What a Tangled Web We Weave

Now that you're all caught up with my vacation adventures, I suppose it's time to fill you in with the latest in my job search. After all, this blog is supposed to document my ups and downs of job hunting as a recent grad, right? I digress.
A little less than a week before leaving for Puerto Rico, my job hunt took an interesting turn in a matter of about fifteen minutes or so -- all while brushing my teeth in the morning. If you've been following my blog, you'll know that I've been working part-time at the mall. This was filling up my weeks quite nicely, and that morning, I had to be at work by 9AM, so as you can imagine, I was busy getting ready. However, during my morning frenzy, I got a phone call regarding the manuscript assistant job I had interviewed for a few weeks ago -- I got the job. I was excited. Just about three or so months of job hunting and I was being offered full-time employment -- that was a huge step. Of course, big decisions should not be handled lightly, and now that my employment opportunity went from hypothetical to realistic, I had to reconsider all of the pros and cons. I hung up the phone, picked up my toothbrush and was now brushing my teeth with a sort of vigor that could only be attributed to the butterflies in my stomach and the urgency to get to my current part-time gig on time.
Of course, as I alluded to, mid-brush, only a mere minute or two after my first phone call, I was getting another phone call from a number I didn't recognize. My mouth filled with toothpaste, I obviously wasn't going to pick up the phone and I did have somewhere I needed to be in about 20 minutes (at that point, that was my job and my commitment and I couldn't let my excitement get the best of me). I let the caller go to voicemail and then played it on speakerphone while finishing up my morning routine. On the phone was a woman from a communications company asking if I could come in for an interview for a publicist position. I was in shock. I had gone from working part-time at the mall to being offered a job and an interview opportunity in less than five minutes. This other job had great potential and room for growth, so I greedily decided that I would take the interview.

I managed to schedule an interview for the next day and went in to discuss the potential job opportunity. Some of the pressure was off, I'll admit. Even if this interview didn't work out, I had another job waiting for me, and by the same token, not only was it good practice to interview, but I could potentially have an even better offer. However, I couldn't help but wonder if I was engaging in some sort of job taboo. I was delaying my decision of the other position pending more information from the interview. Was it wrong for me to do that? When I thought about it, I decided it wasn't. A friend of mine put it in perspective for me. He said, "Don't you think that if the CEO of a company had to choose between him keeping his job and you keeping your job, he'd let you go in a second?" I had to admit it; he was right. Entry-level employees can sometimes be expendable and replaceable. Sounds pessimistic, but in this economy, it's true. If you're not contributing, you can be replaced with someone better and/or cheaper, and when it comes to your own career, you do need to be a little selfish (though I wouldn't advocate selfish motivation as a prime motivator). It's just another lesson learned as I go through the job search.

So you might ask now, how did the interview turn out and did I accept that other job offer? I thought that the interview went well. I was really interested, but when I asked about benefits, including salary compensation, I wasn't thrilled with what I could potentially be offered. In an effort to jumpstart my career and my independence, I decided to accept the initial job offer and let the cards fall where they may (sorry for a cliche!). You never know until you try and I figured it was time to give this whole full-time employment thing a shot.

Being a Busy Bee

Cute AND capable of helping you sort out your life. That's legit.

I can't believe it -- but I have actually been busy recently. I know, I know. Pick your jaw up from the floor and continue reading, if you can push past the awe and amazement. It's true. My days are no longer consumed by boredom, endless internet job searches and chit-chatting with my dog. Instead, I have been spending most of my time at the mall in my new sales associate position and in between shifts, eating, sleeping and catching up on my reality TV.

I feel like I'm old me again. I bought a really cute planner from Lilly Pulitzer and for a while, I worried that the only thing I'd be able to write in it was "go to gym," "take dog for walk," or even worse, "remember to change out of pajamas in the morning." Lately, my planner has been filled with my work schedule, my impending vacation days (going to Puerto Rico next week!), seeing the Hunger Games, a second interview for t hat manuscript assistant position and a day of learning how to blog bettah with other Boston bloggers (more on that in a later post, I promise).

While in school, so much of my identity was tied to the fact that I was a student pursuing a particular degree, but now that I am out of school, I am trying to figure out how exactly to identify myself now. I can't cling onto my intended major or even my student status in my post-graduate heydey. Instead, between my newfound busy schedule, I'm constantly re-evaluating what it is I want, like and am. Generally, that is a bit overwhelming, and even more so when doing all of that heavy thinking in the midst of an ever-changing schedule. I have so many things happening at once -- a new job, interview for another job, maintaining somewhat of a social life -- that even putting it into my new planner doesn't necessarily mitigate the stress.

One of said busy weeks filled with lots to do... Ask me if I did everything I had set out to do...

For now, I'm trying to take things one day at a time. My job search is certainly not at its end. I have big plans ahead -- grad school and, improving my blog (for all of my lovely readers, of course) to name a few -- and I want to make sure I'm in an advantageous position to get where I want to be. Being busy is great, but only when keeping my eye on the prize... which is still yet to be entirely determined.

