Networking in the Big Easy
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the National Black MBA Association Conference in New Orleans. After two days of classes, I was excited to get away with 10 of my classmates and see a new city. I soon learned that the trip would be nothing short of a whirlwind.
We got into New Orleans around midnight Thurs night/Fri morning. I was so exhausted but there was no time for sleep because we were up and at 'em at 7am headed to the convention center. Upon entering the career fair, I was very taken aback. I've been to national conferences for different organizations before but never to anything of this magnitude. There were elaborate exhibits including product demos of Harley motorcycles, Chrysler, P&G products, and many more. Not only were the exhibits impressive but also to see over 5,000 people navigating the different booths in search of jobs and internships. I was able to talk to representatives from over 10 companies and I even snagged an interview on Friday afternoon. I hope to hear back soon!
Attending the conference definitely showed me that in order to succeed, I need to be at the top of my game. There are so many top students from top universities competing for a limited number of positions. Having a clear plan of what I want to do and how I expect to get there is key!
Apart from the professional aspect of the conference, it was great to get to know my classmates and meet students and professionals from around the country. Of course, we ate some authentic New Orleans cuisine, ventured out to Bourbon Street (which was crazy), and even had the chance to wander around the French Quarter.
Although I was extremely exhausted and swamped with work when we got back to Columbus, the trip was very much worth it. Where else would I have the chance to talk to over 400 recruiters on one day!?!
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