An Unholy Desire

“Are you still interested in this position? It’s going to be challenging.”

“Yes, I am.”

“It’ll require a lot of work, energy and dedication. Are you ready for that?”

“Yes. That’s one of the many qualities that drew me to this position. I like challenges. I. like. working.”

“It’ll…” 

Lately I keep having interview conversations like the one above. Interviewers ask several variations of the same question. Honestly, after the third time around, it’s tempting to pull out those imaginary water balloons in my bag & start hitting targets.

The underlying conversation:

“Are you up for a challenge? This job won’t be easy & we want to know that you’ll stick around. Will you do the job well?”

“Well, duh. Why do you think I applied for this position? Why do you think I’m here?!” [balloons start soaring]

Those imaginary balloons always look pretty like this… No water, though. Weird.

Perhaps during these conversations I’m not actually looking interviewers in the eye & answering confidently like I think I am. Maybe I’m actually shaking my head, clutching the chair’s arms & giving wild-eyed looks of “Please don’t take me!” Maybe I’m jumping up & down in a temper tantrum that would make a five-year-old proud. Maybe I’m saying something akin to the comic below & black-out those conversations. 

Perhaps?

Are interviewers terrified that someone might actually want to do the job under discussion? The last person left, so why would this candidate stick around? Why would anyone genuinely be interested in the job, organization, & staff? It’s just a paycheck, after all, so finding candidates who really do light up about all of the above are rare?

Is it the “naive college graduate” card that must be stamped across my forehead that’s the problem? Too idealistic & eager. Too inexperienced in this & that. Too interested & active in too many things. Too dang happy & confident.

Do people just not like working? It’s not normal. You ought to be depressed about life & only live for the weekend?

Please. No.

If so, this sucks. Crazy – this girl really enjoys working.

That’s one of the many problems with being blessed with opportunities to do what you love with people & organizations you care about. It’s addictive. It’s stimulating. It’s satisfying. You seek similar “I love this!” opportunities. (What?!)

Work won’t always be easy & tickle-me-silly fun. That’s a given. But why not enjoy what you do & who you do it with?

It’s your life, for goodness’ sake!

There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. (Ecclesiastes 2:24)

Amen.

So, yes, I’m up for a challenge & I want to do this job with your team & your organization. I. Like. Working. And I’d like to do it with you. You down with that? 

P.S. Occasionally I have a desire to throw water balloons at frustrating people. I never act on it. Is that okay? 

Back to the Beginning, With a New Spin

This past year has been a whirlwind of learning, growth (at least I’d like to think so…), moving, challenges, romance, relationships, research, writing, job searching… & all of the other messy, delicious, nasty bits of life. Actually, it’s kind of like I actually encountered the kind of transformative learning that I explored with my thesis. But… more about that another time.

“Oh, job searching, you say? How is that going? A year ago you were doing that. Wait, more than a year ago. What have you been doing?”

To defend myself, life has been full. In November, I decided to take a breather from job searching to focus on my research & simply rest. For those who don’t know me well, the very idea sounded ridiculous. Perhaps it was.

I do know, though, that I needed a break from too many years of juggling multiple jobs, plugging away 40 hour weeks in addition to my academics, not hanging out with friends, not sleeping, & other such things. Quite simply, I needed some time to just breathe & get my head on straight.

It was great. Of course, it’s kind of ridiculous that “taking a break” meant having five employers, coordinating a couple community programs, & immersing myself in reams of writing & research.

But whatever. It was a break.

I dove back into the job search in April & have been at it ever since.

For those who have been on this path before, it’s profoundly frustrating & depressing. Blame the economy, blame my lack of straight-up “full-time” experience, blame hiring managers (or rather let’s-not-hire managers), blame my resume & cover letter formatting, I’m still searching.

I know I’m not the only one. There are a lot of us recent college grads, who haven’t been able to find a job for months or even years.

I’ve been doing the usual approaches:

• Signed up for daily updates with Career Builder, Simply Hired, Beyond.com, Indeed.com, EducationJobSite.com, HigherEd Jobs, PRJobForce, Jobrapido, Job Street, LinkedIn groups, organizational career groups, university career services, state sites, non-profit databases… the list goes on.
• Submitted numerous Internet applications.
• Maintain a running log of all of my applications, positions to apply for, deadlines, & status.
• Religiously check & apply for positions within my growing list of target organizations.
• Refine, update, overhaul, & customize my resume & cover letters for each position applied for.
• Follow-up via phone call &/ email on positions applied for.

