The Job Search 2: Surprises Abound

The last time you checked in with me about the job search, I was struggling to write my first cover letter. I still maintain that cover letters are challenging, but thankfully, I have the support of supervisors, colleagues, and mentors who are willing to take time out of their day (heck, some even enjoy it, right Amma? :)) to revise and recommend different approaches.

Current count of jobs applied for: 2 and a half (I'm in the middle of working on an application).
Take a moment and celebrate with me--two jobs applied for is vastly preferable to no jobs applied for, where I was two weeks ago.
Watch the celebrations here. (I'm the one breakdancing.)

As I've embarked upon this process, I've discovered some things about myself and about the job search process that have surprised me. These include the following...

1. The online HR applications are not NEARLY as bad as I heard they were going to be. I'm sure I'll be fiddling a different tune in February and March when I'm applying for multiple jobs in a day, but honestly, it's just a means to an end, and it's 10 extra minutes out of my life. No biggie.

2. I've applied to several small private colleges. I've surprised myself on this one. All of my past experience has been at large, public, research I institutions, and I would feel very comfortable moving to my next position at a comparable institution to FSU and A&M. However, I find myself drawn to the smaller schools that have been popping up on my job search sites; I like the idea of getting to perform LOTS of smaller duties in an office ("wearing different hats," as my colleagues have been known to say) and of interacting on a frequent basis with smaller numbers of students. I've definitely expanded my search criteria. And speaking of...

3. I'm less picky with location than I thought I'd be. Obviously, I'd love to be in a place where I'm happy to live. I'd love to be in a fun town or city, where friends and family will want to come visit me. But as much as I miss Texas (and trust me, I MISS TEXAS), I'm not limiting myself location-wise, and I'm enjoying entertaining the prospects of living in far-flung places like Massachusetts, Oregon, Missouri, Ohio, New York, and California. Oh, and Texas.

4. I'm confident in my abilities. Now that I have a good working base for a cover letter, I find that writing about why I enjoy student affairs, what skills I have, and why I'd like to work at each institution to which I'm applying is coming easier and easier. After two years in grad school, I AM ready to be a professional. I believe that I'll be able to make a meaningful contribution, wherever I end up.

I'm sure more surprises will pop up along the way, pleasant and unpleasant, but overall, I'm excited to be going through this whole job searching thing, because it means that I'm about to get to embark on a whole new chapter of my life. And that's just wonderful!

What were some of the biggest surprises of your job search process? 

Inside and Out

I've talked a lot about the idea of self-care-- the physical, the spiritual, all of it. I think taking time for yourself is one of the most important things you can do in this life, because if you don't take care of you, who will?

This semester, on the verge of innumerable potential life changes, I've discovered that I really do care about taking care of myself. I want to be healthy in every way, because feeling better about myself means that I can contribute in a more positive way to those around me. It may sound cliche, but it's true--on the days when I've spent time taking care of myself, I find myself more prepared to take care of others.

Here are the ways I've been having the best possible "me-time" lately:
1. Running & getting back in shape: It's a new year, and it seems that the popular thing to do is to work out--you can find complaints EVERYWHERE about gyms being the busiest they've ever been during the month of January. But truly, a new year CAN MEAN a "new me," and I find that the way I feel about myself physically really does spill into all other areas of my life. I joined a gym earlier this month, and I've already committed to running two 5k's in the month of February. When I spend time taking care of my body, I feel more prepared to meet the day! That, and I made my PERFECT running playlist, that keeps me going when I'm huffing and puffing up the hills and streets of Tallahassee (believe it or not, TALLAHASSEE HAS SO MANY HILLS, AND THEY ALL SEEM TO BE AROUND MY HOUSE).

2. Immersing myself in the Bible: No matter your faith, I think it's important to believe in something bigger than yourself, and to have some kind of spirituality that guides you. For me, it's Christianity, and the quiet time I spend with God in the morning is the sweetest part of my day. I've picked back up reading my devotionals, which take scripture and apply them to lessons of Leadership and Grace. I spend time in prayer throughout the day, and most of all, I remind myself of God's promises of love, mercy, and faithfulness. It's hard to have a bad day when you know the "Big Guy Upstairs" is spending each moment of your day with you.

