Just like so many college graduates, in May of 2011 I found myself looking for a job.  I was literally online searching for jobs every single day for several hours.  At this point, I have lost count of how many I have actually applied for.  For a while, it seemed like there was nothing out there for me and nobody would give me the chance to prove myself!  That was until Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. came along…

I had heard of Dun & Bradstreet Credibility from a friend who was able to obtain a full-time graphic design position.  She was so excited to let me know that her company was hiring interns like crazy and suggested that I should apply.  At the time, I hadn’t thought about applying for an internship because I was looking for that full-time position.

However, I had enrolled in the MBA program at Woodbury University, so my time was still split between work and school.  Then I thought….”Hey, a part-time internship might actually be better for me”.  Considering it’s a paid internship, I would still be making something!  I looked into Dun & Bradstreet Credibility and found that I actually liked the company.  They are in the business of helping small businesses.  As a student who studied entrepreneurship, I felt this was a perfect fit.

After a rough holiday season, (still no job offers, went on countless interviews, and no word from DandB) I was falling into a state of depression.  I couldn’t sleep, I had anxiety from bills piling up, and at times I would sit in my car just to cry.  But then I got a call…..”Hi, is Danielle there?”… “This is Danielle.”…”Hello, this is Catherine from Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.  We would like to bring you in for an interview, if you were still interested.”

Finally!!! I immediately said YES! I scheduled the interview and started preparing. 🙂

The Interview

To prepare for the interview, I printed out several copies of my resume, cover letter, writing samples, and brought  a business plan I had written for a competition.  I was prepared for this interview! I knew the questions I would ask at the end of the interview, knew where I had to drive to, and where to park.  I showed up an hour early and sat in my car going over everything I had printed out about Dun & Bradstreet Credibility.  I made sure I knew enough about their products/services and the company’s history, in order to show my genuine interest in working at the company.

Lets just say, I was extremely nervous (like I am for most interviews).  There is always that voice in the back of my mind saying, “Danielle, don’t mess this up.  You need this.  Stay calm.”  When the time came for me to head into Dun & Bradstreet Credibility, I was greeted with a smile and an excited “Hi!” from Catherine, the Marketing Coordinator.  The atmosphere in the office had a fun vibe to it; walking in for the first time, I literally almost got run over by someone riding a scooter.

Catherine brought me over to one of the conference rooms overlooking the ocean! It’s such an amazing view and it was such a beautiful day!  Once I got settled into the conference room…the interview started.  This interview was very different from all the ones I had been on with other companies.  Each person I met with talked so passionately about Dun & Bradstreet Credibility and I knew that this would be a good place to work (If they offered me the position of course). I left that interview feeling confident in myself and what I could bring to this company.

About a week after my interview I got a call.  I looked at the number and thought to myself, “This is it!”  Sure enough, it was Catherine letting me know they wanted to hire me as a Marketing Intern!

Meeting Jeff Stibel, CEO of Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.

After I was offered the marketing intern position, I was told I had to meet with the CEO of the company.  This was another indication that Dun & Bradstreet Credibility is very different from most companies.  I had never met the CEO of a company I was interviewing with, so I was extremely nervous.  It wasn’t even an interview, but the concept of meeting the CEO made me sweat a bit.  So, I scheduled the meeting and met with Jeff Stibel.  He told me about himself, how he started Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp., and asked about me.  I am quite certain that he knew I had this whole blurb about myself memorized word for word.  After that meeting, I was even more excited about my first day as a Marketing Intern!

Working at Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.! 🙂

When I was getting ready for my first day at Dun & Bradstreet Credibility, I told myself that I am going to work extremely hard!  I am going to make myself stand out of all among the rest!  I will make a name for myself here!

I started working on Valentine’s Day! Since my first day, I have learned so much and have been given more responsibilities than I thought I would.  This is in no way a bad thing because the more responsibilities I am given, the more I learn and the more opportunities I have to prove myself.

Not only do I like the work I am given, but I like the company culture.  Dun & Bradstreet Credibility is one of those companies that is not just about the customers, but also about their employees.  From my time spent here, I can tell that Dun & Bradstreet Credibility wants to make sure that their employees are motivated and happy.  This is why people working here are so passionate about their work and making Dun & Bradstreet Credibility a success.

As a group, Dun & Bradstreet Credibility employees are all about working hard and playing hard.   Every month there is at least one party in the break room.  The break room itself is an employee’s dream!  Equipped with a pool table, two televisions, video games, a ping-pong table, an arcade game, an air hockey table, and did I mention the drinks and snacks; this break room makes everyone I know jealous!  While Dun & Bradstreet Credibility employees may take breaks to challenge each other to a game of ping-pong, this company is extremely hard-working!  Dun & Bradstreet Credibility is in it to win it!  That’s how I see it.

Overall, I am extremely grateful to be a part of this amazing company.  I know that I will learn a lot from my days working here and I can’t wait to continue contributing to the success of Dun & Bradstreet Credibility.

As a College Student, What Can You Learn From This?

Before you apply for a job:

• Make sure your resume is up to date, has no spelling errors, and looks and sounds professional.
• Create a cover letter stating the reason why you are applying and why you think you are qualified.

When you get the interview:

• Be sure to research everything about the company (i.e. products/services, history, requirements of the position you are applying for, etc.).
• Print out several copies of your resume, cover letter, and any other materials you feel is necessary (I would say print out at least 3 copies of each).
• Be sure to arrive early.  You NEVER want to be late!

When you get the job:

• Take on as many responsibilities as you can.  This will help you prove yourself in the company.
• Show that you are interested in the company and get to know your coworkers.
• Most of all you should be having fun!

Please tell me about your amazing job! 🙂

Tagged: college, college graduates, D&BCC, Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp., internship, interview, Jeff Stibel, job, malibu, students, working