Hunt Over!

Hello loyal readers!

I have officially accepted an offer through Consolidated Graphic's Leadership Development Program at Woodridge Press.

I have not yet decided if I will continue blogging about my experiences at the job.

I will go into more details later about how I got the job, and why I decided on this one, rather than other jobs I was offered.

Yay!

Best regards,
Beth

Phase II: The Gauntlet

Coming off of a series of interviews lasting six hours total, I feel I've been through the ringer.  Every aspect of my past, present and future has been scrutinized from every angle, and all that's left is to wait for their decision.

The interviews were with the commercial printing company, Woodridge Press in Anaheim.  The position is in the Leadership Development Program as administered by their parent company, Consolidated Graphics.  This is a three year intensive program, meant to give its graduates experience in every aspect of the printing industry.  They seek new graduates to offer this opportunity.

The first step was a PowerPoint presentation about the LDP, CGX and WPI (Leadership Development Program, Consolidated Graphics and Woodridge Press Inc. for those of you who aren't familiar with the initialisms).  This was really the background or the structure behind a conversation with my interview coordinator about how each of these entities fits together, and why I can expect in the LDP.  This also included a very brief

This was followed by a tour around the building, particularly the sales floor and production floor.  My coordinator explained the purpose of each of the machines and introduced me to their operators.  Controlled chaos would be the name I would give it.

From there started my interviews.  These ran sequentially, and were approximately fifteen minutes each.

First I spoke with the production manager, who had been with the company for what seemed forever.  He knew the history of the business, and was familiar with every piece of equipment they had every owned.  A very low key person, he seemed more interested in getting to know me than in intimidating me.

Next up can the financial controller, who had also been with the company for a significant amount of time.  She had some excellent insights into the management structure of CGX and WPI.  She seemed most interested in the concurrent positions I have held, and how I managed to keep it all straight.

After the financial controller was an account executive who had graduated from the program.  She was a very honest (some might say blunt) person who was upfront about all of her experiences in the program and did not sugar coat any of them.  I appreciated her straight forwardness, but it was a fast shift from the two previous more laid back interviews.

Finally I spoke with another graduate of the program.  He was unique in that he had joined the program with the intention of going into sales, rather than operations or finance.  We quickly found that we had a lot in common, including our reasons for being attracted to the LDP and the printing industry.

The most challenging aspect of this rapid interview and shift wasn't filling fifteen minutes, but quickly evaluating each person to whom I was speaking and trying to determine how to communicate my experience to them in a way that conveyed my interest and enthusiasm.

Lunch was enjoyable.  We went to the Cheesecake Factory.  Having had the foresight to check the menu out before hand I ordered a Salmon dish and a small salad that I knew would be clean and non-intimidating. 

Lunch was with the interview coordinator and the last interviewer.  They shared with me their experiences with the program and we got to know each other on a more personal level.

Afterward, we went back to the office, and I went in for my interview with the President of the company.  And let me tell you, I was nervous.  I could almost feel my heart beating out of my chest and had to suppress an attack of hyperventilation -- something that has never happened to me before.  At first I was a little confused about the purpose of meeting with him; thinking it was him interviewing me I started by attempting to jump into his stories and comments with my own interview-worthy anecdotes.  These were always followed by an extended, and rather uncomfortable, period of silence.

After about two minutes of this really awkward non-flow of conversation I switched gears and took to asking him questions and processing his answers.  From there it all seemed to go a lot smoother, and I felt infinitely more comfortable.  From him I learned about his experiences with the program, why he feels that it's a good program, and how he continued to learn and grow after graduating from it.  I also learned about the functioning of Woodridge Press, and his management style.

What I came away from that interaction was a sense of trust in his leadership; something that I have never experienced resultant of an interview.  He seemed very even keel and realistic.  The comment he made that I was most taken with was that he felt WPI should not be prepared for the best of times, rather be prepared to survive the worst of times.  Rather than having the capacity to deal with the absolute highest volume he can hope for, he instead aims to keep the company breaking even despite record low volume.