You can tell when I actually started getting busy/got the planner...

Keeping Things Rolling

After the traumatic interview I experienced a few days ago, I have been trying my best to stay positive about my job search. Clearly, when you're already feeling a bit down from the lack of interviews and job opportunities, an interview from hell isn't what you need to boost your productivity and optimism. However, I did get a boost of hope later that evening while enduring the post-traumatic shock from my interview. I checked my email and saw that I had been accepted to another grad school! My spirits were lifted and the doom and gloom I had experienced earlier was mitigated at the prospect of heading back to school in the fall and working towards my master's in journalism. Oh happy day! There was a light at the end of the tunnel and I wouldn't have to settle for becoming a pig in lipstick solicitor face-to-face "marketer."

In a way, a weight was lifted. Not only was I accepted to a second grad school, but now I had options. I could go to grad school in the fall at one of two universities (I'm still waiting to hear back from a few) or I could continue my job search for a full-time position or I could modify my search to fit into my grad school scheme. I'll admit though, I haven't been as determinedly and feverishly scouring job sites and search engines as I should be if I do want a full-time job. However, if you've been reading my blog religiously (which, of course you are, how silly of me to assume you might not be), then you'd know that I have sent in seemingly endless amounts of applications to various companies for various positions. Alas! That must have paid off, because not only do I have one interview -- I have two! Take that ridiculous pig in lipstick "marketers!"

Maybe there was something to that whole "all you need to get a date is another one" mantra that Carrie Bradshaw suggested on Sex and the City...Because here I am with an interview on Saturday and Monday for two completely different positions. On Saturday morning, I have an interview with a store at the mall for a sales associate position. Late Monday morning, I'll be treking into Boston for an interview with a medical organization for a position as a manuscript assistant. Getting accepted in grad school sort of got the ball rolling giving me a serious, viable and awesome option for future plans, and now, with two interviews, I don't have to necessarily "settle." Sure, the potential positions might not be what I'm looking for and I may choose to turn them down, but the fact that I can choose to turn something down as opposed to being forced to accept a position out of desperation... Well, that, my friends, is quite the luxury for a recent jobless college graduate like myself.

Friday Updates

Just wanted to post a brief update to give a sense of closure to this week. I have been feverishly applying and searching for jobs to no avail recently, but with a helpful suggestion from a fellow job hunter, I applied to this one company and have a preliminary interview on Monday. As you can imagine, I am very excited. When you're applying to job after job, it can be disheartening when you receive no response and no call for an interview. Getting that initial interview is so key, because then that's when you finally get to prove why you're fit for the job and show your potential employer all of your star qualities that exist outside of that 8 x 11 inch piece of paper. Every time I get an interview, I am extremely hopeful and this time is no different, as I feel that all I need is a chance. A resume really doesn't entirely do justice to someone's capabilities or potential, so while I feel like I'm pretty good on paper, I think I am even better in person. Hopefully that will prove true on Monday, so wish me luck and hopefully I will have some more news then! 

Recent Happenings

Luckily, I chose to wear a dress; therefore, I didn't have to worry about pants.

Yesterday, I received a phone call from a staffing company in Boston regarding a position I found online and applied for through their agency. I didn't expect to hear anything from it (because I never really expect to hear anything from the places I apply unfortunately) and honestly, forgot about it until I was on the phone and chatting with someone from the agency. We set up a meeting and presto-changeo, I had an interview at 12:30PM today to discuss employment options and my job search.

I was hesitant at first -- I've temped before and wasn't sure if working with a big agency was for me. However, since my job search has yielded minimal results up until now, I figured it was important to utilize all available resources and not dismiss any potential opportunities.

I headed into Boston today, leaving my house an hour prior to the interview despite living only 20-30 minutes outside of the city. Part of me thought this was a tad bit overkill while the neurotic part of me thought this wasn't enough. And I almost had a state of panic when my GPS seemed to keep telling me to turn the wrong way down a one way street and I couldn't find a parking garage, but I managed both to find a place to park and find my way (thanks to a push in the right direction from a kind doorman) with ten minutes to spare.

The interview itself wasn't what I expected when I had made the appointment but at the same time was what I expected from a staffing company. They asked me about my past jobs and experience, what I liked and disliked about them, what kind of jobs I was looking for and how my job search was going. Unfortunately, I didn't leave with any potential job options and wasn't able to meet with anyone other than my preliminary interviewer, but I was at least more hopeful. At the very least, I had one more set of eyes and ears to help with my job search, alerting me of potential opportunities and doing a lot of the same work I've been doing at home, except with more resources.

At this point, I am trying to stay open-minded about tackling my search and adopting different strategies to make my job hunt more successful. At least I know that I can accomplish one thing that the above cat couldn't -- remembering to attend my interviews fully dressed and prepared!

