A kid drive 4 hours to have a coffee chat with me(Pennsylvania)

Met with a college kid at a somewhat target school for IB. He drove 4 hours to my office to buy me coffee and have the informational chat and then drive 4 hours back. Wasn’t in town for anything besides that. I don’t if I should look at it as a desperate kid or a kid that really wants the job. What are your thoughts and inputs?

30 Comments
 

yea the kid prob should have said hes in town for something else even if he's only there for you tbh.

but please appreciate the kid's hardwork

 

I'm sorry but OP, you sound like a pompous pr*k! This is everything that's wrong with this industry. We are not f*cking celebrities and a few years ago we were most probably in their shoes. Reduce your ego! No matter what seniority I am within my career, if any college kid is willing to travel 4 hours to meet me for a coffee chat, I am going to be seriously impressed. 

 

Desperation would be getting there and making a big deal of the 4 hours, & really begging for the job.

From what you've mentioned, he sounds quite the opposite - driven & committed to a chance he has been given to try land it.

It's quite shocking that you can't differentiate these two by yourself.

 
[Comment removed by mod team]
 

Everyone is desperate for a job when they lack any experience in their desired field. The kid clearly is desperate to break into the industry, and is willing to hustle. 

If you can't figure out whether or not you should help someone out that hustled that hard just to meet you for a coffee, it is you that is the problem, not him / her. 

 

Sounds like he’s motivated and committed. Could indicate he’s the type to run through walls and grind.

On my first networking call, a banker told me that he broke in from our non-target school by driving three hours to attend (crash) a recruiting event at a target school. He used his friend’s student ID to get in and talk to a bunch of banks. He met some associates and VPs at the event who loved his story and he ended up getting into that bank’s SA program and starting his career there.

I do agree it would have been less awkward if he had a better reason to be in your city.

 

I mean let's not over complicate it.

Shows he cares a lot.  Shows he's hungry.  Hard worker.  Those things are free and take no talent but not everyone has them.  A good start!

 

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