A Little Whine and a Tip

It's been a quite a discouraging day of applying for the perfect job. For starters, it's at my alma matar, which I love, with people I know, in a department I completely embodied as an undergrad. I spent 4 hours perfecting my application, resume, and cover letter, only to recieve a message at the end of all of it saying "Thank you for you interest in this position. Based upon your response to the supplementary application questionnaire, you do not meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Please do not let this discourage you from applying for other positions that interest you."

Translation: Sorry, on the question where it asked if you have a master's or are enrolled in a master's program, you clicked 'no'. So nope, we're not even gonna look at your application.

Let's just say, a great amount of patience is the reason I still have a computer to post this blog update on. It was almost out the window.

At any rate, that's not what today's post is about. No friends, instead I am here with a fUN-employment tip! That's right, a fun thing to keep you busy when you aren't banging your head against the wall of jobs that you can't get!

So here it is: In So-Cal there are a million aspiring photographers, because there are so many pretty people and things to take pictures of. Chances are, you're pals with one of these friendly photogs. Enter fUN-employment tip- Trade your photographer friend a free meal (or other legal service) in exchange for having them do your pictures. It's fun, you get dressed up, you pick a cool location, they get food and experience, and it's free!

Also, if you live in the LA/or Hollywierd scene like some of us RamenDiary gals, they're asking you to send a headshot with almost all of your resumes these days. While I personally think it's bizarre to submit a full body shot of myself to be able to sell vacuum cleaners, or make a venti chai latte, you're one step ahead of the game if you've already got some great professional pictures on hand.

Best of all, if they're really good, or you're really good-looking, maybe one of you gets famous!

Word to the wise though, be careful how much creative direction your artsy photographer friend gets with the pics. I recently vetoed a request to do a shoot wearing fishnets. Remember, pictures say a thousand words. And usually, pictures of you in fishnets don't say the words "I'm responsible, smart and hardworking, so hire me."

~JR

Temping: An Update

I'm going to go out on a limb here and make a blanket statement:

Although somewhat flattering, it's never a good thing when you go in to an intervew with your potential new bosses, and before you can even make yourself comfortable, they look at your resume and say "Um, you know you're incredibly overqualified for this, right?"

GEEZ! Thanks, but wouldn't it be nice if other people thought so, too?

So no, call me a snob, but I think I'll pass on the secluded-office-secretary-in-a-cubicle-for-no-pay-and-even-less-human-interaction biznass this time.
...especially because it turns out that benefits and retirement plans don't begin until you've been there for a year.

ohthefrustration.

LC

Tempity temp temp Temping?

At what point, dear friends, do you take a filler job to wait for your dream job to pan out? I mean, it may not be optimal to manage global calendars at a law office for the next ten years, but what if I were to take such a job in the hopes of saving up for rent while I look for the real deal? Hmmm? What about if it offers full benefits and 401k? Working retail isn't exactly offering THAT, or paid vacay.

Come on, career, happen already... Or I might just do somethin' craaaaazy!

-LC

ONE MORE MONTH

I have been avoiding a certain conversation with my dad for months now. The end result of this conversation could potentially make or break me, offer me a wide variety of opportunities, save me from wanting to kill my mom, save me from wanting to kill myself...essentially, important.

The big question? WHO is paying for May's rent?!...My aunt and uncle pay my rent for me while I'm in school (long and beautiful story that must be saved for another day)...which means summer months are my responsibility. I graduate on May 2nd so TECHNICALLY, May should count as a school month, right? Yeah - I was unsure as well.

Here's the breakdown:
Rent: $1100
Money currently in my bank account: $238
Money needed: $862
Jobs avail after May 2nd: zero.
Monthly income after May 2nd: $0

So...I finally sucked it up and asked...aaand...rent is covered for May!
ONE MORE MONTH OF RENT FREEDOM...this allows me to stay in California to search for jobs so that I can ACTUALLY pay rent.

Avoiding responsibility one day at a time,
~KN

The Domino Effect

Soooo...I really set my aspirations high today when I tried to get a job at Dominos. Everything was going fine until I momentarily forgot my social security number. I had to call my dad - which of course led to several questions about why I needed said number. I'm pretty sure he got really excited when I first asked for it - like maybe I was applying for a real job. FALSE...he had a rude awakening when I informed him that my future was in pizza making.

Dad: "Um...no...nope, I definitely don't think that's a good idea."
Me: "Dad - it's cool don't worry about it - it's just for a little extra money."
Dad: "You have a $160,000 education and you are going to work at Domino's."
Me: "ummm...yeah. Just for now though."

Then my mom proceeds to get on the phone to ask some tough questions. Basically she was like "why would you spend 15 hours a week working at a minimum wage job...you should be spending that time actually looking for a job." She then offered to pay me whatever I would make at Domino's to instead spend the time sending out resume's to I guess what they would consider jobs more fitting of my education.

FINE. They have a freaking point. And no - I am not a rich B**** who would allow my parents to actually pay me to look for my own career.

So - in summary: I will not be working at Domino's...BUT...I think it may actually be time to start looking for a job....Woah - what a concept...mom and dad will be so proud.

~KN