Identity Crisis

As I've mentioned in a previous post about the pros and cons of the unemployed life, one of my biggest daily struggles is coming up with an adequate answer to the question of "how is the job hunt going?" A seemingly innocent and harmless question usually asked with the best of intentions or at least to make conversation. At the same time, I usually cringe a bit on the inside when faced with that question, and even worse, the question of what exactly I want to do.

So much hinges on your career and what it is you want to do -- more so than I guess it would seem. While in college, the biggest question I was asked was "what is your major?" I feel as though now that I'm out in the real world, I now have to define who I am and my interests by what career path I choose and the job that comes along with it. But right now, my prospective career and job are elusive concepts to me. With two months of unemployment under my belt, I am constantly re-evaluating what it is that I am looking for out of a career. My "About Me" page begins to touch upon some of what I want out of a job: a "love of writing, reading, meeting new people/being part of a team and engaging in something that has the ability to be creative and challenge/influence people" that can be merged with the some of the "things I love" in some way -- if at all possible. But trying to sift through job searches and LinkedIn pages for a job that encompasses all of that is a tall order and generally overwhelming.

I wouldn't say that the title of this post is implying that I, myself, am having an "identity crisis," but I think more of what I meant by it is that I feel as though I could end up being defined by the job I choose or the career path I take. I know that when I told people my majors (English Literature and Italian studies) that, inevitably, they would mentally place me into this certain niche with what they assume English Lit. and language majors to be. I have been placing a lot of pressure on myself to find an entry level position that will serve as a stepping stone towards my ultimate career goal of hopefully getting into media -- whether print or digital -- because I fear what will happen if I don't. I have accomplished a lot up until this point: a stellar GPA, great skills through past work experience and a successful overseas internship, but it's daunting to think that I could end up settling for something that doesn't utilize or demonstrate any of that, and even worse, inhibits my future goals.

Throughout this period of unemployment, boredom and job hunting, I have definitely experienced quite a range of emotions. I think the most important thing I have learned thus far is to try to stay focused on what my end goal is and what I need to do to get there. Even though, at this point, I know I'm probably going to have to get a job that might not be exactly what I want to do and might not even be full-time, I need to remember that it does not need to necessarily define me or negate my previous accomplishments, but instead, hope that it will enable me to gain more confidence and a greater sense of independence that will hopefully translate into a re-energized job search and better results.
I appreciate all of you who read my blog and continue to stick with me while I continue my job search and go through the ups-and-downs of post-graduate life. I know it's a process and transition that every one faces at one point or another and it's nice to know that I have a little fan-base supporting me as I go through all of this.

Thank you!

Awkward Situation

Yesterday definitely could have been dubbed an "awkward turtle" moment.

Yesterday was a busy day for me, which is unusual considering the minimal job activity I have been experiencing. On the agenda was a second interview for a retail sales position and a lunch meeting with an HR representative, set up by a family member, to help give me some insight into job hunting and offer me a bit of advice and perspective. The lunch meeting went really well -- it was fun and informative, and I got a lot out of it that made me feel a little better about my job hunting situation. However, my interview earlier in the day got off to a bad start, which leads me to this question: what do you do when you know the person interviewing you is wrong and their mistake makes you look bad?

My second interview had been set up on Thursday, almost immediately following the first one. I got a phone call from the person who interviewed me saying that she'd like me to come in for a second interview, suggested Monday and then offered a choice of time: "10:00AM? 10:30AM?" I had agreed on the second one saying that "10:30 would be great", as overheard by my mother eavesdropping in the kitchen, and upon hanging up the phone, proceeded to plug the appointment into my phone and write it down on two different notepads so as not to forget.

Come Monday morning, I wasn't feeling great. It first started with my dad getting sick, then my mother, and the bug had worked its way to me. I had skipped my morning workout to insure some extra morning shut-eye, but finally pulled myself out of bed because if there's one adjective that would describe me: it's punctual. In elementary school, I used to wake up about an hour before I needed to get ready for school, and then wake up both my mom and brother so as not to be late. In college, no matter what I was up to the night before (late night of duty, too much fun), I would be in class ten minutes early getting my notebook out. Even at the movies, if I'm not there with time to spare before the previews, I feel like I'm sneaking in to class late and deserve detention.

So you can imagine that I took all the precautions to make sure that I'd be at my second interview on time. However, at 10:15AM, as I was getting ready to leave the house, I get a phone call from the woman interviewing me asking me if I was still coming to the interview. My stomach dropped -- was she serious? I then explained that I thought we had agreed on 10:30 as opposed to 10:00 and that I was sorry for the miscommunication and would be there in fifteen minutes. I was embarrassed and angry. I was never late and especially not for something like this. I don't think it's respectful to keep someone waiting when they are taking time out of their schedule to meet with you (whether it's for class, an interview, or even just a lunch date.) Certainly, things happen, but you need to do whatever you can to be prompt.

