East Coast Transplant in the Midwest Seeks Repatriation to the Homeland; or, Please Hire Me!
Resume II: The Sequel.
So, the next difficult resume step came in choosing a font. What, Times New Roman just isn’t good enough for you? It hasn’t served you well throughout your 6+ years of undergrad and grad?!?!?!?
No, boys and girls, it just won’t cut it. I was crushed to hear that Calibri, an old favorite, was just too close to TNR. Then, as I am looking at some Arts schools for employment, I went in the opposite direction and was told that I would probably give my reviewer a seizure…and that seizures aren’t likely to guarantee me a job, unfortunately. Who knew…?
So, I settled on Nyala. It sticks out, but still looks professional. Eye-catching, yet readable. Durable, yet dependable…or something like that. Anyway, the font just felt right. It made me happy. And others liked it too!
So, folks, I leave you with this: Spend some time deciding on the font that really tells the interviewer who you are and will help set you apart from other applicants. It’s a small thing, but definitely important in the long run!
And, finally, don’t steal my font. I worked hard to find one that screams me, and I’d be pretty disappointed to find out that I was in a stack of 40 applications and that everyone used Nyala. I might just have to track you down and shred your resume and accompanying files. I mean, after all, all’s fair in the job market, right? ;)
Thoughtfully yours,
Epix.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Thank you for your consideration #3
The job search is a job in itself.
I’ve spent countless evenings in front of the computer, scanning through search engine results and job boards. It's easy to get sucked in for HOURS clicking link upon link. Carefully crafting cover letters specific to each organization. Tracking several versions of my resume, each slightly different in focus – deliberately omitting or emphasizing features of previous jobs. Add to this filling out 8 page online applications, making calls, seeking references, researching employers, driving to interviews, updating the LinkedIn account, privatizing my Facebook account, emailing old colleagues, contacting professors, googling myself for any incriminating evidence from my youth, flip-flopping my existing job schedule for a last minute telephone interview – it’s WORK.
After a solid 3 months of focused job searching, I have my search techniques down. I’ve learned to search smarter, not harder. I’ve considered making yet another spreadsheet for this task of finding job opportunities but, this seems too OCD, even for me. I signed up for a bunch of those job alert agents…and then quickly deleted my email off of half of them because they consistently were not worth the time it took to skim and promptly delete the email. I found the sites that I tend to have the most luck with – in terms of finding jobs that I qualify for, are in my desired location, and in my area of specialization. A few smaller sites don’t offer job alerts and don’t have many listings but have unique listings, I check these about weekly. And I signed up for list-serves with a few professional groups. This way, I am job searching everyday when I check my email – without getting lost in the interwebs.
I like that it’s a game. A treasure hunt. A timed treasure hunt. As soon as I see that job description, I look at the date it was posted and pounce. 4 months ago? Ugh, probably filled and an old listing. But, if it sounds like a dream job, I email them to see if it’s still available. But posted 2 hours ago? Let’s go-go-go! Now, do I hurry to be one of the first to hit their email box (and increase my chances of my resume actually being seen) or take the time to carefully write a winning cover letter?? If it’s a new posting, I apply at whiplash speeds. I use one of my existing resumes and cut and paste from a previous cover letter. Yeah, yeah, I know it should be tailored to that specific employer,…but with 300+ applicants applying for a job within a week, I’ll hedge my bets and go with being one the first 50 to apply with a weak cover letter than the 429th with a stellar cover letter that never gets read. If I was applying to be a novelist or copy editor, I’d probably change my tune.
My experiences have taught me that sometimes it’s the early bird that gets the worm, not the sweetest singing bird, nor the bird that necessarily excels in worm eating. Often, it’s all about timing. Strike when it’s hot, and strike quick.
Update: Careerbuilder.com just emailed me with job recommendations. First on the list? Cashier at Aldi. It said I was "an excellent match". Doh!
Let the search continue.
