Guess where I am? I am at a boutique hotel in downtown Houston. And, no, I am not playing hooky. Quite to the contrary, I am here on important business. I am here, by invitation of a public accounting firm, for my second-round interview at the office where I will potentially be working. Luckily, since I have had some experience participating in undergraduate recruiting, the concept of office visit is not foreign to me. Nevertheless, the whole recruiting process is still nerve-wracking and requires a lot of preparation. Since I am at the eve of the end of the process, let me just briefly walk you through my experience recruiting as a traditional MPA student so far.

The process really started as early as during the orientation in August. We, as traditional MPAs, had our first encounters with various recruiters at the networking night and career fair that the MPA Career Office has set up. I am, by no means, a very aggressive recruit. But, the events were so conveniently prepared for us, and the recruiters were very eager to speak to us, just as we to them, so it was very natural to throw myself in the midst and officially started my recruiting season.

My focus is to recruit for a spring or summer internship in tax. It is not a choice shared by many of my colleagues. Due to the nature of the traditional MPA program (we are here for an advanced degree, as opposed to finishing up our bachelor’s), most students are anxious to start their full-time career. For me, however, I feel I should maximize the opportunities offered by the MPA program and opt for an internship before I choose a career path for my full-time job. There is no right or wrong answer for what to recruit for, but I just want to make sure that I truly enjoy what I will be devoting my professional life to (at least for the next few years) since it is unlikely I will return to school in the near future.

Recruiting is also a lot of fun. Many people dread events that encourage networking with the professionals who are on campus to recruit students. I cannot deny that I do not particularly look forward to those events, but they do become easier with practice. Plus, these networking events often involve nice dinners, fun activities (boat party on Town Lake, casino nights, to name a few), and some genuinely friendly alumni who not only want to recruit, but also want students to make the right choices. I think it is also all about the mentality with which I approach those events. If I wanted to treat them like a chore, then it would be inevitable that they turn into such. However, if I treated them like career exploration opportunities, they become educational and interesting.

One thing I have learned, though, is that time management is crucial. When I am knee-deep in various recruiting events, the last thing I want to be thinking about is that intermediate accounting homework or those tax research readings due the next day. I have never been a time-management guru, but I am quickly learning my way there this semester.

Anyway, a few events and an on-campus interview later, here I am, typing this blog entry in the fluffy bed of this swanky hotel. Of course, I have no idea how tonight’s pre-interview dinner or tomorrow’s full day of activities (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.!) will go. I am hoping for the best because they must like something about me to have me so far along the process! My philosophy is that the process is more important than the result, so I am ready to enjoy the last bit of my ride. First, though, I think I need a power nap. ☺