Post Grad: Job Search Week 1

My mood today is weird.  I feel the need to vent about my frustrations with the week, and I'm also hopeful about what the future holds.  So it leaves me feeling somewhat bi-polar in my attitudes.  My resolution today is that I'm going to take the day to reflect, I'm not going to talk to anyone about hiring me, or send out any more resumes, or cover letters.  It's all about me today, maybe I can find a sense of balance in doing so!

I read What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers 2012 by Richard Bolles this week.  It's pretty awesome, has a ton of helpful advice, even if it is something I've heard before.  The thing that I liked most about it is that it has this neat little exercise that is soooo similar to Gail's HTGaJ class, but it has you put all your strengths and preferences in a flower design (I love flowers).  So I've been working on my flower exercise.  Gail's class is more geared toward finding your professional brand; not necessarily what you like to do, but what you're good at, then the rest of the time is spent learning the ins-and-outs of interviewing and professional writing.  I like this because it focuses on both your internal and external strengths.  After some reflection, I have decided that I want to pursue a career in non-profit management (not sure what type of management yet). I know I want to work with people. I know I want to plan, so maybe back to my project planning idea or project management for non-profit.  I'm sure as I finish my flower I'll know for sure!

I've been taking the advice that so many have given me, and started truly utilizing social media outlets. I really dug in and figured out how to effectively use Twitter.  Even if it does no good as far as searching for jobs right now, I feel that I'm making some valuable contacts with people in the Non-Profit sector.  This will be highly useful later in my career if I do ultimately decide to go that route.

I applied for several jobs with the University.  All of which can be considered along the lines of helping people. My favorite pick, and also the one I'm least likely to get (I think) is a position for Community Liaison through the Ingenuity Center.  In a nutshell, it involves working directly with the community to educate them on the importance of family and the reduction of abuse.  If I conveyed my summary of the work I've done with R.P. correctly, I might have a shot.  In all, including the jobs I applied for with the university, I probably made contact with and/or sent a resume to about 20 different employers.

I'm really excited about Rising Phoenix.  I wish I could do that for the rest of my life, but it doesn't pay.  On Tuesday, my co-chair, who was supposed to attend the House Meeting at the Crisis Center quit two hours before she was supposed to be there.  I feel relieved about her quitting, she was highly unproductive, and caused conflict about every decision that I made for the project.  At the same time, I feel sorry that she quit.  I know that deep down this project is important to her.  She says that it's my fault that she quit, that I'm too controlling; Dr. Wooldridge says that she's only being defensive.  I take that personally.  It is my last intention to control everything in the project, I just want to make sure it's successful.  Since I took over as chair at basically the last possible minute before we got going in December, I feel like I needed to push a little harder.  If I had taken over as lead back in September, it would not be so crucial that I check and double check everything.  I'm not saying this to make myself feel better, I just need to say it.