After the interview he thanked me for coming in, and told me they would reach a decision in the next week or so.

And after it all, I feel I've been through the ringer more times than I can count.  Not that I did anything physically draining, but the psychological and emotional toll was great.  I will update later on the final results!

Best regards,
Beth

Phase I: Library Saga

For my final post of the day, an update on how I am fairing with the library program.

I have completed my coloring book (to be uploaded later), and will meet with the children's librarian and the branch manager later today regarding the program.  They will no doubt ask about the intended age group, and how I plan to compensate for uninteresting or absentee presenters.

 More on this later.

Best regards,
Beth

Phase II: Interview Friday

This Friday I will have an extended series of interviews with Woodridge Press in Anaheim.  This will be the final step in the process of evaluating me for the leadership development program.

These interviews will include meeting the Production Manager, The Financial Controller, the Warehouse Manager, the President and one other individual.  For the process I will have a coordinator who will take me through the day and out to lunch.

Each meeting will be one-on-one and will last approximately fifteen minutes.  Because I wish to appear interested in learning more about the company I will prepare questions to ask each interviewer.  Though there is the possibility that they simply wish to converse with me, in case of conversation lag I will be ready with filler questions.

For the financial controller I will ask:

• I understand that one of the benefits of being a part of CGX means central office can supply its affiliate companies with resources, including financial backing. How closely are Woordridge Press's finances tied to CGX?
• Does the finance department enjoy the same autonomy that the other departments are offered?

For the Manufacturing manager I have prepared these questions:

• What methods does Woodrige use to accomedate fluctuations in demand? (ie layoffs or temporary workers).
• What factors cause or predict fluctuations in demand in the print industry?

To the Warehouse Manager I will ask:

• What sort of inventory tracking system does Woodridge employ?
• Does Woodridge use Just In Time inventory?

And for the president:

• Did you begin the LDP with the goal of becoming a company president, or was it something that you grew into?
• Do you feel that the LDP provided you with the experience and knowledge necessary to lead a company?
• As president, how involved are you in the day to day functionality of your location? How closely do you work with corporate?
• What is the management structure of WP? Of CGX?

To my coordinator:

• What makes a successful associate?
• How are mentors chosen?
• In what ways does CGX continue to support its LDP graduates?

And, just in case that final person is the Sales Manager:

• On what products does the WP sales team focus its efforts?
• What methods does WP use to find new customers?

The coordinator also recommended that I research the LDP further.  I will reread any information available through their website and attempt to locate the program in the news.  I will also read about the overall industry and how it is fairing.

Wish me luck!

Best regards,
Beth

Phase III: Reference Checks

A few hours after my interview yesterday, I received a phone call from the Talent Acquisition Specialist with whom I had been working for the entire process.  She mentioned that I had performed well in the interview and they were interested in 'moving to the next step'.  In this case, reference checks.

I was surprised at how nervous this made me.  Although I have never lied in a resume or interview about my performance at a position or my duties in that positions; I have to wonder if my perception of my performance and duties might be significantly than how my previous supervisors and coworkers understood them.

They will be using a third part system; A-Check America.  Based on the information I gave them I assume they will perform two verifications an Employment Verification and Professional References Verification.  They may also perform a MERIT Character Evaluation on the basis of a 'personality test' that I took the first day I was interviewed.

I have contacted all of my references regarding this, and asked that they be honest in their reporting of my performance, strengths and weaknesses; hopefully all goes well.

They should contact me within five to eight days to inform me of the results.  Due to the rapid nature of their return call, however, I do not anticipate that these will have as significant an effect on the outcome as they may normally.

Best regards,
Beth

When it rains...

The prospects seem to be pouring out of the ceiling!  Well, dripping, but rather steadily.

I missed two phone calls today from prospects while volunteering at the library. One was from my coordinator at Woodridge Press with regards to the Leadership Development Program for which I am a candidate.  She contacted me to determine if I had any questions about the interview process and to give me further details on how it would go.