I’ve spent countless evenings in front of the computer, scanning through search engine results and job boards. It's easy to get sucked in for HOURS clicking link upon link. Carefully crafting cover letters specific to each organization. Tracking several versions of my resume, each slightly different in focus – deliberately omitting or emphasizing features of previous jobs. Add to this filling out 8 page online applications, making calls, seeking references, researching employers, driving to interviews, updating the LinkedIn account, privatizing my Facebook account, emailing old colleagues, contacting professors, googling myself for any incriminating evidence from my youth, flip-flopping my existing job schedule for a last minute telephone interview – it’s WORK.
After a solid 3 months of focused job searching, I have my search techniques down. I’ve learned to search smarter, not harder. I’ve considered making yet another spreadsheet for this task of finding job opportunities but, this seems too OCD, even for me. I signed up for a bunch of those job alert agents…and then quickly deleted my email off of half of them because they consistently were not worth the time it took to skim and promptly delete the email. I found the sites that I tend to have the most luck with – in terms of finding jobs that I qualify for, are in my desired location, and in my area of specialization. A few smaller sites don’t offer job alerts and don’t have many listings but have unique listings, I check these about weekly. And I signed up for list-serves with a few professional groups. This way, I am job searching everyday when I check my email – without getting lost in the interwebs.
I like that it’s a game. A treasure hunt. A timed treasure hunt. As soon as I see that job description, I look at the date it was posted and pounce. 4 months ago? Ugh, probably filled and an old listing. But, if it sounds like a dream job, I email them to see if it’s still available. But posted 2 hours ago? Let’s go-go-go! Now, do I hurry to be one of the first to hit their email box (and increase my chances of my resume actually being seen) or take the time to carefully write a winning cover letter?? If it’s a new posting, I apply at whiplash speeds. I use one of my existing resumes and cut and paste from a previous cover letter. Yeah, yeah, I know it should be tailored to that specific employer,…but with 300+ applicants applying for a job within a week, I’ll hedge my bets and go with being one the first 50 to apply with a weak cover letter than the 429th with a stellar cover letter that never gets read. If I was applying to be a novelist or copy editor, I’d probably change my tune.
My experiences have taught me that sometimes it’s the early bird that gets the worm, not the sweetest singing bird, nor the bird that necessarily excels in worm eating. Often, it’s all about timing. Strike when it’s hot, and strike quick.
Update: Careerbuilder.com just emailed me with job recommendations. First on the list? Cashier at Aldi. It said I was "an excellent match". Doh!
Let the search continue.
Monday, January 17, 2011
ECTMSRHOPHM Volume 2
East Coast Transplant in the Midwest Seeks Repatriation to the Homeland; or, Please Hire Me!
So, what’s the one thing that EVERY job search requires, and everyone freaks out about?
Did you say resume? If you didn’t, well, I’m sorry, no Final Jeopardy for you. So sad.
ANYWAY…that resume thing drove me up the wall.
I remember the day I first looked at what I’d been using, with a job search gleam in my eye, a month or two back. I sat my supervisor down in our weekly 1-on-1, and calmly asked if he would be so gracious enough to help me with finalizing my resume and helping me make it the best it could be.
However, I probably sounded something like this “CouldYouPleaseHelpMeIAmSoNervousIDontKnowWhatToPutForAHallDirectorJobImNotSureIEvenKnowWhatIDoIMeanIKnowWhatIDoBecauseIDoItWellIMeanIReallyLikeAndRespectYouAndWantMyResumeToBeLikeYoursCouldYouPleaseHelpMe?!?!?!?OhIMightBeABitNervousAndExcitedRightNow.”
I’m sure I breathed somewhere in there, but I don’t remember it. We went through 4 or 5 drafts before I was satisfied. I struggled with what to cut….wasn’t my undergrad experience useful?!?!? Don’t I want to show what I did there too? The difficulty I faced was that a lot of my “Diversity” experience was shown through my undergraduate years, as my grad career was a combination of the school not having the resources I was looking for, and me knowing that it would be best to branch out. So, I had to strike a really strange balance between showing future employers that, yes, despite the students I’ve been working with now, I do a damn fine job of working with non-majority ones too…perhaps even better than the normal, run-of-the-mill folks. Hey, we’ve all got our own strengths and interests, right? Heck, I struggle to understand the difference between a freethrow and a goal. There’s a birdie and linebackers involved somewhere in there, right? Yeah, exactly.
