Twenty-some months before I would have heard the question in Italy, people were asking me what job I wanted at graduation. I have no idea, I said, throwing my hands in the air. I just knew that I wanted to be a part of it all. It wasn't until I was introduced to the career-services office in the first semester and started writing resumes, practicing interviews, and researching prospective employers that I noticed the biggest distinction between the U.S. educational system and the Italian one. In the U.S., the degree takes a backseat to the job you can land with it.
Competition is fierce to land a job.
Before I knew it, I was handing my resume off to the Sydney Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, hoping to land a job for the 2000 Olympics in Australia. From October until June, I had 10 job interviews by phone with managers of different departments until they designated me assistant manager for logistics at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. That meant I was planning and managing operations at different venues, training the staff, and scheduling work assignments. Back in New York after the Games, my head is still shaking. My classmates and I, after practice at other events, are now pictures of confidence at sports-business gatherings, working the room, shaking hands, and networking with top sports executives.