CollegeRecruiter.com Insights by Candidates Blog

I’ve picked up a few resume tips over the years. They’re pretty basic, but are often easily neglected. Here goes:

1. Always make sure your References are up-to-date. I’ve noticed a lot of my former employers’/supervisors’ phone numbers have changed, either because they’ve moved around in the company or because they’ve moved onto other companies. I always recommend maintaining as much contact information from each of your references as possible because it’s always a major bummer when that star reference you’ve been relying on is MIA!

2. I like to include a small “Leisure Pursuits” or “Hobbies” section at the end of my resume. This is especially appreciated by employers who are hiring you for your creative abilities. It also allows you to appear more personable with your potential employer, especially if they’ve been seeing the same resumes over and over again for the past few weeks/months and need some sort of differentiating factor to separate one candidate from the next.

3. Lastly, and maybe the most trivial, print your resume on quality paper. The actual shade of “off-white” you use isn’t going to be a deal breaker, but I do recommend picking a kind of paper that at least has that cool watermark seal (you know…the fancy emblem you can see when holding the sheet up against the light!).

I agree, these tips are no-brainers, but again, can easily be overlooked. Just remember, every little bit of perfection you add to yourself can go a long way!

Posted by Suzanne Y on February 28, 2006 at 11:58 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

I was still working with my delivery job when I got a chance to actually work with a television crew for a few days, in another city in fact. It was the biggest opportunity I had ever had before and in my mind I was break dancing. My sister was also pretty excited for me and would have wanted to go if it wasn’t for the fact that she had MCATs to study for.

The series of events unfolded first with my covering my backside. I had to get at least three days off work which was actually was easier than I thought. Then I also had to confront my parents who would be curious about me being gone for three days. I broke it down in simple terms that this would be a great business trip to learn new technical skills and that I would drive up there by myself and spend a few nights there. My Dad was again skeptical of course wanting me to cancel, but I said “No way! You can’t do this, besides I’ve already scheduled three days off. I’m ready to do this and have all my clothes in here.” I think he was worried actually that I was leaving for good and thought I had found a career, but I assured him I’d be back in three. I think what really motivated me at the time was also the fact that my coworkers had told me that they drove two hours to work everyday and then two hours back home. Everyday regardless of whether we had overtime!

Day One: Got up to work at six a.m. in the morning, yes. And I wonder how my coworker manages to do a dayshift, go home, and sleep and repeat. Another coworker had given me a pep talk about talking to my boss. I had made a miscalculation and needed to leave earlier than I thought (overtime till 4:30 but had to be at the TV site by 7:00pm about 130 miles away. Thank goodness I took his advice and got courage to talk with my boss about leaving at 2:30pm, enough time to change and drive straight up to the state capital. I arrived about 15 minutes late, not great, but people were still coming. Met a load of beautiful people. Talked, introductions, & waiver forms. There’s a lot of waiting around between shots, more time to talk. One good thing about a big name shoot is tons of good food. Later I would find out that some lower budget independent films tend to also skimp in the comfort food department, which means more time for nerves and uneasiness. So don’t skimp on this if you’re making a movie. When we had dinner, it was in conjunction with a cafeteria scene. Finally we had a night outdoor scene where we got paint all over our clothes, other people, and in our eyes (ouch). It was messy, cold, and fun. By the end of the night there was great bonding among us college-aged-kids-portraying-high-schoolers. We were all delirious and getting tired from being up so late. I was running on adrenaline with the floodlights and cop chase scenes. We finally left at 3:00am due to the onset of rain. I left and drove around asking gas stations for hotels, getting weird looks from being all paint covered. Had a bagel and juice before retiring at 5:00am after a shower and a bit of TV. What a day!

Day Two: Woke up cold around 8:00am. AC too low. Feel like vomiting. Showered & typed a journal in bed till 12:00pm. Asked my friendly hotel clerk about phone cards. Went across the street to buy supplies & breakfast. Hung around some more before heading off to shoot. Got lost and arrived fifteen minutes late again. Today’s shoot was not as messy, we just did some coordinated high school hallway & locker walk through scenes. We had a power outage halfway through and took five. Did an outside shot in drizzling rain. Power came back on and we shot until around 9:00 doing a stage choir and detention hall scene. Came back and got time to watch late night television.

Day Three: Called up my boss and talked with her hoping she could change my misjudged third off day to today. I had planned three nonconsecutive off days initially. I got it. Checked out of hotel. I was going to go to a closer hotel per advice of my TV crewmates. Basically much of the same except it was mostly teacher reprimand scenes and speeches and classrooms. I had left my hotel on time and got a chance to get some matching clothes. I met someone I had gone to college with. Exchanged contact info and talked with her. Finally we had a night driving scene, but I stayed out of it because I was embarrassed about a large dent on my front driver door. I stuck around hoping to learn more. Good thing I did, my college acquaintance said her car battery died and so I got to play hero and jumpstart it. Finally left since my services weren’t needed.

Day Four: Got up to finish up the shoot, and get my car fixed. But I had got lost so many times and traffic was so bad, nearly got in an accident and so I cut my losses and decided to leave back to my town. Arrived by around 4pm to relax and ponder my “vacation getaway” for about a hundred dollars.

In retrospect I’d do it all over again, but be more careful around on time. I learned more about filming and television crew and got to talk to someone really inspiration at the end of Day Three who told me, “Keep doing what you’re doing if you love it. Not everyone loves this like you do.”

Posted by Shuo C on February 28, 2006 at 9:32 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

It's been a long time since I last posted something. I have recently been struggling with some family issues, as well as the day-to-day chaos of juggling classes, work, homework, extra-curricular activities and attempting to prepare for my senior year of college. Needless to say, it's been crazy.

To begin, I'm at that stage in my college experience where I need to make those final choices as to what I plan to do with my degrees. I have the opportunity to attend graduate school and receive my masters in English, or I could choose to pursue an MAT degree. I am also considering going abroad as an ESL instructor. Or, I could simply stick with my B.A. and start my career at age 22, which doesn't seem the most appealing option to me.

It's also almost time to register for my Fall semester classes. I have to divide my time between two majors, a related area, a minor, and my general education classes. I only have two semesters left and a lot to finish up - I have to be extremely careful in coordinating my schedule (not to mention leaving time to work so that I can pay the rent).

I've also been in search of internships again. Luckily, my university recently held a non-technical internship fair and I waas able to speak with several businesses. I am fairly certain (about 98%) that I did in fact already claim an intern position at a local newspaper, but I don't verify that until later in the month. I also received an interview invitation for mid-March and waas asked to submit references to another potential employer. Furthermore, I may have an opportunity to teach summer enrichment programs both at my university and another college closer to home.

I feel very fortunate to have very understanding supervisors and bosses who are willing to work around my chaotic schedule and give me the time off that I need for my interviews (they aren't even insulted by this because the position I currectly hold is only available to undergraduates). They are very supportive and are excited for the opportunities that await me. Hopefully, wherever I end up at, I will be lucky enough to have other bosses like them.

Posted by Erin S on February 28, 2006 at 1:56 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

I’ve only recently realized what I want to do after I graduate…and right in the nick of time (since I’m graduating in less than three months)! I’m majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Management, but I’ve only recently acknowledged my strength as a writer. Given my newfound forte, plus a need to foster my much-neglected creative side, I’m looking into getting an internship in the Marketing sector of Business. I’ve been utilizing my college’s Career Center, which features an online job/internship database. A few jobs listed on the site caught my eye and I plan on submitting my resume as soon as I get a break from the onslaught of midterms.

If none of my job prospects fall through anytime soon, I won’t be too upset. I’ve already gotten over the most challenging hurdle of career searching, which is determining one's passions and finding a way to relay those passions into a career! I know that as long as I'm dedicated to achieving my goals, the rest will fall into place.