I’m currently trying to figure out whether the two page limit is canon, or just highly recommended…Can I do 3 pages and still be marketable, or will I look wordy and unable to narrow things down? What say you, blogger-sphere?
Have others take a look at your resume…your boss, your colleagues, the Career Center on campus…everyone! I sent mine to two other colleagues with Career experience. And THANK THEM for what they do for you. I think my supervisor (and other references) is pretty much guaranteed a Starbucks gift card or two… It is the only crack that folks in our field condone…
Also, while this may seem somewhat elementary to some, I’m hoping that it can be a reminder/refresher for those needing some guidance along the way as well. :)
Caffeinated (and slightly addicted to Starbucks),
Epix
So, what’s the one thing that EVERY job search requires, and everyone freaks out about?
Did you say resume? If you didn’t, well, I’m sorry, no Final Jeopardy for you. So sad.
ANYWAY…that resume thing drove me up the wall.
I remember the day I first looked at what I’d been using, with a job search gleam in my eye, a month or two back. I sat my supervisor down in our weekly 1-on-1, and calmly asked if he would be so gracious enough to help me with finalizing my resume and helping me make it the best it could be.
However, I probably sounded something like this “CouldYouPleaseHelpMeIAmSoNervousIDontKnowWhatToPutForAHallDirectorJobImNotSureIEvenKnowWhatIDoIMeanIKnowWhatIDoBecauseIDoItWellIMeanIReallyLikeAndRespectYouAndWantMyResumeToBeLikeYoursCouldYouPleaseHelpMe?!?!?!?OhIMightBeABitNervousAndExcitedRightNow.”
I’m sure I breathed somewhere in there, but I don’t remember it. We went through 4 or 5 drafts before I was satisfied. I struggled with what to cut….wasn’t my undergrad experience useful?!?!? Don’t I want to show what I did there too? The difficulty I faced was that a lot of my “Diversity” experience was shown through my undergraduate years, as my grad career was a combination of the school not having the resources I was looking for, and me knowing that it would be best to branch out. So, I had to strike a really strange balance between showing future employers that, yes, despite the students I’ve been working with now, I do a damn fine job of working with non-majority ones too…perhaps even better than the normal, run-of-the-mill folks. Hey, we’ve all got our own strengths and interests, right? Heck, I struggle to understand the difference between a freethrow and a goal. There’s a birdie and linebackers involved somewhere in there, right? Yeah, exactly.
I’m currently trying to figure out whether the two page limit is canon, or just highly recommended…Can I do 3 pages and still be marketable, or will I look wordy and unable to narrow things down? What say you, blogger-sphere?
Have others take a look at your resume…your boss, your colleagues, the Career Center on campus…everyone! I sent mine to two other colleagues with Career experience. And THANK THEM for what they do for you. I think my supervisor (and other references) is pretty much guaranteed a Starbucks gift card or two… It is the only crack that folks in our field condone…
Also, while this may seem somewhat elementary to some, I’m hoping that it can be a reminder/refresher for those needing some guidance along the way as well. :)
Caffeinated (and slightly addicted to Starbucks),
Epix
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Thank you for your consideration #2
I am huge on non-verbal communication. I need my face and hands to convey what my mouth has trouble spitting out. I need to see others’ eyes and facial expressions for affirmation and approval. Needless to say, I hate phone interviews. They make my hands sweat. Tell you about myself in words?? How do I see myself in 5 years??I’d much rather express these answers in interpretive dance (insert not-so-graceful leap followed by crawling across floor a la modern dance).Honest.
