And Then There Was One

I interviewed for the beer bitch position yesterday. Not really the job for me. It's primarily planning and executing parties at various bars and clubs, which sounds fun, but being home at 3 a.m. every night does not. I'm too old, married and unhip for the job and I think the interviewer came to the same conclusion. The 22 year old me would have loved it, the nearly 28 year old me does not. The lady told me they receive 85 applications per week for the job and interview something like 25. I think it's safe to say they will not be calling me for another interview and even if they did I'd probably decline. That means I have only one possible job offer in the works and that's at the PR agency. The woman there didn't give me a time frame so I have no idea when to give up hope. As she said she wants to have someone start working by mid-January I'll assume that someone isn't me if I don't hear from her by early January. I've applied to a couple of other positions, but nothing that I feel confident about. Hopefully a bunch of new jobs will become available after the new year.

My husband and I are making the final move to Tampa this weekend. We drove from Tampa to Beaufort, SC yesterday (6 hours). Today we're driving from Beaufort to Greenville (4 hours). Saturday it's Greenville to Beaufort (4) and Sunday Beaufort to Tampa (6). So many hours on the road! I'll be so happy when we have all of our stuff and our cats in our new apartment. We got Tampa cell phones yesterday so I finally have a local address and phone number. I hope this helps my job search. I've been searching six weeks now.

Saturday

Positions Applied to: 36
Interview Invitations: 3
Direct Rejections: 4
Time Spent Hunting: 36 days

I've been trying not to get over confident about the job interviews so that I don't find myself back at square one should neither opportunity work out. I want to keep cranking out applications and initiate interview invitations rather than risk being without job prospects. A mistake I made in my last major job hunt was to base all of my hopes on one interview and more or less discontinue the application process. It was devastating when I didn't get a job because I usually had nothing else in the works. Lately, I've been having difficulty finding entry-level positions to apply to and I'm hoping it's just the time of year. I've been sending lots of general applications and applying with huge corporations like the Home Shopping Network that I have little hope of impressing. Hopefully, I'll be able to find more promising opportunities after the holidays. Right now I'm just waiting for the beer interview on the 27th and to hear back from the PR lady I interviewed with a few days ago. I sent her a handwritten thank you note, the first I've ever sent. I know applicants are supposed to send one every time but I always thought it was silly or old fashioned. I think I had the wrong idea.

Going Back In Time

Once again, after hours of driving, I'm back in South Carolina after a job interview in Florida. The interview today seemed to go okay, but the woman was a bit intense. As soon as I sat down she handed me five informational handouts, one listing the duties of the position, the others listing the traits of a successful PR person as dictated by some guy who wrote a business textbook. I had to read the information and say whether or not I possessed these traits (I of course said yes) and she then asked a couple of standard questions like "Why PR?" and "Where do you see yourself in five years?" After the Q and A she told me that no one she's interviewed has really stood out (I'm not sure if she included me in that group) and that she is looking for someone with "charisma, presence, moxie," an inquisitive mind (Requirements for Success, Trait 5, Handout 4). I really didn't know how to respond so I just nodded and tried to exude moxie and inquisitiveness. She did say that she liked my varied internship experience, my time in Japan and the way I answered her questions so perhaps there is some hope for this job. I think it would be great experience although I'm sure I'd find the woman a bit intimidating. She said she has to interview two other candidates and will then either choose someone from the current pool or initiate second round interviews. We'll see how it goes. Meanwhile, my other interview for the beer marketing/beer bitch position is a week from tomorrow.

Thankfully, I'm going to become part of the "local talent" next week. After the interview my husband and I looked at a couple of apartments and ended up signing a lease at the same complex we lived in a few years ago. It's where we met actually (on the dock pictured below). We had a great time while we lived there and we've missed it over the years, but never did we think we'd be back. In a way my husband and I feel like we've regressed as we expected to own a home by now, but then I did earn a Master's degree and gain relevant experience in Charleston, not to mention our stints in Japan and Thailand, so it's not like we don't have anything to show for our time away. Plus there's this...

I can certainly think of worse apartment complexes to return to. We move the day after Christmas.

On the Road Again

Positions Applied to: 32
Interview Invitations: 3
Direct Rejections: 4
Time Spent Hunting: 32 days

This afternoon my husband and I are off to Tampa for my interview at the public relations agency. Hopefully I can convince the woman that I'm better than the local talent. While researching the agency I learned that it handles publicity for the Historical Royal Palaces in England. For example, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace and the TOWER OF LONDON! That's no big deal to most people, but I am possibly the biggest English history nerd around. For me, visiting the Tower of London was like visiting Mecca. I have no idea why a small, American PR firm has anything to do with the royal palaces, but I be thrilled to work on that account.