I arrived at the interview a few minutes earlier than what I thought had been our agreed-upon-time and again, apologized incessantly, explaining how I had been sure we agreed on 10:30 and how I had written the appointment down in a million places. My interviewer was obviously irritated, insisting that we had said 10:00AM and that she had written it down as such, and that was the time.

Now, I knew I had to bite my tongue, but I also knew that she was wrong. I had repeated the time out loud while on the phone with her when we had previously talked and my mom, later, had said that she heard me say 10:30AM (and my mom would tell me if I was in the wrong.) I am someone who prides herself on being extremely organized and on schedule. I have time management down pat and in however many years I've had a job and been in school, there has only been one time when I was mistaken about a date and time -- and that wasn't even important. So then I was faced with the question: what do you do when you know someone is wrong and the mistake makes you look bad?

You really can't do anything. I wasn't trying to make an excuse when I told her that I thought our appointment was at 10:30AM and that we must have had a miscommunication. I was being sincere, but that was all I could do. Apart from that, I had to suck up my pride and know when to stop defending myself because it was a losing battle. I did what I could to insist on my "innocence" in the situation, but if she was persistent in her own views and that was what she believed, neither of us had the evidence to back our point up (well, other than my mom's eavesdropping) so I had to just take her aggravation and salvage what was left of my interview.

The rest of the interview went okay. I think the woman was clearly irritated with me, which I could understand to a certain extent, but it only frustrated me. I kept a smile on my face, gave my best answers and rose to the tasks she assigned of me, but I couldn't help thinking the whole time that she would hold our scheduling mishap against me. I wasn't left with a good feeling post-interview, but I'm hoping that my answers and performance were enough to prove that I am a good candidate.

It certainly was an interesting interview experience, and hopefully, a lesson learned.

Job Hunting: Mr. Right Turned to Mr. Rejection

If you read my earlier post comparing the job hunt to the search for "Mr. Right," then you'd know that job hunting is eerily similar to meeting a new guy/gal and going on a first date with them. Since my job hunt of about two months has yielded minimal results (very minimal), I have also come to realize that finding the right job is not without constant rejection, which again -- is eerily similar to the ups and downs of dating.

It seems as though I am constantly applying to jobs that seem to fit me and my qualifications: entry level, room for growth, hard-worker, attention to detail, excellent communication skills. However, despite the appropriate cover letter and well-groomed resume, I receive rejection emails littering my inbox claiming that while the company was "impressed with [my] qualifications, [they] have decided to pursue other candidates who appear to be a closer match for the position." I think back to the job description and requirements, and try to wonder what exactly it was that didn't qualify me as a "closer match," and unfortunately, can only think that, despite a considerable amount of experience and academic success, it still wasn't enough.

This, of course, makes me think of that horrible feeling of date rejection. You meet a guy/girl who seems to pretty much encompass what you're looking for in a significant other. The two of you flirt -- much akin to perhaps the back and forth of setting up an interview -- and then set up a date, which you assume will be successful since you meet their "qualifications" for the date. As you sit across the table from your date at dinner or next to them at a movie, inevitably, there is a period of  "sizing the other person up." You both try to see if this -- this date, this pairing -- is a good fit, just as you and the company you might be interviewing for are trying to determine not only if you have what they're looking for , but if you two could be in it for the long haul.

Then the date ends -- and this is where things get tricky. At the end of the interview, you get the handshake, the smile, the nod, all of the signs that you did a great job and that they like what they see. Similarly, at the end of the date, maybe there was a kiss and the promise that they'll call you soon to set up a second date. But somewhere, in the midst of the end-of-interview/date commotion, you have the great feeling that this is going to work out, while apparently, the person on the other end thinks otherwise.

You wait. And wait. And wait. In both instances (for a job and for another date), you're probably patiently waiting by the phone or incessantly checking your email. Days go by, and you're wondering what you did wrong and why they haven't called yet. You used all of your best date moves -- the coy smile, laughing at the appropriate times, staying interested and actively listening -- and yet, here you are, without a phone call, an email, or even a text message with a hint of hope.

Finally, you get something, but it's a rejection. Maybe it's in the form of an email or a brief phone call -- but whatever the medium, you didn't get the job and you didn't get the second date. While the company might say that they were impressed and you had excellent credentials, what it boils down to is not the very cliche "it's not you, it's me," but instead, it's reverse: it's not us, it's definitely you -- YOU don't have what we're looking for and YOU aren't what we need.

Then you head to the nearest grocery store, pick up a tub of Ben & Jerry's, preferably in their most decadent chocolate flavor, and sit in front of your TV watching reality shows that make everything look so easy while you're still jobless and now in need of a very long work-out.

I guess these past two months of job searching have made me a teensy bit cynical in the way that a bad break-up can. I suppose I've gone through so many different emotions--denial, anger, hope, then hopelessness again-- that I'm wondering when this bad break-up period is going to end and when I'm finally going to get a date, and a good date at that.

So many sad princesses without their Mr. Right.

