As I look ahead I am focused on my short term goals of securing an internship in a hotel or event company and graduating with my degree.  I want to say that securing a degree seems easier to me than securing an internship.  Who said that?  I might be crazy for making this claim…but I feel like I can let my grades and hard work speak for itself.  With an internship you need to sell yourself and that my friends is no easy task…

An internship, like any job is an interview and sometimes interviews don’t go well.  Even if you are not getting paid.  I am thinking about targeting hotels first like any of the Kimpton properties in NYC and/or the Hilton (they have so many hotels!!).

I think my best approach is to start applying now for an internship.  Although I do not intend to actually do it until Spring 2017, you do have to secure your own and I want to take the time to vet companies beforehand.  Choosing the right environment is like choosing the right pair of shoes — not only should they be pretty and unique, they should be comfortable and allow room for growth (or swelling, haha!).

I am excited about all the potential opportunities out there for internships.  I want to work for an event company but I am not sure that internships for these types of companies come that easy.  So now it is all about researching and networking.  Branding myself an event professional with my past experience (even if it’s from 5+ years ago) and showing off all my potential to succeed in this space.

People tell me my superpower is organization and with that superpower I need to find a way to leap myself to the front of the internship lists.  It is important to show all the ways I am organized and how I can increase organization for their events.  How can I increase their efficiency?

I also want it to be a fun company, somewhere I can learn tricks of the trade while having a smile on my face.  I want the internship to be challenging and inspiring.  I want to make people smile and laugh.  Bring joy to their lives for a couple of hours a day or even for a brief moment in time.  I want the company to walk away thinking, we need her.  She is an asset.  She is a go-getter.  She is coming up with new ideas and pushing us to be better at what we do.

And I want the customers to walk away feeling happy that they met me, that they had this event and this location and had the opportunity to meet/work with me.  I want customers to feel joyful about their encounters with me.

If I am lucky enough I will hear those two wonderful words — you are hired.  Being a new hire creates opportunity for new experiences and growth.  What could be better than that? Okay, maybe a smiling kid…but you know what I mean.