Thank O. Henry for putting everyday adventure within reach of the common person. The lines penned by Twain, Henry, and Neruda long outlived the rank clouds of cigar smoke that formed them. Mark Twain introduced skepticism, Pablo Neruda explained love and death, John Steinbeck told us all about evil. Today there are no innocents, and only a handful of dreamers remain. Cigars have been ousted from cafes but romance lives on.
It’s been a milestone week for me. Some consultants are measured by the lunches they consume, and this week has been especially exhausting. On a single day I had a Starbucks breakfast, Grimaldi’s (pizza) AND Cheesecake Factory (dessert) for lunch, Buca di Beppo (family-style Italian) for dinner, and a gelato from an Italian creamery next-door for dessert. A previous intern at this office gained 40 pounds during his first few months with the firm. I think about these things and wrinkle my brow just a little.
It’s been a milestone week for me. This was the last week of my internship, so I was pretty sad on Friday. I love working with these people. They’re very very intelligent and we communicate well, which translates into a powerful team and meaningful work. My last day was spent in a morning meeting, then we had a four-course lunch at a restaurant next-door that stretched out to two hours. I had an exit interview with HR, turned in my laptop and key cards, and met with my manager for a final performance review. He shocked me by sliding a thick packet across the desk containing an offer for full-time employment upon graduation.
So what’s next? Could this really be the end of my college recruiting career? I’ve been talking to a lot of people, trying to get a feel for what I want to do when I grow up. I’ve drafted emails to mentors at firms in Chicago and Boston. I was planning lunch with a manager from another large firm in Phoenix next week to get more details of what his company was offering. I’ve been talking with both of these firms for longer than two years, which is typical of accounting and law students.
The biggest question for me is whether I want to settle in Phoenix? The firm is relatively new in this location and it’s exciting to have a chance to get in on the ground floor and have the chance to directly impact the growth strategy of the firm. Phoenix also has some tech companies and a good number of startups, which could boom if IPOs keep building head off of their own steam. It’s a green door and I’m ready.