Posted by Suzanne Y on February 28, 2006 at 1:16 AM | Leave a Comment (2)

As I said yesterday, when I started working with mail delivery I was gung ho for the work and money. I had set my goals high. I wanted to go to graduate school for film, and with an uncertain but slight lean toward video editing. I wanted to go to a big name school in LA or NY. I mean if you are gonna dream, you might as well dream big, right?

The mail delivery business I was in had a strict hierarchy favoring people that had served the country, soldiers and veterans, and they also hired civilians. The structure was setup to reward those who had worked hard for the government for many years. It also was a stable, steady income trading an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. At least that’s what it’s supposed to do in theory. Of course hierarchies systems always have some problems if people decide to discriminate based on hierarchy or flaunt their status. For example, the main classifications involved a full-time employee, part-time and temporary seasonal positions. It was also the first time I dealt with blue collar work and unions. But gist is that a temporary seasonal position could work insanely harder than a full-time on the same task, but get paid much less without benefits. I never had noticed or cared until I noticed a lot of complaining from my temp seasonal coworkers. And personally my stance was that it was unreasonable for me to expect equal pay scales when just starting out. Being raised as a son of an airman, I had a work-through-pain-and-inequity-soldier-and-you-will-be-rewarded feeling. Many of my peers didn’t feel the same way. So there was a lot of caustic daily complaining and ill feeling between full time and temps when we had transferred to a new mail unit after all the large holiday packages were exhausted. I stayed neutral, but I could feel a of war politics going on.

There was also a new shipment time pressure element, with lack of sufficient workers, and endless repetition of mail daily duties. I thought I was a great worker and fast, but I learned in the new unit that we were disposable. The work could be hazardous, back breaking, and even fatal if you worked too fast or were careless. But of course, don’t think I have a silver spoon in my mouth. It was easy and you could get in a routine and have breaks and lot of chill out and think time. But, like a full-time employee told me who oddly echoed the sentiments of my car sales job… “You’re wasting your time the longer you stay here, you have a college degree.”

Now, I don’t give up from a fight easily, and I also heard some people don’t like you and just want you to quit (more office politics) but I stayed on until we got terminated in the summer due to the end of our holiday contract. I looked all summer for a job, but couldn’t find anything except some web positions, that didn’t reply back to me. I drew my first unemployment checks, which I recommend to do online to get faster checks.
They brought us back about two months later to start again with a new contract.

Meanwhile, I had stayed on my college newsgroup for theater and they were looking for extras for a big name college music & video television channel. My very, very first break! I was sent this opportunity a few days after I had agreed to the contract. After working back at the mail delivery plant, I got the courage to ask my boss if I could get a few days off in a row. Since they knew my previous good performance and it was still the beginning of our contract I luckily was able to go! More on this and jobs tomorrow.

Posted by Shuo C on February 27, 2006 at 8:56 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

To introduce myself, I’m Danielle, I’m 22 years old, and I live in central Massachusetts. I graduated this January from Franklin Pierce College, and I majored in mass communication and concentrated in print journalism. Right now, I’m in the middle of looking for my first professional job, preferably in marketing, advertising, public relations, or journalism.

So far, the going has been tough. I started applying for jobs semi-seriously in October and very seriously in December, and I have yet to receive a job offer, although I’ve been on a few interviews. I graduated from FPC a semester early, which I thought would be a good time since there are fewer entry level candidates looking for jobs in January than in May. So much for that!

There are a few things that I’ve learned about job hunting since I began my search. I’d like to share them with you:

1. Employers want you to have experience, sometimes two to five years. But if you’re like me and you’re just starting your career, you don’t have any. Without that experience, not every employer is willing to give you a chance. Unless someone gives you a chance, you’re out of luck. It seems to me like finding a job is about convincing someone to take a gamble on you.

2. Job candidates are usually at the bottom of the human resources priority list. Sometimes, you don’t get a phone call until a month after you’ve applied for the job. By that time, you’ve usually forgotten that you’ve applied for the job and what the job even is, and you have to pretend you know what you’re talking about when the recruiter calls. (Yeah, that’s happened to me. More than once.)

3. Your odds of finding decent employment are severely limited when you live in a cow patch (if you don’t know what that is, you probably don’t live in one. But if you’re curious, it means you live in a town that has a significant cow population, a town that nobody has ever heard of. The sticks, if you will). I am one of those unfortunate people, and the closest city to me is Worcester, about an hour away. Boston is about an hour and a half away, too far for a daily commute. While I like the country, I feel as though my opportunities are limited, especially when I see that all of the most interesting, relevant jobs are located in the Boston area.

Maybe my luck will change soon. I have three interviews this week! More later.

Posted by Danielle F on February 27, 2006 at 7:47 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

I have an interview tomorrow. It's for an unpaid administrative internship, not overly exciting, but certainly worth a wahoo! It’s the first response I’ve gotten from the big, mean city, after all, and it’s nice to have some token acknowledgment.

Actually, I find myself in an odd position because I’m not sure I want anything to do with an unpaid administrative gig. I think the interview itself will be a worthwhile experience. It is (almost) as much of an interview for them as for me: I already know how to operate a fax machine and answer the phone, so why would I want to spend my two days off playing gopher for a digital effects firm? Could it provide a flashy name on the ol’ resume? A helpful segue out of tech-land and into the skyscrapers? Something more?

Some wise folks have mentioned that I ought to abandon my dismal commute altogether, shy away from this opportunity, suffer through temping for a while and get some baksheesh for my labors. I think they are probably right. Still, it is difficult to abandon the stability of a known, full-time position and the good people I work with. So wahoo… but what to do?

Further bulletins as events warrant ~

Posted by David K on February 27, 2006 at 6:49 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

“Whatever you decide what you want to do in life, just make sure it’s something you love and it’s something that you will be happy to get up and do every morning.”

In my previous blog, “Tribulation of a Military Spouse,” I talked about my uncertain future. I learned that my spouse would deploy to Iraq in about 6 months. We just settled in a new city and I was actively involved in looking for a job.

What am I going to do now? I asked myself. I really took some time to reflect and took some advice from two very important people, my parents. My mother always told me, “Whatever you decide what you want to do in life, just make sure it’s something you love and it’s something that you will be happy to get up and do every morning.” On the other hand, in order to keep track of all of my ideas and things that I wanted to do, my father would always tell me to write things down.

I took the advice of my parents; I wrote down and thought about all of the things that I would love to do. I want to be a writer, I want to work in public relations, and I want to be more involved in the community.

My next step was to put my goals into detail. I asked myself the following questions:

1. What do I want to write?
2. What area of public relations do I want to work in?
3. What areas within the community do feel, need the most attention?

After answering these questions, I set some short-term goals. I decided to pursue my writing goals first. I plan to start writing and submitting work to a local publication.

However, I do plan to move in 6 months (to be closer to family members), so I decided to hold off on pursuing any permanent PR jobs. I have already begun researching jobs in the area where I will relocate. Fortunately, there are several PR agencies there and hopefully a lot of opportunities to find a job.

I think I’m on the right track now and I am being productive. I am trying to gain more experience and hopeful build-up my resume. I have compiled a list of contacts within the community and hope to get involved with a local organization soon. I also signed up to volunteer with a national non-profit organization to help with media relations.

I can only hope to stay focused and continue to pursue my career goals.

Posted by Chanda D on February 27, 2006 at 4:50 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Lately, my thoughts are solely on what project I'm going to work on during the eight week intensive summer program for graduate school. I have so many ideas; I just have to pick one and focus it. Since I got in for sculpture, but I've mainly been a painter, I will try and combine the two into one project.

I haven't heard back from the video rental store yet about setting up an interview. Maybe I'll give them a call, but I'm not too worried about it. Since I got into grad school, the job search is much less important now. I would like to have some money coming in though so I can use it for art materials, especially once the program starts.

I've been reading through the graduate school booklet and I'm excited that I have to write a Master's Thesis. As a former English student, any writing exercise is a welcome challenge. After reading through a thousand pages of Troilus and Crisede then writing a research paper on it, nothing they can throw at me will be too difficult.

