A blow to my online self-confidence

Let me start this off by stating that I put a link to this blog on my resume. That's right, I actively advertise my "deep," random, and often biased thoughts to those I hope will hire me. When I started this blog, I truly believed that nobody out there really cared about what I had to say. Turns out, potential employers do - I've heard more than once that my interviewer/contact has checked out my blog. Since I know that some employers might see this post, I feel the need to preface the fact that my rant is not directed towards anyone in particular. It's just a general feeling that I've had brewing inside me since day one of my job search.

I think that it's a good thing that I put myself out there for anyone to see; our precious little world is rapidly becoming one filled with Tweeters, Flickr (-ers?), and bloggers. In particular, as I hope to become involved in the creative online industry, it's oh-so-important that I appear to somewhat know what I'm doing with that kind of stuff. Hopefully, that kind of competence is what my minute audience sees when they browse this site.

What I don't understand, though, is the lack of effective communication that I've experienced within this supposedly "2.0" web world. I could probably count on several hands the number of non-responses I have received after various e-mails and LinkedIn messages. When asking for a little advice about a specific job listing, or even just requesting the name of an HR contact from a UM alum, apparently, a short message in return is too lofty an expectation.

The best (read: worst) part about this is that I know these people are out there at their computers. When I get in touch with someone, I do my research. I Google them, check their Twitter feed, and mini-stalk them for a few minutes. So, if these people put themselves out there expecting to be heard and responded to, why not return the favor? It's the 21st century, and the Internet has enabled us to do amazing things when it comes to maintaining contact; it takes me a total of two minutes - tops - to send an e-mail from my BlackBerry. And then there's that feeling in the pit of my stomach that I get after the second go-around in messaging attempts: Is he/she not interested in me? Did he/she forget about me? Usually, I can't decide which outcome is worse.

I understand that, as a prospective entry-level employee, and sometimes a stranger, my needy e-mails are not necessarily high on the totem pole of to-do items for these people. I'm not that important, I get it. I just have a hard time believing that these people weren't once sitting in my chair, hoping for the miracle that is post-graduate employment, in a crappy economy to boot.

This has happened to me after initial, wonderful chats about setting up a phone interview or even a face-to-face interview. The contact relationship begins to bloom, I get excited, and then it dies a sudden death - and I look crazy after sending a third message ("just wanted to know if you were still interested in talking..."). What gives? Get with it, people.

Is "internship" a four-letter word?

A few weeks ago, I had a bunch of phone conversations with this particular company, thanks to an introduction to one of their higher-ups from my mom - yet another reason why she's the shizz. Anyway, all of these chats went pretty well; each person I spoke with seemed cool, and as I spoke to more and more of these employees, I could really see myself becoming a part of this team and what they do.

I'm not so sure that I'd call any of these conversations an "interview" per se. Each phone call lasted no longer than twenty minutes - some of them only ten - and it didn't really appear as though there was an actual position available that these people were looking to fill. Of course, they were all so nice, told me that I'd fit in well with the company, that they would be in touch, blah, blah, blah. But, I wondered, was I being led on?

This reminds me a little bit of sorority rush, where we aren't allowed to tell girls that we'll see them the following week, just in case they don't get invited back to our house (Mean Girls, much?). I'm also reminded of The Bachelor, which I watched last night for the first time thanks to all the roommate hype I endure on a daily basis. In the show, my friend Carrie informed me, contestants vying for the hottie's affection can tell him that they love him, but he is not allowed to say it back until the very end of the show. I wish interviews were like that. I've gotten my hopes up in the past, and as I've written, it's not pretty.

I e-mailed each of my "interviewers" to thank them for their time, and I didn't hear anything for a few weeks. I actually contacted the HR rep who I previously spoke with a few times, wondering whether the company had assessed their staffing needs or not. Time went on.

Finally, the HR lady got back to me, letting me know that although everyone really enjoyed speaking with me, the group was still unsure of their ability to bring on more full-time staff. They'd know more around May, she said, and if I was still available/interested, they'd definitely want to talk again. In the meantime, they are currently hiring summer (paid) interns, and she could set up an interview for that if I was down.

My immediate reaction: disappointment. Obviously I'd prefer a full-time job with the security of continued employment beyond August. I felt a little bit like the girl who was dirty-rushed, told by the older sorority chick that her house cannot wait to see her next round, only to find out that she was not invited back. But was this feeling warranted?

I tried to relax for a sec. True, if I took the interview, it could lead to signing on for yet another internship, only to possibly have to begin the employment search all over again. But, it also could lead to an eventual full-time position after the summer is over.

I had a few questions. One: if I took the interview and hypothetically got the internship, would I still be considered for entry-level positions in May? Her answer was yes. And two: if I took the internship interview, got hired, and was then offered a full-time job either during or prior to the actual internship, could/should I take it? I didn't actually ask her this one. After talking to my mom, we decided that the answer to that one had to be yes as well; as a recent grad, anyone would have to understand that I'm looking for something that will continue to pay the bills full-time. And besides, all of this is assuming that I even get the internship, which might not even happen.

I wrote the woman back and told her that I would be happy to take the internship. Let's face it, this employment search is going to take way, way longer than I originally anticipated. It would be nice to have something cool to fall back on, just in case I still don't have anything full-time by then. An internship can get your foot in the door, and a paid internship is even better. I've come to the realization that I'm not in any position to rule out opportunities or possibilities, no matter what they are. I'm just hoping that things work out eventually, even if an internship delays that satisfaction 'til after the summer.

Happy Valentines Day, peeps!

