I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's over! No offense to my five readers, but I never want to write in this blog or a similar blog again. Ever. I got the job I wanted, the one I mentioned in my last post, and I am thrilled to bid good riddance to Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, the daily classifieds, resume and cover letters, interviews and pointless career fairs. Job hunting sucks a big one and I hope to never take a good job, or any job, for granted again.

Here is the final tally:

Applications Submitted: 66
Interview Invitations: 5
Direct Rejections: 9 (the others didn't respond at all)
Time Spent Hunting: 81 days

I found the job I got in the Sunday classifieds and almost didn't apply because I didn't have experience in a certain kind of software. I think I got an interview because I was one of the first to apply and I think I got the job because I took a lot of time on the editing test, (the manager said everyone bombed it but me) and because an employee gave me a helpful hint. I will have to buy that woman a beer someday. I still maintain that finding a job depends a lot on luck, timing and connections. If I were to give anyone advice I'd say apply, apply, apply and try to keep a positive attitude. I know better than anyone how difficult that can be. I'd also say don't bother with career fairs. Before the woman called me today, my husband and went to our third career fair and it was just as big a waste of time as the previous two. In my experience, most of the employers at career fairs will tell you to check their company website and apply online. A few are annoyingly smug and will say they don't have anything for you. Why bother dressing up and driving downtown to hear something you already know? I know many people will probably disagree with me, but that is the experience my husband and I have had. The woman called at a nearly perfect time to tell me I had the job. I was feeling so frustrated and low. The only way it could have been better is if she'd called at the career fair itself.

Wish me luck with my new job. I am going to bust my ass to pay back the hiring manager for giving me a chance. I told her that. Perhaps I was over excited but enthusiasm rarely hurts. I start Monday at 7:30. Thank god!!!!!!

The Job Hunting Lottery

The interview, like most interviews I've had this time around, seemed to go well. The manager didn't ask any of the typical interview questions. She just explained the duties of the position, asked if I was interested and had me take an editing test. I spent a lot of time and attention on the test, as I've had trouble with editing in the past, so hopefully I didn't miss anything (or too much). After talking with me, the manager sent another employee into the room for me to speak with and the employee gave me a hint about the test. The test was in the form of a letter and the employee told me to change the date. Most people (and I would have made the same mistake) assume the letter is an old sample and leave the date alone. When I handed the test back to the manager she was all impressed, saying something like "I've interviewed 25 pepole and you're the only one to catch the date!" I felt guilty, but how could I not change the date after the employee went out of her way to give me a hint? I did accidently write 2007 instead of 2008 so maybe that will even things out. The manager told me she hoped to make a decision by the end of the week (which would have been Friday) but I haven't heard anything yet. I am too hopeful about this job and more anxious than I've been about the others. I really want it because it's in a field I'm interested in, the pay is far higher than I expected and the company is laid back. My heart skipped a beat when I heard the phone ring this morning, but it was a call for my husband. All hope is not lost yet. Tomorrow my husband and I will trek to Career Fair #3.

This morning I got a completely unexpected call from a local theme park about a job I applied for on January 10th. I have an interview with them this Wednesday. I was very surprised because an HR person there sent me a rejection email not even a week ago. HR Anthony said no, HR Becky says maybe. Meanwhile, the television people still haven't called and they've changed their application closing date yet again. It's Friday, February 8th now. Are they trying to collect as many applications as possible? I've given up on them. The interview invitations have been so sparodic. Sometimes it seems potential employers just throw a batch of resumes in a bucket and choose who to interview at random. Getting a job is like winning the sweepstakes.

An Interview!

I have a job interview tomorrow! Hooray! It's for a company I applied with yesterday. I saw their ad in the Tampa Tribune classifieds and applied on a whim. I almost didn't apply because I was worried about my lack of graphic design experience. This will be my first interview in a month. I did a lot of sulking and fretting during that dry spell. Let's hope the fourth time's a charm.

I followed up via email with the tv station lady, and she told me they are just starting the interview process and she expects I'll get a phone call soon. According to their website, the closing date for applications is February 1st. I find the whole thing kind of weird. Her emailing weeks after I first applied to see if I'm still interested and then calling to say they will be calling for an interview, but then not calling. However, I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they're just busy. I won't be surprised if I never hear from them though. Just a feeling I have.

At 2 months, 2 weeks the tallies are currently:

Applications Submitted: 61
Interview Invitations: 4

To be continued......

Never Was a Tale More Filled With Woe

The job hunting woes continue. I'm stuck! I haven't had any interview offers since December. My phone sits silently in my purse. My email account receives nothing but crapola job alerts from CareerBuilder and Monster. The wall of silence is maddening. I've reworked my resume and my cover letter, but no one is responding. It's very frustrating and disheartening. I check Monster, HotJobs, CareerBuilder and similar sites weekly, if not daily. I've saved the career opportunity pages of dozens of local companies in a favorites folder and check for new positions daily. I've gone to a career fair. I've put the word out about my job hunt to the few people I know but nothing has developed. Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! I don't know what else to do.

