I went to a coworking space meetup with a simple purpose: to check out a new place and talk to new people. I wasn’t there to look for a job.

During the meetup, I met one of the co-founders of the host company. As we talked, they casually mentioned they were hiring, and it felt like the room doubled as a talent pool. For a moment, I wondered, “Should I have learned more about the host company beforehand?” and right after that: “Did I miss an opportunity?”

But after thinking it through, the answer felt obvious. I didn’t attend with the goal of job hunting, and my top priority right now isn’t changing jobs. My current focus is Build, Learn, Canada.

  • Build: Adapt well at my current job and deliver strong results.
  • Learn: Focus on my CELPIP exam next month.
  • Canada: Since I might have to leave Canada unexpectedly, make the most of experiences that are only possible here.

Still, the real frustration I felt was not about missing a job opportunity. It was about not fully achieving what I actually came for: having good conversations with new people. Honestly, as I replayed the day, I felt a bit embarrassed. The things I told myself earlier, like “I wasn’t here to job hunt” or “changing jobs isn’t my priority right now”, started to sound like self-defense, almost like excuses. The truth was simpler: I couldn’t introduce myself smoothly in English, and I struggled to explain what I do. When the conversation stalled, it felt like I was letting something slip, not a career opportunity, but the experience I came for.

When I reflected on it more, I realized the deeper reason for my regret. Over the past few weeks, I knew this kind of situation mattered to me, and I had enough time to prepare. But I ended up spending that time on less important things. If I truly wanted to have better conversations, I would have prepared a few key English phrases and practiced them. I didn’t, and I went anyway.

What’s done is done. The takeaway is simple: if something is important to me, I need to invest real time in it. Next time, I want to show up with at least the basics ready: a confident self-introduction, a clear explanation of what I do, and a few conversation questions. I don’t want to let my time in Canada slip by without making the most of it.