I’ve heard other colleagues talk about their phone interview preparation. I haven’t shared mine before, but I offer you, my virtual comrades, a sneak peek into my pre-phone interview ritual:
1) Print: job description, my resume, and the cover letter that won the phone interview. Next, I go thru and circle the key skills that I think are my strengths or duties that I have experience in. This typically boosts my esteem that I am qualified for the job, allows me to mentally rehearse the answer to “why are you interested in this position?”, and to provide key buzz words, or at least have some intelligent words in front of me in case I get tongue-tied or experience a mental freeze-up.
2) Agency Research. I look at the employer’s mission, any new strategic planning, and the department which I am applying to. If I am particularly psyched about this employer or find something I think I could comment on, I might take notes.
3) Interviewer Research. I take 5 minutes to do some cyber research on who is interviewing me. Searching thru LinkedIn, Facebook, and Googling usually suffices. If I don’t know their full name I will search thru the employer’s website to find it. (I’m not a cyber-stalker, I promise!) Even if I don’t find any mutual connections or other goodies, learning that my interviewer is about my age, enjoys PBR, or has a mini dachshund in a birthday hat as their Facebook profile pic makes them much less intimating.
4) Clothes. If I’m at home, I change from pajamas. But, don’t necessarily put on interview clothes… a good fitting pair of jeans so that I feel awake works (my last phone interview was at 8:30AM, ugh). Even more important than changing clothes is the next step, which I never skip.
5) Lipstick. Yes, I know they can’t see me. But it makes me feel more confident and in control…even if I have bed head and am still wearing the shirt that I slept in.
Once the phone rings (and I correspondingly jump in my seat), I try to answer by the second ring and smile myself through the phone. Given all one has in phone interview is voice and words, I figure you got to make sure your voice is as pleasant and warm as possible, without being fake. I worry about sounding too excited – I know my voice goes high when I’m excited or nervous…and I don’t want to sound like a kid. And I don’t want to sound too bubbly or cutesy. But I want to convey my excitement at the opportunity and give them a feeling of me as person, and not just be another set of skills that gets blurred with other candidates. So, lots of smiles. My thinking is…If I make them feel good, they will feel good about me. Let’s hope it works.
I’ve heard other colleagues talk about their phone interview preparation. I haven’t shared mine before, but I offer you, my virtual comrades, a sneak peek into my pre-phone interview ritual:
1) Print: job description, my resume, and the cover letter that won the phone interview. Next, I go thru and circle the key skills that I think are my strengths or duties that I have experience in. This typically boosts my esteem that I am qualified for the job, allows me to mentally rehearse the answer to “why are you interested in this position?”, and to provide key buzz words, or at least have some intelligent words in front of me in case I get tongue-tied or experience a mental freeze-up.
2) Agency Research. I look at the employer’s mission, any new strategic planning, and the department which I am applying to. If I am particularly psyched about this employer or find something I think I could comment on, I might take notes.
3) Interviewer Research. I take 5 minutes to do some cyber research on who is interviewing me. Searching thru LinkedIn, Facebook, and Googling usually suffices. If I don’t know their full name I will search thru the employer’s website to find it. (I’m not a cyber-stalker, I promise!) Even if I don’t find any mutual connections or other goodies, learning that my interviewer is about my age, enjoys PBR, or has a mini dachshund in a birthday hat as their Facebook profile pic makes them much less intimating.
4) Clothes. If I’m at home, I change from pajamas. But, don’t necessarily put on interview clothes… a good fitting pair of jeans so that I feel awake works (my last phone interview was at 8:30AM, ugh). Even more important than changing clothes is the next step, which I never skip.
5) Lipstick. Yes, I know they can’t see me. But it makes me feel more confident and in control…even if I have bed head and am still wearing the shirt that I slept in.
Once the phone rings (and I correspondingly jump in my seat), I try to answer by the second ring and smile myself through the phone. Given all one has in phone interview is voice and words, I figure you got to make sure your voice is as pleasant and warm as possible, without being fake. I worry about sounding too excited – I know my voice goes high when I’m excited or nervous…and I don’t want to sound like a kid. And I don’t want to sound too bubbly or cutesy. But I want to convey my excitement at the opportunity and give them a feeling of me as person, and not just be another set of skills that gets blurred with other candidates. So, lots of smiles. My thinking is…If I make them feel good, they will feel good about me. Let’s hope it works.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
East Coast Transplant in the Midwest Seeks Repatriation to the Homeland; or, Please Hire Me!
