It's spring in the northeast which means that although we finally have more daylight, the days are now mostly wet, grey, and muddy, with the occasional warm and sunny tease of summer. Today is no exception. It has been raining for the past couple of days and the gloominess wears heavy on one's motivation and mental state, especially when unemployed. Even the dog has no interest in getting out of bed! It also doesn't help to be waiting for word about another round of interviews for the perfect job. Unemployment, coupled with dreary weather, and being "this close" to getting a new job, makes for the perfect storm of anxiety. It's like waiting for the phone to ring after a really great date; you need to find things to occupy your time so you don't sit and stare at the phone, willing it to ring. Or in this case, willing that all-important email to appear in your inbox.
Besides the usual job hunt, the daily challenge of unemployment has been to keep busy. Cleaning and laundry will only take you so far, and let's be honest, who really wants to spend time cleaning when there is so much to watch On Demand? I realized early on that I needed to limit my television viewing during the day otherwise I get sucked into marathons of "Keeping Up with the Kardashian's" and before I know it, my husband is home, it's time for dinner, and I've accomplished nothing all day. So one thing I've found helpful is to continue scheduling my day in my planner. While I no longer have staff meetings or training sessions, I still have things I want to accomplish each day and I find I'm more likely to do something if it's written down instead of just thinking to myself that I should do it. Plus, I'm a list maker and the sense of accomplishment I get from checking off an item on my to-do list is HUGE.
I won't say there aren't days when I'm more lax, shall we say, with the scheduling. You can't be regimented every minute of every day, for goodness sake. However for the most part, it does help with motivation and a sense of accomplishment, even on days when it's pouring and all I want to do is escape reality with a good book or a marathon of guilty pleasure t.v.
Now, where did I put the remote?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Be Prepared
I recently got a bit of a wake-up call in the job hunting process. It was a typical Thursday morning and I was sitting on my couch having some coffee, still in my pajamas since it was just 9 a.m. I was looking through the job postings which magically appear each day in my inbox and decided to apply for a position with a consulting firm in Harvard Square that looked really interesting. The posting was through a staffing agency in Boston and I applied knowing that if my resume made the cut, I would be getting a call from an overly-eager recruiter hoping to fill the job as fast as he could and collect his commission. I swear on my dog's life, not 15 minutes after I hit the "submit" button, I received a call from the aforementioned eager beaver. He told me how much he loved my resume and that he wanted me to come in and meet with him and a few of his colleagues. At 12:30 p.m. That same day. Holy cow! Obviously I said it would not be a problem, told him I would see him in a few hours, and promptly hung up the phone and raced upstairs to get ready.
Now, I live in southern New Hampshire. For those of you not familiar with the area, I'm about 40 miles north of Boston. Not only did I have to shower, shampoo, and shine, but I also had to get a stack of resumes together, print off directions to the staffing office, and figure out how I was going to get to Boston (express bus or drive). I also needed to factor in the time it would take to get into the city depending upon which mode of transportation I chose. Not wanting to be in a complete panic until absolutely necessary, I waited to check the bus schedule until I was ready to go. Naturally, I had just missed the one bus that would get me into Boston before 12:30, so I was forced to drive. Luckily, I knew the area fairly well, even with all of the Big Dig changes down there. I knew exactly where I needed to be and where I could park once I got there. I left the house with plenty of time to spare, got parked and situated in Boston, and even had time for an iced green tea at the Starbucks across the street from the staffing agency (priorities, right?). The meetings with the recruiters went well. They faxed my resume over to the client straight away and told me to expect a call later that afternoon regarding an interview.
Luckily, the timing worked out for this particular situation. However, my point with this post is that after all of the rushing around I did that morning, wouldn't it be better to take the Boy Scout motto to heart and just be prepared first thing each morning in the event a situation like this comes up again? It would certainly be worth it to actually be ready when the phone rang, instead of spending the time getting ready and then trying to make it to the appointment on time. I thought this was a brilliant idea and vowed right then and there to do just that. And I did...for the next couple of days. Since I haven't received another call like that, it's been a bit like "out of sight, out of mind." What's the point if no one's calling, you know?
I will say that I haven't gone back to my old ways completely. I definitely don't get ready everyday as if I have an interview, but I do get up and get going, doing things around the house to keep me busy until that phone call comes in. And when it does, I know I'll be ready.