Pros & Cons of Unemployment

In the past five weeks or so that I have been unemployed, I have certainly struggled with trying to find a job and what to do with my time. While I won't say that sometimes I haven't enjoyed my laidback days of sleeping in and lounging around, for the most part, I have been bored and itching for something to do to fill my days -- namely, in the form of a full-time job. I figured I would compile a list that would give you some insight into my daily internal conflict over being unemployed.

What I LIKE About Being Unemployed:

• Sleeping in: I usually have no need for an alarm, unless I want to get an early start on doing nothing.
• Plenty of time for the gym: I no longer have the excuse that I am too busy to work out and instead, can devote at least an hour a day for gym time. With a pending family vacation in the works, this gives me ample time to be bikini ready. In fact, I can be bikini ready AND have a bacon cheeseburger with a chocolate milk shake at the rate I'm going.
• Quality time with my dog: Nothing brightens your day quite like hanging with man's best friend, and with my poor dog usually confined to spending his days alone when I was at school, I can now accompany him on the couch.
• Dedication to my cooking and baking: With all of this free time, I have plenty of time to concentrate on my resolution to practice cooking and baking. My cousin claims this is a phase that both she and her neighbor went through when they were job hunting, and whether or not this truly is just a result of my being unemployed, we will find out. But for now, my family gets extra baked goods and my mom doesn't have to worry about cooking dinner all the time.
• Finishing grad school apps: I am exploring graduate school as one of my potential options for the future, and being unemployed certainly allows me enough time to work on my grad school applications.
• Blogging: One of the perks about being unemployed is that not only do I have ample time to plan and post on this  blog, but I can share my trials and triumphs in the job search with my many devoted fans (okay, with my three devoted fans?)

What I DISLIKE About Being Unemployed:

• Sleeping in: The fact that I have nowhere to go, and thus, no need for an alarm, makes me feel lazy. I want to get an early start and be productive! I just don't have much need for being productive, only perpetuating the feeling of being lazy.
• Plenty of time for the gym: With the exception of offering to run errands for my mom while she's at work, most of the time, the only thing I have planned all day is going to the gym. That is my lone activity, and occasionally, the only reason I leave the house.
• No money, mo' problems: This is clearly one of the biggest reasons that I dislike being unemployed. Unfortunately, without money, I really can't do much. For example, I have to share a car with my mom right now, so I don't always have access to a car. With a car comes freedom to actually leave my house and go out and do things -- which also requires money. It is a vicious cycle, but I'd like to actually be a part of the cycle.
• My resume is at a standstill: Instead of utilizing this time to be gaining work experience and adding skills to my resume, I spend it blogging, going to the gym, spending time with my blog...You get the idea. I want to be using this time working and learning.
• Having to answer the question "how's the job hunt going?": Clearly, I haven't had the most active job search -- minimal phone calls and interviews namely. So when I am asked the question of "how is the job hunt going," I feel somewhat embarrassed when I say that I haven't found anything yet and that I'm still searching. Then I have to go on to explain my whole search process, what I've been looking for, and sometimes, have to figure out what I'm doing wrong. While this conversation is oftentimes useful, it only makes me think that I am a bum with a degree and wonder if there's something wrong with me.

There you have it. A bit of insight into the mind of an unemployed recent graduate. It's not always easy, but it certainly is a learning experience in and of itself. One of my friends, Mimosa (of Musings by Mimosa) commented on a post saying no to worry, that "once you find a job, you'll be working for the rest of your life." This sentiment helped put things in perspective for me, so I'm trying to keep that thought in mind while continuing on the job hunt.

Finding a Job: Take 2

Now that it has been over a month since I graduated and the population of college students has migrated back to school, I figured it's time for "take two" of my job hunt. I've had enough lazy days and am starting to feel like my dog -- lounging around the house, occasionally eating, moving from couch to couch. Since I've had minimal activity concerning interviews and job offers, I need to find some way to fill my days: cue the part-time job.

My local bank literally located down the street from my house had a sign for part-time positions available, and at this point, I want something to do. Free time is fun -- for a week -- and after that, I'm itching to try something new and to fill my days with a new routine. I figure I can apply to the bank, hope that I get the position, and at least will be able to start making money so I can finally feel like a grown-up with a regular pay-check. Granted, it's not utilizing my college degree to the best of its advantages, but in today's economy, you gotta do what you gotta do and I'm certainly not going to be picky.

Life waits for no one, and that statement is no truer than when applied to the job hunt. Jobs wait for no one. You need to apply, put your best foot forward, and do whatever it takes. Rarely do people find jobs by sitting on their couch and doing a little jig, similar to that of a rain dance, and open their front door to find a job waiting for them. If that could happen, you can bet that I'd be downstairs in my living room doing quite a bit of booty-shaking.

So for now, I need to start making money and fill my days with something productive. I do truly believe that you can learn something from every job you have and there's always some skill you will learn that will be applicable in the future...but more on that another time.

