I have, once again, taken a little hiatus from the blogging world.  But now I’m here to share the experiences I’ve had with you because-dare I say it?-my life is slightly more under control.

I know, just saying that is tempting fate.  But I think even fate would say “this chick could use a nap.”

So, where have I been?  Well, at the beginning of August I landed my first grown-up, real person job.  I know, I should have told you.  But it was so sudden!  One second I was in full-blown job hunting mode, the next I was running around getting background checks and drug tests.  It was almost unreal.  To top it all off, it was at a company that not only I recognized, but that other people could recognize.  In a phrase:

this was the REAL DEAL.

Oh, right, and it came with a three-hour round trip commute everyday.  But minor details, right?  I would move eventually, then three hours would become 30 minutes or so, and everything would be fine.

I’m really good at making plans.  I create spreadsheets, calendars, budgets, hypothetical disaster situations, you name it.  I plan it.  This situation was not unlike that.  I had made plans.  But I had been so excited to just have someone look at my resume and say, “yes, you’re worth hiring,” that I had jumped into action without doing much planning for the “what if this isn’t right? And what if I can’t move?”  I was a consultant with a contract shorter than the length of any reasonably priced lease, and a “who knows” following that.

Plans are like teenagers–they are experts at doing nothing that you ask.

So, I started working.  And I started commuting.  The more I worked, and the more I commuted, the more I realized that this was the opportunity.  No, not as in “this is it!”  As in, “this is it?”  It wasn’t that I expected more from the job, because entry-level is entry level is entry-level.  What was challenging was that I realized that I wasn’t going to be hired on full-time.  I was probably never going to even be considered for full-time.  Okay, maybe if I waited for two or three years, but for what?  I’d be starting all over again.

So where did that leave me?  Well, hoping that an opportunity would come along down the road.  An an opportunity did come.  After a few weeks.

Now, everyone I had talked with generally says you should stay somewhere for at least a year.  Put in your time and move on.  But after only having worked for a few weeks, I had to make a split-second decision.  Which opportunity, ultimately, was going to have the greatest potential ROI?  Which position would take me closer to my goal (which I have realized is to land a position in corporate training and development, but that’s a story for another time)?

So I gave my first two week’s notice.  It wasn’t pretty.  I don’t blame any of the parties involved, after all, it was an extremely short tenure.  But in a world where businesses preach employee loyalty to the company, and generally don’t display much of that loyalty in return, I knew that I had to do what was right for me.  I had a responsibility to myself, to commit to my own professional growth and development.

So now, here I am.  I’m about two weeks in my new adventure, and I’m feeling pretty good.  Of course there are things I don’t know yet, and I’m still learning the job, but as a whole, I feel like I have found a company that is as committed to its employees as they are to it.  I’ll take it.

Now I imagine you’re sitting across the screen from me wondering how not getting an offer after having done some fairly elaborate preparation has shown me the importance of being well-prepared and making a great impression.  The story continues.

Sure, I didn’t get the initial position.  However, the people with whom I interviewed began to look for another position where I could be placed.  They poked, they prodded, and in the end they found a department that needed some assistance.  So came my second interview.  Where that story goes…well, remains to be seen.

Being prepared is important.  Being well-prepared is differentiating.  From talking with other job-hunters, I think one of the top pieces of information that interviewees forget to prepare is knowledge about the company with which they are interviewing.  If you can tell an interviewer what his or her company’s core competencies are, it shows that you understand the company and have taken the time to understand what you didn’t already know.

Secondly, know your experience.  Know it so well that you can apply it to any number of situations.  You never know which experience a particular interviewer will find to be the most applicable.  Your experience is a tool, meant to be manipulated to serve you in the best way possible.

Then pump yourself up.  Look like a million bucks, give yourself time to feel calm, and strut with confidence.  Make it happen.  Make an impression.

1. Rejections

2. Waiting

We’ve already addressed rejections in earlier posts.  Summary: rejections happen.  They do not indicate that you are a bad person, only that there is still more work to be done.

But what about the second part of the two-headed monster?

As active as you may be in your job search, inevitably there is still a lot of waiting.  Waiting to hear back after you send your application in, waiting to hear back from your follow-up email, waiting to hear back about the interview, waiting to hear back from that follow-up email…waiting, waiting, waiting.  With all of the waiting, you could be living in front of your email inbox and attached to your phone, afraid to miss anything.

There are points where you simply have to step back from the situation and say, “okay, the ball is in their court now.”  I struggle with this all the time.  There are days where I’ve told myself that it just makes sense to leave my email open while I work on my computer, but of course every 10-15 seconds I’m looking at that tiny number on the page tab.  Anything new now? Anything new? ANYTHING NEW?

So before you or I go insane, let’s take a step back.  I’ve got a book to read (Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, expect to hear about it soon) and a puzzle that’s dying to be put together.

