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Dear Doctor Samantha…
February 13, 2007 by samantha t
Workplace romance is a fitting topic with Valentine’s Day almost here. To do it or not to do it is the real question and the real answer: think twice about it. I could just be biased because of the personal accounts I’ve witnessed, or because where I work seems to be the capital of fraternization, but really it’s just made me think about the issue a lot more. Helped me come to my own healthy conclusions and these are what I share now.
So, in my experience (again, not personal experience, but eye-witness accounts) something you have to sneak around to do to “not get caught” is honestly way too much stress to put yourself through. Every workplace has its gossip—inevitable—and the juiciest gossip is definitely whom sees whom after hours. No one wants his or her personal lives critiqued, laughed at, or even frowned upon at the proverbial water cooler. It sucks to be the object of ridicule, and for all you entry-level jobsters out there, this is not a good foot to put forward.
Another issue you should contemplate while thinking of Deborah or Fred’s dreamy eyes is do you think it will really last? Fine, none of us can answer this question with any certainty at the earliest stages. Some of us may even think it will, since we are, perhaps, blinded by that euphoric high of someone new. I recommend that you DO think of it if it’s a workplace romance. It’s hard to sit next to so and so, work with so and so, be cordial to so and so…if things fall apart.
A particular family member of mine is going through something similar to this, and it’s not pretty. In public, no one can tell. When no one is around he gets really nasty to her, bordering on harassment. Imagine dealing with something like this. Your options are: to report it, ignore it, or leave. She’s tried all of these recourses except leave since she has bills to pay. Quite an uncomfortable situation and she’s not the first nor will she be the last. I say remember these considerations when contemplating a workplace romance:
1) You WILL be the “talk of the town.” Now, do you mind?
2) If worse comes to worse can you afford to leave and start over or do you have a thick skin?
3) Are you good at playing hide and seek?
If you say puh to these considerations and still want to pursue that special someone remember workplace etiquette. Stealing away romantic moments when you are on the clock I can safely say is frowned upon. Being a bit too amorous at a meeting or simply at that water cooler may not be the best bet. Save your romantic time for when you clock out, it’ll save you a headache. Other than that I say good luck, more power to you. Just remember a workplace romance can quickly become a workplace nightmare. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Ps. I didn’t forget about the boy/girlfriend working as the new employee (they actually were listening to all that gushing about how great your job is). But that’s for the next issue… -
And the Beat Goes On…
February 04, 2007 by samantha t
Finding a groove is so important. What is a “groove” anyway? Well, to me a groove is adapting. Finding a way to exist in a fashion that excites you heightens your experience and makes you an all around happy and productive person.
A groove is more than a routine because a routine is something that can bore you; something one engages in just to get through or to get by (at least in my case). I often create a routine to help me accomplish tasks and duties, oftentimes to even remember that I have to do them. Yet a groove is more of a feeling. It allows you to do all that a routine allow you to do but you feel good about it. The whole point of a groove is to erase boredom. It gets you up, gives you energy, drive, motivation and stamina. It’s the icing on the cake. We all have obligations we must attend to and your groove is your inner cheerleader, helping everything fall into place. You know when you are not in a groove because you’re stagnant, in a doldrums-like existence. Just like you know when you are in your groove or that you need to get your groove back.
No one groove is the same and it pays to take notice of it. For me, my groove involves the gym. A nice productive workout about 30 minutes a day keeps me within my groove. Whatever the day brings, as long as I get my cardio and/or weights in I am good to go. I can accomplish anything…quite the queen of the world. Now THAT’S how everyone should approach the day. -
Oh, the Horror!
January 29, 2007 by samantha t
Oh, the Horror!
Don’t run away. Even the most disgusting experience can teach you more lessons than you would have thought. That’s what entry-level jobs are about: learning experiences. It’s not necessarily in your best interest to find exactly what you are looking for exactly when you are looking for it. You just might not be ready.
I‚Äôm working at an altogether horror of a job (okay, I‚Äôm exaggerating but it‚Äôs not what I want). If it weren‚Äôt so simple I‚Äôd have run away screaming. My ‚Äúdream job‚Äù would involve writing, journalism, and travel…However, if I had all of that once I graduated I would not have known what to do with it (and still don‚Äôt). What‚Äôs more, I might have limited myself. Maybe I would have ‚Äúenjoyed‚Äù it, got into a groove and completely forgot:
1) Why I was there
2) What my plans were and
3) Why I didn’t necessarily need to stay.
People say plans change. Maybe that would’ve been the best move for me. I, however, believe that sometimes it takes a truly horrible experience to show you what it is you really want. I don’t want to start off in the newsroom. I want to continue my education, travel and eventually settle in. I want a wide-range of writing experiences.