I think the fact that I have an extensive background in education probably helped me get in. Once I get my MFA, I'll probably start applying to colleges for jobs teaching art. But that time is far away because this graduate program is two and a half years long. That's all for now, I will post again soon!

Posted by Matthew P on February 27, 2006 at 8:17 AM | Leave a Comment (2)

It's been about two weeks since I've written anything on the blogs and I thought I'd finish up the trilogy à la George Lucas before the story loses interest or gets sidetracked. I have had a lot of happenings in the past few weeks (I keep busy) and also I tend to be a writing perfectionist, but if the latter is true I would never get my blogs out. And so this is a good time to begin since College Recruiter just launched their new website design, another momentous occasion!

Since working with mail delivery, I've had a lot of time to think, and I mean a LOT. Consider it being stuck in a sort of prison, without all the benefits. Of course I didn't always see it this way. Tomorrow, I will update you about work politics and drama and you'll see what I mean.

See, what many college students don't realize is that they have all these resources on campus and hardly ever use them all. Most barely use 1% of the libraries, networks, career services and what not.
So when I got out of college I was still pretty jaded by the fact that I was living independent without a care in the world. Soon as that ended, it was "Son, time to get a job. Too bad you never too advantage of that career services center on campus or went to any of those job fairs, eh...? a heh heh."

So I dedicate Dramatic Drama this week not only to the struggling actors and students out there, but also most definitely to the post graduate students. The ones out there like myself that have gone "the wrong path" and put themselves into a hole whether because we make poor academic, financial, or life decisions. Or just we are born with bad luck. I give you this advice, "Only you can take control of your life. All the power for success already lies within you." Because we all make "mistakes", but they are never truly mistakes if you learn from them. They are just what makes you unique from everyone else.

My tip for today which I got from a career help site is this: stay up to date with your field with free magazines and books. Once you find a field you are truly interested, whether it be medicine, art, accounting, etc. you can usually find free publications online that are willing to send them to your door monthly for free or very little fee.
For instance, doctors, teachers, and computer scientists have an ever changing field and always need to stay updated and abreast with current information. Thus, this is a great way to always be "in the know." Think about it.
I personally was able to do a search for free industry professional and trade magazines and find some goodies. If you are looking for acting resources, you'll also find newsgroups to be an excellent source of information as they often have links to online books and links. Often these will also have insider information into jobs and internships.

Tomorrow I'll also talk about my first lucky break and more about the power of online resources.

Posted by Shuo C on February 26, 2006 at 9:40 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

When I was in college and had no money for the holidays, I would call into a temporary employment agency, and tell them when I was available to work. Usually they would have some stellar opportunity like manufacturing music stands (screwing the same one or two parts into each other for an eight-hour shift) or sorting through brown glass bottles for the ones with a certain code on the bottom. The pay was never great, but it was usually $1.50 above minimum wage.
For two weeks, in January of 1999 I worked for a company that went into fire-damaged homes, salvaged what they owned, cleaned, it and returned it to its original position once the house had also been fixed. We each had items that we preferred to move and clean. My specialty was wall hangings and photographs; checking out the photographs gave me the edge when it came to betting who in the family caused the fire. And no matter what the job was, I always met fascinating people, experienced a different sector of the working world, and got the money I needed to travel home (or to Vegas) for Thanksgiving.
But I never thought Temp Agencies could ever help my career; I thought they could only find warehouse jobs or paper shredding jobs –jobs you’d never want for life. The first several jobs I got through Temp Agencies, after moving to Los Angeles were no different. I sorted mail at Playboy Entertainment, filed archival paperwork for law firms, and evaluated teachers in training for a company called Testmasters. They pay their instructors $50/hour (not bad if you can score in the 99th percentile on the LSAT, which all of their instructors have). I, on the other hand, made $10/hour –the same as I made at the other temp jobs in L.A.
And so I’ve carried on. The old lady who supervises my filing has finally gotten off my back, and they’re paying me $14/hour. The Temp Agencies still haven’t found me a job doing what I want, but I can pay my bills and keep looking for the right job.

Posted by Just Kibbe on February 24, 2006 at 1:44 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

The New York job hunt is dragging on. It is a tiring process of honing and patience just a short step away from faith. It occurred to me that I know an expert, a prominent career counselor from my home-sweet-home town of Portland, Maine, who has spent years rubbing elbows with the newly educated. I asked her for an interview to see if we could reformulate the challenges faced by new graduates and make them easier to understand. I wanted a new way to measure my efforts. She graciously agreed to help and did one better by providing the metaphor of the chasm.

According to the “life coach,” as she prefers to name her position, there are two major challenges confronting the typical grad, though they are more specific to either youth or inexperience than college per se. First, practically speaking, they may have left school without the requisite experience needed to land the job they want. Second, even with the necessary skills there may have a problem demonstrating them to an employer. Think of the combination of these as a chasm. Better yet, think of it as the chasm from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with all the crocodiles of self-doubt underfoot and utility bill-spears approaching quickly from behind. It must be crossed!

Rather than a lone, dashing rope bridge, the life coach laid down five planks that may be taken to the land of financial stability and luxury shopping on the other side:

1) Experience itself: Hero is the most apt position for Indiana Jones. After Raiders of the Lost Ark, his bullwhip and hand-to-hand combat skills made him a shoe in for the sequel in India. Still, had there been no prequel, his willingness to work for free for the sake of good for a while may have landed him the job. The life coach emphasized, “Don’t underestimate the power of unpaid work.”

2) Contacts: Indiana knows the value of local networking, and his charge, Short Round, would have been able to connect him with any number of employers on the sub-continent, had he not been in need of constant rescuing.

3) Training: Indiana Jones was an experienced archeologist and professor. Had his goal been a professorship (rather than evading an evil zealot) he would have been able to cross unmolested.

4) The Right Fit: Sort of like Indiana's hat to his head. Even lacking training, experience, and contacts, Indiana may have been able to demonstrate how he was made for the job, (not unlike Cinderella.)

5) Lastly, Knowledge: Jones knew his field. Even hatless, friendless, and devoid of combat energy, the trilogy always revolved around his ability to make correct decisions, which, were derived from his archeological knowledge (though luck and rugged good-looks didn't hurt.)

Stepping away from the silver screen for a moment, the life coach pointed out some basic examples from within this framework. “Say you don’t have the internship that you would have needed, in college, for a graceful transition. Be graceless. Do it now, for free, and then take the skills you acquire to an employer. There are lots of ways to go about making a case. If you’re an extravert; network. Locate a friend of a friend in the industry your hunting and chat them up over a drink.”
At the end of our conversation (and before its filtering through a bizarre Indiana Jones metaphor) the life coach had this last bit to add. An important afterthought:

“People in their early 20s aren’t very sure of themselves. Their biggest challenge may be just overcoming the fear of getting out there and doing it.”

Though I am disgruntled, tired of looking at my own resume, and well acquainted with the fear, I still feel I’m on the right path. After all, Indiana Jones never let those snakes get in the way, did he?

Posted by David K on February 24, 2006 at 11:37 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

I spent about a year after college working for an outdoor gear distributor. A few years back this would have been a dream job back in that small junior college town. I promised myself that I would work there just for a little bit. Buy all the tents, backpacks, water bottles, knifes and climbing gear that I needed. After a few months, I fell into the groove of waking up going to work, and hardly ever applying for better jobs when I got home.
It was easy to stay though; after all I was spending all my money on these really cool toys.

Trying to live on $8.00 dollars and hour is hard enough without having all of the temptation to spend it right there at work. Payment for this discounted gear could come straight out of the paycheck if I wanted it to, just like one of my good friends child support payments comes out of his paycheck. In the end I probably brought back enough money for gas and the occasional road trip. I had a truck full of gear that would last me more than a long time, but I learned quickly that buying gear soon turns into an addiction. The collection begins to grow into enormous proportions. Some deals are too hard to pass up, and you would be a fool not to buy at the lowest price. Enough to keep me busy, not enough to keep me interested. Eventually, I got to the position in the company where the wanted to get me out of the warehouse and onto the sales floor. About this same time, I was interviewing for a good job with another agency.