Volume 1
Having been tasked with introducing myself, my viewpoint, and my blog for your viewing pleasure, I thought I’d give you all a bit of background…
I’m a second year grad student with a Res Life background. I came directly from undergrad with a major in the Humanities from a large Northeast urban school. I am currently workin’ my butt off at a medium/large Midwest school, and the culture clashes that come up are many, and usually quite amusing (I’ll make sure to include a few now and again!) My interests lie in the diversity/multicultural/underrepresented students field, and my job search will definitely reflect that in the schools I am looking at. I’m also a bit of a nerd, B-Horror movie buff, and a lover of Caramel Brulee latte’s at Starbucks (they do own all of our souls’, don’t they? I think my supervisor actually has a “satellite office” at the local one, at any rate…).
I’ve been told that I’m quick on my feet, unafraid to speak my mind, observant of office dynamics, and generally pretty open-minded. Save the last trait, I’ve been compared to a male version of a Real Housewife of New Jersey. I don’t think that was a compliment however… :/
Enough about me, however!
When thinking about what students might want to read this blog, I decided to make a list, here for your viewing/reading pleasure, and see if this sort of job is something that I could see myself doing.
The list with which your wonderfully anonymous blogger tracks what you all want to hear!
-Advice: What is everyone else doing? How can I do things better? Who else is getting job offers?!?! WHY IS NO ONE CONTACTING ME?!?!? Seriously, does cookie baking help?!?!?! I think many folks would like a baseline with which to compare themselves, see how they are doing, and just get a general feel for what the job search will be like when THEY start it, if they haven’t already (and trust me, you’ll KNOW when it starts…)
-Schadenfreude: Everyone wants to know how badly everyone else is feeling, so that they can feel better. Come on, folks, it’s the truth! It makes us feel a bit better knowing that others are also having a hard time, and that we’re not the only ones facing challenging times. Plus, it’s a fun song from the play, Avenue Q. Take a listen!
-Humour: People need to laugh. This is a stressful time that leads to baldness, break-ups, and general breakdowns. Having someone or something to laugh with/at is a nice break from reality. Plus, writing this allows me to vent my own frustrations and say some amusing things that can be said nowhere else. Also, note the spelling of *humour.* Yep, I can be uppity here all I like…so, THERE! J
Okay, so I ran out of steam with my list…which could be some perfect metaphor for every assignment I have ever done in grad school…hmm, I’m not touching that one.
Anywho, I think the above only scratches the ice. But, most of all, humor (fine, I’ll spell it the normal US way) is what everyone needs to get through these tough times. We’re all going to be facing one of the most difficult points in our lives, oftentimes with very few frames of reference with which to compare. Did you want to get that Hall Council position? Sahweeet! You go, girl! Did you want to get into your favorite sorority/fraternity? Congrats! Either you got into that one, or hopefully another that was also a good fit. Same goes for being an RA, a desk worker, etc etc etc… We all had positions that we wanted, and many of us got them.
But now, at a job search…we won’t know our competition. We don’t know everyone else’s history, their highs and lows….we have no idea who or what we are up against. The best we can do is to make ourselves as friggin amazing as we can, hope our shirt’s aren’t untucked, and smile more than we ever thought possible.
If you get a few wrinkles in the process, I’m sure that Botox is possible what with our incredibly well-paying Student Affairs Jobs…oh, wait… :/
WE DO IT FOR THE STUDENTS, REMEMBER THAT!
If the job search doesn’t work out, I’m sure you could find any retail or customer service job that should pay on par with what we’re all hoping to make….errr…j/k?
See, humor is a good thing!
It’s a whole new ball game, and there’s oftentimes only one person that the school is looking for. Sure, we may think we’re that perfect-OMG PICK ME I’M THE BEST!-fit, but that’s not always the reality.
