NYC! NYC! NYC!

I'm back... it's been close to a year and life has changed more than anyone could expect. But isn't that the fun in it? Shouldn't we all welcome change and be able to adapt to uncertainty? It builds character and strengthens qualities you never knew you had.

Let me get down to business. The title of this post is NYC! Why? Well...I'm off to NYC for 5 days to interview for three major Public Relations companies. I've "sacrificed" beach and surf for snow and skyscrapers, and I couldn't be more excited.

It's interesting how life works out sometimes. Sometimes you get the feeling that ceratin things are just meant to be for you...as though your path were written somewhere, and you've merely misplaced the book. I wasn't planning on going to NYC for spring break, well in actuality my intention since January was to go to NYC for spring break. I began applying to positions in the city, and was hearing nothing back from anyone. I got a lot of "you are applying too early," or "we really need someone right now." It became discouraging. It felt like my dream of moving up there was going to be more work than anticipated.

I'm taking a course titled Selling Strategically and one of your assignments was to "sell ourselves" to the teacher by submitting a resume and cover letter. Additionally, we had to find a job in the industry we were interested in and cater our resume to the job description. I browsed Monster.com and came across a posting for an entry-level investor relations public relations account executive at a firm in NYC. I did the assignment the night before, and I felt as thought I had done a thorough enough job. I figured since the assignment was already set for the job, why not give it a shot and actually submit the resume I created to the firm? So-- I did. Turns out the Chief Financial Officer got a hold of it, and E-mailed me back almost immediately requesting an interview. I thought that is incredible. I was not anticipating getting an interview from it. So, naturally I began thinking that perhaps spring break in NYC wouldn't be a bad idea.

My roommate Matt had begun planning a trip to St. Augustine for a week at a beach house. I was set to go. I continued to E-mail my contact at the firm in NYC telling him how much I was interested in the position, but I was still in Florida finishing up my final year, and I wasn't sure when I'd get the chance to go up to NYC. He responded with a friendly E-mail simply stating to let him know when I was in the area. Up to that point it was still St. Augustine for spring break. My mentality was this... I only had one interview and I was trying to figure out the cost/benefit of my trip to NYC with only one interview. I had told myself if I could get 3 interviews it would be justified. It was going to be an expensive trip.

Up to last week I was still about to go to St. Augustine when I realized how ridiculous I would be if I didn't jump on this opportunity. I mean this one interview could launch my career. It could be the starting point that I've dreamt about in the city. I had to go. I needed to go. I bought a ticket last Thursday. I dished out the $300 bucks for the flight, and I was excited but still a little hesitant because I only had that one interview.

As I mentioned...sometimes it just seems like there are moments in your life that were sincerely meant for you. Within 30 minutes of booking my flight to NYC I received an E-mail from one of the largest PR Firms to come in for an interview. Within 30 minutes of that E-mail I received a phone call from another firm in the city requesting an interview the week I was in the city. So, it seemed as though it simply took me booking a flight to get the interviews I desired.

Here's the catch...these firms are no joke. I've shot high--FAST. I went straight to the top, and the pressure is on because this could either make or break my career. I could end up starting at the bottom and working my way up. But I would never let that happen...I've been prepping myself this past week, researching interview questions, the companies, myself, assessing my strengths, figuring out what they could possibly ask me, and really preparing for everything. I know that I have to nail these interviews and I'm not bound to give them an excuse not to be impressed. Not to mention that I would not want to look back and regret having not done more.

So, it's the Saturday morning before my flight and I'm getting my things together. The great part is that I've been thinking about it so much this week that I've really got all my nerves out. We'll see if I'll feel the same way 10 minutes before I walk into the building for my interviews.

I'm really stoked about this experience. It's going to be a business trip-- an investment. This isn't to say that I won't be having a good time. I'm lucky enough to be saving a great deal of money by staying with a high school friend, and one of my roommates from London. Funny how things work out. Lucky for me I've made some great friends along the way.

New York City... I can get use to saying that.