In the end I ended up leaving the company for a more interesting summer job. They were even gracious enough to let me keep the employee discount. I still find myself spending quite a bit of money buying things from their company. While picking up an order today, they asked me if I would come in and work the next day. There is something a little humiliating about working at a company you left. Then again I feel a little grateful for the work while I am in need. Something should be said for leaving a job on good terms.

Posted by Daniel G on February 23, 2006 at 7:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I recently started to do temp work at a local educational facility in my area due to lack of job opportunities. I score essay tests for eight hours a day. It will be a great addition to my resume, since its consistent practical experience in my field (English), but I really don’t care for it. I do, however, like the fact that I’m making money again. Hey, its work! And, according to my supervisor, I’m doing my job well. I have also managed to make connections with some of the senior staff in regards to full-time salaried positions, minus the mind-numbing boredom. The corporation designs open-response tests for standardized state testing; essentially, it’s a much-needed complement to the multiple choice exams we all know and love. 38 states are involved; right now we are grading 10th graders from Utah. The company has branches all over the country, including a large one in Denver, which also has some jobs I’m qualified and have subsequently applied for. I think I may have more luck here since the company is rapidly expanding and new jobs are becoming available nearly every week. We’ll see….

Posted by Matthew D on February 23, 2006 at 4:34 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

For the past few months, I've been assisting in the editing/marketing operations of a newsletter distributed in the Pacific Northwest. While I make considerable contributions to the design and content of the newsletter itself, much of my time is spent proofreading each and every letter waiting to go into print.

I'm very detail oriented, so honing in on synonyms and syntax isn't as irritating as one may believe. However, after countless hours of staring at words, the text from rough drafts and outlines are no longer letters and numbers. They are a militia of cryptographic characters that render me illiterate.

3's blur into 8's. Columns merge into thick, dark blobs.

When speaking to friends and co-workers, I find myself sounding out logograms and punctuations marks:
"Go ask the editor hyphen in hyphen chief"
"I had a peanut butter ampersand jelly sandwich"
"Look exclamation point It's Brad Pitt exclamation point exclamation point exclamation point"

Other than the occasional blurring of vision and extended verbal communication, my proofreading duties have proven rewarding. I've gained insight into the operations of how to stay afloat amongst the hectic operations of meeting deadlines under strict guidelines. Because producing quality work under time pressure takes both talent and practice, I am sure this experience will prove beneficial down the road period

Posted by Michelle T on February 23, 2006 at 3:44 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Just as I was getting accustomed to living in a new city and pursing employment, I received some disheartening news. I found out that my husband might be deployed to Iraq (for the second time) as soon as September of this year. The bad thing about this news is that he will be deployed (for at least a year) to a place that is known for a lot of violence and is mentioned repeatedly in the news for attacks on US troops.

During his first deployment to Iraq I was in college. I was taking a full load of classes each semester, so I kept busy and remained focused. I had plenty of friends and several family members visited to “check-up” on me.

However, this time around I have a child to take care of and as far as having family support, well most of my family members live 16 hours away. Therefore, I am now forced to re-evaluate my situation and to decide what kind of options I have.

One of my options is to move closer to my family members. I would have their support and it would probably allow me to remain in a “stress-free” environment.

Since moving is a likely possibility, I checked out the jobs that are available near my family members. This is where the irony comes in. I actually found several public relations agencies and places that are offering paid internships for a PR assistant. That is good news, if I was living there now but it’s definitely something to keep in mind.

The other option is not to move and continue to look for work in the PR field, which is hard to find in this area. Consequently, if I choose this option I can only foresee having more opportunities to be involved in community relations instead of finding the PR job that I really want.

However, I am still in the process of researching clubs and organizations within the community. Therefore, I don’t know exactly where my future networking pursuits may lead.

Through all this uncertainty, I am remaining optimistic. What I do know is that I’m not willing to give up on my career goals so easily. I just have a few things that need to be “ironed” out.

Some may see the news about my husband deploying as “bad news.” It definitely is not good news but I am an optimist at heart. I do believe that all things happen for a reason. Perhaps, this was my “wake-up” call to put things in perspective and to commit to making more “concrete” decisions both in my personal and professional life.

Posted by Chanda D on February 23, 2006 at 3:18 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Ok so yesterday I met with the editor of my school's newspaper. She turned to be extremely hyper and "cool". She basically went over everything I already knew but it's ok, it's sort of her job, so I let her do it. I found out that meetings take place at an exceptionally inconvinient for me time and I don't know if I'll ever actually get around to attending them. I mean, after all what is the purpose of them? Maybe I'm just a bit antisocial, but I really don't care much for getting to know everyone on the staff. I just want to write my articles and get the published. Of course I realize that is not the attitude of the future journalist, but come on, let's be realistic at this moment I care about keeping the job I actually have.
On the plus side, I have my first assignment which is due next thursday. It's easy and I will actually enjoy it. It's about coffee and different places on campus that serve coffe. (I'm a coffee junkie, so this assignment should be very "satisfying", for me at least).
All I can say is that it feels good being back into the wonderful world of journalism!

Posted by Mariya K on February 23, 2006 at 1:19 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Unlike myself, my sister always had direction. At the tender age of thirteen, my sister had already work-shadowed a very popular radio personality. That's eighth grade people. However, my sister later discovered that it would be more beneficial to the rest of the world for her to also be seen as opposed to just heard, she, being one of the vainest people that I know. And I say that with the utmost of love. But I must agree, her personality is infectious and she has always had face for TV.
She attended the highly prestigious New York University, where she majored in Broadcast Journalism and Communications. She then went on to grad-school and excelled in Media Arts. After an extensive stint in higher education, my sister was ready and poised to take the world by storm. She immediately looked to New York and the many media opportunities that it offered. Through her networks that she acquired during her interning days, she fortunately got a position at a leading music channel. However, the job was not exactly what she went to school for. But it was a foot in the door. And this music channel was not any ordinary music channel. People killed to work there. You could be in Timbuktu, mention this channel and everyone would know exactly what you are taking about. And my sister believed that if she wanted to be the best she had to work with the best.
But after four years of working for the channel of her dreams, she is very far from happy. She had to admit that she simply accepted her first job because she wanted to be associated with the name. It is a daily grind in a completely stressful and thankless environment. She gave up offers to work for other organizations that actually dealt with what she wanted to do, reason being that nobody ever heard of them. Was this wise? I am certain that with her current job on her resume, it will be more than easy for her to land another position someplace else. But she feels as if she has wasted her time doing something hardly related to her field of study. Years where she could have honed her craft, were spent lingering in limbo. And she did it all for a name. So the moral of this story is: never rule out the little guy. They may lead you to your dream job faster than you think.

Posted by Devon C on February 23, 2006 at 8:44 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I got into graduate school! I only applied to one school so far and it was the one that I really wanted to get into. I'm so excited! The summer program starts in June and runs eight weeks. Then, during the fall and the winter, I do independent study and check in with them every few weeks.

However, there is one thing that has to be settled before they can process my application: they haven't received any of my recommendations yet. All three recommendations were sent over two weeks ago, but I forgot to tell my professors to put "Admissions" on the envelope. So, the letters should be somewhere on the campus, they're just not in the right department. As soon as they track down my recommendations, everything's set!

Now that I got into graduate school, it's a huge weight off of my shoulders. I have a focus, a plan, and something to look forward to. I won't be completely content until they track down my recommendations, but it should be no problem! And if it is, I'll get them resent.

I'll have my own studio to do my art! I'll be able to use their wealth of tools to create the best art of my life. After I graduate, I'll have a Masters in Fine Arts and I'll be able to teach college. This is everything I wanted and it's a relief.