Having fun is expensive.  Just today I had a lunch date, rented a canoe, and ate some gelato.  My bank account has been less that happy as the amount of money coming in dwindles.  Everything adds up.  But it doesn’t have to be expensive.  The question simply becomes, “What can I do in the range of cheap to free?”

Get a library card: Yeah, remember those?  I just got one this week.  After being in and out of town so many times, I guess I missed the card updates.  Regardless, the library has LOTS of free goodies…including books and movies.  For me, books take me away from the various screens I look at all day, and allow my brain to relax and reset itself.  On the movie front, well, with the Netflix price hike even some of our happily employed folks might want to head back to the library.  Sometimes libraries have events that you can attend if you have a card.  My library has hosted a few free job search seminars, which is a great way to get ideas as one new to the workforce.  Overall, not too shabby.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors:  Are there any forest preserves in your general vicinity?  If so, most are free to enter.  While I had to pay to rent a canoe today, the free activities abound like the blades of grass.  Take your book you checked out from the library, find a nice grassy knoll, and enjoy.  You could also grab a friend or ten and put together a picnic.  Bring a frisbee, football, or cricket set and you’ve got a fun-filled afternoon.  Plus, a little activity is always a good way to burn off some of that stress and frustration that comes with the job search.

If you live in the city, check out what’s happening around you.  Summer music festivals tend to pop up everywhere…and sometimes, they’re free of charge.  If nothing else, they provide fantastic opportunities for people watching.

Also, never underestimate the awesomeness of a bike.  I hadn’t ridden mine in years until I came back home post-grad.  It’s active, free, and eco-friendly.  It’s also a great way to exercise for which you don’t need a gym, nor do you need to pay to do it.

The last actual wedding I attended, I think I was 5 years old.  All I had to do was show up, look cute, and tear up the dance floor, while Mommy and Daddy picked my outfit, bought the present, sent the cards, etc.  However, with the recent flux of friends entering adulthood, some of them have decided to pair off and make it official…and now I have to do all the work.

My first thought when one of my good friends told me she was getting married was, “yay!  Party!”  Who doesn’t love the chance to dress up and dance?  As I bopped along, I quickly realized that there is a lot more in between the initial “I’m getting married!” and “Yay, you’re married!”  Weddings have a lot of rules, and when you don’t play within the rules….well, no one likes an unhappy bride, right? Right.

Invites: Sometimes you’ll get a save-the-date.  Sometimes you won’t.  But the one thing you should never, ever do, unless you are specifically told that you are invited, is assume that you’re invited.  Especially as recent college-grad friends get married, you have to keep in mind that they may not have a large budget with which to work.  There could be family members who didn’t even make the cut.  The second you assume, you put the couple in a very awkward position.  From the conversations I have had with those wiser than I, operate under the assumption that, if you were meant to be invited, they will follow up when you mysteriously don’t RSVP, and then everything will be all cleared up.  In the event you think you have reason to believe you absolutely should have been invited (you’re in the wedding party, they specifically said “Hey, I’ll see you at my wedding!”), it’s always better to approach this diplomatically and privately.

RSVP:  Make it a priority.  It’s annoying for the bride and groom to chase everyone down…and goodness knows they have enough other tasks awaiting them.  Also, never RSVP for yourself and a plus one unless you were specifically granted permission to bring a guest.  On an invitation, this would be indicated by being addressed to yourself and a guest.  Again, budgets could be tight, and the last thing you want to do is create more stress or work for the bride and groom.

Bridal Shower:  You should purchase a gift off of the registry.  This can be flexible depending on your budget–after all, if the bride is a recent college grad as well, she should understand where you are financially.  You could always go in on a present with another attendee.  Also, sticking to the registry is important.  The couple registered for a reason: so that you would know exactly what they need to start their life together.  Maybe you really want to give him/her a collander, and it isn’t on the registry.  It may be the most beautiful collander in the whole world, but maybe they already have one that they love because the groom’s Great Aunt Marge handcrafted it in the woods of Seattle.  Stick to the registry.

Wedding:  Apparently guests are supposed to send their wedding gifts to the couple leading up to or shortly following the wedding.  I didn’t realize that until recently, because I figured that birthday party rules applied.  However, not the case!  It makes sense, however, because by sending the present before/shortly after, it takes responsibility off of the couple to watch the gifts during the reception.  This is especially relevant if the reception is in a location where there could be several events happening at once.

The gift should generally be equivalent in value to what the couple paid for you to attend the reception (plate, band, etc).  Do not regift.  It’s really tacky for the bride and groom to open up a present, only to find a card addressed to you, and another card addressed to the person who gave it to you.  If there is truly a financial problem which prevents you from giving a gift, talk to the bride or groom.  Think of something else you could do for them.

