August 12, 2014. 4As, MAIP, Face of Talent 2014 at Three Sixty, 10 Desbrosses St, New York, NY 10013. Photography by Margarita Corporan
Sweaty palms, bubbling stomach, rapid heart rate, and shortness of breath are all classic signs that I am getting too close to a career fair. But, I've never told anyone of my illness. I just don't go to career fairs and maintain perfect health. Unfortunately, as a 2014 MAIP intern, not going to the career fair was not an option; but I sure did try. I cozied up in on a couch and proceeded to act like I was working. Fellow MAIPers would walk by, sit, talk, but I never left my spot. Until, I was caught. My MAIP mentor walked by one too many times to see my lack of movement and stopped to ask me, "What are you doing?" I think my answer consisted of a series of excuses:
- It's too crowded.
- It's hot in there.
- There are too many lines.
- I'm researching the agencies.
Not one excuse flew by her. The anticipation of her forcing me to go into the career fair took over and anxiety set in. "What is this water filling in my eyes?" I could tell she saw it happening. So, she hit me with a one-two combo to get me in the career fair. She sat down and talked with me to calm my nerves and dry up that "weird eye watering" thing. The, she physically dragged me into the career fair. She pulled me right up to the mcgarrybowen table, introduced me, and left. I aw left to swim with the sharks, and surprisingly, I swam laps around the fair.
I say this story to say, if you've got the heart and experience to help a person push past his/her nerves and into a career fair, you've got what it takes. Become a MAIP mentor today by clicking here.
Written by Kendra Croft, Jr. Copywriter @ RPA.