Posted by Matthew P on February 23, 2006 at 6:55 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

My dream job materialized on a whim and a phone call. I had interviewed with this law firm in 2003. The interview with the head attorney was just so-so. But he sent me a rejection letter that said I was one of the top candidates and I found out that the firm might be expanding in the future. I kept meaning to check in with this firm to see if they were hiring again. But three years went by, I got busy with my call center position, and life in general. Then one day while I was driving by, I saw that this firm had relocated into their OWN BUILDING, and I thought, how prosperous, and how close to home! Last Friday, I called and remembered the paralegal who had interviewed me in 2003. She referred me to the office manager, who said, yes, they were hiring, and could I come in that night? I did, and found out the firm had excellent benefits, and that the opening was for a replacement for a paralegal who was leaving to be with her husband in North Carolina.

I interviewed with the Managing Partner on Saturday. He sounded real tough, asking me about each job and why I left and did I do a good job at each place. I answered candidly and straightforwardly, told him confidently that I would do a good job for him. I told him that he had a very good benefits package and that my salary requirements were negotiable. I gave him references, including a law firm I had worked at for eight years. He asked me for more work experience references, and I gave them. Then he smiled and left me with the assurance that if the references checked out, that he would have a job offer for me. He called me at home the next Monday night, and just said, "Dottie, do you want to work for me?' I said yes and he offered me $1,0000.00 more than I had asked for, to do the kind of work I had trained for in a lovely new office real close to home.

Posted by Dorothy A on February 23, 2006 at 6:00 AM | Leave a Comment (2)

I haven't written in a while, because I just started a new job; but I'm back. I currently work for a Financial Institution-a job I received through a temp agency. So far, so good. Right now, I'm filling in for a woman on maternity leave, but hopefully this will turn into something long-term. I would love a stable, permanent job, but for right now, temping is good for me. It allows me to work in different environments and get the feel of a company before I decide to work there long-term.
Looking back, I realize why some of my previous interviews didn't turn into job offers. In one interview, they asked why I applied for the position and what I thought I could contribute to the position. To say the least, I bs'd my answer, because honestly, I didn't know too much about the position. My answer was geared towards another position in the company; but not the position I was interviewing for. I didn't land that job (even though they said they'd "be in touch").
With that said, my advice to interviewees is to be open-minded. A job may not start off permanent (if it's with a temp), but it may end up permanent. You also should know about the position you're applying to. Do your research before the interview, and know facts about the position and the company. This will show the employer that you're knowledgeable and very interested, and most likely you'll get called for that second interview.

Posted by Genae G on February 23, 2006 at 3:16 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Know yourself. Seriously. Know what your interests are, what you would enjoy doing. There are a lot of career inventory tests and aptitude tests and tests to fit your career to your personality. Your dream job may not be the best-paying job, but based on my personal experience, money doesn't exactly buy happiness!

Get as much information as you can about the careers you're interested in. Interview people in the field. Job-shadow if you can. Try not to make the mistake I've made of just working in jobs to pay the bills. I make a decent salary, but the personal fulfillment isn't there.

Posted by Joan C on February 22, 2006 at 9:49 AM | Leave a Comment (2)

The first thing I noticed when I participated in the first meeting in my PR company as a intern, was the lack of respect given to our boss. I was surprised, but it wasn't hard to find the reason - he's shockingly disorganised and seems to live in the world of his own. While everyone is stressed and rushing projects, he's spring cleaning. I suspect that adds to the stressful atmosphere here. You could be frantically rushing a PR proposal for one of Hong Kong's biggest clothing lines, while the boss is writing, "Mind you Head," decorating the sign with lively cartoons. I kid you not.

But him living in the world of his own is relatively harmless - the thing which has led to a lack of respect shown to him? He simply gives out the wrong information...consistently. You look him in the eye and ask where an event will take place, he'll give you an answer, but you'd be dicing with death if you didn't double check the information. Lesser colleagues have found themselves on the wrong side of HK Island because they trusted his information unquestioningly.

However, as with everything, there is a bright side to it all. As an intern working here, I've learnt the importance of integrity (I mean, mate - this is a public relations firm, if we're not accountable, we may as well change profession.) And the importance of double checking every information that gets given to me, or at least finding someone accountable for giving me that information. A little work now would save headache and bursting blood pressure in the future. The situation may be bad, so at least learn something from it.

It's enough work simply following the many tasks delegated to me, without having to double check information as well. But I guess that's all part and parcel of being a humble intern. You learn skills that you can take with you no matter what industry you chose to work in for the future.

Posted by Emily W on February 22, 2006 at 3:07 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

When I started looking for a part time job, I dreaded the idea of telemarketing. Calling and harassing people during their afterwork wind-down time selling secured credit cards to people with more than their fair share of credit issues, and running the very real risk of being used as some stranger's verbal punching bag did not appeal to me.
But the company I work for, to my great suprise and relief only calls doctors to invite them to conferences to discuss the latest breakthroughs in medicine. Not the greatest use of my B.S. in Communications, but it's suprisingly fun! I work with the most creative people, and I have the fredom to re-write the scripts we use to something that's more effective for me. (not a total waste of my skills!)
I've also begun submitting my short stories to some magazines, and am working on a socio-political essay to submit to a few others. That;s the kind of stuff I enjoy writing, so all in all, this week, I'm having a ball!

Posted by Rahima W on February 21, 2006 at 8:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

After Getting a Bachelors Degree from an accredited university and working a few seasonal jobs in the recreation field I was surprised when I found out how hard it can be to land a decent full-time job. There are lots of recreation jobs out there. They may be in places that I find unappealing, or require more experience than I have, but they are there. Seasonal Recreation work is fun and has its benefits. I am not talking about health or dental benefits, but more about the benefits of working outside and playing for work.
Seasonal work is also always easier to land, even if you don't see them coming. During January and February, I take my time to rummage though the job posting, looking for summer employment. By the time the employers call in April and May, I sometimes do not remember applying for the job. I have had the experience of working in quite a few glorious corners of our country though, and traveled to many of the places I have always wanted to. It even gets interesting when employers are fighting to have me come work in their neck of the woods for three, four or five months at a time. Let them haggle it out against each other. Which of the locations will have the better housing, experience, recreational opportunities? All of these are really important issues, after all the employment might last 6 months, maybe a little more with luck and funding.
Some of the problems that come with seasonal employment are very apparent. For one, it will be harder to have any sort of permanent relationship. For another, it will be harder to stay close to home and help out with the family. Many seasonal jobs will only give you enough experience to land another seasonal job the next year. After getting in the routine of seasonal employment, it can be difficult to get out.

Posted by Daniel G on February 21, 2006 at 5:41 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Went in today for the training in the wonderful, dull world of data entry. Some good things about things particular office, though. Casual environment, pick your own start time (although training is set, and there is only a 2 hour window after that), short day on Friday and headphones are allowed. In two weeks or so I am supposed to get my own cubicle and desk, but for now I, as well as four others, are stuck in a training class. It was really boring, in case there are any other kind of training courses. But at least the teacher is nice, as are the others I have met so far. Still, not as bad of a first day as I had feared. Nobody gets mad when I screws up (yet, anyway), and the instructions were easy enough to follow that I have not gotten terribly lost (again, at least not yet).

The few regular employees I talked to all had relatively good things to say about it. And then there is always the thought that I may not even get hired on at all after these three months are up. They gave us the standards by which they jusdge who gets hired and who does not. However, at this point I have no idea how high or low those standards are. So, there is no point in swelling on that fact too much just yet. Just hope it all goes well.

Posted by Andrew S on February 21, 2006 at 5:11 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

I was religiously searching the internet day after day specifically for public relations jobs within the local area. Unfortunately, I would only find jobs located in the larger surrounding cities (most of which are an hour to an hour and a half away).However, I recently have found that my local newspaper may be the missing factor in my job search.

I previously had given up on searching through the daily-classified jobs in my local newspaper, due to disappointing results. However, this time I decided to go through each section of the newspaper. I was searching for some type of valuable information pertaining to future employment opportunities. I didn’t find the types of jobs I was looking for but I did find some valuable information.

