Did I tell you about when one of my teachers came in for a job interview with me for an internship?

"No one has ever become poor by giving." — Anne Frank.

Let’s go back to 2016. I finished high school, and I’m studying for a diploma in international trade.

My first job interview was for an internship I needed to complete to graduate.

I went to all the companies in my city physically, giving out my empty resume, but I never heard back.

I’m from Boulogne-Sur-Mer, a small town with less than 50,000 inhabitants in northern France.

There are few companies and limited career opportunities there.

I was hopeless. I had no connections; I didn’t even like what I was studying.

I picked it because I wanted to speak English, and we had a lot of English classes.  

A few weeks before the internship's supposed start date, one of my teachers helped me land an interview through her network. 

And yes, and she came with me in the interview. 

I felt as useful as the plant in the corner of the office where the interview was happening.  

However, my teacher secured the internship for me as an international commercial assistant.

Yes, it felt embarrassing, but I was 18 and couldn’t care less. I was just relieved I could graduate thanks to this internship. 

The internship lasted 3 months: one week in school and 2 weeks in the company.

Fast forward 4 months later, I graduated from the program.

Even better, I secured a summer job with the same company. 

I gained enough of their trust to hire me as an employee to do it full-time for 2 months.

Looking back, I realise it doesn’t matter who opens the door for us. 

We just need one chance to show what we are capable of.

Back then, I didn’t have LinkedIn, and there weren’t many companies in my city. I couldn’t move outside, and I didn’t have the connections.

But I asked my teacher for help. 

She helped me more than I thought, which was kind of embarrassing in the interview, but when you have no choice, you’re willing to do what it takes.

Since then, I wasn’t afraid to ask for help.

Which helped me immensely in my career so far.

That’s one of the reasons why I volunteer as a mentor for students.

I know how helpless it can be, especially when you don’t know the job market. All you know is school.

If you are a student looking for an internship, I know it’s not easy, but try reaching out to people instead.

Many companies don’t advertise internships online, but they can be created more quickly than a full-time work contract.

Thank you for reading me,

Damien

 PS: the picture was taken in Ballingeary, Ireland.