The second was from a company that I applied to so long ago it was before I started this blog!  The company is BowTie Inc., a publisher of hobby magazines and corresponding books.  The position is a Consumer Marketing and Fulfillment Specialist position.  Apparently they have another opening in the department for which I applied a month and a half ago.  They would like me to come in to talk (for another interview I assume) and discuss the position.

I have a few questions for them, most prominently on my mind "why were four jobs opened up in less than two months?"  With turn over rate like that, I'm a tad skeptical.  Of course with the holiday season just around the corner and the recession slowly (very slowly) becoming less of a concern, they may be considering expanding their operation.

Then again, there's always the chance that it's not a particularly desirable position.

As for Woodridge Press I am quite a bit more hopeful.  It sounds like the interview is a combination of them getting to know me and introducing me to my future coworkers.  Though I am hesitant to be too optimistic, I believe a calm-yet-positive outlook is appropriate.  They will treat me to lunch during the process, and introduce me to five people around the company including the production manager, the financial controller and the president.  It will be just me through the process (interesting, I would have thought that they'd have many more eager applicants and want to get us all through at the same time).

Wish me luck!

Best regards,
Beth

Decisions

It looks like this week was a week for decision for me and a few others.

I was officially turned down for the position at Frito-lay.  This was a bit unexpected; not the rejection but the fact that they bothered to send me a letter about it.  Though I've unsuccessfully pursued positions since beginning this search, this was the first official communication of that rejection.

Though I wasn't terribly interested in the position, I was hoping to follow the process a bit longer to gain further experience in face-to-face interviewing.

According to the letter I was removed from the running on the basis of an online test score.  I assume this to be the situational management test.  A situation was described and five options were given.  For each option you marked "would do" "probably would do" "undecided" "probably would not do" and "would not do".  You then indicated which action was the "worst" and which was the "best".

I recall from my phone interview that I was told they were looking for someone who is very 'numbers oriented'.  They are very concerned about good sales numbers; and as a result I believe they are looking for an autocratic leader.  Someone who will do what it takes to appease the company and the customer regardless of the morale consequences for their team.

This is not me.  I believe in team building, I believe that sometimes it's important to take a short term loss in productivity in order to ensure a long term gain (ie: training an employee to complete a task rather than just doing it yourself because it would be faster).  I also believe that the best way to lead is to keep track of your team's current state and make decisions accordingly.

I answered the assessment honestly and, as it turns out, my answers were not in accordance with what they are searching for in a manager.

I am more than happy to step aside and let someone else take that position.

On my end, a decision has been made, as well.  I have elected to pursue the opportunity in Anaheim rather than waiting for the uncertain opportunity in Irvine.  This means I have a bit of a bus ride ahead of me, but I will survive.

After weighing my options, I realized a few things:

1. This program for which I am applying is the most exciting position I have found.
2. I don't want to miss out on the opportunity to get involved in this program because of temporal or geographic issues.
3. It is important that I develop a reputation as someone who is decisive, determined, and willing to go the extra mile(s) for the program/company.
4. I do not want to change positions halfway through the program.

 I know that pursuing this is the best option for me, and that if I prepare myself I will be read.

Best regards,
Beth

Phase I to II; Decision Time

I recently had a successful phone interview with my number one target company.  At the end of the interview the interviewer mentioned that my nearest location is not hiring, however, another location in the area is.  A longer commute, but the same exciting position.  To add complication, my target location will most likely be hiring as of February.  This situation leaves me with three options:

1. Accept the position at the less valuable location immediately and just deal with the commute.
2. Wait until February and try again.
3. Take the position at the far location and relocate the the closer location in February.

I will create a pro/con list for each of these options to weigh out the benefits and consequences.

1.  Accept now and deal with the commute:

Pro's	Con's
Immediate Pay check Immediate activities Start working earlier The recruiter who recommended me works at this location: potential ally? Not looking non-committal for changing locations Start building relationships immediately Be a full rotation ahead of where I would be if I waited	Less time for library program Will need to buy a car or deal with 1.5 hour bus ride. Giving up on pursuing any other offers from other companies Long commute regardless of method of transportation. May have difficulty getting time off for wisdom teeth issues.