(where all of my resumes end up)

In my worst moments I'm jealous of everyone working in my desired field. I wonder why they're successful when I'm not. I wonder why the hell I even bothered to get a degree, much less two, when neither appears to be doing any good. I wonder why I spent so much time working for free at three internships when no employers take notice. Hell, I even applied for an entry-level job at one of the places I interned (twice!) and both times they refused to even interview me! I hate feeling jealous and bitter, but job hunting brings out the worst in me.

The only thing I haven't really done is network. I know how important it is to network and that the old saying 'it's not what you know, but who you know' is absolutely true. Unfortunately I don't know anyone in my desired field, and I'm not particularly good at mingling with strangers. I feel embarrassed asking friends and acquaintances to pass my resume along and the prideful side of me wants to get a job completely on my own. I've only have made a small effort to network. I asked a former coworker if she knew of any jobs and this inquiry lead to another former coworker's husband submitting my resume to his HR person. Unfortunately it was for a position in which I have no interest or applicable skills. A couple of other loose (very loose) acquaintances have offered to pass my resume along to people they know, but I have yet to get their contact information and follow up. Mainly because I don't know them very well and find the whole thing embarrassing. I need to get over that.

From this point on I'm going to make more of an effort to network, even though I hate it and had hoped to secure a job based solely on my own merits. I'm scheduled to begin volunteer work at an animal shelter next month, so maybe I'll meet a contact there. I'm also going to have to swallow my pride and follow up with the acquaintances who may or may not know someone. I'd like to join the local PRSA (Public Relations Society of America), but the membership fees for the national and local chapters add up to a few hundred dollars and must be paid up front. I simply can't afford that right now. Any other ideas?

Of course, all of this would be moot if the television station HR lady would just call to schedule an interview already so that I can wow her and be hired. She said they would begin the hiring process after a big event on the 18th. The Bitter Betty voice in my head is telling me that even if I do wow her in an interview, a board member's sister's cousin's daughter's friend is going to get the job regardless of his/her qualifications. Betty's friends, Conceited Cathy and Delusional Dorothy, suggested that I didn't get the PR agency job because the successful candidate (now pictured on the agency website) probably got the job because she somehow knew the woman or went to the same university. Damn networking!

Happy Anniversary

Ladies and gentleman, as of today I've been job hunting for two months. So what is the tally you ask? Well.....

Positions Applied to: 53
Interview Invitations: 3
Time Spent Hunting: 61 days!

I don't know if my tallies are good or bad, normal or abnormal. 53 seems like a lot of applications for only 3 interviews. The only new thing to report is that the HR lady at the TV station called to tell me that she would be calling me for an interview sometime next week. I think it's good that she emailed me to see if I was still interested in the job and good that she called to tell me she would be calling in the future, but they relisted the job on the site so who knows how many other people will be applying. I haven't heard from any other prospective employers other than random sales recruiters who found my resume on hotjobs or what not. I am not interested in selling insurance policies. Tomorrow my husband and I are going to a career fair.

Tomorrow Is Another Day

Well, I got an email from the PR lady today. I didn't get the job. Ten minutes after that email I got a generic rejection from another company I'd applied with. The classic "although your background is impressive, we are pursuing other candidates for interviews at this time." Awesome. As you may have noticed, I tend to get a bit insecure and negative when facing rejection. I tend to have pity parties where I tell myself I'm never going to get a job, much less one I want, because everyone else is more qualified/suited/connected/personable/etc. than me. Thankfully, the pity parties generally don't last long. I'm going to try to be more positive this time around. I'm still searching for jobs and applying daily so hopefully another opportunity will become available soon. I thought the HR lady at the televison station would email today, but so far I haven't received anything. I actually found the rejection emails when I was looking for one from her. Oh well, maybe tomorrow. Will tomorrow be the day? That's my adapted Monster slogan.

Update

Not much new to report. Still looking for a job. No new interview invitations as yet. No news about the PR position. I haven't checked my mail since I've been in Tampa, but I expect to receive a rejection letter from Anheuser Busch soon. I did receive an email today from the HR person at a television station in reference to a job I applied to weeks ago, November 24th to be exact. The position I applied to had been filled but has since reopened and the woman wanted to know if I'm still interested. I am of course interested, so hopefully I'll be able to interview soon. I think it's promising that she remembered me and thought to contact me when the position became available. Hopefully, I can scoop up the job before they relist it and start the hiring process all over again.

Positions Applied to: 41
Interview Invitations: 3
Direct Rejections: 4
Time Spent Hunting: 49 days