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!

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.- James 1:2-3
         or, That that don’t kill me will only make me stronger.

It’s amazing to think that I have just one semester left before I graduate with my Master’s degree. My MASTER’s degree. Five years ago, I wouldn’t have thought it; I was a busy-bee, content little college freshman. Ten years ago, I wasn’t even thinking about college; I was too worried about surviving the eighth grade in one piece. And yet, here I am. I’m pursuing a profession I love. I have surrounded myself with true friends who truly care about me and want to see me succeed. And... I'm doing it. I'm growing up, I'm making small differences every day.

It's almost the end of 2011, almost time for a new year, and with a new stage in my life fast-approaching, I find myself doing a LOT of reflection. Even more than that, I always find myself doing self-reflection around Christmas-time. For those of you who celebrate Christmas, you'll know that the time preceding it, Advent, is a time of expectant waiting and preparation. In the case of Christmas, we wait and prepare for the coming of Christ. But I think this end-of-the-year time is good for preparation for the future for everyone. We wait for the future to come, for the new year and new opportunities to arrive, and yet we must also prepare for the time that is to come. We can't just sit idly by, waiting for the future to hit us; we have to make the best of each day that is given to us so that we can make the best of the days that are to come.

The Bible verse I quoted above, from James, resonates with me especially when I consider this past year of my life. Personally, I feel like I have grown and changed immeasurably. It's not that so many life milestones have occurred this year; although many have. Friends and family get married, break up; babies are born, loved ones pass away. Every change in my external view has challenged the way I think, the way I relate to people, and the way I live every day.

But more than that, somehow this year, I've gone through some INTERNAL milestones. I have been challenged to really think about why and how I'm living my life. The external things around me can change in an instant or can stay eternally the same, and I've realized I can't let those external factors rule my life. Instead, I must choose how I react. I must make sure that my internal foundations are real, solid, and true. I must learn from my past successes and mistakes, and allow them to make me "harder, better, faster, and stronger."

2012 is coming, in a big way. BIG changes are ahead, but I'm going to love people just the same and more than ever. I'm going to enjoy the small victories, laugh at the little things, and enjoy the moments that all too soon will be gone. Most of all, I'm going to have confidence in myself and faith enough to trust that everything is going to be okay.

My Best Day

For those of you who haven't caught the drift in my previous posts just yet, I am in graduate school studying Higher Education and Student Affairs. Sounds a little abstract at first, but basically, my chosen career path involves being there for college students.
College is a time of copious amounts of growth, development, and change for college students (don't you remember feeling like a different person when you graduated college than when you started?), and my job is to facilitate that growth; to be a support system, advisor, mentor, listener, programmer, whatever the students on campus need to grow and develop and morph into whoever and whatever they want to be.

Hand-in-hand with this career path is professional development, which I've talked about a lot in my previous posts. And a huge source (for me) for professional development is Twitter, which has turned out to be SO much more than just a social media site. Specifically, several hashtags--ways to follow conversations--have kept me thinking, reflecting, and growing-- #sachat (Student Affairs Chat), #sagrad (Student Affairs graduate students), and #wlsalt (Women Leaders: Support, Affirm, Lift, and Transform).

Related to the #wlsalt hashtag, another tag--#sawomenblog--encourages Blog Prompt Mondays, when women can think about our careers and lives and share stories and encouragement with each other. Below is my response for today's Blog Prompt Monday. Enjoy!

Let’s reflect on our careers in student affairs today. Sometimes we need to think about the good times as we navigate through those crazier times. Tell us about your best day in student affairs. We want to hear all about that day the student you helped stay in school their first year later came to tell you thank you when they were graduating. Or how that colleague you mentored got the job you knew was perfect for them. Tell us all about the day that is the epitome of why you do what you do.

Even though I've only been in student affairs for a year and half, there are most definitely moments I can recall that remind me why I'm here and why I chose student affairs. I don't know that there has been a day, a whole 24-hour-period, that can fit this definition--as I'm sure every professional or para-professional in student affairs can attest, there are highs and lows to every day and moments of learning and growth in each situation that arises.

However, for me, the moments that remind me why I'm here are when my students trust me. These moments take several forms, and they always surprise me.