Now, I live in southern New Hampshire. For those of you not familiar with the area, I'm about 40 miles north of Boston. Not only did I have to shower, shampoo, and shine, but I also had to get a stack of resumes together, print off directions to the staffing office, and figure out how I was going to get to Boston (express bus or drive). I also needed to factor in the time it would take to get into the city depending upon which mode of transportation I chose. Not wanting to be in a complete panic until absolutely necessary, I waited to check the bus schedule until I was ready to go. Naturally, I had just missed the one bus that would get me into Boston before 12:30, so I was forced to drive. Luckily, I knew the area fairly well, even with all of the Big Dig changes down there. I knew exactly where I needed to be and where I could park once I got there. I left the house with plenty of time to spare, got parked and situated in Boston, and even had time for an iced green tea at the Starbucks across the street from the staffing agency (priorities, right?). The meetings with the recruiters went well. They faxed my resume over to the client straight away and told me to expect a call later that afternoon regarding an interview.
Luckily, the timing worked out for this particular situation. However, my point with this post is that after all of the rushing around I did that morning, wouldn't it be better to take the Boy Scout motto to heart and just be prepared first thing each morning in the event a situation like this comes up again? It would certainly be worth it to actually be ready when the phone rang, instead of spending the time getting ready and then trying to make it to the appointment on time. I thought this was a brilliant idea and vowed right then and there to do just that. And I did...for the next couple of days. Since I haven't received another call like that, it's been a bit like "out of sight, out of mind." What's the point if no one's calling, you know?
I will say that I haven't gone back to my old ways completely. I definitely don't get ready everyday as if I have an interview, but I do get up and get going, doing things around the house to keep me busy until that phone call comes in. And when it does, I know I'll be ready.
P.S. I did have an interview with the consulting firm the very next day. Luckily for me, it was a phone interview.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Mastering the Art of Reinvention
I love the movie "Julie and Julia." Not only for all of the wonderful French food or because Meryl Streep is absolutely brilliant as Julia Child, but because the heart of the story is about reinventing yourself. Both Julie Powell and Julia Child are at a crossroads. Julie needs something to take her mind off her miserable government job and Julia needs something to occupy her time in Paris while her husband, Paul, is at work. After a little soul searching, and trial and error, they both figure it out and it changes their lives forever.
I, too, am feeling at a crossroads in my professional life. Well, as much as you can be at a crossroads when you don't actually have a job. Anyway, several times throughout this period of unemployment, I've thought about switching careers and doing something that I really love. Or at least something that I really think I'd like. I'm once again at that point. After several interviews for basically the same job I've had my entire working life (none of which have panned out), I feel it's time to go in another direction. But I'm a bit stuck as to how to do that.
They say "do what you love and the money will follow." Personally, I think whoever said this probably had a trust fund or a wealthy spouse to support them while they figured out exactly what it was they loved doing. Unfortunately, I have neither so I need to be a little more creative, or at least realistic. You would think being unemployed is the perfect time to plot out your next move. While the time is definitely there to research careers and try to find your passion, if you need a job, your focus needs to be on getting a job. And that usually means finding a job like the one you just had because it's what you know how to do right now. You see - rock/hard place.
Since I don't have the luxury of trying things on the way Julia did when she was in Paris, I think my only option is to follow Julie Powell's example and pursue my passion while I already have a job.
Now, about that job...
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Before and After
When I was working, as I'm sure a lot of you can attest to, there were things I could get away with not doing (or pay someone to do for me) to make life more convenient. You know, all of the things you don't have time for during the week or don't want to do during your free time on the weekends? Well here, in no particular order, are a few things I am doing now that I'm unemployed that I rarely did when I was working:
1. Watch "The View." Scoff if you will but those ladies have something to say. The First Amendment at it's finest. And really, who doesn't love Whoopi?
2. Take the dog for a daily walk. He was in daycare when I was working. I paid someone else to tire him out.
3. Hit Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts as a treat instead of a habit. Peppermint Mocha Lattes taste better when you don't have them everyday.
4. Spend time at the public library where the books are...wait for it...FREE!
5. Cook dinner every night. We're not talking gourmet meals but it's not take out, either.
I originally began this post as a look at all of the things I am forced to do now that I don't have a paycheck; things I can no longer afford to delegate and therefore have to do myself. However, after reviewing the list and thinking about my days now, I realize that these items aren't sacrifices at all. They have been a way for me to get back to basics and not use my lack of time as an excuse to rush through life. I quite enjoy bonding with Duncan over fresh air and random chipmunk sightings. And eating at home means more time to experiment in the kitchen. I'm happy to say that I can now cook a pretty mean pot roast...just ask my husband.
