It was tough, and it definitely felt like a journey through self doubt. It all worked out though, as I believe it did for most folks who put in the work. That doesn’t mean it is easy. And it definitely doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.
Among the things that helped me in that period, I would pick three that were particularly helpful:
- Focus on the feeling of walking away knowing you did your best.
At every point, I just focused on getting to one thing—the feeling of walking away from the interview knowing I gave it my best shot. Since all my energy was focused on that one goal, it made my life a lot easier since I didn’t attach myself to any one outcome. This also took away any possible focus on a “dream job.” Sure, I felt extra pressure on a couple, but as I’d intentionally stayed away from focusing on the outcome, it felt easier. The principle here is to focus on the process and trust that good processes lead to good outcomes in the long run.
- Read Harry Potter.
I’ve shared this story with many first-year students. I directed a lot of the pressure into reading Harry Potter. Now of course, I don’t advocate you do that. But I do think it is helpful to find something that completely distracts you—so find your own Harry Potter. I remember my wife offering up my iPad anytime she felt I was feeling the pressure. Thanks JKR! In general, when I wasn’t in class, I made it a point to be home by myself. I preferred solitude to hearing the constant chatter about “the latest and greatest.” I was on a light course load during that quarter and had plenty of time to myself. I spent this time researching about companies, reading Harry Potter and sleeping—my antidote to the pressure.
- Build a second-year support group.
I had a small group of second-year friends who I stayed in close touch with during the process. I engaged a couple of them on helping me with most aspects of the interview and another couple who helped me exclusively with cases. I kept this group informed of everything that was going on and vented, on occasion, to them. While I knew I could count on them to never mince words if I was doing something wrong, they were also generous with their time, energy and support. All of this helped give me plenty of perspective and was incredibly helpful.
So, if you are a first-year going through the process, keep plugging away. The one thing that is worth remembering is that this is one of many job switches in the coming years. Focus on the long-term outcome and use the process to learn how to approach finding a job better. This is definitely hard. But it also definitely helps to keep perspective. There are a few billion people who’d love to be in your place.
And, if you’re a second-year, I hope you’ll remember to balance being direct with your feedback and generous with your hugs.