I remember the first time one of my students asked me for a letter of recommendation. I JUST finished undergrad a year and a half ago; I'll be asking for letters of recommendation for myself in a short time when I begin the job search. When did I become a person of influence, a person of worthwhile opinions, chosen to recommend a student for a position of honor? I myself was humbled and honored by her request.

Then, there are the students who come to me for advice, for opinions, for comfort. It seems like just last week when I could go in my mentors' offices, shut the door, and worry about my future with them. These amazing women always took time out of their days for me; they listened to my worry and anxiety and, somehow, with a few words of wisdom, could reassure me that everything would be okay. Now I find myself looking into the faces of a few of my students, the ones who come to my office for advice, and I am again humbled and honored by their trust.

And in those moments, when students come to me for help, I am reminded why I chose student affairs. My mentors, women of intelligence and integrity and strength, helped me discern my future, and have guided me along the way. I chose to become a student affairs professional so I could have an opportunity to pay that guidance forward. If my mentors could take time to help me along in my journey, it's the least I can do to offer the same for any student that comes my way.

Whenever I have a rough day, when e-mails and homework pile up and my statistics class is incomprehensible and I'm on campus for 10-hour-days, I can think back to these bright spots of trust from my students and hope, pray, believe, that I'm making a difference. That's all I really want to do, even if it's just for one student.

You're in the doldrums...

For any fans of Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth, you'll remember that the title of this entry comes from a scene of the story where our hero, Milo, finds himself stuck. He drives along a road, mile after mile after mile after mile after mile after mile... and finds himself in The Doldrums, a place where the people are lazy Lethargians and the world is colorless and grey. Excitement is outlawed, and wasting time is encouraged.

The term "doldrums" also refers to a belt of winds and weather that fall in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, between the northern and southern trade winds, where sailors can often become becalmed, stuck, and stagnated.

I sympathize.

It's mid-semester of my second year of graduate school, and I find myself becalmed, stuck in the doldrums. I still love my assistantship with Student Activities; I am still proud to be on my journey to becoming a student affairs professional. But it's that time of year--the mid-semester "blahs," the doldrums--where I, again, find myself questioning the stresses of my grad school career. Again, I ask myself--is it worth it?

Even more so, I ask myself, what am I doing?

Our cohort has less than 200 days 'til our hooding ceremony. I have less than two months 'til I begin my job search in earnest. These momentous events, signaling a turn in my path and a new horizon ahead, creep closer and closer... and yet I find myself becalmed, stuck in the doldrums, unable to mentally push through the day-to-day stresses of grad school, my job, and the balance between my chosen career path and my life.

And yet, even in my momentary state of stagnation, even as I sit through classes that hardly stimulate me (I am NOT a statistician, nor will I ever be!) and answer endless e-mails, deep down I know that this period of "stagnation" may actually prove to be a great period of growth. As my brilliant mother pointed out to me the other night, it's during the winter, when the trees and plants seem lifeless, that they actually achieve their most growth.

In the future, no matter where I end up or what I'm doing or who I'm spending time with, I'll find myself in these periods of stagnation, feeling like I'm stuck in the doldrums with no prevailing wind to get me out.

But I need to remember this wisdom of inner growth during times of seeming, outward lifelessness. I need to remember that I have a future, that everything happens for a reason and that each perceived time of listlessness and stagnation is a prime opportunity to reflect, pray, and plan for the times ahead.

In The Phantom Tollbooth, Milo is saved from his detour through The Doldrums by a newfound friend, Tock the Watchdog (featured in all his glory at the top of this post), who warns Milo that time is a TERRIBLE thing to waste. Time is our most precious commodity, for it is limited.

What a wonderful reminder to appreciate ALL the time we have, whether we feel listless or engaged; whether we're taking fabulous vacations to faraway places or sitting in our offices, answering e-mails and interacting with colleagues and students; whether we're clipping along on our journey or stopped for a slight detour in The Doldrums. Even these detours, these seemingly mundane and colorless periods in our lives can provide wisdom, wonder, and joy for the lives we're living!

Before I know it, almost without realizing, I'll be out of my personal Doldrums and back on my journey, with a renewed sense of purpose and new-found enthusiasm. I'll be a little bit wiser, (hopefully) a little more mature, and ready to take on new challenges, appreciating every moment of time along the way.