Presentation
I believe some famous band one sang "And the beat goes on." I have no idea who did the song or when. I just like having something to kick start an entry.
Anyway, my last entry was a bit pessimistic, but that was only because I had a bit of an identity crisis. Seeing people from college who graduated with you with jobs/apartments/weddings really makes you put your life in perspective, and I apologize for kind of sounding defeatist in my approach.
Anyway, in a comment posted on my last article, I was told to talk about presentation. Well, my presentation, at least. I understand that it's vital to look and act your best when speaking to prospective links to a job. That said, I don't really know what I'm doing wrong.
I had my resume looked at by an entire class of people during my last semester in college, and everyone got it looking rather decent. I've been polite, clean, and well dressed for all... two of the interviews that I've had. You know, the whole nine yards. Hearty handshakes, appropriately dressed, eye contact and all that. I've been keeping up with the contacts that I have, and I've been looking for some... unique jobs in locations I had no clue existed. You know, keeping my horizons broadened.
I did have a problem with my hair. It got rather long in the few... months... since college. Of course, since I finally fixed that last week and haven't really had anyone contact me back, I don't think that was the issue.
Plans for the next week involve trying to move up in the job/volunteering I have going right now. By "moving up" I mean "finding something a little more lucrative" even if that only means going from working the register to making the schedule. After all, everyone has to start somewhere.
It was Sonny & Cher. Cher sang the lead. The song was about how no matter how much time passes, people keep doing the same thing. In a way, that definitely is a good way to kick-start your post. And now the beat is going to change.
Having all the things happening that you did during that last post will understandably affect one's mood. But you're over it and doggedly determined to make a new way of doing things so you can get from here to there! All right. Let's consider some of the things that caused the drum to beat.
You're doing something that many forget to do. You're staying in touch with the contacts you've made. Be certain these are quality reconnections. Upbeat tone, interesting content, and if you learned anything about your contacts, you have something to talk about with them that is engaging -- something they would want to know. Did you read something, write something, research something, view something on TV, CNN, that would snag one's attention -- their attention?
Do they have any leads for you? Let them tell you about the leads. If you ask each and every time you contact them, you mark yourself as just connecting in order to pump for leads. After a while, they'll start giving you false leads just to get rid of you.
Of these "unique jobs in locations [you] had no clue existed," (trusting they're all reputable) start examining the nature of them. Determine which ones are related in even the most remote way to what your ultimate career goal is. If you choose to pursue them, you can start determining how the lateral skills will play into your steps to your career attainment.
As to moving up in your existing situations, baby steps are definitely the way to go. You don't get in and find yourself over your head. You have a high probability of success. With success comes accolades for doing a good job, admiration, confidence in you to give you more work and more challenging work. And a raise might even come along with that if it becomes a routine.
I still can't put my finger on the "presentation" issues. But we'll work on that together. Meanwhile, please do start on the exercises for this month that were published in the Gazette. Remember, that the blogs are about your career goals or people involved in the industry where you aspire to be.