In the Business section, I found several announcements for local ribbon-cutting ceremonies. These ceremonies are usually the grand-opening event for new businesses. Therefore, I could use this as an opportunity to offer my services by using my experience in doing advertising campaigns. Thus, I would be gaining more experience and adding valuable work to my portfolio. Unfortunately, I want to add more diversity to my portfolio and I am now pursuing more writing opportunities. Although, I would advise any Communications undergraduate, that is interested in advertising or public relations, to do an advertising campaign.

Within the Community section of the newspaper, I found brief descriptions of local clubs along with their contact information. So, not only was this an opportunity to offer volunteer work but it was also a way to begin networking within the community.

I simply had forgotten about the value of the local newspaper. I found hope of building a network of contacts and finding new opportunities, just by taking the time to look through each section of the paper.

I still believe that the internet provides more information for finding jobs. However, I now have the newspaper as another source to aid me in my job search.

Posted by Chanda D on February 21, 2006 at 2:27 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

This winter I finally graduated from a Community College with a degree in Journalism and Print Media. Sounds cool, doesn't it? Wrong! I now for some reason feel as if I am better then everyone else in the office where I work. I probably should explain what kind of office it is. It's a medical office and as you can understand has nothing to do with my major. I've been working there for the past four years and honestly they pay me much more then they should, therefore I stay there.
During last summer I interned at a magazine. I loved what I did, but felt as if it wasn't glamorous enough (after looking at Vogue or Cosmopolitan, no magazine is ever "cool" enough). I had to quit because summer was over and i went back to school not to mention they weren't really running after me with job offers. After this I really felt as if I know a lot in the field and should be getting a job in journalism. I took a deep breath, updated my resume and began sending it out. It's been about five months and I still haven't heard from ANYONE. it's frasturating knowing that you are worth something but no one is willing to give you a chance. I try to keep my hopes up and think that maybe closer to summer I'll start getting responses, after all I was mainly applying for summer internships. For now I transferred to a four-year college which so far has the best English department in New York City. And soon planning to start writing for a college newspaper once again.
For all you college students out there, I know how you fell but I guess the best thing is to just keep yourself busy and keep in mind that you are not alone.

Posted by Mariya K on February 21, 2006 at 12:48 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

The time is passing and it is becoming difficult to land a job. All the searching, applying, and waiting is easy. I must say though I have had some optimistic experiences. The first was when I went out of town to a friends and while I was there I did some networking. I had positive responses so I followed them up but didn't hear anything from them. Secondly was when a position that I applied to referred me to another employer. The employer called and said they had my resume but needed my resume tape. I then mailed my resume tape to him and then called to follow up with him on the position. To sum this story, he still hasn't returned any of my phone calls or emails. Last but not least I recieved a letter asking me to complete an employment application. I did as instructed and also followed up on my application. I still haven't heard anything from them also. I am beginning to feel like I am doing something wrong. I thought it was good to follow up on applications that you have applied for. Of course I know in the type of field that I want to work in is very competitive. However it is rare that you have opportunities that present themselves such as myself you always take those experiences into consideration. I am also thinking now should I have a different approach to finding a job.

Posted by Alicia G on February 21, 2006 at 11:28 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

This week I'm back at the school I recently graduated from for two reasons: One, to see my close friend Heather's directorial debut in theater and two, to take my girlfriend back to my house during her spring break. However, being back at school gives me a weird feeling. I know I don't quite belong here anymore so, I feel kind of awkward when old friends see me. However, I also convince myself that I shouldn't care what other people think and I'm here for certain reasons. Plus, I acknowledge that after her spring break, I have a job interview with a video rental store and hopefully, I will get the job. Therefore, who knows when I will be able to see my girlfriend again.

In a way, I comfort myself by the fact that as long as I have something to read and a creative project to work on, I'm content. So, even though I really don't have a place at this school anymore, no matter where I am I can be okay as long as I have those two things.

It's somewhat ironic that I waited for two weeks to get a call back from the video rental store and long after I gave up on it, they called me Sunday, the day before my visit that had been planned since last fall. I asked them if they could wait a week to give me an interview and they said that was fine. So, hopefully it will work out. And if it does, I plan to be a busy person with a job and a lot of volunteering to do!

Posted by Matthew P on February 21, 2006 at 9:59 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In the last ten years, I’ve moved thirty times between two countries and six states; received my B.A. and M.F.A.; spent eight years in the Marine Corps Reserve; and worked no other job longer than one year. As a result, my resume is ridden with potholes, washboards, burned out bridges, robber bandits, and headless references; but there is also hidden treasure. I have acquaintances around the world, a few friends to ride shotgun, a mastiff/pit-bull cross who guards my shadow as it follows and precedes me, memories for when I’m drunk and lonely or drunk and well accompanied, and experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to live through.
In my blogs, I will not tell you what you should know; advice, when it comes from someone other than yourself is always best left for them who spoke it. Advice is hindsight is 20/20, and only benefits the telling of a good story. You will learn what you need to, and you will discover things you wished you’d known earlier. Advice cannot prevent that. You will remember when someone did give you the advice that, in hindsight, you wish you could have taken, but you ignored it because you did not understand why you needed it: that is how it should be. We learn from our own mistakes, not from others.
Perhaps there are those who can learn from other people’s mistakes, but I am not one of them. I only learn from my own. I’ll not lie. I’ve made the same mistake a couple times in a row –many times in a row. Eventually, the mistake becomes a part of me, and instinctively I move forward to my next mistake. There are always more to make. I will never reach the age of perfection; there is always more to learn. It was difficult for me to learn this. I still like to think that someday I’ll achieve perfection; it is something to live for, to look forward to (other than hearing back from the countless resumes I’ve sent out).
It is as equally difficult for me to admit that I’m not perfect as it is for me to believe that I’ve made the correct decision. This is the first of my hidden treasures. It keeps me humble with a dash of confidence.
I have, on many occasions, taken the advice of the older, wiser, and more experienced humans, but that is not best. When you take advice that you did not come by honestly, that is through your own mistakes, you have learned nothing. You did not live. You only acted out as any machine could also do. Machines do not make mistakes; operators do. I am not a machine, and I have made many mistakes. Some of those mistakes have turned into goldmines, as have some of the pieces of advice that I took, like a machine, and acted out perfectly.
There is good and bad fortune. A steady whip, a shotgun, and a few sticks of discretion will always help you secure or steal that hidden treasure of a job.

Posted by Just Kibbe on February 21, 2006 at 12:16 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Young people today have no idea how changed the job market has become. I don’t mean that as a put-down. I’m referring to the drastic tactics that many post-internet age employers are using to snare employees. When I was in my teens, twenties and thirties, all you had to do was write a really good resume, possibly a cover letter--if you were going into a better (high wage) job and fill out a paper application. Snap, you’re done. However, that’s not the only thing that has changed. Nowadays we’re not employees; we’re “team members,” “cast members,” “associates” and all that namby-pamby fluff that’s designed to make a crummy low-wage job sound like a major motion picture role.
Today, many post-911 employers are picky almost to the point of being paranoid-schizophrenics. At one point, I filled out an online job application for a position with a major tire company as a sales associate. Besides the usual questions on any application, there was an 81 question “survey.” This little do-hickey can be found with many major employers, from mid-size grocery store chains to major department stores. It usually is accompanied by a dreary on-line application, and can take as much as (depending on the computer’s speed) 45 minutes of your valuable time to complete. It contained numerous questions about one’s drinking and partying habits, and whether you liked to shoot guns or fish. Nowhere does it mention anything about tires…or cars. I like the questions that ask if you’ve ever shoplifted, or if you think that it’s okay to steal from your employer. I try to imagine what kind of…person, would answer “yes” to these queries. A few years ago, you didn’t have to have a great--or even good--credit score to secure employment, and, unless applying for a bonded position, you didn’t need to go through massive background checks, either. All that was required of prospective employees back then was that you did your job well and that you showed up for work. Then again, there was not the constant stark fear of lawsuits, shootings and robbery that seems to have developed and thrived in the post-internet/9-11 world. Makes me long for the seventies again.