Now What...Again

I officially turned down the internship offer yesterday and now I feel as though it's back to the drawing board. Though it was somewhat empowering to turn down an offer and recognize my own self-worth in the job market, I am still back where I started: without a job and without anything to do.

I try to keep reminding myself of all of the skills I can bring to the table with a potential new employer, but despite also trying to keep in mind that it has only been a month of job searching, I can't help but already start to feel a bit discouraged. Will I ever find a full-time job?

Right now, my daily schedule tends to consist of the same things: go to the gym, try to help out as much as I can around the house, talk to my dog, have a sandwich, watch TV/read and occasionally cook (not necessarily in that order, of course). I'd like to be able to start filling my days with something productive and settle into a routine. All of this free time is a bit overwhelming and instead of being able to fill it with small tasks and projects, I find myself only accomplishing maybe a few things and leaving other potential projects for later considering I have all of this free time so there are no looming deadlines.

Am I destined to be a perpetual couch potato who reads Tolstoy and watches too much of How I Met Your Mother? Or can I re-motivate myself and become excited about finding a job again? How do I do that when I have only received one job offer and it was for an unpaid internship? Are my expectations of the job hunt realistic or do I need to change them? I suppose these are the conflicting questions that arise when job hunting and being a recent grad -- second guessing yourself, being on a rollercoaster of emotions regarding self-worth and wondering what you did wrong to end up still sitting at home at your desk blogging about your lack of daily activity.

For now, I suppose I can put "couch potato and full-time job hunter" on my resume.

The potato on the right seems to describe me... minus the burping, beer, laziness and "good for nothing" part.



Inspiration from my Younger Self

Back in the day, I aspired to be a writer or a poet. I still do aspire to be a writer, but not so much a poet for various reasons: only elitist English majors like myself read poetry (half-joke), doesn't pay too well...to name a few.
However, I still love and appreciate poetry. After all, I do have an English degree and actually enjoy delving beneath the surface of a text to get at its meaning, if you had to know.

Flash back to my task the other day: cleaning out my desk to make space for a mini-room makeover. My desk has been the catchall for basically all of my writing hits and misses, former homework assignments and odds and ends. My entire life was stuffed in, on and under my desk, and it was time to de-clutter as I move forward as an adult (despite living back at home.)
Somewhere in the middle of this huge mess, I stumbled across a poem I must have written in elementary school, since that is when most of my regular poetry writing occurred. It struck a chord with me, seeing as though I am in this huge period of transition, figuring out what I want out of life and how to achieve it. This poem offered me some encouragement -- I was writing then, and still writing now (though obviously not in the same medium) and I had enough foresight then to realize that the first step in achieving your goals is believing in yourself.

I think my illustration is meant to be an Olympic swimmer going for gold.
Maybe I have been pursuing the wrong goal the whole time... Perhaps I was meant to be an artist...

Oh, an update on my current back-and-forth regarding the internship position: I came in with an offer as to what I thought was appropriate to be paid and they returned with a much lower amount. Even though this would be better than nothing, I'm not willing to settle quite yet, especially when I consider myself to be worth more than their offer -- and because I am trying to keep in mind the little words of wisdom from my younger years and remember to believe in myself.

Potential Game-Changer?

As my devoted followers will recall, I recently had an intership interview and was then left with making the decision of whether or not to take the unpaid position. I had ultimately come to the conclusion that I couldn't logistically or practically take an unpaid position, especially one that wasn't necessarily directing me towards the career path I desired, despite its potential to offer valuable experience and maybe a full-time job at the end of the internship.

Today, I knew I was going to have to call the company and inform them of the decision. I explained to them my reasons for turning down their offer, but instead of the phone call ending there, I was instead faced with another decision. They asked me if my decision would be different if they were able to offer me a stipend and how much would I need? As you can imagine, this certainly caused me to reconsider.

So now, I am again faced with yet another decision. Obviously, pending the answer of certain questions such as how much the stipend will be, what sort of daily commitment would this internship be and how long would the duration of the internship be, I could potentially see this as a viable offer. At the same time, do I hold out in hopes of another full-time position, considering I am only a month into my job hunt? I graduated early to get a head start on the job hunt and not have to be mixed into the search with a sea of other graduates, so do I stop the search now or persevere?

Job Hunting: The Search for Mr. Right

As I was pondering my current jobless situation, I realized that looking for job is like looking for a guy or a date. I know, I know -- it seems silly. Job hunting is a serious endeavor involving decisions about your career path and going on interviews and comparing that to something you would find in an article in Cosmo doesn't seem to relate.

But it does! We sift through countless job ads and postings in hopes to find one that you could see as your job. You look to see if you meet their qualifications and at the same time, you need to make sure that the job is a right fit for you. Finding a guy is basically the same thing. Just like searching for a job, you might know or meet plenty of guys, but you have to sift through the men to find one you could see potential dating. Once you find a potential match, you have to determine if he has what you're looking for and that guy needs to reciprocate interest and see if you have what he's looking for as well -- basically like finding a job match.