That said, even with all of the free time in the world, I still do not want to clean my house. I would gladly pay someone else to do it for me. That would be money well spent and it would make me really, really happy.
A girl can dream, right?
1. Watch "The View." Scoff if you will but those ladies have something to say. The First Amendment at it's finest. And really, who doesn't love Whoopi?
2. Take the dog for a daily walk. He was in daycare when I was working. I paid someone else to tire him out.
3. Hit Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts as a treat instead of a habit. Peppermint Mocha Lattes taste better when you don't have them everyday.
4. Spend time at the public library where the books are...wait for it...FREE!
5. Cook dinner every night. We're not talking gourmet meals but it's not take out, either.
I originally began this post as a look at all of the things I am forced to do now that I don't have a paycheck; things I can no longer afford to delegate and therefore have to do myself. However, after reviewing the list and thinking about my days now, I realize that these items aren't sacrifices at all. They have been a way for me to get back to basics and not use my lack of time as an excuse to rush through life. I quite enjoy bonding with Duncan over fresh air and random chipmunk sightings. And eating at home means more time to experiment in the kitchen. I'm happy to say that I can now cook a pretty mean pot roast...just ask my husband.
That said, even with all of the free time in the world, I still do not want to clean my house. I would gladly pay someone else to do it for me. That would be money well spent and it would make me really, really happy.
A girl can dream, right?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Performance Anxiety
Last week I had an interview. I submitted my resume about two weeks earlier for this job and was quite surprised when I received a call from one of their recruiters. My initial surprise wasn't at having this particular company call me (although that was pretty cool), but the fact that I received a call at all. It feels as if I've been averaging one call for every 25-30 resumes I submit, and those calls don't always lead to an interview.
So the recruiter rattles off the details of the when and where, how the day will go, etc. Unfortunately, the part of our discussion that I choose to focus on is not what time I need to be there and who I will be meeting with but that the interview will be casual dress. I'm sorry, what? A casual interview? What does that mean? I know the company has a casual dress code but this is an interview. You can't dress casually for an interview, even if the company dress code is casual. You'll look like you don't care enough to dress up for an interview if you are casual. And what exactly is their definition of casual? Khaki's and a button down? A pantsuit instead of a skirt suit? Definitely not jeans, although I'm sure people there do wear jeans to work on a daily basis. I wanted to show them that I was serious about the job and the interview, but I also wanted to show them some of my personality, maybe a pop of color or a cute bag or something. Normally the dress code for an interview wouldn't have put me into such a tail spin - you dress up for interviews and play it straight. However, because of this particular company, I really wanted to do well, show that I am a team player, and that I fit in with their culture. Apparently, all of my senses seemed to have left me at the exact same moment. After debating for about 15 minutes (no lie) what exactly "casual" means to them, I sent an email off to my outplacement contact to see if she had any advice. Of course this didn't rattle her one bit, she's a professional. She suggested I wear a pantsuit because it can be dressed up or down with jewelry and shoes. She suggested flats, simple jewelry, and a shell that's not too fancy. Okay, I thought. I can do this. I took a deep breath and picked out the perfect interview outfit...in my head.
Fast forward to the day before the interview. I try on the outfit I had planned on but something's not right. What the heck? The jacket's too tight? How can that be? I know I haven't worn work clothes for the last three months but come on. Then I remembered by new obsession...Pumpkin Spice Frappachinos! Damn you, Starbucks and your seasonal favorites! And your friendly baristas who ask with a smile, "Would you like to upgrade to a Venti for only 50 cents more?" Of course I would because who wouldn't want twice as much pumpkin spicy goodness for only 50 cents more? Oh, and I'd like it light (to cut down on the calories, you know) but could you add a little dollop of whipped cream on top? Seriously? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of light? UGH! So once again I'm in a panic that I don't have anything to wear to this interview that is tomorrow. I have to go shopping. But I'm unemployed so I can't go crazy and spend a lot of money on a whole new suit. Although, if I get this job, the money spent on the new outfit for the interview will have been perfectly well spent and justified, right? I decide that in order to save money, I will just buy a jacket to go with the black pants that I already own.