I've been pretty busy this weekend, hanging out with my valentine and doing absolutely nothing. More later this week on job schtuff. In the meantime, enjoy some V-Day love from artist Phil Hansen.

HBO's plans to document my life...sort of.

Here's something to give me hope during my Winter TV series-break blues (April 13th can't come any sooner!). Rumor has it that HBO is currently producing a new series called Tilda, which will be all about the ubiquitously-described "no holds barred" entertainment blogger chick. Way to swipe a phrase straight from the press release, people.

I'm not entirely sure when this series is set to release, but I have to say, I'm pretty psyched about it. Being a female blogger myself, and always trying to learn from the best about my, ahem, "craft," I'm hoping that this show will be like many of the other HBO original programs that I enjoy - entertaining, but also insightful. Although I'd still definitely say that I'm new at this, I have already learned that there are lots of ups and downs that come with blogging. It will be fun to watch these similar experiences via an unexpected medium for such a subject, rather than simply reading about them on the smaller screen.

When it comes to applications, it's quality over quantity

I already have a New Year's resolution, and for the most part, I'm sticking to it. I got a gym membership (!) and I've actually been using it almost every day, with no sign of stopping anytime soon. I'm giving myself a pat on the back for that one. But the other day, I made another resolution - to try to apply to five jobs every week. To me, this didn't seem like too daunting a task.

I even designated a chunk of time to work on this goal, and nothing else. This can be pretty tough for me sometimes, because more often than not, I tend to let my schoolwork get in the way of my job search. Already, things were looking pretty good. It was a Friday afternoon, I had already visited the gym, and I had a list of saved jobs on my Indeed.com homepage, ready and waiting for me.

But once I began researching these positions, their respective companies, and any current employees that I might be able to network with, I realized that - if done right - this seemingly easy "routine" of applying to a few jobs a week might take longer than I thought. In the few hours that I had set aside for the Employment Effort, I sent a ton of e-mails, LinkedIn messages and invitations to join my network. I added notes to each of my saved listings on Indeed, of who I contacted via what mode of communication, their position, and my relationship to this person (past employer, UM alumnus, etc.) Now what?

Because it is always better to have a direct contact at whatever companies I apply to, I know that it is worth the wait for the (potentially quite few) responses that I will receive. For the time being, the ball isn't in my court anymore. And I'm okay with that. I was even able to set up a few calls about certain positions and/or organizations, although they might only be informational interviews; I'm not sure. If people don't get back to me, I'll probably try again this weekend. If round two is similarly unsuccessful, I'll either try to find some other contacts or just go ahead and apply for those jobs.

Bottom line is, while goals are absolutely important, it's important to make sure these goals are realistic and truly in your best interest. Even though I left the UgLi yesterday feeling completely depressed/unproductive/like a waste of space, I know that all of my communication efforts aren't for nothing. In my opinion, it's way better to go into a job application prepared than to simply pump out copied-and-pasted cover letters and resumes. I think? Hopefully, I'll actually see some results. Stay tuned!

Google alert - friend or foe?

This past Sunday night, the Grammys included lots of fun moments: Beyonce KILLING it on stage, an MJ tribute that made me wish I had seen Avatar just for the 3-D glasses (and also to end my status as the last person on Earth who hasn't seen it), and lots and lots of pretty dresses.

But what I remembered most about the awards ceremony happened even before any of the stars stepped off the red carpet and into the huge venue. In a pre-show interview with Katy Perry (side boob alert?) and Russell Brand on E!, the couple was asked about their recent engagement. Perry admitted that she knew Brand would pop the question sooner rather than later, because, "Unfortunately, I still Google myself sometimes; I saw it on Google alerts."

Even as someone who maintains a hardcore passion for all things web, Perry's self-proclaimed "honest!" claim shook me to the core. What kind of a society do we live in, where the wonderful, life-changing moments in one's life can be tipped off by Google? Granted, I'm not a celebrity, and it's not like people mention me at all in the blogosphere or anything. So, I guess I'm not the prime candidate for an eponymous Google alert, although I can totally see the benefits of the application for business or brand reputation management. Still. Something about this rubs me the wrong way.

I'm a Google lover, not a fighter. And it's possible that whoever mentioned any Brand ring-browsing sighting didn't know that Perry herself would ever see it. To me, this is just another example of how the Internet continues to change how we relate to each other. What's next? Cutting out the middle man and just proposing online all together? Thoughts?

My place as a cog within the great "Machine": turning slowly as of late

It's been a long weekend. Meh.

Actually, that's a lie. I was home in Boston this weekend, which was lovely. A relaxing few days, filled with sleep, a date night or two, and snuggle time with my lil' muffin, Lizzie. And by "lil' muffin," I mean my mom's Teacup Maltese, who she shamelessly dresses up in ridiculous outfits. Aww.

Anyway, although this weekend was relaxing, I still feel like it was pretty busy - squeezing in time with the parents, the boyfriend, etc., in between my (indirect) flights, there and back. Because I had to get up at 6 AM this morning, I'm feeling a little sluggish in the blogging department. However, I thought I'd post this awesome YouTube clip (no, it's not Charlie or my other fav little one eating a pickle/lemon/whatever it is that makes his face so squishy). The beyond creative video is all about how Web 2.0 has revolutionized our society and the way we think, explore, and relate to one another. I promise: it's not boring.

As a blogger, I find a lot of personal relevance within this video. I could go on and on about the implications of this clip, and many people have; I think that Michael Wesch put it out in 2007, and it's generated quite a bit of commentary since then, to say the least. But I'll let you judge it for yourself.