Be a good guest.  Have fun, but remember, it’s not your day…and what goes around, comes around.

At first, I would get frustrated…and maybe a little annoyed…when people would ask me about where my life was going.  In retrospect, I think it was because I was embarrassed to have to openly tell family (and strangers) that I didn’t have a job lined up, and that I didn’t really know where to look.  I also didn’t want to pin myself into a corner and cut off opportunities.  However,as I chatted with a variety of people, I began to realize the potential I was missing by avoiding the subject.

Having direction in your job search makes the whole process simpler.  For one, it can help you target companies in your search.  But in everyday conversation, where you only have a few minutes to make an impression on someone or pick up any tidbits of tasty knowledge he or she might have, it’s important to be focused.  It’s much easier for someone to think, “do I know any quality engineers working in the medical field?” than, “do I know any engineers?”  One brings up a much smaller list of people, with a higher return on investment should you have the opportunity to chat with them.

Events can also bring together a wide variety of people.  Anyone could be a good connection, but you won’t know until you chat with him or her.  They won’t know if they can help you unless you have a specific goal to share.  Try to narrow down your focus, so you can make it easier for others to point you in the right direction.  And always, always be thankful.  Gratitude can set you apart.

Second semester of senior year, I looked at my calendar and thought, “Shoot. I should really find a job.”  So, I signed on the internet and poked around.

It was hard to begin looking for a job.  I didn’t begin learning how to effectively look for one until about two weeks after graduation.  There was way too much information for me to even assess where I should begin.  I just began shooting information out into the void, hoping that if I put my name in enough places, someone would find me.  I didn’t know that there was any other way to look.  Then I attended a presentation by Women’s Ally founder, Diahann Boock.  She helped me to appreciate that there were other ways to go about searching for a job.

I’ve come up with a couple of different categories of job search styles (which is by no means supported by some sort of scientific data–only my experience).  Think about which one you may be using, or how one of these may be beneficial to you.

Shotgun Approach, or the BLAH!

This is where I started–job boards and post surfing.  It’s easy to start here because it’s constantly advertised to us by groups like Monster and Career Builder, so it’s at the top of your mind.  I call it the “BLAH!” because it’s like mind-vomit.  You put in descriptors of anything and everything of which you might be capable, and the internet spits a plethora of results back at you.  Talk about information overload.

Company Approach

In this method, you find a specific group of companies that you are targeting as potential employers.  Identify factors that are important to you in an employer, and look for companies that meet the criteria you have identified.  This narrows down your search pool considerably, and allows you to focus your time and energy on actions that might yield a better return on investment, such as networking.  Once you have your companies selected, identify whether you know anyone at the company (a good use for your LinkedIn account), and network and connect with them to verify your selection, and seek a referral.

Networker Approach

Perhaps you just love people, and would rather have conversations than investigate heavily online.  In that case, networking can be a great asset to you.  Contact your “FRANKs” (friends, relatives, associates, neighbors, kids’ parents -courtesy of Diahann) and talk.  Explore opportunities, learn about positions, and see what you can learn from them.  The more people who know who you are, and what you are looking for, the more people you have listening for opportunities that fit you.  Maybe your FRANKS will know of an opportunity right away, maybe they won’t.  As it’s been said to me before, “it helps to find out about the posting before its posted.”  You have a better chance of that if people know about you.

As I said, these are by no means exhaustive or scientific.  A good search most likely combines aspects of all of these styles.  Feel free to leave any thoughts, or share your style.

To be fair, it is important.

I’m not going to focus on networking events today, or even in-person networking.  First (because this is part one), let’s think about how you are building your network online.

Important question 1: are you on LinkedIn?  If not, you should be.  No, they aren’t paying me.  There are several great aspects of LinkedIn that can be applied when you’re job searching.

1. LinkedIn has a job board.  The nice thing about this job board, though, is that all of your information (if you have filled in your profile) is all ready to be submitted at the click of a button.  That’s so much more convenient than uploading your resume and filling in the same information 3oo times.
2. Keep in touch.  Connect with past classmates, co-workers, supervisors, neighbors…people that you know.  Once you connect with them, you don’t have to worry about finding everyone’s most current email / phone number / address to get in touch with them.  You can message them directly on LinkedIn to see how and what they are doing.
3. Get ideas.  You probably don’t know about every single company at which your connections are working.  See where they are working, and do some research.  If a company seems interesting, start a conversation to see how they like working there, and what the company culture is like.
4. Collect recommendations.  Ask people to recommend the work that you have done.  It’s like having a letter of reference in your back pocket.  It may also help you to think about the skills other people see strongly in you for reference in a cover letter or email.
5. Get referred.  A lot of companies use referrals.  Having a referral makes you a more informed applicant, and gives you a nice stamp of approval from someone who knows the company well.  You can search for a company on LinkedIn, and it will tell you how you are connected to the company.  It’s quick and easy, in addition to being quite handy.