2.Wait until February

Pro's	Con's
Bike to work. Will not look flaky when change locations More time to prepare for working. Will not need to buy car. Short commute Time for wisdom teeth is guaranteed. Time to get library program off the ground. Time to explore other options.	No guarantees the job will be there. No pay check for four months at least. Will not know anyone at the new location. May look like a procrastinator for taking the position. Risk being forgotten about. No immediate work (continued boredom)

And finally:
3.  Accept in Anaheim, move to Irvine:

Pro's	Con's
Immediate work. Opens up the option to stay if I like it there. Immediate pay. Start off with an ally. Be a full rotation ahead. Eventually short commute. Eventually bike to work. Build relationships with people at multiple locations.	No extra time for library program. Long commute initially. May need to buy car. 1.5 hour bus ride. No extra time for wisdom teeth. No time to explore other options. May appear flaky to change locations.

Like any good comparison of qualitative data presented quantitatively, I will now perform the magic of weighting. Although each of these items is a concern, some are more relevant/salient than others. Watch, and be amazed at how clarity is achieved...

1. Accept and deal

Salient Pro's	Salient Con's
Potential local ally. Start building relationships immediately Be a full rotation ahead of where I would be if I waited	Will need to buy a car or deal with 1.5 hour bus ride.

2. Wait and Accept:

Salient Pro's	Salient Con's
Bike to work	No guarantees the job will be there.  Risk being forgotten about.

3. Accept and Switch

Salient Pro's	Salient Con's
Start off with an ally. Be a full rotation ahead. Build relationships with people at multiple locations.	Long commute initially. May need to buy car or deal with 1.5 hour bus ride.

Taking all of this into account my decision is...

... I need more information!

In order to properly address this situation, I need all of the information that I can at my disposal. The interviewer is expecting me to contact her tomorrow with my decision. However, I believe I may need to contact her with questions, that, contingent upon the answers I will make my decision.

So, questions relevant to my salient concerns:
1. To interviewer: None.
To myself: Am I willing to deal with a 3 hour commute every day?
To Henk: Can we afford a car?

2. To interviewer: Is there a guarantee there will be a position available at Irvine location in February?  Will I be guaranteed to get that position? 
To myself: Am I willing to deal with uncertainty? Can I entertain myself for four more months without going crazy?
To Henk: Can we continue to live on a single income?

3.  To interviewer: (already asked, the answer was an unofficial yes) Will I be able to change locations once I've begun?
To myself: Am I willing to deal with a 3 hour commute every day? Am I willing to relocate?
To Henk: Can we afford a car?

More on this later!

Best regards,
Beth

On Enthusiasm and Cover Letters

We've all done it, sat, staring at the computer screen, trying to find new words to say the same old thing,  or replacing the name of one company with another, some of us copying and pasting the same paragraphs 500 times in different orders to try to appeal to this company or that organization.

And it never works.

I'll admit to it, too.  I have literally dozens of cover letters, all minor variations on one another, saved in my job hunt folder on my computer.  Each one with the same opening paragraph:

I am writing to apply for the position of (blank) as advertised through (blank).  I am interested in beginning my career with (company) because of (attribute).  I have (qualification) (qualification) and (qualification).

 And it only gets worse from there with each subsequent paragraph either starting with "as the (job title) at (company name) I (activity)ed." or, when I was feeling particularly clever, "In my capacity as...".

Dry as dust, I would say.

It's time to change our attitude towards cover letters.  If you're enthusiastic about a position convey that enthusiasm! Still sound professional, but don't stifle your personality in the attempt!

The right way? If I knew I would be a millionaire by now (or at least employed seven times over!) but I can tell you a few things that have worked for me:

1. Don't do chronological.  Chances are your resume is already chronological; chronological is so been there done that.  Try topical for a change.  
2. Hone in on a few attributes they're looking for and highlight how your experience demonstrates those attributes.  Don't try to be everything, actually focus yourself in this respect.
3. Explain why you're interested in the position and the company.  It doesn't have to be profound, but make sure it's accurate and straightforward.

