My First Offer

After the long weekend it’s right back at the corporate residency search on Tuesday. 

Following Supply Chain, I quickly change and catch the commuter rail out to Lynn, Massachusetts for my interview with GE Aviation. Thank goodness for GE’s kind employees. Apparantly, the commuter rail stops right at GE but only certified employees are allowed to exit the train at that location. After hearing of my destination, a GE employee riding the T with me offered to help me get off the train. That was a close one! I wait at a guard station until a police officer arrives to escort me through the GE Aviation site to the visitor’s center. I guess that’s what I get for interviewing at a company that manufactures jets for the military. How exciting!

My interview goes well (I hope) and the position ends up sounding much different (and better!) than what I was originally told. I leave hoping to get a call back.

That night I review my Operations assignment as I had submitted my portion to my group early so that I could attend my interview.

I also finish up the rest of my Operations and Finance homework (the last of the semester!) before preparing for my interview with Hamilton Sundstrand tomorrow.

Wednesday I anxiously survive classes before meeting a Hamilton Sundstrand representative at the Career Center for my interview. It would be neat to end up at this company because six other Northeastern students have already signed on there. Again, I feel that the interview goes well. My interviewer says to expect a call by the end of the week to set up a second interview on site next Friday (as in the day before I leave for India). I feel very honored that he was willing to alter his interview schedule to meet my travel restrictions.

That night I spend working on my Strategy readings and case.

I didn’t have to wait long for that second interview at Hamilton Sundstrand because at 7:30 am on Thursday morning I get an e-mail inviting me down. I’m thrilled, particularly considering the fact that the position seemed quite technical.

After our last Statistics and Strategy classes of the year I head over to the Curry Center for our end-of-the-year Marketing Club picnic. While we originally had the noble intention of holding this event on the grasses of the Boston Common, the City has not quite given up on winter and it is raining today. But we enjoy sandwiches and cupcakes from Au Bon Pain and reminisce on the year that has passed by so quickly.

Friday is our final Career Management class: a joint session with the second half of our Human Resource management course. We will be getting that lovely (sarcastic) Living Document 2 back today. As this one essay is the sole source of our grade for the class, I’m a bit nervous.

After hearing about what to expect on our corporate residencies, including learning teams, site visits and a write-up, our Human Resources professor takes over to let us know what we can expect to complete with our corporate residency learning teams. The work with these teams will be a big part of our Living Document 3 that is due the week we return to class in January 2012 (that seems so far away!).

I’m feeling a bit left out of the whole conversation because I STILL don’t have a residency. I start to get anxious.

Then, the papers are returned and I get an A-/A. I’m thrilled!

Now, while I would have loved to run home, I have to stay on campus until 3:00 pm for my final India trip meeting.

But the waiting is made easier when I get a phone call from GE Aviation with a job offer!!!! OH MY GOODNESS! FINALLY! It’s all I can do to calm my voice on the phone.  I am given until Wednesday to give them a final answer. A huge weight is lifted from my shoulders. I run to the Career Center to tell my adviser and the director and can’t help but to start crying.

But I don’t get much time for revelry because it’s off to meet an India-trip classmate who will be dressing me in a Saree for our meeting! Sarees and job offers! What a good Friday.

I love the rich reds and light yellows of my Saree and vow to pick one up while in India in a couple of weeks. During the meeting we discuss our case on Samsung electronics entering the Indian market, have some Indian appetizers including delicious mango lassi and a Bollywood film. After class I join a friend for some wine and dessert at Giacommo’s in the South End before we decide a huge slice of New York Pizza is necessary.

 I go home and relax for what feels like the first time in long while knowing that I will not be without a job next semester.

Saturday I’m at the library in full finals mode. I pull a 6 hour finance stint before breaking for my friend’s birthday party that night. It was super fun and a perfect reward for my day of powerhouse studying.

Sunday I’m at the library for another 6 hours of Finance and Operations review before joining my friends for Easter dinner at one of their family’s homes out in Deedham. It was so nice to get a real meal and I thoroughly enjoy the evening.

I get home that night and attempt some final Finance efforts and set the alarm for 6:00 am to hit the library for a couple of hours before our 10:50 am Finance final.  Here goes hell week!

*The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Northeastern, its staff or affiliates.