For the past few weeks, I have been studying incessantly for midterms, and enjoying a well-deserved vacation over my Spring Break. But even in between my time spent lounging on the beach, my naps, and my nights at the casino, of course, I couldn't help but think about that little nuisance that's looming over my head. You know, a job?
As I enjoyed sunny Aruba, so did about 400 young adults at my hotel, sent there with all expenses paid by CareerBuilder.com. Judging from how they sent so many employees (and their guests!) to the Caribbean simply for pleasure, clearly, this was a company that was doing well...and worth looking into. My boyfriend, ever-encouraging, told me that now was the time to network.
At the casino craps table on one of our first nights, I decided to use the sociability of this game to my advantage. I don't remember who started talking to whom, but I found myself in a conversation with the man in his late 20s/early 30s next to me. When he said that he worked for CareerBuilder and they they sent all these lucky people here because they're a great company that's "big on recognition," I asked him if they were hiring for anything entry-level, as I graduate from the University of Michigan this May and I'm very interested in online content development, to which he replied that he believed there were a few openings at the company. After chatting for a few minutes, the CareerBuilder employee told me that not only was he from Michigan (went to State, but I'll let that one slide), his wife was from Newton! Score.
After that interaction though - and a couple great rolls of the dice by my hotshot boyfriend - the conversation dwindled. I couldn't muster up the courage to get this guy's contact information, and we walked on to some other table games, all the while kicking myself as my boyfriend asked me what the hell happened. I guess I figured I had all week to schmooze, since the CareerBuilder people would be at the hotel until Friday.
In the end, I walked away with nothing but a peeling nose. For some reason, although we talked to lots of these people at the casino each night, I just couldn't close. I was on vacation, and so were they...although I could have scored myself a few business cards, the last thing I felt like doing was bothering them.
I usually don't like to call out the companies that I apply to, interview, or network with, because who knows what will come back to bite me in the ass? However, since I was such a flop with this one, I figure I have nothing to lose. Oh, well. There are plenty of other online conglomerates in the sea. For now, although my vacation is over, I'm happy to be back in the swing of things and enjoy the less than 2 months (!) I have left here.
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