Hiatus OK

I'm cool with going on hiatus for a while. I suspect I might post occasionally during the next few months, but it certainly won't be regular.

Update: I read through Parachute but didn't do all the exercises. Now I will go through more thoroughly and do them, and really get into this. I knew I would slack for a while working as a clerk at the Shoppe...it's easy to relax for a while and fall into it...but I knew (I know) that it is not a place to be long term...it's just nice to have a small income to cover the essential bills (and that's about all). I have applied for three openings over the course a few weeks...so we'll see. I would like to find a job some way other than answering ads, like contacting a direct choice...Also, I didn't get the job I had hoped for (DTP of translated text) but I do actually understand why. As much as I'm sure I could learn quickly to pick up the programs I don't know, I realize they wanted someone with more recent experience in more programs that I had. Oh well.

Bad Moderator, no cookie.

Sorry for the lack of posting. 2 more weeks 'till I can move in, hopefully things will calm down by then. I was thinking - maybe the holidays isn't the best time to do this either, do you think we should put the blog on hiatus and start fresh at the New Year? We could look for ideas in the meantime. I think that might be the best option for me right now, not that I care if everyone else wants to blog away, but I am not going to be able to keep up with posting regularly I am afraid until after the season. Sound good? Let me know.

chpt 2: using the Internet for job hunting

(the best thing about this blog and reading Parachute: knowing you're not alone) I know! I can never find anything good on Monster or similar websites. The search thingy that suppose to find a match for you never seems to work, it feels like the only thing I get there is sales rep jobs and that is nothing like what I do or say I want to do.

I did find one job online (the latest one I interviewed for) using Yahoo HotJobs, so we'll see how that pans out. Actually, I found my last job from the same place. (It takes forever though to find something that's a good match, but then how many hundreds of people see that ad too, I wonder how many other applicants they get) But before that I used the MN Women's Press and one time got a job through a friend. Also, I check out MN Council of Nonprofits.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 in What Color is Your Parachute is all about applying for jobs online and how this has changed the way job seekers and employers find one another. I don't know about anyone else, but I often find this process so overwhelming. It is hard to get a good search done, and places like Monster.com rarely have anything available in my field?

Has anyone else had bad/good luck with online job searches? Anyone ever landed a job this way?

Chapter 1

I really did read it! I promise not to be so tardy on future chapters. What I really liked about this chapter is that it helps you to define what you are trying to do. Am I looking for a new career? A similar career? Am I looking to change my life? I found that I am engaging in the life-changing job search. I understand, and am now more comfortable with the fact, that this may take a relatively long time to do. The job search that I am doing is a process, not just a job search. I really want to make sure that before I take the leap to a new career that I am prepared, I know what I am getting into, and that I am choosing a new career because I want to rather than that I just don't want to do what I am now. I am willing to make this life change in career steps as well. For example, I am an administrator for a retirement company. My next step to a drastic career change may be something like an administrator in a non-profit agency, then my ending point would be a social service worker in a non-profit agency. The important thing for me to begin doing is defining my skill set and matching it to my next step.

In addition to this, I would like to expand my contacts to include more social service workers. I think that gaining my licensure will assist me in this, as I will then be able to become a member of professional organizations and take part in more seminars, etc. Reading this book has really helped to calm my anxiety, and quell that voice that screams, "what the heck are you doing with your life, lady??"

hopeful, but reserved

So that job that I applied for as mentioned in my last post called me in for an interview...I decided to try and really prep myself, you know reading books about interviewing and selling yourself etc. So I pulled together a portfolio, had some responses ready and went in. And I was way more prepared than the guy was. I got the feeling that he wasn't comfortable doing interviews and had no idea what to ask or say. So I'm really sure how it went. What they do is very, what's the word, exclusive?, so I think not many people can say they have experience doing that. I am going in next week to see the work flow in progress and "shadow" for a half day; basically it's a way for both of us to see if I can and want to do this or not. All the "others" are positives (pay, location, environment, benefits) so we'll see if the actual work is a positive or a negative.

Promises, promises

I really do promise that I will have a synopsis of the first chapter of the parachute book done by Monday. Sorry to keep everyone hanging. J started a new job this week and we are trying to buy a house. I have been looking at non-profit websites, and Washington County officially gave the finger to my resume this week, so there is some progress. (Yes, I consider being rejected progress, it frees up my hopes and wishes to latch on to another prospect). I probably chose a bad time to start this blog, but hearing what other people are doing motivates me, too even if I am not doing much myself right at this moment.

over that line, this time

I finally stepped over the invisible line that was keeping me from applying to a job I bookmarked....like I was saying I have a tendency to look for jobs, bookmark them but take my sweet time actually applying. I think I put too much pressure to have the best resume and cover letter that I don't want to start.

But I decided, ok it's been a while since I've applied and even though I am going to approach my job search differently while I work through What Color Is Your Parachute, I am still going to apply for jobs I see in the "want-ads." So I picked the one that was closest to my last job and whipped up the resume and cover letter. I'm not going to worry about whether I get the job or not, if so that's great, but it was more of an action to get myself moving.

I don't really understand what it that gets me moving and what keeps me from applying. I guess it's the importance I put on each application, as if it's so utterly important that if nothing comes from it, it means that there is something wrong with me (Parachute 2007, pg. 61). I have to get past that but I haven't yet figured out what does get me past....

excuses up the wazzoo

I've got excuses too: on my day off, when I should be job hunting, or calling the contact of an acquaintance to "network", suddenly the apartment needs to be cleaned, laundry put in washers, the cats groomed, groceries shopped for, books returned to library, etc., or reading and writing on blogs...the biggest thing holding me back is myself (plus I hate talking on the phone and hate calling strangers even more).

Writing from Afghanistan?

Just in case anyone is confused, apparently my profile said that I was writing from Afghanistan. Sorry folks! I am writing from the Mid-west, not the Middle East just to be clear.

Excuses

I always feel like there are things in my way of looking for a new job/career path. I am not sure how to make it a priority, you know? I think reading the book "What color is your parachute" and doing job-related exersizes help to bring it to the forfront of my mind.

I did fill out an application for a job in my field, but I haven't heard anything yet, and it has been over a week. Typically not a good sign.

I think that I may begin re-reading the Parachute book as I know that Lisa is as well. I know that it is available from the library and typically there is a copy in the bargain bin at Borders ( the older copy, but the info is relatively the same). If anyone wants to read along, that would be great! I can start in October. So, lets say a chapter a week?

Please forgive me for being silent - speaking of excuses we just found out that the house our apartment is in is being sold from under us. We need to find a house fast, and I am a little anxious (just a pinch) at the moment. Uggh. I swear I could get on this job thing if that annoying life thing would just quit getting in my way!

So it Begins

I have promised to create this Blog, and here it is! ( in progress, anyway). Invites are soon to come!