Most of all, avoid saying "As (position) at (company)" at the beginning of each paragraph.

Best regards,
Beth

Coloring Book

For my efforts at the library, I have created a coloring book to use as a supplement to my lesson plans.  When completed the coloring book will include the full text from The Blind Men and The Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe.

The completed pages are below...

Montly Update Update

It looks like I may have been a bit hasty on my last monthly update.  Almost immediately after I posted, I received three communications from Career Fair contacts.

This puts career fairs squarely in the lead.

Monthly Update

Dear loyal reader(s?),

It seems I've hit the one month mark with the chronicles of my job search.  As with all efforts, it is necessary to review effort and progress that has resulted of that effort, so as future endeavors may be properly directed. Each method will be evaluated on how many phase II encounters it has provided to this point in time...

So here goes:

Method	Phase II Progress
Method 1: Searching Job Postings	1: Interview, no spam
Method 2: Passive Seach	1 Interview whole bunch of spam
Method 3: Networking	0
Method 4: Self Employment	1Potential Opportunity at the Library
Method 5: Job Fairs	1 Phone Interview whole bunch of spam
Method 6: Imaginary Jobs	1Potential Opportunity at the Library

As you can see almost all of the "hard" methods have had approximately equal success, though when weighing the spam responses it seems that Job Fairs (when done irresponsibly) may become a waste of time.  Also Passive Search methods require constant cleaning of the email inbox to keep up with the shear number of 'respondents' who have not yet bothered to look at my resume, save to read my name and email address.

It seems that continuing to pursue job postings (on job posting boards) is a relatively fruitful method.  However my recent experiences with the library have shown that this may be a method of active job seeking that I have not yet attempted.

With these conclusions in mind, I believe that devoting more time to the library, to responding to job postings and thoroughly researching job fairs will be the most effective use of my time.

I would also like to introduce Phase I method 7: researching companies in which I am interested and 1. applying to job postings via the company's website or 2. showing up at the company's recruiting events as they are held.

Best regards,
Beth

2.36 and 4? Cultural Education at the Library

Today I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands.  No more passive job hunting, it's time to actively create my own job!

I've always been a little resistant to networking, always thinking that "it's not what you know it's who you know" was unfair to those of us who don't really know anybody.  Of course the reason this practice exists is not to exclude unsociable people, rather it's due to employers wanting to know just who they're getting involved with before they start shelling out dough to keep you on.


I've been volunteering at the library since September, and in that time I've done a pretty decent job of keeping my head above water and mastering those tasks they set me out to do. The ladies at the library have been getting to know me as well, and they seem content with my work.

Today I decided that I would speak to the Branch Manager to find out how I could get involved in our children's programming.  I brought along my coordination resume (this being a spur of the moment decision I didn't have time to make one special) and asked her simply who to talk to.  I threw in that I had experience directing educational programming for children.

Before I knew it, we were discussing program specifics and pulling in the Children's librarian to go over the details!

I'll be hosting a cultural education program for one and a half hours every month.  The program will be everything that I put into it, and my chance to really shine!

By Tuesday I will bring a sample lesson plan, sample flyer of how to advertise the event, a press release detailing the program and an announcement recruiting the multi-cultural library staff and volunteers to participate!  So much to do!

This opens up the possibility of self-employment of another kind.  Bringing this type of programming to schools and other organizations.  It would be very similar to the International Institute's education department.  I will think of this experience with the library as being a pilot program, possibly leading to recurring events at the library and beyond.

Best regards,
Beth

Phase II: Personal Mission Statement

As recommended in They Don't Teach Corporate in College by Alexandra Levit, who is citing the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, below is the work towards my "Personal Mission Statement".

