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I thought securing a master's degree at a well-rated university would guarantee a great internship. Turns out that I was wrong.
The job market in 2026 is brutal. Talking to students across two business schools in Barcelona - 400 people total, from finance, sales, consulting, you name it. Only 5 to 10 had secured internships. That's less than 3%.
That's when I knew the traditional approach wasn't going to cut it. I needed a different strategy.
I've always believed the most powerful influence you can have is leading by example. So when I became CareerOS Campus Strategist at EADA BusinessSchool Barcelona, I was determined to prove to my classmates and to myself that networking is the real key to landing opportunities in a world where AI is shrinking job openings and no one knows what the market will look like next year.
CareerOS helped me out shifting the mindset to actively network and use the tools it offers.
I knew I couldn't just spam connection requests. My strategy came down to two filters:
Applying both filters, I found someone - a great professional in the Hospitality field and a very famous name - Greek, based in Bulgaria, the same industry as me. As a Bulgarian, I knew we'd have natural common ground. I reached out directly, without really expecting him to reply back:
“Hello, Mr. …Sorry for the late intrusion. Thank you for the connection. I feel it is really valuable, taking into consideration all your experience and the mentorship programs you’ve taken part in so far!
I saw that most of your career has been in Hospitality & Tourism. Whoever is in that field really loves it with all their heart - it’s a great dedication. Why did you choose this sector?
Excuse me for being so direct, but I’m currently feeling really lost and don’t know the steps I need to take. I came to study in Barcelona to develop my professional skills, explore opportunities, and help expand our family hotel in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria - 85 rooms, sustainability-focused. I’m looking for the right partners, advisors, or investors, and I don’t know where to begin.
I don’t want to overwhelm you - I just found hope when I saw your profile. You are the expert who knows these processes in detail. I’d be more than happy to receive some guidance from a professional like you.
I wish you a peaceful evening. Thanks in advance.”
He replied. We started weekly 30-minute sessions. I learned faster than in any classroom - frameworks, tools, industry insights I could implement the moment I returned home. He'd even written a book on the industry and his path.
A few months in, I told my mentor I was hungry for more and wanted to combine studies with an internship to gain practical experience. I was actively looking and researching companies. He recommended me to HSMAI, a global hospitality industry organization I’ve known for its great expansion in the whole world. They reached out, we had a call, and I did my homework. I researched the company in great detail, spoke to their values, showed exactly how their culture aligned with mine.
Then on March 27th, I got a last-minute message – could I fly to Athens in four days to attend their Commercial Strategy Forum? They wanted to meet me face-to-face. I said yes without hesitation.
What I thought would be light hosting duties turned into something completely different. An employee had a family emergency, and I found out I'd be running the event alongside the CEO. Alone. With no prior event management experience.
Now is my time to shine. That's what I told myself after midnight, cutting name tags, realizing every single attendee was a CEO, Director, or industry pioneer.
I didn't sleep for three nights. P.S - Sleep is for the weak and when you hustle, focus on hustling. You will sleep later. But here's what happened instead:
The CEO invited me to dinner - not a formal interview, but something rawer. No CVs. Just real questions, brutal honesty, values, and vision. Over champagne and seafood, I made a decision I'd never made in an interview before - stop performing. Just be yourself, 100%.
Because here's the truth: you can fake alignment for a few months, but what's the point? The right company will find you when you're authentic. Culture is the invisible glue when times get hard.
The event went brilliantly. The team was thrilled. My mentor who sat on the Advisory Board and had a panel that day was looking out for me the whole time. At the end, he handed me a copy of his book. And the CEO looked at me and said:
“You are special. We are happy we met you. Intern would be an insult to you. I have bigger plans for you.”
The day after I landed back in Barcelona, I received an email with my offer: Europe Ambassador for HSMAI.
If you're sitting on 20 rejections right now, I want you to hear this:
Network like you mean it, but do it smart. Find people who are culturally close to you and who have a track record of mentoring. That's your target audience for outreach.
Use CareerOS as your engine. It doesn't just organize your job search, it shapes how you think about it. Use the platform to find the right contacts, track your outreach, and stay consistent.
Be authentic in interviews. The dinner in Athens taught me that the best 'interview' isn't an interview at all. It's a real conversation. The companies worth working for don't want your performance, they want you.
Say yes, even when you're scared. Four days notice to fly to Athens to run an event alone with a CEO? Say yes. Figure it out. That's where growth lives.
And as my mentor always says and wrote in his book:
“Mindset is everything.”
To everyone burning out, doubting themselves, wondering when it will pay off: don’t stop. Make excellence a habit. Fall in love with the work. Be proactive and reach out to people. You have no idea what doors might open.
Thank you, CareerOS, for helping shape the mindset and providing the tools.
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