I also got a phone call about another job, so I have another interview in the Tampa area next week. I'll be interviewing for a marketing position with a well-known beer company. The listing did not give much information, but from what I understand I and two or three others would be responsible for the planning and execution of various promotional events. My friend had a similar job for a cigarette company and she was paid very well, got tons of free samples and had a huge budget to work with. The downside is that I'd likely have to spend lots of late hours at bars and clubs and my husband would not be thrilled. Plus, I feel too old and unhip for the club scene these days. Never the less, I'm going to the interview with an open mind.

I've pretty much given up on the Ft. Lauderdale ad agency. My husband more or less has his heart set on Tampa and is talking of looking at apartments while we're down there. If the agency had contacted me when they said they would and offered me the job I would have taken it, but now I feel like I'm being strung along. I did send them an email saying I'd be unavailable by phone for the next two days, but haven't heard anything. Oh well, the job hunting process just wouldn't be complete with a seemingly promising opportunity evaporating into thin air for reasons unknown. Every time I've searched for a job I've had a seemingly great interview, sometimes two, with a company that promises to call and never does.

It's Just Another Mundane Monday

Positions Applied to: 32
Interview Invitations: 2
Direct Rejections: 4
Indirect Rejections (3 weeks with no response): 12
Resumes Currently Floating in the HR Void: 14
Time Spent Hunting: 31 days

I'm beginning to feel discouraged and negative again because the ad agency, of course, hasn't called. I know I said I didn't really expect them to call today, but the longer this goes on the less likely I think anything is going to develop. They've broken two of their own contact deadlines now. I won't be here to answer the phone tomorrow and the next day, due to the Tampa interview, nor will my in-laws. We also don't have a cell phone, so if by some miracle the agency did try to call me in the next day or two there will be no way for them to reach me. I considered sending a message saying I will only be available by email the next two days (and hopefully extract some additional information) but haven't so far. My husband says screw 'em, he would rather live in Tampa anyway, but I need a job and the "interview" seemed so promising! How frustrating! Just what are they doing and why do they keep making contact promises they can't keep?

Need Job, Will Travel

Positions Applied to: 32

Interview Invitations: 2

Direct Rejections: 4

Indirect Rejections (3 weeks with no response): 9

Resumes Currently Floating in the HR Void: 17

Time Spent Hunting: 28 days

Please forgive that last entry. I'm feeling a bit more positive today. While the ad agency never called, one of the women I spoke to sent an email and told me she'd have feedback for me on Monday (hopefully). So the waiting game is to go on a little longer. I won't be surprised if I don't hear anything by Monday, although I do think I'll hear something early next week. Be it good or bad I couldn't say. After meeting and seeing firsthand that I'm not a degenerate, it seemed that the agency people had decided to hire me without going through all of the usual rigmarole, but if that were true why this delay? My guess is that they have to clear it with the director of the account I'd be working on (he was too busy to speak with me the day of the interview) but I'm afraid they're just going to hire a local person for the sake of convenience. They were all so amazed that I drove down to Ft. Lauderdale just for the interview and I don't think they realize that my husband and I don't have qualms about traveling for interviews or relocating immediately.

At least I have the Wednesday interview in Tampa to distract me, although the women there, herald of local talent, also seems to have reservations about my being from out of state. If for some reason both of these agency jobs fall through, my husband and I are definitely moving to Tampa after the holidays, job or no job. Living in South Carolina is putting me at a disadvantage as none of the employers in Charleston have contacted me and Florida employers may see my current out-of-state residency as a reason not to hire, or even contact me. I certainly see why it would be easier for hiring managers to narrow their search to local candidates.

Outsiders Need Not Apply

Positions Applied to: 31
Interview Invitations: 2
Direct Rejections: 4
Time Spent Hunting: 26 days

It's now 4 o'clock and no word from the agency. I suppose there's some hope left for the day, but it's looking grim. Before I left yesterday, I specifically asked them for a response time frame and they repeatedly told me they'd call today. Wankers.

While I was waiting, I sent a couple of follow up emails to the places I applied to nearly three weeks ago. One of them was to the public relations agency I mentioned in my last post. The contact immediately responded and said she'd previously sent a reply and that her message must have been filtered into my junk mail. I checked and there was nothing there. If she sent a reply I never received it. I'm not sure that she did. She went on to say that while I was a viable candidate, the agency would not be flying candidates in for interviews or paying moving expenses and that the Tampa market is overflowing with talent as there are two universities in the area, both with excellent communication programs. I don't know why she thought I assumed they'd be paying my way. In my cover letter, I specifically say that interview travel and relocation will not be a problem. She did say that if I was in the area soon she'd be glad to meet with me, so I sent her an email asking if she was available next week. So we now have an interview on Wednesday, December 19th. Wish me luck against all the local talent!