Keeping Busy.
Many of my classmates are still going through their interview processes and it feels weird to have a job lined up because part of me wishes I could participate in the stress and frenzy that they are going through right now, but the other part of my is relieved that I have things settled. I do get to keep myself busy in other ways though.
Now that I have this job, I have begin the reality. This includes relocating all of my things and building a new life in a new place. Trying to find a place to live in another state while still going to graduate school full time and working a 20-hour assistantship and a 10-hour internship is quite difficult. I feel like I'm on craigslist during all my free time. When I'm not at work or doing homework for school, I'm perusing the site for viable (and affordable) living options. I have craigslist and googlemaps set as my homepages on Firefox because I still need to learn the area and the towns/city that surround my institution. It's so very confusing. I also feel like I've emailed about so many listings that it's hard to keep track of everything. Even more difficult is setting up appointments to visit the place. Because of my work/school schedule right now, I really cannot afford to make a trip down there to look at apartments until the weekend of May 7th, if I'm being realistic. If I really want to push myself, I can try for the weekend of April 30th, but it'd be pretty tight. Many of the places I've inquired about are asking me to call just a few days before I arrive, whenever that will be, because they cannot guarantee that what I'm looking at will be available when I can come visit. Apparently, real estate down there moves pretty quickly.
For those of you who are accepting job offers and will not be provided on-campus housing, take a tip from me and do your research! I was lucky enough to get a listing of areas from a current employee so I could narrow down my options to the safer and nicer areas to live in near the school. This really helped me in my search, and I was able to find what types of businesses are around these towns. Think about everything: laundry, gym, parks, grocery stores, shopping malls, restaurants, bars, entertainment, etc. I'm finding that there are a few places that stick out to me and fit with my living style, and I'm excited to make a trip down there to see these potential places. It's stressful, but fingers crossed that I will get my very own apartment very soon!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Real World: Job Search #15
I HAVE A JOB!
No puns. No clichés. No exaggerated metaphors in today’s post. Just very exciting news: I’ve accepted a job offer!
We’ve gotten to the point in the year where things are moving either really fast, or they are dragging out so long that you are pulling your hair in anxiety. Some schools quickly move forward with their process, while bureaucracy and institutional red tape may bog others down. My job search definitely fell in the former category. I applied for the position in the middle of March, interviewed days later at the national conference, and exactly ONE MONTH from the date of my application, I received the offer. It’s dizzying, exciting, thrilling, nerve-wracking, relieving—all rolled into one.
Besides the week at the conference, this was probably the week where the most job-related things happened. On Wednesday, still fresh from my on-campus and on an emotional high from the interviews, I found out that I did not get an on-campus with two of my Top 3 schools. I was still in the running should more positions become available, but that’s not something that I felt like I could bank on…still, I wrote back that I would stay in their candidate pool. Remaining in the pool, though, was a hard decision for one institution in particular because the other anticipated positions are not quite the same as the one that is definitely available. In that instance, I applied for the position more than for the institution. The other Top job was the opposite; I stayed in the pool for the school and not necessarily for the position.
Meanwhile, I took a good hard look at the OTHER schools, the ones that weren’t in my Top 3. There were bits and pieces about each of them that I really liked, but they didn’t have everything. I may have been a bit idealistic, but I still thought I could hold out for the job that DID have everything, the one remaining in my Top 3—which became my TOP ONE.
I didn’t have to hold out long, because the call came on Friday. I accepted on the spot. Some people may disagree with this “compulsive” decision, but you have to do what is right for you—and this was the right thing to do for me. I know I loved it there. The people, the job, the campus, the students, the location. It has everything I wanted—and more. It didn’t make sense to hold out for a possibility.
I am so beyond excited about my job! I start in June. I can’t even begin to explain the peace of mind that I have now, with graduation looming just WEEKS away. I know where I’m going, what I’m doing. The next couple of months are going to be all about figuring out the details. I’m so ready to start the next chapter of my life now!
No puns. No clichés. No exaggerated metaphors in today’s post. Just very exciting news: I’ve accepted a job offer!
We’ve gotten to the point in the year where things are moving either really fast, or they are dragging out so long that you are pulling your hair in anxiety. Some schools quickly move forward with their process, while bureaucracy and institutional red tape may bog others down. My job search definitely fell in the former category. I applied for the position in the middle of March, interviewed days later at the national conference, and exactly ONE MONTH from the date of my application, I received the offer. It’s dizzying, exciting, thrilling, nerve-wracking, relieving—all rolled into one.
