Where I've been, and where I'm going

One last "Hail to the Victors" at graduation

Guess what! I'm back! In fact, I didn't really go anywhere - neither did this blog, figuratively speaking, but that's besides the point. So, so much has been going on over these last few weeks (months? has it really been that long?) that I really have been too busy to blog, and seriously, that's the truth. And you know what? I'm not at all apologizing for this. My lost blogging minutes were spent studying for finals, applying for jobs, and doing absolutely nothing with my best friends while we were all actually in the same place. Oh, and I also watched President Obama deliver my commencement speech as I became a college graduate. NBD.

Here's some actual news: I got the internship! You know, the one I flew to New York to interview for. I was quite hesitant to take this position, since I'm basically getting paid nothing and that city ain't cheap; furthermore, although it's been hinted multiple times that I could get a full-time offer after the summer, this by no means is a guarantee. For type-A moi, this is no good. I want the security of an actual job, and I've been working my ass off to get one all year. Is that so much to ask for?

Apparently, it is. Although I did accept the internship I have continued to interview at other places, because I really do believe one should always keep his/her options open. I'm not sure if I'd take another job at this point, since I've already settled on the idea of this internship in New York, but you never know. Anyway, I spent 3 hours (!) at this one digital marketing agency the other day. Everyone seemed totally awesome, and I'm pretty sure they liked me back. Turns out, they did like me, but I guess not enough to actually offer me an entry-level position. "We do have a great internship, though." Ugh.

I've also been interviewing with an educational publishing company right here in Boston. Like I said, I've already wrapped my head around the idea of being in New York for this summer and possibly beyond, but, I have to admit, I'm really warming up to the concept of being in Boston. Maybe it's because I just found out that two of my best friends will be here after they graduate. Maybe it's because although he's looking for jobs in New York (anyone know of any open i-banking analyst positions?), my boyfriend might still be in Boston. Or, maybe it's just because I bought some really cute shoes on Newbury St. the other day. Whatever.

Bottom line is, why limit myself? Although I absolutely love New York City and I do hope I wind up there, I shouldn't consider it the be-all-end-all of locations to live my life in. That decision will be made - when the time comes - based upon the job opportunities that arise, and what will truly be best for me and my career. Surprisingly, I'm okay with not knowing exactly what's next. On deck for my more immediate future plans: Going to New York tomorrow to look for summer apartment rentals, trying to read Eclipse before the next Twilight movie comes out (sorry, Vaness), and enjoying the brisket my mom is cooking tonight in honor of the whole family back together.

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.

The real exclusivity of New York City?

Unless I'm already from New York, do I have any chance at working in the city/becoming BFF with Bethany Frankel in my spare time?

So, as promised, I finally got started on some applications while I've been home for break. I've probably applied to about six positions total - not nearly as many as I planned on, but here's why:

After much networking on my ever-trustworthy LinkedIn, I've been able to talk to several people about various positions I plan to apply for, as well as the companies themselves. Ideally, I try to contact University of Michigan alumni, and they have all been unexpectedly nice. If I can't find an alumnus at that particular company, I try to get in touch with those who are members of LinkedIn groups I belong to, or who are also connected to a connection of mine.

Anyway, after receiving a wonderful response back from a UM alumnus, filled with lots of advice, one recommendation stuck out to me, because I had already heard it a few times before. This woman told me that, if I plan to apply to jobs in New York City (which I definitely do), I better have a New York address written on my resume. Otherwise, out-of-state resumes will be ignored 99% of the time, no matter how qualified the applicant.

Now, as you know, I hail from Boston, so if need be, I could honestly hop on a BoltBus at the drop of a hat to get to NYC for an interview or to start a job. My grandparents also have an apartment in Queens that I could crash at while I search for apartments - although that is definitely a last resort. So, while I'm home in Boston at least, this alumnus' warning isn't too much of an issue for me. In these tough times, I can honestly understand why companies don't want to waste their time (or money) on applicants who would need to relocate. There are probably thousands of equally qualified candidates right there in New York.

The real question is: for these New York City jobs that I apply to, does it make sense for me to list my grandparent's New York address on my resume? This would show that relocating would not be a problem for me. While this alumnus told me that another option could be stating in my cover letter that I could relocate immediately or come out for an interview at my own expense, that doesn't sound nearly as marketable as advertising locality, right? What do you guys think?

The calm before the (application) storm

Just wanted to wish everyone (all maybe-five of you who read this blog) a happy holidays out there. It's good to be home, and to finally have a break from all the school work that has really gotten in the way of my job search. My new years resolution? To finally get crackin' on this process. Yeah, I've applied for a few things here and there, mostly because those positions had early deadlines. But many place I'm interested in haven't even started hiring yet, and maybe won't until even later.

This next semester will be a little bit easier in terms of workload and schedule, so hopefully I'll be able to make some progress. At least for now, I'm going to relax, sit back, and watch lots of Jersey Shore. Once I've had some R&R over the weekend, I plan to get to work, and of course, post any news.

The job market today: sour, but also sweet

Related to what I said yesterday about getting your friends and family involved in the job search resource hunt, my friend Ali pointed me to this link this morning, subject field: "thought you might find this interesting :)".

The page consists of a review for the recently-released documentary, Lemonade, detailing the paths of several individuals recently let go from their jobs in the advertising industry. Specifically, Phil Johnson highlights how the advertising community rallied around the project, celebrating the creative abilities of those involved (or not, anymore), in their industry. While I'm not directly involved in the advertising world, I think that this movie could still be pretty damn inspiring, conveying that we have the potential to lead successful lives within more than one career. Our jobs can't define us, because if we lose these jobs, we would have nothing left; Lemonade illustrates this. There's other stuff out there that matters, regardless of career path. Tonight, that stuff consists of Chinese food and dancing.

As the movie is playing in Cambridge, I'd definitely like to see it when I return home for December break. Oh, and by the way, everyone should check out the blog that Ali contributes to, which covers all sorts of sports from a female perspective!