3. Reading: I am a book-worm in EVERY sense of the word, as I'm sure those who know me can tell you. I love to learn, I love to immerse myself in other people's stories; every aspect of reading is a wonder to me. Lately, I've been reading both for fun AND for reflection time. Currently on my bookshelf: the series "A Song of Ice and Fire" (I'm on book two!) and Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (currently on Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind). Diversity of interests is the name of the game, my friends. :)

4. Television series: Okay, this one is a little less metaphoric, and a lot more about alone time--I am hooked on several television shows, and I'm not afraid to admit it. My roommates and I never got cable (a blessing and a curse), so I do most of my watching on Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming sites. Here are the shows that have been keeping me entertained lately:
Revenge, Bones (as always), Project Runway: All-Stars, Once Upon a Time, Downton Abbey (Thanks to my friend Virginia for getting me hooked!), The Bachelor (Give me credit on this one--there's an Aggie who's a contestant!), and Doctor Who (Thanks to Netflix for fueling this addiction!).

In this new year, how are you taking care of yourself? Are you making YOU your priority? What are some of your suggestions for the best possible "me-time"? 

The Job Search 1: Me vs. the Cover Letter

When it comes to the job search, I know what I want.

At least, I think I know what I want.

When I'm on HigherEdJobs.com, I'm easily able to cull through the possibilities, so that's a plus.

"Yeah, I think I could do that… hmm, maybe not in Alaska… 

Oh, here's one in Boston! Wait, doing development? Nope.

 MY UNDERGRAD IS HIRING—no, that's not for me either... 

THERE. Right there.  Good location, good school. Save…to…organizer. Done!"

And at this point, I have ten different jobs in my organizer. I'm on a roll, right?

Maybe not. Because, you see, there's this tiny little matter of the cover letter.

Ah, The Cover Letter, my mortal enemy.

I know can't apply for a job without a cover letter. But when I pull up that blank Word Document, and prepare to get my fingers flying over the keyboard, I just… can't… do it. *sigh*

For some reason, cover letters have always proved a roadblock for me. Need a personal statement? No problem. Resumes aren't worrisome either—I've tried to constantly edit mine over the past year and a half, so it's a cinch to update it as new responsibilities come along.  But when the words "cover" and "letter" are mentioned in succession, for some reason, my brain freezes. I don't know what it is about the cover letter that I find challenging—maybe it's the difficulty of not repeating everything in my resume; maybe it's my personal trouble with not being able to brag on myself (I use "brag" loosely, of course); maybe it's just that I know that once I write one cover letter, the rest of the job search will just entail rewriting that same letter over, and over, and over, and over… well, you get the point.

But I guess that's the beauty of the cover letter, too. The first one is the hardest to write; it's coming up with the ideal structure and content that's so hard. But with each successive job, it'll come easier—I'll know how to address each qualification the university requires; I'll know how to talk about why I want that specific position at that specific university; and most of all, I'll be able to talk about why I should be hired.

After all, I do think I should be hired. I'll have two years of quality experience at a respectable university by the time I graduate this spring, and I am confident that I've chosen the right profession. In the end, the whole job search comes back down to this one fact: I chose student affairs because I care about college students and their experiences. I choose to care every day because someone cared about me, and it's time to pay it forward.  Ultimately, this isn't about me—it’s about the students, and where an institution can use me to make the most difference. I believe that I can get through this job search successfully, and make a positive contribution to the people and place where I'm headed next. 

So take a deep breath.

Stretch, sit, flex those fingers.

Pull up that first job description… and go for it. I'm right there with you.

Do you have any suggestions for a smooth cover letter-writing process? Let me know in the comments!

#OneWord2012--Believe!

I've heard wonderful things about the #oneword movement, where you choose one word to live your year by. This year, I thought I'd take part, with a word that NEEDS to be my mantra for the year: believe.

Even now, at the beginning of January, 2012 is exciting, challenging, full of change, and full of question marks. While the future is bright, it's also completely unknown. The biggest question mark centers on my biggest excitement of the year—I'll be graduating at the end of April with my master's degree, and then. . .who knows?

I'll no longer be a student; I'll no longer attend Florida State; I may no longer live in the state of Florida. All the things that have been my life for the past two years (living in Florida) and the past twenty years (being a student) will be gone, and then, where will I be? WHO will I be?

It's in this year of great change that I must continually believe.

I must believe that I have chosen the right profession.

I must believe that I can make a difference.

I must believe that I will end up in the place where I am meant to be, doing the job I'm supposed to be doing.

I must believe, above all, in myself. I must believe that I CAN and WILL make this year a success!

I've always believed that God has a plan for my life, and that all things happen for a reason. This year, I must continually remind myself of this fact, and continually believe that everything is going to turn out just the way it’s supposed to!