So I head out with what I feel is a perfectly clear-cut mission: buy a jacket in black or some similarly subtle pattern (like Houndstooth) that will go with black pants. No problem. Except that when I get to the store, there are way more choices jumping out at me than I expect and I feel completely ambushed. After a frantic call to my girlfriend ("I thought you had your outfit picked out last week?" Can we please focus here?), I am back on track. I decide on a light grey suit jacket that fits perfectly and will look great with my black pants (not to mention my red hair). I notice that it comes with a skirt and think that in the event that I completely wow them and they want me back to meet with others in the company, I better get the skirt, too. So now, contrary to my original thinking, I have a new suit.
The next morning as I'm getting ready for my big day (at an ungodly hour, I might add), I am pleased with my outfit choice and think that all of yesterday's drama was probably unnecessary (just ask my bff). I look professional, confident, and ready to wow them. The interview goes well and I leave there with a good feeling. See, I should have gone with my initial instinct in the first place. Live and learn.
So how did everything turn out? Check out my previous post.
So the recruiter rattles off the details of the when and where, how the day will go, etc. Unfortunately, the part of our discussion that I choose to focus on is not what time I need to be there and who I will be meeting with but that the interview will be casual dress. I'm sorry, what? A casual interview? What does that mean? I know the company has a casual dress code but this is an interview. You can't dress casually for an interview, even if the company dress code is casual. You'll look like you don't care enough to dress up for an interview if you are casual. And what exactly is their definition of casual? Khaki's and a button down? A pantsuit instead of a skirt suit? Definitely not jeans, although I'm sure people there do wear jeans to work on a daily basis. I wanted to show them that I was serious about the job and the interview, but I also wanted to show them some of my personality, maybe a pop of color or a cute bag or something. Normally the dress code for an interview wouldn't have put me into such a tail spin - you dress up for interviews and play it straight. However, because of this particular company, I really wanted to do well, show that I am a team player, and that I fit in with their culture. Apparently, all of my senses seemed to have left me at the exact same moment. After debating for about 15 minutes (no lie) what exactly "casual" means to them, I sent an email off to my outplacement contact to see if she had any advice. Of course this didn't rattle her one bit, she's a professional. She suggested I wear a pantsuit because it can be dressed up or down with jewelry and shoes. She suggested flats, simple jewelry, and a shell that's not too fancy. Okay, I thought. I can do this. I took a deep breath and picked out the perfect interview outfit...in my head.
Fast forward to the day before the interview. I try on the outfit I had planned on but something's not right. What the heck? The jacket's too tight? How can that be? I know I haven't worn work clothes for the last three months but come on. Then I remembered by new obsession...Pumpkin Spice Frappachinos! Damn you, Starbucks and your seasonal favorites! And your friendly baristas who ask with a smile, "Would you like to upgrade to a Venti for only 50 cents more?" Of course I would because who wouldn't want twice as much pumpkin spicy goodness for only 50 cents more? Oh, and I'd like it light (to cut down on the calories, you know) but could you add a little dollop of whipped cream on top? Seriously? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of light? UGH! So once again I'm in a panic that I don't have anything to wear to this interview that is tomorrow. I have to go shopping. But I'm unemployed so I can't go crazy and spend a lot of money on a whole new suit. Although, if I get this job, the money spent on the new outfit for the interview will have been perfectly well spent and justified, right? I decide that in order to save money, I will just buy a jacket to go with the black pants that I already own.
So I head out with what I feel is a perfectly clear-cut mission: buy a jacket in black or some similarly subtle pattern (like Houndstooth) that will go with black pants. No problem. Except that when I get to the store, there are way more choices jumping out at me than I expect and I feel completely ambushed. After a frantic call to my girlfriend ("I thought you had your outfit picked out last week?" Can we please focus here?), I am back on track. I decide on a light grey suit jacket that fits perfectly and will look great with my black pants (not to mention my red hair). I notice that it comes with a skirt and think that in the event that I completely wow them and they want me back to meet with others in the company, I better get the skirt, too. So now, contrary to my original thinking, I have a new suit.
The next morning as I'm getting ready for my big day (at an ungodly hour, I might add), I am pleased with my outfit choice and think that all of yesterday's drama was probably unnecessary (just ask my bff). I look professional, confident, and ready to wow them. The interview goes well and I leave there with a good feeling. See, I should have gone with my initial instinct in the first place. Live and learn.
So how did everything turn out? Check out my previous post.
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