Step 1: Skills I possess

General Skills	Specific Skills
Communication Personnel Coordination Consensus building Democratic leadership Collaborative problem solving Charismatic leadership Organizational Ability Reading Comprehension Detail orientation	Microsoft Office Work MS Office Excel MS Office Power Point MS Outlook Express, 2007 HTML CSS Word Press Javascript

Step 2: Philosophical Journey
Time to sit and think about the following topics:
What are your values? What type of work would you view as a privilege to show up to? How do you prefer to work? What is success? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Starting with values:  Although much of my ideology is constantly changing and shifting, there are a few things that I have always considered important or valuable.  The first is the importance of knowledge and understanding.  It has often been said that one cannot have a democratic society without a well informed populace.  I believe this to be true; and believe this extends into capitalism at its core.

Equally important is expecting oneself to  be a role model.  Although I may go my entire life without anyone imitating my decisions, I cannot assume that will be the case.  If I chose to take an action it should be one that, if everyone else on the planet did the same, there would be a generally positive impact, or at least a negative impact would be mitigated.

Money and fame value very little to me.  Prestige is something for which I strive, however I seek it in the context of education or recognition for a positive impact.  I put more weight on outcomes than on effort; though I have never felt that the ends can justify the means of any action.

I believe that every single person on the planet is capable of anything.  Not strictly positive tings, either.  At it is the situations we chose to put ourselves in that define which actions we are able to choose from to take.  I do not feel that our actions are predestined by our personalities, but rather elicited through the situations of which we chose to be a part.

Continuing onto the Privilege of Employment
I would love to work somewhere that I feel is having a true positive impact on the world.  I would also feel privileged to work for a company that invests in its employees because it believes in their ability to make a positive impact on the company's overall well being.  A place that arms its employees with the tools they need to succeed and then trusts them to do it.  I hope to work with driven, creative people who are as passionate about the company's mission as I am.

Success
I define success first from the individuals' perspective, that they are allowing the organization to continue and prosper.  Second from the organization's perspective I view success as contributing to the overall functioning of society.  A good example of this would be a public transportation system.  The driver keeps the system going by shuttling people back and forth from their stops.  The system benefits society overall because people are able to get to and from their jobs, thereby feeding their families and putting capital back into the economy.

I also view success as pursuing continuous improvement of oneself.  Education is one of the main methods of pursuit in this respect.

The Crystal Ball: Myself in 10 years
In ten years, I hope to be working for a company that I enjoy, I hope to be pursuing a graduate degree and I hope that I will have contributed in a positive way to those around me.  I also hope those contributions will extend out into the general functioning of society.

Step 2: Putting it into a Personal Mission Statement:
I am seeking an position that allows for constant self improvement where I can affect positive change in an organization; which in turn has a positive effect on the overall functionality of society.

Step 3: What it all Means
I'm not certain what exactly this implies about my future career.  It gives me a good idea that the organization that I'm looking for should be one I believe in, it also brings to light that I put a great deal of importance on working in a position that is significant to the company and to the rest of the world.  Hopefully this will at least help me to filter through the results of my search.

Best regards,
Beth

Phase II: Book Review

I recently completed the book They Don't Teach Corporate in College by Alexandra Levit.  It's a book that covers all the lessons she struggled to learn as a twenty-something in the corporate world.  She covers all the hard lessons, mistakes and successes that eventually lead her to a position she enjoys in the field she loved.

I found I identified with her target audience quite nicely.  She described herself as someone who had always been successful in University, achieving high grades and expected to skip up the corporate ladder as easily as the collegiate ladder.  Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as easy as she expected.

Take Away
 There were may points in the book of which I was already aware.  For example, the importance of watching what you say, especially when it's documented in writing (something that I strive to do in this blog and my Facebook profile especially).  I'm also well aware of the importance of networking in a corporate environment.  However, there was quite a bit that I hadn't thought about before.

She recommends developing a 'corporate persona'.  Not an entirely new personality, but a more refined version of oneself to bring to work and work related functions.  Until this point I had attempted to find a company that would accept me and all of me.  In hindsight, this was a bit unrealistic.  A corporate persona should still reflect your personality, but should also show you've put the effort into showing respect to your coworkers.

She also recommends a personal mission statement; something that covers who you are, for what you're looking and how you plan to achieve that.  I will walk through this process in a later post.