Posted by Nancy G on February 19, 2006 at 7:42 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Recently I went to a time management workshop and I was impressed by really how much time a person can spend on something. There were about 10 questions to answer in this one questionaire. By the time you answer them, you multiply by the number of days, and in the end subtract from 168 hours. Your result tells you how much time you spend studying a week. Some people at the workshop had a negative number, others slightly positive, and people like me had a number close to 100. I don't know if I study close to 100 hours a week. That simply sounds insane. The most insane thing is that actually that time is not enough. I know, I know. Probably someone is asking themselves if I have a life. I do. I go out once a week to get my mind off school for a little bit. Time is really flying by. Here are the questions from the questionaire.

1. Number of hours of sleep each night _____ x 7 =
2. Number of grooming hours per day _______ x 7 =
3. Number of hours for meals/snacks per day - include preparation time ____ x 7 =
4a. Total travel time weekdays ____ x 7 =
4b. Total travel time weekends _____ x 5 =
5. Number of hours per week for regularly scheduled functions (clubs, church, get togethers, etc.) ____ x 7 =
6. Number of hours per day for chores, errands, extra grooming, etc. _____ x 7 =
7. Number of hours of work per week _____
8. Number of average hours per week socializing, dates, etc. _______
Add up the totals: _____________________
Subtract the above number from 168 - _______ = ____________

This is a good time management worksheet. It makes you think of where your time goes.

Posted by Silvia A on February 18, 2006 at 10:15 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Rahima Wachuku makes an excellent point about striking a balance between our dreams and the path that we have to walk to realize them. I have tried to live under a permutation of the sentiment "If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." It goes: "Success is the merger of what you want to do with what you have to."

What I wanted to do always involved a moral component. In college, I held a secret disdain for friends I had that worked at the local telemarketing firm cold-calling, or transferring balances with the nearby offices of a gigantic corporation in the financial services industry. I felt, and sometimes still do, that in earning their daily bread they were knowingly facilitating underhanded and negative aspects of life: Transferring a large balance to a new credit card, for instance, where the interest rate would quickly increase and render the sum unmovable, or interrupting a family's dinner to ask them about their insurance policy. Their arguments were reasonable, but rang dangerously of group-think. "If I don't do it, somebody else will."

"Maybe," I would respond, "but does it have to be you?" Now I'm hungry, so to speak, and I don't protest as much. What we're talking about here is "selling out." Mid-life crises stalk quietly. Making glasses for a large corporation seemed safe at first. People need to see! However, I know from experience that the most expensive products, the ones being pushed all the time, are not only overpriced and unnecessary, many are optically inferior. A close friend who I hooked up with a sales job left the industry because he couldn't lie to people. I've held on by virtue of being far from the retail floor.

Recently there was mention of a promotion. Instead of a cause for celebration, it has spurred my job search. The student loans are about to kick in, my living situation is not sustainable for long and it would be very hard to turn down the money - or the chance at a credible title - but something tells me it would also form a dangerous rut and conjure the specter of a mid-life crisis. I agree that we should not sacrifice ourselves for a paycheck, but schooling is not the same thing as entitlement and integrity may have to be purchased with sacrifice.

Posted by David K on February 18, 2006 at 8:33 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

There are two things about work and life I remember and seem most relevant at this point in my life.

1. To be happy, you need four things, Something to do, someone to love, something to believe in, and something to look foward to.
2. If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.

For the past two years, I worked at a major non-profit agency in New York that provides services for the mentally challenged. I loved the altruistic aspect of the work. In the beginning. My job was to advocate for my clients, predominantly mentally disabled adults, and get them the services they wanted, which ranged from finding them housing so they could live on their own, to acting lessons.
I loved it. I'm a communicator, and using my skills to better someone's life made me feel good. Unfortunately, the longer I worked there, the more it came to pass that my job became less about advocating for my clients, and more about maintaining paperwork compliance with state and federal guidelines.
I was in my office constantly and constantly burried under piles of forms. I no longer had time to see my clients, much less find out what their needs and desires were.
Now, I understand there are those detailed oriented individuals who, bless their hearts, can spot an un-dotted letter i from a mile away, but I'm not one of those people.
I became so stressed out over impending audits and unsatisfactory annual reviews that I gained 30lbs and slept less than three hours on any given night. It finally got to the point where I cried every morning before going to work.
So I went to my Director and told her I couldn't work here anymore.
After a few weeks of much deserved rest and recouperation, I am now working part-time at a telemarketing firm, going to the gym every morning, and looking foward to grad school in the fall, MFA in Creative writing.
The point of my story is this. In the ongoing struggle called "After graduation" in which we attempt to reconcile doing what we love with doing what we need to do to pay the bills, we must find a balance until we can reconcile the two. Do not sacrafice yourself for the sake of a paycheck, and don't sacrafice your rent money in the pursuit of your dream. Play to your strengths, and with tenacity and patience, you will find yourself reaching your goals.

Posted by Rahima W on February 17, 2006 at 4:08 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

This month has been the greatest of my career so far. Last week I got the call to interview for a paying intern position at a local television station. I have a feeling I didn't get the job, but that's o.k. You can't win them all.

I have been working overtime trying to land writing gigs and I have gotten all of the ones I have applied for. I now write for my colleges newspaper, I am a press release editor for a online magazine, I submitted some of my poetry to a publisher and they will include three of my poems in their next book on african-american poetry!! I will receive royalties. Also, I got my first writing contract from a political website. Last week I submitted an application for an intern at an adult oriented newsletter and they liked my submission so much they decided to made me the editor.

So yes I am happy for once and maybe some of my doubts will ease a bit. Or maybe not...

Posted by Lakisha H on February 17, 2006 at 1:37 PM | Leave a Comment (2)

During an interview, be sure to inquire about benefits before you leave the room. However, previous to asking the question, take the time to familiarize yourself with at least some of the monetary investments businesses offer their employees. For many of you out there, this may not be necessary. But for those job seekers just entering or re-entering the market place, it might not be a bad idea to brush up on your knowledge just a little.

The two investments I’m going to discuss are the standard 401 K and the Roth IRA. I will state here and now, that I am not a financial advisor. Nor am I well-versed in financial investing. The information I’m giving is available from many sources--both online and at your local public library-- and is not in any way an endorsement for a particular product. It is always a good idea to get feedback from a financial expert before investing a penny of your money.

First, here’s what I have learned about 401 K plans. Some of the advantages of a 401 K retirement plan are that it will reduce the amount of tax taken out of your pay check each week, you often have a choice of a variety of investment options, many employers (but not all) will match your contribution, it is protected by federal pension laws and from garnishment (exception: domestic disputes) and your capital, while it grows, does so tax-free. However, there can be a downside to a 401 K. You can be penalized for accessing your pension before the age of 60, and it can be quite expensive. Also, the plan is not insured, the matching funds are not actually yours until quite a few years have passed and your investments, to truly pay off, must be fairly aggressive--until you near retirement age. This is why it pays to have some kind of financial advisor in your pocket. Additionally, every company seems to have a different plan, so the plan you had (or your parents have) with one employer, may be in total contrast with another businesses’ plan. There is much more to a 401 K plan than the little I’ve discussed here. Your best bet is to hit the books or the internet and find out which investment(s) would be most suited to you and your personal needs.

Another investment offered by some employers is the Roth IRA. This type of account has some advantages which many employees find more agreeable than the usual 401 K plan. One of the big drawing points is that you can take money from this account without the substantial penalty that the 401 K insists on. However, this only applies to whatever amount you initially put into the account, and not to whatever sums it may have earned in the meantime. In other words, if you put $5000 in at the beginning, you can withdraw up to that amount of cash at anytime, without penalty. Another advantage is that the Roth IRA is that your money is growing tax-free, but on the downside, contributions are not tax-deductible. This is a good plan for anyone whose income ranges from the lower-middle to medium-high range, because of the higher income it generates. Be warned however. Your tax rate may also increase a percentage or two with that boost in income. Again, don’t blindly launch into retirement benefits--even if retirement is fifty years away. Look carefully before you make the leap onto the road of investment.

