December, 2007

I’ve just pulled a week of all-nighters for finals.  My boyfriend and I have been fighting non-stop because, after three years, we still don’t know where our relationship is going.  I deserve a stress-free winter vacation. But no one ever tells you that winter break your senior year of college isn’t relaxing.

Every college student homecoming follows a ritual.  Parents practically pant with excitement as their babies’ cars pull into the drive.  They squeeze you, comment on your fluctuating weight and finally let you sit down.  But when you’re a senior, this ritual has one very big, stressful distinction.  No sooner do you sit down when they pry: “Sweetie, what are you going to do when you graduate?”

Were parents not seniors in college once too?  Do they not remember the instant rise in blood pressure or awkward, uncomfortable feeling that stirs in a 21-year-old’s chest when they are asked that question?   My name is Alyson.  I’m a college senior at Syracuse University and I have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life.  I don’t know what I want to do four months from now when I graduate.  Hell, I don’t even know what I’m going to do tomorrow.

Actually, my problem is not that I lack ideas and future goals–it’s that I have too many of them.  I’ve thought of every graduation scenario.  Two months ago I wanted to buy a one-way ticket to Los Angeles, try out for High School Musical 3 and forever steal Zach Efron from Vanessa Hudgens.  My next idea was to be a summer camp counselor or rock climbing instructor.  And, of course, reality is always gnawing at that back of my mind.  I could move to New York City, begin interviewing and embrace the next 40 years of my life.  My parents approve of the latter but I think I want to travel.  Right now it’s a toss up.

If you talk to working-world people about this dilemma, they all say the same thing: “you’ll figure it out; everything always works out the way it should.”  The stories you are told are all about people who have already had it work out.  My story is happening right now.  It’s crunch time for me.  I’ve got one semester left.  I’ve got to find a job and be happy, and I’ve got to enjoy my last four months of financial freedom before the man is officially sticking it to me.

There is nothing special about me; I’m a typical college senior. I’m from Arlington, Virginia and I’m a dual advertising/ psychology major.  I play soccer, basketball, piano, the Wii and I’m in a sorority.  The job frontier isn’t shaping up badly but I still have a long way to go. Here’s what I’ve got going for me:

1. I’ve had four internships, three of which were with big name companies.

2. I have my resume updated

3. I’ve been interviewing…a little.

4. I’m a networking pro.

5. I’m the most motivated person you’ll ever meet.

6.  The communications school I’m in has a good reputation.

7. No one else knows what the hell they want to do either.

I’ve had internships at small companies, big companies, magazine companies and television companies.  Sophomore year I interned with a small Syracuse business and was a campus representative for CBS College Sports Network.  I spent a semester abroad in Sydney, Australia where I not only kicked it with Isaac from The Real World, but I also landed an account management internship at a big ad agency, Leo Burnett.  This past summer I interned at Conde Nast Publications, the magazine giant that owns titles such as Glamour, Vogue and GQ.

I got each of those internships by networking, and that’s the best advice I can give.  Be assertive, be different, and network.  Conde Nast only accepted 3% of applicants into their internship program.  So how the heck did I land one of the coveted spots? Whelp, no clue really , but I have a few guesses:  I interviewed the Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue, Amy Astley, for a magazine paper I wrote sophomore year.  Since then, I’ve kept in contact via e-mail.  But she did not get me the internship interview.

Unless you know someone at Conde Nast, it’s hard to get a foot in the door.  Applying with 3,000 other applicants seems unfair, but it’s what I did.  I just made my application look interesting.  Using Adobe InDesign, I made my application look like a magazine spread.  I photoshopped a cover of Glamour and inserted my own headlines and title page. I created a CV that looked like a letter from the editor.  I also stuck a letter from Amy Astley in the back of my application.  What could it hurt?  Two months later I received an e-mail from the company wanting me to interview for a summer position.

As I get ready to graduate and find a job, I am documenting my process so you can learn from my mistakes and use what works.  As my friends and classmates begin landing jobs, I’ll post their first job stories here too.  Since networking has worked  out nicely for me in the past, that’s how I’m going to try and tackle the job front.  Stay tuned…

As I get ready to graduate and find a job, I am documenting my process so you can learn from my mistakes and use what works.  As my friends and classmates begin landing jobs, I’ll post their first job stories here too.  Since networking has worked  out nicely for me in the past, that’s how I’m going to try and tackle the job front.  Stay tuned…