Besides the week at the conference, this was probably the week where the most job-related things happened. On Wednesday, still fresh from my on-campus and on an emotional high from the interviews, I found out that I did not get an on-campus with two of my Top 3 schools. I was still in the running should more positions become available, but that’s not something that I felt like I could bank on…still, I wrote back that I would stay in their candidate pool. Remaining in the pool, though, was a hard decision for one institution in particular because the other anticipated positions are not quite the same as the one that is definitely available. In that instance, I applied for the position more than for the institution. The other Top job was the opposite; I stayed in the pool for the school and not necessarily for the position.
Meanwhile, I took a good hard look at the OTHER schools, the ones that weren’t in my Top 3. There were bits and pieces about each of them that I really liked, but they didn’t have everything. I may have been a bit idealistic, but I still thought I could hold out for the job that DID have everything, the one remaining in my Top 3—which became my TOP ONE.
I didn’t have to hold out long, because the call came on Friday. I accepted on the spot. Some people may disagree with this “compulsive” decision, but you have to do what is right for you—and this was the right thing to do for me. I know I loved it there. The people, the job, the campus, the students, the location. It has everything I wanted—and more. It didn’t make sense to hold out for a possibility.
I am so beyond excited about my job! I start in June. I can’t even begin to explain the peace of mind that I have now, with graduation looming just WEEKS away. I know where I’m going, what I’m doing. The next couple of months are going to be all about figuring out the details. I’m so ready to start the next chapter of my life now!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Into the Wild...Let the Hunt Begin #15
Keeping Those Connections
I'm still in limbo, but the light is at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. The institution called me to keep me updated. The last thing is a signature from the President so I can get my official offer letter and such. So even though I'm in limbo, it was the appropriate time to begin withdrawing my names from other schools. That was probably the most difficult thing I've done since when I was selecting my graduate school.
While my job search timeline is by no means the typical, and it moved much quicker than I was expecting, I am sure that the experience will resonate with many of you who may be ready to receive offers as well. You get to meet people from all of these great institutions that you've applied to and for many of them, you may have enjoyed the interview process. But you can only choose one place right? So I just realized that that there are least 3 schools that I had to withdraw from that I enjoyed so much that the act of withdrawing was actually really difficult for me.
I asked my advisor how to gracefully handle this situation. I talked about how for these 3 schools, it was hard for me because who knows what might have happened if the circumstances were different and their timeline was quicker than what it actually is now. I liked what I saw! It's just too bad I wasn't able to pursue them more. But I made a great decision and so they deserve to know that they can focus on other candidates. My advisor suggested writing an honest email about what I enjoyed in their interviews and about the school, to keep bridging those connections. So when I wrote them, I was sure to include how difficult of decision it was for me but I appreciated their time, consideration, and really admire what they have going on.
The responses that I got back were overwhelmingly positive and flattering. They each told me they were happy to see I found a good fit, but were sad to lose one of their stronger candidates for the position. They also told me to keep in touch and look at their institutions in the future.
Bottom line: it's great if you can keep these connections. Even if these schools that you are applying to do not have that dream job now, they might in the future. So if you make a good impression, they'll remember you when the time comes along that they will have your dream job and you apply for it. Although I'm going to be working at a great school for my first job, in a few years when I eventually do all I can there and need to grow and move on...perhaps one of these other institutions that already know me will have something available. It's just not meant to be right now, but maybe we'll cross paths down the road. In such a small field, keeping those bridges and networks will help. So focus on the present and your first job, but keep your options open for the future!
I'm still in limbo, but the light is at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. The institution called me to keep me updated. The last thing is a signature from the President so I can get my official offer letter and such. So even though I'm in limbo, it was the appropriate time to begin withdrawing my names from other schools. That was probably the most difficult thing I've done since when I was selecting my graduate school.
While my job search timeline is by no means the typical, and it moved much quicker than I was expecting, I am sure that the experience will resonate with many of you who may be ready to receive offers as well. You get to meet people from all of these great institutions that you've applied to and for many of them, you may have enjoyed the interview process. But you can only choose one place right? So I just realized that that there are least 3 schools that I had to withdraw from that I enjoyed so much that the act of withdrawing was actually really difficult for me.
