And to top the Times Square Ball? THE DISNEY STORE! 

"When you wish upon a starrrr!"

Found the princess castle!

"They say if you dream a thing more than once it's sure to come true"

Christmas in the Disney Store ^.^

SO excited about The Hobbit!

And in an attempt to top the Disney Store: TOYS R US!

Boxes of Nerds as big as my head!!!

Statue of Liberty made completely out of Legos...Awesome!

and the Hulk made completely out of Legos!

Throw back toys!

Nerves abound (again, PRESSURE) I walked in, hung up my coat, and mixed with the other candidates. I could go into detail of what the company does, what the position is, etc. or you could just look at their website (link above) because that is mostly besides the point.

After the information session we were all sent into the main reception area to mix with a few young workers at CA. We got the chance to talk to them, ask them questions, etc. I made sure to get some face time with each of them and ask at least one good question. I don't tend to be overly inquisitive, but I made it work in this case. Then I was called in for my one-on-one. For this I lucked out. The woman interviewing me reminded me of an older version of myself. We got along great.

I left feeling really good. If nothing else, I had put my best foot forward. The ball was once again in their court; I was once again in a waiting game. I had to make it through finals & prepare for Ghana. That's a lot to do, and I only had a few short weeks to do it.

This was also a night of closure. Like I mentioned early, I had plans to meet up with Sarah and Ifreen. The two of them never really knew each other, but seeing as they're both good friends of mine I figured it'd be okay to mix the two of them. We went to this neat little place that I totally might be able to find again...might.

The menu!

Salted Caramel Milk Shake: Delicious!

I had the chance to talk to Ifreen about her experience at PwC. What it came down to: she told me I wouldn't be happy there, or any of the major companies. They just aren't my style. At least not now. I needed to hear this. It was true, which I suppose I had known for a while, but I needed to hear this from her. Had I known how much I needed to hear this from her maybe the whole semester would have gone much more smoothly. Oh well.

So that's how I concluded the semester. And seeing as this post is already really long, I'll leave you wondering what happens next until maybe tomorrow?

New Year, New Adventures

Happy New Year (she says in MARCH)

So for those of you who are used to me posting frequently and getting really detailed updates on everything going on in my life (or rather, occasional bursts of detail with intermittent lapses when I hardly post), I'm back! I've been running a list of things to blog about over the past few months, and am now sitting down to write. A brief preview of what's to come very soon:

• I'm now a second semester senior!!!!!
• Parvati graduated :(
• I went to Ghana
• Adventures of Cripple Kate
• I've made progress on Life After Graduation plans

And because I really like lists, here's my major to-do list for the semester (other than all the smaller, day-to-day tasks). I'll keep you updated on my progress with this list, too :)

• Get a smartphone
• Figure out where I'm working after graduation
• Get a "new" car

So while I get to writing, happy spring!

So much snow for the first day of spring!

How to Study Abroad Part 6: Getting There

(note, this was written in December 2012)

I could totally write this from the "I've been abroad so many times I have this whole thing down" perspective and it would be really helpful. Instead, I'm writing this from the "Oh my goodness I leave for GHANA in just over a month!!!" perspective.

Ummm what?

Ghana.

Africa.

Back to my favorite continent!

Dean Hanno runs a program every January in Ghana through which we will spend two weeks teaching entrepreneurship, learning about the culture, and hosting a business plan competition.

With that, and the many other people I've spoken to recently who are about to set off on their own global adventures, I figure I should talk about actually getting to the destination.

At this point, tickets have been booked, visas arranged (I got mine back today!), program fees paid, and classes taken. I am (you are) ready to set off on an amazing adventure!

1. Don't leave packing to the absolute last minute; you will end up forgetting something important, like your passport. That being said, I typically pack the day before. But I make a list ~3 days before so I won't forget anything. This puts me in the travel mindset.
2. Have someone bring you to the airport, and make sure they know your flight itinerary. It will give you that one last chance to say goodbye before jetting off for however long, and they can calm you down if you get emotional or whatever. They can also be more level headed and remind you to grab your passport as you rush out the door.
3. Arrive earlier than recommended to the airport. Unless yours is the first flight out in the morning there will be a line of people. I have seen this at 6am and 7pm. It's unavoidable. Make sure to pack entertainment in your carry on for while you are on the airplane and waiting around in the airport. Or you can just wander around the airport for 7 hours on your layover, either way (I know from experience the latter is not optimal.
4. Check in to your flight as soon as possible after arriving at the airport. Sometimes there are issues, delays, long lines, so getting this out of the way is good. Then if you have any extra time, find a strategic place to hang out. By strategic I mean centrally located, near food/entertainment/bathrooms, comfortable, and where you can monitor the security line from. That way if security starts to get long you can hop right in line.
5. Give yourself plenty of time to get through security. There's almost always someone in line who causes some kind of problem even though they are completely innocent. Prepare for this. Especially because it could be you (I've been pulled aside during almost every single flight itinerary. Never for anything major, but it still makes the process longer).
6. Find your gate and figure out when you'll be boarding. Then you can just hang out until it's time to board. There will be something near the terminal to entertain yourself with so just relax, make a new friend (don't be creepy about it), grab a bite to eat (it'll probably be more expensive, but if you're really that hungry go for it), peruse the magazine stands, people watch, etc.
7. NEVER leave your baggage unattended. You're just inviting people to steal it if you do.
8. If you can charge your devices that would also be a good idea. That way they work for as long as possible on the flight.

9. Be back at your boarding gate with sufficient time to spare before you are supposed to board. Scope out the other passengers (you might just recognize someone! I've taken flights with people I know a number of times), and just be ready to go when your row is called. If you like to be on the plane early make sure to sit near the door. Otherwise, once your row is called wait for everyone else to get in line before joining.
10. Scope out the plane, then sit back, relax, and get comfortable. It's going to be a long flight (I'm assuming wherever you are studying abroad is at least a few hour plane ride. Or more.) If there are open seats around you that you want to move to ask the flight attendant nicely (they really appreciate the niceness).
11. Prepare for your new timezone. Now, this one, if you were good, you started to do a week BEFORE getting on the airplane. But in my hectic life I simply can't manage that.

12. Instead, I bring my charged ipod with me and as soon as I can turn it back on after take off I set it to my arrival timezone. This way whenever I check the time on the airplane I am adjusting to the new time zone. After all, you lose track of how many hours have passed on the airplane pretty quickly anyways so merging them to say it's a different time isn't all that hard. I also plan ahead. 
13. If I know I'm landing in the morning local time I drink coffee on the plane to help me get through the day. If I'm landing at night I wear myself out on the airplane to just before the point that I need to sleep. Then I crash when I get to where I'm going. I don't tend to sleep on planes much so this ends up working well for me.
14. Make sure that you've prepared travel arrangements for your arrival ahead of time. It will be hectic and you will be exhausted when you get there so you don't want to figure it out then...especially if there is a language barrier.

For the first few days at least you will face a combination of culture shock and jet lag. These play off each other, so it will be important to know how to mitigate each. I'll start getting into that next time though. For now, safe travels wherever you are going!