Think about interviews: essentially, they're the same as a first date, right? (As long as the interview is only with one person...if you can get more than one person to go on a first date with you, my hat's off to you...) In your interview, you meet with one person and you need to tell them about yourself, sell yourself to them (not literally, of course, as that is considered prostitution.) You need to make sure that they know of your best qualities so that they want to give you the job. That's basically what happens on a first date. You need to let your date know who you are, what you're looking for, flaunt your best assets and prove to them that you want a second date and potentially, girlfriend or boyfriend status.

Now why bring this up? Certainly none of this is to say that if you have a terrible love life you should expect your job hunt to fail miserably... which is also to say that if you are having a fantastic job search you will also subsequently find yourself Prince Charming (note: Cinderella had a terrible job and managed to find Prince Charming, but then again, her circumstances were much different.) Ultimately, I bring this up because it does lighten things up a bit. For those of us who are confident on a first date, maybe trying to bring that same confidence to an interview will help if we stop thinking of an interview as this very serious and scary conversation. It's just a chance to let the company know who you are.

I'm hoping that I manage to find Mr. Right Job as soon as possible. Here's to utilizing my best first date skills and charming the pants off of my next interview-er... minus the flirting and awkward moment when you determine who's picking up the check...

The Era of Big Decisions

If you read my previous post (The Job Gods Have Spoken) then you know that this past Friday I had my first interview since starting my job search. While it wasn't necessarily an interview for a paid position, it was for an internship that could offer me a lot of good experience and the potential for a full-time position. However, though the interview went well (I was offered the internship position), I left saying that I needed to think about it before I accepted.

You might ask why I wouldn't jump at the opportunity to accept an internship that could offer me some good work experience and (hopefully...potentially) a full-time paid position. I had gone into the interview feeling really great and even left the interview feeling the same way. The people who interviewed me were impressed with me and my resume and thought that I could be a good asset to their growing company and additionally, that I had the potential to do a great job. This was really encouraging, considering it has been about a month now and I've had little activity in terms of interviews and job offer, despite multiple job applications and submissions. However, as with any decision that one has to make, I played devil's advocate with myself, because I realized I have now entered the era of big decisions (insert eerie Twilight Zone music here).

What I mean by "the era of big decisions" is now that I'm out of college and have my degree, I need to really figure out what I want to do with all of that education. I am going to be faced with many challenging decisions that will directly affect my every day life and the course of my career path. It's both intimidating and overwhelming -- and I suppose exciting to a certain extent. Of course, this is what plagued me during my drive home from the interview.

Yes, I was excited about being offered a position and I'd finally start getting some of that valuable work experience. And after being holed up at home with only my job hunt to fill my days, I am ready work and be busy again. But at the same time, do I settle for an unpaid position? I know I need the experience, but I also need to start making money and start being more independent. I can't live under my parents' roof forever and more than anything, I need to buy a car so I can actually drive to an internship or job and not have to arrange a driving schedule with my mom and brother to have car access. I would be devoting at least three days a week to this unpaid internship, leaving me with only four days of the week to attribute to working another job.

When I think about ultimately where I want my career to go, this internship is not necessarily 100% in line with those career goals. It's not as if taking this internship would prevent me from being able to set my career on the path I'm considering, but if I'm going to settle for something unpaid -- shouldn't it be a position where I can be mentored by someone who has a job that I want? Or that is in the direct field I want? These are the things I've been contemplating.

I know I can't be picky in this job market. And truthfully, I'm not. But this is an unpaid position. If it were a paid position, I'd probably take it. It's not 100% in line with what I'm looking to do, but it would give me some skills that would make me an even more valuable candidate for another job. The fact that not only would this be unpaid and not in the direct field I'm hoping to pursue, but that I would have to continue my job hunt for something part-time -- those are some formidable factors that I'm up against.

These are all of my thoughts as I continue my job search and think about this pending offer. Would you take the position? Or would you keep looking? It's only been a month, should I be jumping at this opportunity or persevere in my search for something entry-level and paid? Big decisions.

The Job Gods Have Spoken

I try to make it a point every day to do a job search and check out what's out there. I'll admit -- sometimes this search is more aggressive than other days. However, amidst all the pointing and clicking, it can get a bit discouraging, and here I am barely a month into the whole search.

However, I got back from the gym today and decided I would try to apply to at least 3-4 jobs, even if I didn't entirely meet the description of what they were looking for. Needless to say, in my state of cynicism, I was not expecting to hear back from any of the places or people I contacted.

That's when I got a little nudge from what I'd like to call the "Job Gods."  Sitting in my kitchen, still in my workout clothes (I know that's disgusting, but I felt like the job hunt was more important than an immediate shower... and I did not plan to go out in public today), I got a phone call from one of the companies I had applied to recently. I had applied for one of the available jobs listed on their site, as found through one of many job search engines, but they were calling to see if I wanted to come in this Friday to interview for an internship position they had open.