The thing is, this approach is still not satisfying. Though I have had call-backs & interviews, I have yet to get that full-time position. You shoot your application out into that foggy Internet, email or snail mail word, with a hope & a prayer.

Then you never hear anything again.

I’ve decided to try a few different tactics to this, in addition to my current methods. So far, it’s made the job search a heckuva lot more enjoyable. Instead of just passively awaiting a response, I’ve found a way to be assertive about the process & not a nag or a wimp. Job searching has become… fun. What the hey?! (If you eavesdrop on one of my frustrated/cheered-daughter talks with my mother, you may hear a different story, depending on the day’s outlook.)

Has this been successful?

We’ll see. After all, I’m still sitting in a coffee shop working out the week’s game plan.

In the meantime, expect another update on the journey & one of the tactics later on this week.

Expo: Possibly Asked Questions

Wondering whether attending the Communications Networking Expo is worth your time? What the heck you’re supposed to do? Who’s coming to the Expo? What it will look like?

Hopefully my list of Possibly Asked Questions will help you out. Comment or tweet me if you have unanswered questions.

Umm… when and where is it?

Why isn’t it just called a “career fair” instead of a “networking expo”?

No booths?! How do I know who is who?

How will it be set-up?

How should I dress? 

Should I bring my resume?

Do I have to stay the entire time?

What am I supposed to do?

Which employers are coming?

Is it really worth my time?

Umm… when and where is it?

Tomorrow (Thursday, February 26) from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom on the second floor.

Why isn’t it just called a “career fair” instead of a “networking expo”?

Because it’s not a career fair. What?! The expo won’t have booths  for employers and it’s not designed for direct “I want a job, you can give it to me” interactions. It is designed to help students and potential employers interact and begin developing relationships. Some, not all, employers are looking for interns and employees. These positions are listed here.

No booths?! How will I know who is who?

Every attending employer representative will have name badges that state their name and which company or organization they’re from. They’ll also have colored flags on their badges which indicate which majors they’re most interested in speaking with. Students will also wear nametags with flags that indicate what their major(s) are. The code will be posted on table tents and fliers.

Code:

Purple – Advertising, marketing, graphic design

Blue – Broadcast

Yellow – News-editorial

Pink – Public Relations

Green – Sports Media

How will it be set-up?

Twelve bistro tables will be scattered throughout the center of the room and will feature peppermints, pens and table tents with OSU and media facts. The tables will serve as networking stations for employers and students to chat around.

Three long tables in the middle of the room will host employers’ promotional materials.

You can store your backpacks, purses, jackets, etc. on either one of the two long tables in the corners of the room.

 

 

How should I dress?

Since some employers are looking for interns and employees, you should still dress professionally. Employers (and business contacts in general) like to see students take the initiative and look nice.

Example: matching two-piece suit with closed-toe dress shoes, simple shirt and minimal jewelry. Still not sure about proper attire? Click on Dressing for the Interview here.

Should I bring my resume?

Yes – bring multiple copies of your resume. You never know who might want to get some take-home information about you! You can visit HireOSUGrads for a stack of resume paper and thank you notes. Your fees pay for them!

Do I have to stay the entire time?

Nope. It’s come and go from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Take advantage of the time and get to know these employers who came to see you.

What am I supposed to do?

Introduce yourself: “Hi, I’m Jim Bob and I’m studying basket-weaving.  It’s nice to meet you.”

Thank them for coming to the expo. People always like to be appreciated.

Start chatting – talk about the current state of the economy, job prospects, OSU, etc. Ask them about their job – what do they do, why do they like it, any advice for recent graduates, etc.

Remember to relax. Our visiting representatives are human, too. (Just don’t spill the beans about how much you hate searching for a job, etc. Be wise.)

Which employers are coming?

Newspapers, broadcast stations, advertising and public relations firms, non-profits and radio stations. The complete list is here.

Is it really worth my time?

If you’d like to meet people who can help you get an internship or a job, you should come to the Communications Networking Expo. The expo is designed for journalism and communication majors like you – why not invest some time in getting to know the employers who sacrificed their time to meet you? The expo will give you connections and networking experience  – take advantage of the opportunity.

If you need further information about the expo, visit www.cowboynetworking.org or send us an e-mail at students@cowboynetworking.org.

We look forward to seeing you there!