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.