Finally, I’m a third year. There’s no more looking down, just looking up. I remember as a freshmen, I went to my first Career Fair here at the Rochester Institute of Technology wearing jeans and a baggy white 1990’s shirt with blue stripes surfing down. That was one awkward day. After checking in (and getting couple of strange looks from the staff for being under-dressed), I made my way down to the field house where over a hundred companies gathered. I didn’t know where to start. While entering area that feld like the bazaars* from back home I grabbed a set of maps. Using it I made my schedule to visit few companies. First was of course Gleason Works, a manufacturing company that I have been eyeing for a while. Followed by Toyota, Fisher Price, Atlantic Testing Lab, and few more. While going around and speaking to the representatives, I was also hoping to get an interview. However, I had no luck and left the fair within 2 hour period.

During my second year when Careerfair 2007 came along, I dressed up in my fancy clothes and a nice suit. Walked in with confidence and a copy of my resume. Signed in and smiled at the staff as I took a deep breath as if I would not breathe for a while. Once again, no luck. Most of the companies there were looking for third year. They felt that third years would have sufficient skills and education to carry out their projects. I couldn’t argue since I knew that was true.

Finally in my third year, I walk in with a new resume, new suit, and a new attitude. I knew I had to get this right. I needed to get at least one interview. With my game face on, I walk to the first few companies I wanted to talk to: Atlantic Testing Lab (ATL), Fisher Price, Tyco Electronics, Garlock Sealing Industries, Toyota, Gleason Works (software), and a few more. I get couple of feedbacks from Fisher Price and Tyco Electronics who told me I was a wonderful candidate for the job and gave me a direct link to a secondary application link. In addition, I got an interview with ATL. I thought of that as a success. Later I went to the interviews and the companies told me they will let students know between late November and early December.

I have yet to hear anything from the companies.

After the career fair, I found out my mother had fallen sick. She was taken to the emergency room from where she was admitted to the hospital. With all the worries, I needed to go see her. I stayed there for a little while dealing with what was going on and the on going surgeries. When I returned, I was far behind on the race for a co-op and had hard time finding anything else.

I see that as a lesson now. You will face challenges and there will always be down time. The biggest goal for me now is to get back up.