I asked my advisor how to gracefully handle this situation. I talked about how for these 3 schools, it was hard for me because who knows what might have happened if the circumstances were different and their timeline was quicker than what it actually is now. I liked what I saw! It's just too bad I wasn't able to pursue them more. But I made a great decision and so they deserve to know that they can focus on other candidates. My advisor suggested writing an honest email about what I enjoyed in their interviews and about the school, to keep bridging those connections. So when I wrote them, I was sure to include how difficult of decision it was for me but I appreciated their time, consideration, and really admire what they have going on.
The responses that I got back were overwhelmingly positive and flattering. They each told me they were happy to see I found a good fit, but were sad to lose one of their stronger candidates for the position. They also told me to keep in touch and look at their institutions in the future.
Bottom line: it's great if you can keep these connections. Even if these schools that you are applying to do not have that dream job now, they might in the future. So if you make a good impression, they'll remember you when the time comes along that they will have your dream job and you apply for it. Although I'm going to be working at a great school for my first job, in a few years when I eventually do all I can there and need to grow and move on...perhaps one of these other institutions that already know me will have something available. It's just not meant to be right now, but maybe we'll cross paths down the road. In such a small field, keeping those bridges and networks will help. So focus on the present and your first job, but keep your options open for the future!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Real World: Job Search #14
Fortune Cookie Wisdom
I have been fortunate enough to have some very positive interviews with several different institutions (both phone and campus visits). At the end of last week, I had a campus visit with one of my Top Three. I was pretty impressed with my visit. I loved campus, I loved the people, and I really like the position. One of the biggest draws about the institution is that they have a very strong commitment to professional development. They want their staff members to get involved in professional organizations, to write and publish their work, to collaborate with different offices across campus, and to be creative and inventive. I like that and I really love their philosophy. I hope that the campus visit was as positive of an experience for them as it was for me. I will hopefully hear from them soon…
The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far in the job search process is to try to keep my enthusiasm tempered. It’s so easy to get carried away with the idea of working at a particular school, especially if they are very receptive to you during interviews and offer positive feedback through the process. I mean, everyone likes flattery. And, I have a tendency of losing myself a bit when I try to think about my future—I get really wrapped up in one idea. But no matter how great you are, or how great you think your interview went, or how great it would be to work there—don’t discount your other options.
Last night, I had some Chinese food and at the end of the meal, I opened my fortune cookie. It said: It is better to have a hen tomorrow than an egg today.
So folks, today’s lesson is don’t count your hens before your eggs hatch. Nothing is ever a sure thing, and something (or somewhere) you kind of blew off might just be the thing that blows your mind. Keep your options and your mind open.
You only need one job.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Into the Wild...Let the Hunt Begin #14
Take a seat in the waiting room.
So I'm waiting for my background check to clear at this school. When that clears, it is possible that an official offer will be around the corner. I'm in job LIMBO! I've been using that time to do more research on what I would like in an offer. I was already told what to expect for salary and it is wonderful. But money isn't everything, right? Unlike the popular rapper, Method Man, from the Wu-Tang Clan, cash does NOT rule everything around me. So I've been thinking about what else I might ask for when someone gives me an offer...
Negotiating is interesting. It's uncomfortable, but this is a big decision for all of us grad students out there. We should make sure we get the best deal we can, without being greedy of course. If I get an offer from a school, here are things I'd like to ask them, besides what the salary is:
- Professional memberships/conferences: ACPA, NASPA, NACADA... does the department pay for its employees' memberships or conference fees? If not, is there something we can work out, maybe not having to use vacation days to attend such events if I choose to pay my own way. Or do they offer enough vacation days per year already, so it wouldn't make much of a difference if I dipped into my vacation time for my own professional development? Basically, is there some kind of trade off for the lack of financial support?
- Opportunity for further education: Is tuition covered if I decided to enroll in a doctoral program that will contribute to the field? If not, do I have any other options for financial support, like scholarships or aid that I can apply for? I heard from a friend that a school they are interviewing with will not pay tuition, but instead they offer certain hours during the workdays where employees can leave the office to attend classes, without having to make it up!
- What is the office situation like for new employees? Will I have my own office or share an office? Do I inherit a computer or do they order a new one?
- Do I have to pay for a parking pass?
- Health benefits: what is required and what is optional?
Oh so many little questions. But when you get to this limbo, you might as well take the time to prepare your negotiation tactics. No matter where you are in your job search right now, eventually you'll get an offer and you'll want to be ready to ask important questions and negotiate if necessary. Why? Well, as SNL's lovable Stuart Smally would say, "You're Good Enough, You're Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like You!"