It’s different for everyone and I’m not saying that you should seek out “bad” entry-level jobs or experiences. Just remember that if you do find yourself in one, don’t fret. It won’t last forever because you don’t want it to. Just enforce a new perspective until it’s time for you to move on, and you’ll know when that is. For me, it’s all come together…well, getting there—my life, my career, my plans. It’s all, honestly, more clear thanks to my current less than optimal situation. I shifted my perspective and I saw the light. -
Where I’m Supposed to Be
January 28, 2007 by samantha t
Have you ever tried with all of your might to accomplish something and then figured out that the hardest part was following through with it? I have. For me that feeling came when applying to graduate school. I wanted to attend school out of the country and felt like applying for school and being accepted was the biggest hurdle I’d have to overcome. Along with financing it, getting documentation (such as student visas) out of the way and of the course the big move there, but honestly I think the actual degree program may be my biggest hurdle yet.
This example can also hold true for the job search, and that’s why I bring it up in the first place. We get anxious about finding the “right” job, about creating “winner resumes,” about structuring cover letters, references, interviews…but what about when we get that job? How do we accomplish what our employer expects of us? How do we accomplish what we expect of ourselves, what we touted in those cover letters and demonstrated in those resumes? It can seem overwhelming, it is overwhelming, and honestly that is the hardest part.
The preparation getting there is always going to be there. You do it and it’s done. The truly interesting, and altogether challenging, part is making the most out of that entry-level job. Investing a large chunk of your time in a place that counts on your every day efforts, interacting with your fellow employees, learning what it is you have to learn to do a satisfactory job. Taking those lessons with you when it’s time to move on and building upon the last experience until you are there, until you are at your desired career. Whew, that’s intimidating.
When I think of that, I don’t mind making resumes, typing up cover letters or going on interviews, that’s a piece of cake. It’s when the responsibility comes in, when I know that I have what I want and now I have to prove to myself that I am worthy of it. Times like these I have to take a breath and realize that I am exactly where I am supposed to be and just go with the flow. Just like with my graduate school acceptance. I am intimidated by the very fact that someone suspects I have what it takes to pursue a graduate degree and now I must take responsibility for that. In the same token, when I am hired for a job I must recognize that although I am new here I have a lot to offer. I am exactly where I am supposed to be. -
Stuck
January 23, 2007 by samantha t
I started a book I completely forgot about a few days ago and it is the best thing I could have done for myself. I only stumbled upon the book because I was dangerously bored at work and HAD to find something to do…yet I was too cheap to actually buy something to do. This book was given to all graduating seniors as a parting gift. It was then subsequently thrown in the bottom of a box marked ‘miscellaneous’ to be thrown, again, in my closet full of other random junk. There it stayed, crushing under the weight of useless junk until I unearthed it quite desperately.
It’s a book that gives strategies on life after graduation, essentially a “survival guide,” in the words of the author. The main topics the book deals with are: career issues, keeping perspective, relationships and even parents…the book has promise.
The first lesson I’ve learned so far is that it is imperative to know thyself. I rarely sit back and take the time to truly analyze myself, to see “how I tick.” To see what I like, what I would like out of a career, what I like doing, to engage in an exercise the author coins “what would I do for free?”
It was eye opening to consider, first, what I like doing instead of thinking of something to do. When I thought about it, it’s common sense. How can I look for a job or career if I don’t even know what I like to do? Impossible. I mean it’s possible, but that’s a recipe for failure and stagnation. People too often think of things they are good at doing instead of thinking of the former condition. Just think, if more people started doing what they like to do instead of what they were simply good at, think of how many more happy working people there would be.
So my task at the present moment is to rediscover myself. I know what I like to do…now how can I make those things into career possibilities? I can think of jobs that utilize the same skills, thought processes, or have the same characteristics as the things I like to do. One example the author uses in his book is the statement “I like to travel.” To break down this statement, I should try asking why it is I like to travel. Is it to learn about new cultures, meet interesting people, or try different foods? By investigating myself I’ll find what I’m looking for…at least that’s the theory. How intriguing. I discovered I have a lot more investigating to do.
“Real Life Notes: Reflections and Strategies for Life After Graduation.” By Kenneth Jedding -
A New Day, A New Mood, A New Attitude
January 17, 2007 by samantha t
It’s important to me to recognize that a job is just that—something you do to pay the bills. If you are lucky it also enriches your spirit, interpersonal relationships and puts a smile on your face. But it’s more important for me not to let it distract from living my life. Work is just a nine to five activity we all have to engage in. Yet, why is it so hard for our work to occupy one small aspect of our lives instead of encompassing them all? I think the Spanish culture (and other cultures like it) has the recipe for success: they work hard but play harder. I like that. My recent hiatus from CollegeRecruiter got me thinking about that. There are so many things one can contemplate about life, and it’s not work we reminisce fondly about. It’s family, friends, adventures, and life changing experiences…the like. It’s rarely the daily grind. Sites like CollegeRecruiter are helpful because they allow us to vent, share trade secrets, and overall make hitting the pavement that more bearable. I’ve come to embrace the fact that if I need ME time, I’m going to take it. While I may not be able to all the time, when I do I will enjoy it. Then I’ll go back, start over again, but invent ways to break up the monotony. I will live and fit work—not play—into my schedule. -
Main Feature: Entry-level Jobs Starring New Jersey
October 27, 2006 by samantha tFor finding entry-level job opportunities in New Jersey (or really any city) try looking at the local newspapers for job postings. Most newspapers nowadays have local newspapers posted on the web or at least online editions of their most popular daily newspapers. Of course there will be all sorts of jobs listed, not just entry-level job opportunities, but you can get an idea of the types of jobs that are needed in New Jersey.
