Like many graduates, I always believed that a master's degree from a respected business school would naturally lead to a great internship. The reality was that the job market was far more competitive than I had imagined, and quickly realised I was not alone. Among roughly four hundred students I met across two schools, only a handful had secured an internship. Talent and ambition were everywhere. What made the difference was something else.

Alongside my studies, I became CareerOS Campus Strategist at EADA Business School in Barcelona, I had built my role around one idea: the strongest influence you can have on others is through your own example. If I wanted to show my classmates that networking really works, especially in a year when artificial intelligence is everywhere and entry-level doors feel narrower than ever, I had to prove it with my own story first. This is that story.

Reaching Out With Intention

Instead of waiting for job portals to reply, I decided to reach out with intention. Two simple ideas shaped how I approached networking.

The first was that cultural closeness makes a first conversation easier. When you share a background with someone, there is common ground before you even begin discussing your goals. The second was that people who have mentored others are usually the most willing to help someone starting their career.

With that in mind, I reached out to an experienced hospitality professional, Greek by origin and living in Bulgaria, where I am from. I sent an honest message: that I felt a little lost, that I wanted to grow and one day expand my family's hotel, and that I would be grateful for his guidance. That honesty opened the door that dozens of applications had not.

A Good Mentor Changes How You Think

We began meeting once a week for thirty minutes. He shared tools and frameworks that I knew I would immediately apply when I returned home, and I often found myself one step ahead of my coursework. A good mentor does not only answer your questions. They change the way you ask them.

When I told him I was ready for more, he recommended me to HSMAI (Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International). They invited me to an introductory call. I prepared thoroughly and spoke about why their values matched mine. It felt completely different from any interview I had experienced before, and I left feeling genuinely hopeful. 

​The Interview That Had No CV

A few days later, HSMAI invited me to join their Commercial Strategy Forum in Athens so we could decide, face to face, whether I was the right fit. I said yes without hesitating.

I assumed I would simply help register guests. Instead, a colleague had a family emergency, and I found myself helping run an entire forum alongside the CEO, despite having no real experience in event management. It was the deep end, and there was no time to be afraid of it.

Over dinner that first evening, the CEO wanted to understand how I think and what I value. There were no CVs on the table, only honest questions and honest answers. I had never met someone so direct and so inspiring.

That night taught me something I now believe deeply. Do not perform. Just be yourself. When your values genuinely align with an organization's, that connection becomes the invisible glue that holds everything together during challenging moments. At business school we call it person-organization fit. In Athens, I felt what it really means.

I stayed up late finishing the delegates’ name badges. As I read each name, I realized who would be in the room the next day: some of the most influential people in the industry. Instead of panicking, I decided to give everything I had. What surprised me most over the following days was how quickly you connect with people when working under pressure.

The forum exceeded everyone’s expectations. My mentor was there too, and we finally met in person. At the end of the event, the CEO told me something I will not forget: that calling me an intern would be an insult, because she had bigger plans for me. A few days later, I received an email offering me a new role: Europe Ambassador.

What Helped Me Build My Hospitality Career? 

If you are about to start your own journey, these are the lessons I hope you’ll take with you.

• Treat networking as a strategy

The opportunities that changed my path came from a relationship I intentionally built, not from scrolling through job offers. Reach out to people beyond your immediate circle, and lead with honesty rather than a script.

• Find a mentor, and invest in that relationship

A generous mentor gave me new ways of thinking that no textbook could have taught me.

• Lead with your values

More and more, organizations hire for character and cultural fit as much as technical ability and skills. When who you are aligns with where you work, that relationship becomes much stronger and helps overcome challenges.

• Say yes, then learn by doing

I learned more during three intense days running an international event than I could have from any case study.

• Stay curious

Whenever you feel uncertain, discouraged or you’re doubting yourself, keep learning… fall in love with the work, and keep reaching out, because you never know which conversation might change your career.

A Note of Gratitude

None of this would have happened without my mentor, or without CareerOS and EADA Business School, whose learning environment encouraged me to look beyond the classroom and engage directly with the hospitality industry. As my mentor writes in his book, mindset is everything.

To anyone wondering whether the effort is worth it: it absolutely is. Stay curious, keep building genuine connections and don't be afraid to say yes. You may be surprised where your journey takes you. Sky is the limit. 

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 Author

 Nicole Burdzhieva

 Participant - Маster in Tourism and Hospitality Management 2025-2026
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