So, how does one deal with this? Truth be told, I’m not so sure. I’ve always done pretty well with job searches, and got offered one of the best GA’s at my institution right off the bat…yet, this means little right now. I saw the folks at the GA day, and knew how to sell myself as someone different from the pack…I can’t do that in this round of job searching. Trial by fire, I say!
I just hope that in addition to making it out alive, I can offer you all an idea of what this whole job search thing is like, and remind everyone to laugh a bit each day. I’m sure of one thing…laughter keeps us young and happy. And quite possibly might keep us out of a padded room by the time this process comes to a close… If not, I wish you all a room with a view come June/July…
Here’s to a great search for all of us!
Your loving blogger,
Epix
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Thank you for your consideration #1
Preparing for re-entry.
A spacecraft re-entering the earth's atmosphere uses heat shields to protect the craft and its’ astronauts. Unfortunately these heat shields are not available for grad students, and are not fundable under ‘other educational expenses’.
My voyage as a graduate student is coming to an end in a rather typical way, i.e. not on time, having taken more classes than planned, a MESS of a thesis, growing cynicism, ulcers; however, it was also filled with unanticipated experiences and opportunities that now contribute in my all-important C.V. The thesis void is now filled with the worry of finding employment and re-entering the Real World. As much as I gripe about grad student life – the stress, the (relative) poverty, the ivory tower mindset, and the administrative red tape – part of me is now clinging to the familiar problems of grad student life in favor of ‘real’ adult life and adult decisions (Sorry, mom, no grandkids, yet - I have to finish grad school first!) But the time has come, the degree is coming soon *fingers crossed*, and I can finally take that step I’ve been working towards and become a real working adult once again.
Plunging towards planet earth. Drifting, falling. Coming home. (Queue Peter Shilling’s ‘Major Tom’. ”Send me up drink”, indeed).
In order to exercise some control over the situation, I set up a spreadsheet in Excel to keep track of job leads. It is essentially a chart where for each potential job lead I log the company, job name, website, link to job description, salary info, location, and my personal rating ( on a 1 thru 10 scale) and my progress (the date I sent my resume or applied for the job, or sent out a letter of inquiry) as well as a rather empty column for when I heard ANY response (well, other than the generic ‘bot response “Thank you for application, If you do not hear from us within 60 days please visit our website for other job openings, blah blah blah). So far, my return rate is between 10%-25%. 10% if I count only strong leads, i.e. a phone call from them, or, setting up an interview. 25% is the more optimistic rate that includes pretty much any non-automatic contact from a real person at the organization, even the “we are reviewing the current applicants and will contact you in a few weeks”, or, “you forgot to include your salary requirements”…if they personally wrote me an email with a staff person’s contact info included, I counted it as progress. Given the depression-era economy, I think my track record is fairly good in terms of responses. Also, by tracking my resume sent date and response date I was able to calculate an average ‘hear back’ time – 24 days. (yes, I’m that person.)
Fear is setting in. I am hearing horror-stories from my program cohorts of 50+ jobs applied for, without even one interview. I read their Facebook updates on the remote far-away locations they applied to, marveling their willingness to move so far (and to someplace so rural!). Meanwhile, my assistantship stipend is coming to a screeching halt frighteningly soon. And my partner, ever my practical half, suggests I start looking at barista or bookstore clerk jobs to tide us over with SOME sort of paycheck. My pride and self-esteem bristle at this suggestion. After these long hard years that put us both in debt, years that aged my body at 3x’s the natural rate with worry lines and tense shoulders. Though a retail gig is practical, a job that I could have had back in high school seems like defeat, at best. And at worst, it would be like admitting to all the naysayers and that negative voice in my head that grad school was just a waste of my valuable youthful years.