So I'm waiting for my background check to clear at this school. When that clears, it is possible that an official offer will be around the corner. I'm in job LIMBO! I've been using that time to do more research on what I would like in an offer. I was already told what to expect for salary and it is wonderful. But money isn't everything, right? Unlike the popular rapper, Method Man, from the Wu-Tang Clan, cash does NOT rule everything around me. So I've been thinking about what else I might ask for when someone gives me an offer...
Negotiating is interesting. It's uncomfortable, but this is a big decision for all of us grad students out there. We should make sure we get the best deal we can, without being greedy of course. If I get an offer from a school, here are things I'd like to ask them, besides what the salary is:
- Professional memberships/conferences: ACPA, NASPA, NACADA... does the department pay for its employees' memberships or conference fees? If not, is there something we can work out, maybe not having to use vacation days to attend such events if I choose to pay my own way. Or do they offer enough vacation days per year already, so it wouldn't make much of a difference if I dipped into my vacation time for my own professional development? Basically, is there some kind of trade off for the lack of financial support?
- Opportunity for further education: Is tuition covered if I decided to enroll in a doctoral program that will contribute to the field? If not, do I have any other options for financial support, like scholarships or aid that I can apply for? I heard from a friend that a school they are interviewing with will not pay tuition, but instead they offer certain hours during the workdays where employees can leave the office to attend classes, without having to make it up!
- What is the office situation like for new employees? Will I have my own office or share an office? Do I inherit a computer or do they order a new one?
- Do I have to pay for a parking pass?
- Health benefits: what is required and what is optional?
Oh so many little questions. But when you get to this limbo, you might as well take the time to prepare your negotiation tactics. No matter where you are in your job search right now, eventually you'll get an offer and you'll want to be ready to ask important questions and negotiate if necessary. Why? Well, as SNL's lovable Stuart Smally would say, "You're Good Enough, You're Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like You!"
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Real World: Job Search #13
Have A Little Faith
I’ll be the first to admit that I was NOT born with a silver spoon in my mouth; I’ve had to work hard for everything I’ve gotten. But no matter how hard my life has been at points, it always seems that things work out in the end. And I have to believe that things will work out this time.
I got turned down this week for a position and it has made me really realize just how different this job search is than anything I’ve ever done. I went straight from undergrad to grad school, so this is my first “job search.” It’s not like applying to be an RA or an Orientation Leader—where you are one of many being selected. In the job search, you are the ONE they are hiring. There’s a lot of competition out there, especially in the present economy.
And of course, schools have different hiring philosophies. Some will always go first to internal candidates. And that makes sense; they already know the culture of the institution, the students, and probably a bit about the job. They may be seeking a lateral move or this position may be an advancement. Other schools—well, they may want to look outside of their current group of employees. And this makes sense too; you want to bring in a new, fresh perspective.
It’s important to remember though, that there is NOTHING wrong with you. You just didn’t fit into their philosophy. You have to keep your chin up and realize that you still have a lot of options in front of you. Have a little faith that things will work out.
Having a little faith means moving on. It means knowing that there is something out there. It means that it’s gonna happen; you just have to be patient. And, well, you just might need to change the picture in your head.
I’ll be the first to admit that I was NOT born with a silver spoon in my mouth; I’ve had to work hard for everything I’ve gotten. But no matter how hard my life has been at points, it always seems that things work out in the end. And I have to believe that things will work out this time.
I got turned down this week for a position and it has made me really realize just how different this job search is than anything I’ve ever done. I went straight from undergrad to grad school, so this is my first “job search.” It’s not like applying to be an RA or an Orientation Leader—where you are one of many being selected. In the job search, you are the ONE they are hiring. There’s a lot of competition out there, especially in the present economy.
And of course, schools have different hiring philosophies. Some will always go first to internal candidates. And that makes sense; they already know the culture of the institution, the students, and probably a bit about the job. They may be seeking a lateral move or this position may be an advancement. Other schools—well, they may want to look outside of their current group of employees. And this makes sense too; you want to bring in a new, fresh perspective.
It’s important to remember though, that there is NOTHING wrong with you. You just didn’t fit into their philosophy. You have to keep your chin up and realize that you still have a lot of options in front of you. Have a little faith that things will work out.
Having a little faith means moving on. It means knowing that there is something out there. It means that it’s gonna happen; you just have to be patient. And, well, you just might need to change the picture in your head.
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