It's all about what you do--not who you know

With less than one month to the end of my internship, I have been struggling with some big decisions. Things finally seem to appear more clear though, now, as I looked ahead past graduation and past my big wishes to of course, to live in a big city.

In less than two weeks, I had two job interviews. One was totally not for me, and the other could be a huge break and a huge start to my future career in television. It's funny how that works out. You think a job could have potential to be your dream job, and then you find out it's completely opposite of anything you want to do. Then a job you never even imagined looking at or applying to becomes very real, and you realize that this could in fact be what you were waiting for--even if it's not WHERE you were waiting for it.

Sometimes, it's about taking risks, getting your feet wet, and just knowing you made the right decision. I can only hope at the end of this week, I will have that decision to make.

And I am happy--and proud to say that it was through my own hard work--my own good merit that I have reached the point that I have reached. Many people will tell you that it's about the "who you know..." Sometimes, it's about the producer you met on your last shoot, or the director you talked to outside the premiere of their movie--or the guy you got coffee for, for months and months, just so he would read your script.

And while I firmly believe networking is the perfect way to reach out to people--I do think that too comes with the cost working hard. You can't network well, if you don't prove that you are a hardworker. You can't make a connection with someone, if you don't show them that you really clearly know what the hell you are doing out there.

I didn't get my job interviews by asking my boss to talk to people--though she talked to others (which has not led to a job interview yet), . I did it by working my way up through two internships and building my resume through experiences at each of those internships.

My advice ... with three weeks to graduation ... with three weeks to the real world is: Don't get down if you don't know someone higher up--and don't give up if people tell you "it's all about who you know." Life is full of obstacle. Maybe you'll be unemployed for a bit...and maybe the perfect job won't be there at the beginning--but that doesn't mean it's the end--it just means its a more difficult beginning which will in turn bring a more rewarding end...Just keep doing you.