My mind races to find an answer. Maybe I could stay? My final approval sheet isn’t turned in, I could ‘miss’ the graduation deadline and thus delay the inevitable. And my assistantship would surely keep me another semester, right? That’s guaranteed income, and the safety of telling people “I’m in grad school…you know how it is”. But, I’d know that I was just being chicken. A very cautious chicken, but a chicken with food (well, ramen noodles) on the table. But, I have not worked this hard to be a chicken confined to the student coop. I was gonna bust this joint. I am not going to slow down this re-entry. The heat shield and my nerves may be shaken or melt. But it’s Earth or Bust. Join me on this voyage of navigating re-entry into the work force in this crazy economy.
A spacecraft re-entering the earth's atmosphere uses heat shields to protect the craft and its’ astronauts. Unfortunately these heat shields are not available for grad students, and are not fundable under ‘other educational expenses’.
My voyage as a graduate student is coming to an end in a rather typical way, i.e. not on time, having taken more classes than planned, a MESS of a thesis, growing cynicism, ulcers; however, it was also filled with unanticipated experiences and opportunities that now contribute in my all-important C.V. The thesis void is now filled with the worry of finding employment and re-entering the Real World. As much as I gripe about grad student life – the stress, the (relative) poverty, the ivory tower mindset, and the administrative red tape – part of me is now clinging to the familiar problems of grad student life in favor of ‘real’ adult life and adult decisions (Sorry, mom, no grandkids, yet - I have to finish grad school first!) But the time has come, the degree is coming soon *fingers crossed*, and I can finally take that step I’ve been working towards and become a real working adult once again.
Plunging towards planet earth. Drifting, falling. Coming home. (Queue Peter Shilling’s ‘Major Tom’. ”Send me up drink”, indeed).
In order to exercise some control over the situation, I set up a spreadsheet in Excel to keep track of job leads. It is essentially a chart where for each potential job lead I log the company, job name, website, link to job description, salary info, location, and my personal rating ( on a 1 thru 10 scale) and my progress (the date I sent my resume or applied for the job, or sent out a letter of inquiry) as well as a rather empty column for when I heard ANY response (well, other than the generic ‘bot response “Thank you for application, If you do not hear from us within 60 days please visit our website for other job openings, blah blah blah). So far, my return rate is between 10%-25%. 10% if I count only strong leads, i.e. a phone call from them, or, setting up an interview. 25% is the more optimistic rate that includes pretty much any non-automatic contact from a real person at the organization, even the “we are reviewing the current applicants and will contact you in a few weeks”, or, “you forgot to include your salary requirements”…if they personally wrote me an email with a staff person’s contact info included, I counted it as progress. Given the depression-era economy, I think my track record is fairly good in terms of responses. Also, by tracking my resume sent date and response date I was able to calculate an average ‘hear back’ time – 24 days. (yes, I’m that person.)
Fear is setting in. I am hearing horror-stories from my program cohorts of 50+ jobs applied for, without even one interview. I read their Facebook updates on the remote far-away locations they applied to, marveling their willingness to move so far (and to someplace so rural!). Meanwhile, my assistantship stipend is coming to a screeching halt frighteningly soon. And my partner, ever my practical half, suggests I start looking at barista or bookstore clerk jobs to tide us over with SOME sort of paycheck. My pride and self-esteem bristle at this suggestion. After these long hard years that put us both in debt, years that aged my body at 3x’s the natural rate with worry lines and tense shoulders. Though a retail gig is practical, a job that I could have had back in high school seems like defeat, at best. And at worst, it would be like admitting to all the naysayers and that negative voice in my head that grad school was just a waste of my valuable youthful years.
My mind races to find an answer. Maybe I could stay? My final approval sheet isn’t turned in, I could ‘miss’ the graduation deadline and thus delay the inevitable. And my assistantship would surely keep me another semester, right? That’s guaranteed income, and the safety of telling people “I’m in grad school…you know how it is”. But, I’d know that I was just being chicken. A very cautious chicken, but a chicken with food (well, ramen noodles) on the table. But, I have not worked this hard to be a chicken confined to the student coop. I was gonna bust this joint. I am not going to slow down this re-entry. The heat shield and my nerves may be shaken or melt. But it’s Earth or Bust. Join me on this voyage of navigating re-entry into the work force in this crazy economy.
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