If you are someone who is thinking of moving to New Jersey and want to see what the job market looks like then this seems like a good idea (along with checking out sites like Craig’s List) to look into before packing up everything and moving. If you currently reside in the New Jersey area, looking at the job listing pages seems more direct than searching using online job search sites.
Then again there are also ways to restrict searches using online search sites as well. Only search for entry-level job opportunities in New Jersey using something like Monstertrak that allows you to search for internships and job opportunities alike. While Monstertrak is limited to college students and helping find their first job opportunities, this is the basic idea. Then of course there are always government sites that have tons of information on the state in question, including job opportunities. So have fun, learn new things and find that entry-level job!!
Resources:
http://www.wnjpin.state.nj.us/jobseeker/joblist.htm
http://www.aftercollege.com/jobseekers/parttime/
http://www.monstertrak.monster.com/
http://www.state.nj.us/personnel/
http://new.jersey.jobs.com/
http://www.jobopenings.net/jobs.php?industry=entry
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Entry-Level Web Design Job
October 13, 2006 by samantha tEmployment opportunities in entry-level web design do not require a lot of design experience, per se, but they do require a lot of inherent creativity. While you don’t need to have to have the design experience on paper a certain amount of computer experience is essential. If you have the computer savvy and the creative know-how, than an entry-level job in web design is beckoning you.
For an entry-level employee the salary is nothing to frown on. The monetary benefits stand to increase, especially as many companies and individuals are embracing cyberspace for a lot of their advertising needs. They need you to organize their site in a way that will make Internet surfers want to spend the time browsing through their web pages. That is the job of the web designer.
Your talents are needed and will be put to good use. So have fun, learn new things and find that entry-level web design job!!
Resources:
http://webdesign.about.com/
http://www.freelancedesigners.com/
http://www.leveltendesign.com/jobs/posting/web_designer_entry_level/
Connect:
http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-12989.html -
Entry-Level Nursing Program Requirements
by samantha tAs for entry-level nursing program requirements there are a bunch of sites where you can see what program you want to enroll in. You can get a three-year degree in nursing, which will give you a diploma in nursing. This program prepares those interested in staff positions in the health field. There is also a nursing program with a two-year (associate’s) degree, which is pretty much the same program as the diploma program. The next nursing program is a Bachelor’s of Science and is a four to five year degree and actually prepares one for nursing positions in hospital facilities.
So the requirements for nursing programs really do differ, as there are a variety of program choices. Make sure of what you are interested in and research that. You can find a lot of the courses for these entry-level nursing programs at community colleges in your area, which are usually cheaper than classes you would find at a public or private university. So have fun, learn new things and find that entry-level job!!
Resources:
http://www.allnursingschools.com/faqs/programs.php
http://www.normandale.edu/academics/?dept=44
http://www.broward.edu/locations/chse/nursing/admissions.jsp
http://www.plu.edu/~nurs/programs/elminfo.html
http://healthprofessions.udmercy.edu/nursing/programs.php -
A Fashion Model Needs An Entry-Level Portfolio Not An Entry-Level Resume
by samantha t
My best advice for those interested in becoming a fashion model, and is not sure exactly how to sell their talents, I recommend a modeling agency. These people are paid to help you sell your fashion model talents to those out there who need your fashion model talents. In my opinion, it is the agency that you choose who highlights exactly your talents as a fashion model and helps you put together your portfolio. That, in essence, is your resume, and is probably a lot more effective than a written one. As a fashion model your potential employers will want to see your experience not read it since that is the nature of the job.
You don’t have to take my word for it as I list a couple of websites below that actually do assist those in your shoes. Those wanting to enter into the fashion model arena and don’t know exactly how to get the-foot-in-the-door. These sites provide tips on what is typically expected of a fashion model (clear skin, good teeth, nice hands etc.), although I’m sure these sites are not the end all and be all of fashion modeling advice.
So have fun, learn new things and find that entry-level job!!
What It Takes:
http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile514/
http://www.free-beauty-tips.com/fashionmodels.html
Other Resources:
http://www.locatemodels.com/
http://www.fashiongates.com/
