The Great Fishbowl Quest #5

The Magical Eve of SPE

It seems that no good opportunity will be presenting itself to me for a chance to write as the day progresses, but I made a commitment to write prior to leaving for SPE. Housing issues have required a great deal of time that I don’t really feel that I have at the moment. In addition, it feels as if the cohort is being lowered ever so slowly into a hot, blazing fire (which may be the case, as sweat is starting to appear on our brows).

This may have been a bad introduction for today’s post, because that fire seems to be refining us, and I have no complaints. In the past week, the cohort has grown ever closer (which I didn’t believe was possible, we’re about as close as any group of people could be) and everybody has started assisting each other in healthy ways (none of that resume-sharing I’ve talked about previously).

With a departure for SPE tomorrow after our last class (which I have a presentation in…that I haven’t started yet), people seem to have disappeared in preparation. I have been asked a large number of questions from those who haven’t been to SPE or any placement exchange before, and I hope that I have addressed them well.

Yes, most of the interviews happen in a ballroom setting. No, it’s not that bad or distracting. Yes, the Taste of Memphis is awkward. No, you shouldn’t attempt to skip it (and if you go to the Candidate Briefing, when you walk out of that room you will be in the middle of the Taste of Memphis).

Honestly, I’m excited about SPE. It may be in by best interest to be nervous, but that isn’t present. SPE may be the friendliest placement exchange currently available. It may sound weird, but I’m looking forward to the chance to get off of campus for a few days and eat a lot of barbeque.

Currently, I have twelve interviews scheduled with two or three pending based on our compatible schedules. I was hoping to keep a few more open timeslots on Saturday for possible second interviews, but it just didn’t work out that way.

If you’re going to be at SPE, enjoy the time. Talk to everyone (in the proper context) and say only good things. Everybody knows everybody, and everybody talks. Chances are if you’re another candidate, you and I will chat at some point. Chances are if you’re an employer, we’ll be formally chatting for a full half-hour, anyway.

Have any questions? Find me at the Taste of Memphis social. I’ll be the one smiling.