Posted by Nancy G on February 17, 2006 at 11:18 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I've been browsing for jobs and internships that relate to art or english online and haven't come up with much right now. But my plan is to start volunteering everywhere I can. It seems that a really good resume booster is volunteer experience (in any field). Since I would certainly be willing to take a Human Resources job, volunteering is a good option. I see social service as a wonderful career because it helps people personally and that helps the community as a whole.

The next few weeks I'm going on vacation, but after that I'm going to get involved in a local political party of my choice, try to find a kids' sports team to coach, and volunteer at my local library. Once I've participated in my community, I feel that I will be more experienced and more qualified for jobs.

Posted by Matthew P on February 17, 2006 at 9:27 AM | Leave a Comment (2)

"Why aren't you looking for a job today, loser?"
"Because I got one, idiot!"

Shutting people up is fun, especially when that person is your little sister. Getting a new job is also a good feeling. I had gone in for the interview yesterday, and got a call back this morning to report for training on Tuesday. This is through a temp agency, but I will only be working one place this time instead of driving all over the Omaha metro area. Data entry, not exceptionally well paying, but I do not need a whole lot of money anyway. There is a full benefits package after I get hired, if I get hired. That is the other thing. There is no guarantee that this will last longer than 90-days. So I can't quit my old job just yet, and will have to work at least once a month to stay on their payroll. Still, 3 months is better than zero. If it does work, I have a new job. If it does not, I still end up with the money and a new experience. I don't really know what to expect either. I had a job once through a staffing agency that went okay. My next temporary job was horrible, and the last one, which was actually seasonal, went well. They showed me the working area, and nobody seemed to be in a bad mood. Not that anybody appeared to be having a particularly good time either, but a good sign anyway. No point in dwelling on it too much, though. Until I start, there is nothing for me to do but hope that I make the cut-or that the cut is even worth making.

Posted by Andrew S on February 16, 2006 at 4:37 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

I spoke with the gentleman in charge of hiring for a small packaging and display corporation in the watch and eyewear industries. The conversation began when he flipped open his laptop and exclaimed: “The web already has thirty-three responses for me.”
The position in question entailed basic administrative duties. He wanted a graduate with excellent communication skills, preferably someone who spoke both English and French, and had at least two years of experience.
“How long ago did you post the advertisement?”
“Yesterday.”
“Do you always post with that sight?”
“Yep.”
This encouraged me. I have signed up with a couple of search engines/ job-seeking communities with misgivings. Would anyone legitimate actually post there or hit on my resume? “How do you pick?” I asked.
“The thing is, I get so many of these things – I know it sounds horrible – but I have to start making up arbitrary rules to disqualify people.”
Less encouraging. “Such as?”
“If it doesn’t have a cover letter, I won’t even look at it.”
“What about paper? Is it true that people throw out all the white ones?”
“I know some people who have done that. I don’t really care what color they are, but it’s good to have something to set you apart, a good quality paper. And if there is a misspelling I throw it away. They could be the greatest candidate in the stack, but if they can’t manage two grammatically correct paragraphs and a list, I’m not going to call them.”
“Anything else?”
“Watermark on the bottom.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. That’s just where it goes.”
“Does the envelope have to match?”
“No. I don’t care.”
Given the volume of “click to submit” riffraff produced online, it appears as though our audience has the attention span of a chocolate-fed two-year-old (or about three second). Employers, by necessity, are so good at throwing away resumes, they can make a crumpled jump-shot into a one liter wastebasket from forty-five feet away and still have the watermark land on bottom – don’t test them. Yesterday, I grudgingly walked the two blocks to the stationary store.

Posted by David K on February 16, 2006 at 9:47 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

I pretty much landed in the biomedical field by chance. Actually, I was recruited by a third party to work for the biomedical firm. This company is growing rapidly and needed people to fill some holes quickly. Interesting enough, they didn't ask me any medical related questions, or require any sort of medical background. Which is good, because I didin't know I would enjoy the job as much as I do.

Attaining a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Science, and participating in an internship helped make me marketable for entry-level positions. The recruiter seemd to really like the fact that I had an intership. The experience in my internship was limited, but it gave me a direction in my field. Helping others solve problems is enjoyable to me, so being a software tester is a good entry-level position for now. Currently, I am working under a temporarty contract. Will se what happens.

Posted by Ryan C on February 15, 2006 at 7:53 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

First impressions are obviously important in the real world. How you choose to dress and carry yourself shows everyone the kind of person you are. The clothes that you choose to wear are like advertisements. With just a glance, they can tell a lot about the kind of person you are. Are you overly stylish, concerned with every detail of your outfit? Do you dress in daring fashions that make you stand out in a crowd? Do you prefer traditional clothing that makes you seem competent and conservative? How do you think the rest of the people in your business dress? These are questions you need to ask yourself before shopping for a work wardrobe.

When I have the freedom to choose my own clothes, I tend to wear clothing that makes me look younger then I am. I have a tendency to choose loud colors and accessories popular with the counterculture such as spiked collars and fishnets. When I need to dress in a professional manner, however, I know much of what I want to wear wouldn’t portray the image my employers want to see. Therefore, I try to define my style within the narrow constructs of the business professional world. I like to dress in black, red or purple, and I’m a big fan of boots and mary janes. Worn properly, these elements of style can conform to most any company dress policy. Yet the same colors and shoes worn incorrectly could make me seem childish and improper. Therein lies the difficulty. How do you decide what does and doesn’t look professional in that context?

A lot really depends on fabrics and the cut of the jacket or suit. Men, for example, can often wear a dark suit with a bright tie, or pin stripes with a longer jacket. Since the proper attire for most men in business is a suit and tie, they can wear almost the same thing everyday, changing only the color and accessories they wear to help define their personal style. Women have a lot more leeway, and therefore a lot more chances to make fashion mistakes.

A good rule of thumb is to dress conservatively at first. Wear suits, pants with matching jackets or skirts no shorter then knee length, and make sure not too wear anything too flashy or dramatic. Plunging necklines, shocking colors and excessive jewelry have no place in a job interview. After you pass the interview, continue to dress conservatively for the first few weeks. Once you get a feel for the office, keep an eye on what other people around you are wearing. They can clue you in to what is acceptable and what isn’t. It’s a good idea to never wear anything you think your boss wouldn’t wear to the office. Once you get a feel for the environment, then you can start introducing more personal elements into your wardrobe. However, first and foremost, be prepared to dress to impress. It is imperative that before a job search, you have enough outfits to carry you through several interviews as well as your first few days at work

It can be difficult to find impressive clothes, especially when you’re just leaving school or you have been unemployed for a while, but there are places you can go. Some of the big discount chains like Target have started carrying impressive selections of business clothes, but if even that is too much for your budget, don’t forget a college kid’s best friends, thrift stores. The clothes may be used, but if you search hard enough you will find really unique items. Make sure that when shopping at thrift stores you wear clothing thin enough to allow you to try things on. A lot of second-hand stores don’t have changing rooms, meaning it is up to you to guess if things fit. Wear a tank top under your shirt or jacket and tight pants or shorts so you can try clothes on without disrobing in public. It’s also important to check all items for stains or discoloration. Despite the extra work, thrift stores can be a real boon to up and coming professionals. I passed two interviews with flying colors, and actually received compliments on my outfit by several people in the office,while wearing a dark plum dress suit I bought for $3.

The important thing is to be comfortable and let your personality shine through while following the rules. It’s a pretty hard trick to get perfect, but like everything else it takes time and devotion. How you dress is your choice, but understand that at first glance people will decide who you are by what you choose to wear. Make sure you think long and hard before you make that choice.

Posted by Elizabeth F on February 15, 2006 at 12:38 PM | Leave a Comment (2)

Yesterday I recieved mail from an employer that I app