LinkedIn is only one way to build your online network.  There are plenty of ways to connect to people through cyberspace…coming in our next installment of “Your Network.”

I’ve been toying with the idea of compiling a disclaimer.  Sometimes life could use a few less disclaimers (CAUTION: THE HOT BEVERAGE YOU JUST ORDERED?  YEAH, IT’S HOT.  SO PLEASE TRY NOT TO SPILL IT ON YOURSELF, OR MAYBE WAIT A FEW MINUTES TO DRINK IT.  NOT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT, BUT WE GET SUED IF WE DON’T.), but maybe some circumstances could use a disclaimer.  So here’s my post-grad, here’s-what-you’re-getting-yourself-into-looking-for-a-job disclaimer.

1. Looking for a job is hard work.

Yes, it is. Looking for a job is a full-time job.  Maybe not exactly 40 hours a week, but really engaging the marketplace takes time.

2. Looking for a job does not have to suck.

Okay, I’ll give it to you, looking for a job is not a cakewalk.  However, looking for a job does not have to be the most miserable period of your life.  Looking for a job affords more time for networking, for one.  As a new grad, if you like to learn, this can be a great opportunity to meet with people to explore what they do.  Maybe you have an extremely specific position in mind, maybe you’re more flexible.  Regardless, you can seek out people who do something you might want to do, and connect with them.  See if you can job shadow, or just get coffee.  When you start working (yes, when, think positive), you won’t have as much time to seek out and meet up with people.

3. Rejections Happen

Maybe you’ve never been rejected before.  Maybe you’re that person who’s never gotten lower than an A in his or her life.  Well, here’s the dealio: yes, rejections happen.  That’s life.  If you are actively putting yourself out into the marketplace, chances are that at least a few things are not going to match up for one reason or another.  Bottom line: a rejection is not a failure.  It’s not something you should take personally.

A rejection is a combination of a learning experience, a character building exercise, and a good thing.  You should always try to learn from a rejection: was it simply that your experience didn’t fit their needs? Was there a better way you could have sold yourself in the cover letter or interview?  Think about these things, but don’t dwell.  It’s character building because, let’s face it, no one likes to hear, “thanks, but no thanks.”  With every one, you get a little better at embracing being an imperfect human being.

Finally, you may be wondering why rejection and good were used in the same sentence.  Honestly, a rejection can be good.  It’s better to be hired into a company that values you as an employee, and that values the skills that you will bring to the organization.  Maybe you had all the right skills, but the culture of the company isn’t quite right for you.  You won’t do your best work if you are miserable.  Let yourself be set up to succeed, not struggle.

4. It shouldn’t end when you land a job

Well, I haven’t reached this point yet, but it’s something I’ve heard repeatedly.  Connecting with people, even when you aren’t looking for a job, is important.  It can lead to opportunities for you to give back–to other new grads, to the people who helped you, family members…whoeever.  It doesn’t hurt to know people.  It’s always nice to have someone to eat lunch with, too.

Obviously, this is not exhaustive, and could probably use some insight from any of you who have been through it before, or are in it now.  Feel free to leave your additions or suggestions.

When I got back after graduation, I was spending hours filtering through and applying to job postings.  I took breaks to eat, sleep, and occasionally socialize, but for the most part I had a single focus: to get a job.  A week later, I found myself grumpy and irritable.  To be fair, looking for a job can be enough to make anyone grumpy and irritable.  It can feel like you’re just sending information out into the void, waiting for a human being to acknowledge that you, represented by a one-page piece of paper, have some worth.

In the middle of my angst I realized something.  Constantly looking for jobs for hours on end was not going to do me any good.

I know, shock.  In a way, the job search reminds me of fifth grade.  Odd?  Perhaps.  Let me explain.  As a fundraiser, my class was doing a weekly raffle.  One week, there was an adorable stuffed puppy.  I wanted it, but could only buy one ticket.  Other students in my class bought more than 20 tickets for this stuffed animal.  I didn’t stand a chance.

Meet Toffee.  He’s the stuffed animal puppy I won this one time in fifth grade…

So, who cares about Toffee?  Well,  Toffee is my reminder that it’s not always about the number of applications you put out there.  Finding a job is about a lot of other aspects of who you are and what you are doing.  I had to learn to define myself outside of the job search and maintain my identity before being successful in the job search.  For me, that means I started biking.  I’m far from a professional cyclist, but it gives me a sense of achievement.  Staying involved in things that you enjoy and the community around you helps you to maintain some definition of who you are outside of a resume and a cover letter.  So whether it’s working out, volunteering, or whatever your passion–find it and make time for it.