While I explained that I was a recent graduate who can no longer receive college credit, they said that the internship was still open to recent grads, but it wasn't paid. I tried not to gasp over the phone, but all I could think about in my head was "What about that car I was supposed to buy?" and "I really can't be asking my parents for an allowance... at 22 years old." Then I snapped back to reality and agreed to come in for an interview.

Why would I agree to interview for an UNPAID position, you might ask? True, I am a graduate with a college degree and thus, facing this cold, harsh reality some call life, my wallet is desperate to be filled. But then I tried to turn off Negative Nancy for a minute and think as Positive Patty would. This is an interview. At the bare minimum, it will be great practice interviewing. And if things exceed the bare minimum (which is a realistic possibility), I could potentially accept the internship and pick up another job, depending on the hours. Sure, that could be a huge time committment, but compared to my current lifestyle of sleeping late, doing laundry and reading the lengthiest book from the library I can find, it'd be nice to actually fill my days with something productive. After all, job hunting is in itself a learning experience.

So I took it as a sign that the "Job Gods" wanted me to turn that frown upside and try to have a more positive outlook on my job search. I have a good resume and great skills to contribute, and I think I just have to remind myself of that so I don't get discouraged, which can easily happen when you're filling out applications and getting minimal results.

Until then, I will be planning my interview outfit and practicing my handshake.

Thanks Zeus

Social Media: Friend or Foe?

Since I became both a Facebook and Twitter convert (in 2007 and 2011, respectively), all I have ever heard regarding both social media outlets is to be careful about what I post and to monitor my page. Certainly that is wise advice as anything on the internet is easily accessible by essentially, well, the entire world. And though that advice is sound, I do think that sometimes it creates a divide between the idea that social media has to be separate from the job search and from your professional life in general.

I came across an article on the Newsday website when job hunting that speaks exactly to this kind of apprehension and calls for utilizing social media to all of its advantages. Social media doesn't necessarily have to hurt your job search -- instead, it can enhance it. It not only has become a crucial tool in staying connected with your friends and family, but it has become a strategic marketing tool as well. Sure, you might say, a strategic marketing tool for businesses and organizations, and YES that is true. However, Facebook and Twitter can be utilized to build yourself as your own brand, and ultimately, that may assist in your job search. You can be a self-actualized individual as demonstrated through your Facebook, Twitter or even blog (shameless plug for my reinforcing the importance of my own blog?).

I had a friend once tell me a story about a friend of hers who took advantage of social media, specifically Twitter to get a job, not much unlike the story in the article linked above. She became engaged in conversations on Twitter with organizations she was interested in potentially working for and when it came time for her to get a job, she tweeted about her job hunt. And then, like any great social media fairytale, her tweet got a reply mentioning a potential job and needless to say, she was happily ever after employed.

Of course, this doesn't happen to everyone and there are some people who still have profile pictures of themselves at a party double-fisting beer cans while drinking from a funnel -- but I guess it's just another aspect of the job hunt that is important to keep in mind. And until then, keep your tweets and posts professional! You never know who could be reading them...

I Need a Job: What's It Going to Take?

Since I have been out of school for a few weeks now, I am constantly being questioned about the job hunt -- a question plaguing me probably since I decided I would graduate early. Faced with a semester free from academic obligations, my impending graduation date meant that I would need to find a job and figure out what I was doing.

Of course, this is all easier said than done. In a sort of state of denial, I put off a serious job search until finally, it was December 18th, I had officially moved back home and the weeks ahead were only to be filled with the occasional holiday or family gathering -- and that was an issue.

I am someone who thrives on a busy schedule. I (dare I say it) enjoy having my days filled with tasks to be accomplished, meetings, assignments and the like. Since my middle school days, I have religiously kept a planner to stay organized and have come to the point in my life where time management is not something that scares me, but sometimes only makes me more motivated.

So now, without a job and only a job hunt to fill my days -- what am I supposed to do? My dad told me that the state of the economy, coupled with my recent unemployment, calls for job hunting to be a full-time job. Obviously, you can't get a job by sitting on your behind staring at Monster.com telepathically willing various companies and organizations to take a look at your resume and decide that you're just the person they're looking for. But at the same time, past such a delusional outlook on job hunting, what is it going to take? A killer resume? An even better cover letter? A certain inside person who can nudge your resume and credentials to the top of the pile? Or do all of those things need to be happening all at once in order for the Gods to look down upon you and grant you your wish of finding a job?

I'm barely a month out of school and I feel as though I may already be developing a cynical outlook  (alright, maybe it's cynicism mixed with a tinge of realism) on job-hunting. I guess my question is, as the title would suggest, what is it going to take?

I guess I need to listen to my dad's suggestion and really turn job-hunting into my current job. Only then will I possibly be able to see the results I am hoping for: interviews and job offers -- eventually (hopefully) a job. The question I pose to you, my audience, is this: what do you think it takes to get a job?