One of the most interesting chapters was the chapter on accepting and dispensing criticism.  Being a success oriented person, I have noticed that I have a habit of taking criticism very personally.  She recommends that you separate the criticism from yourself; they aren't saying you are bad, rather that the action you are taking is not what is expected of you.  Actions are easy to reevaluate and adjust.  Your personality? Not as simple.  From there it's important to understand just what they are criticizing, and what actions they feel necessary.

As for giving criticism it was mostly information of which I was already aware.  Do it nicely, constructively, attack the behavior not the person.  But she also mentioned a strategy for coping with employees who, despite your best efforts, cannot accept criticism in any shape or form without falling to pieces.  She recommends treating them as though they are already exhibiting the behavior and praise them accordingly.  Someone not spell checking their work?  Say "It's wonderful that you always check your work for spelling errors. It saves me so much time!"  The idea being that having been recognized for this particular behavior this person will attempt to continue to receive praise of the same variety by then actually displaying the behavior.


Criticism
Although I do not completely agree with this assessment, it might be worth an attempt.  However, it would be necessary to proceed with caution.  There is potential that based on your praise the employee could assume their minimal efforts are enough.  When their mistakes become a serious problem and that person may need to be let go, they will view the reasoning behind their dismissal as being out of the wood work.  After all, weren't you just praising them for displaying the behavior you are now saying they were not doing in a satisfactory manner?

As with most things, I'm sure it's a situational contingency.

Recommendation
I would recommend this book to job seekers who are interested in working in 'corporate America'.  The rules may be different in other life-paths but this is a concise guidebook to a world for which we seem ill prepared.

Best regards,
Beth

Phase II: Introduction

 After the initial contact comes the interview period. This is when companies and I determine if we are right for one another.  Much like a blind date, we each go in with the rosy pictures painted by our profiles (they have my resume, and I have their website) and hopefully get past those basic facts and on into the meat of the issue.  Will I fit in their company; do we each offer what the other is seeking?

A component of Phase II is evaluating just how selective I can afford to be.  How much do those credentials that I managed to rake up in University set me apart from the rest of the pack?  What exactly do I want in a position, how much of that do they need to offer upfront, and how much am I willing to accept one, three and five years from now?

 Phase II covers interview techniques and abilities.  Although I am not convinced that every position I interview for will be the perfect career for me, I plan to approach every interview with the same professionalism and learn from every success and mistake that occurs during the process.  This will include accepting any interview and using it as a practice opportunity.  I will also keep track of questions that will help me to determine whether I will have a positive relationship with an employer.

Finally, this will cover all of Method 5: self improvement.  Because the majority of what I have been pursuing through method 5 is knowledge that will help me in the interview process, I will no longer count method 5 in phase I.

Best regards,
Beth

Phases

Due to the successes experience in my initial contacts with job hunters, it seems that it is necessary not only to track my primary search mechanisms, but also my secondary evaluations.  I am introducing the use of 'phases'.

Phase I covers the initial contact process through the multiple methods described on the visitors page.  I will continue to report on the success of these methods, the lessons I learn and the merits of each.

Success in Phase I will be defined as progression into Phase II, or the subsequent contact.  This covers interview of any type (phone, in person etc.).  I will report the many resources I use to in pursuing successful phase II; as well as the lessons I learn in the process.

Best regards,
Beth

Interview Techniques

As I go on interviews, I learn something new each time. Every interviewer is looking for something different, but there are some general rules of thumb that I can share with you.

1. Answer questions with an anecdote, and make sure that anecdote has a point or moral. Make sure that your anecdote says what you intend. Mistakes I've seen/made: Bringing up a personal issue with a coworker.  The interviewer is not interested in that time you didn't get along with your coworker; they're interested in how you resolved the issue.
2. Think about the points you want to make before hand, and drive those home with your anecdotes.  Mistakes I've seen/made: unfocused, trying to sound like a jack of all trades instead of an ace of a few.
3. Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but keep it concise. Babbling and too much information are harmful; they don't need to know every detail of your life.

I'm sure that I'll add more to this list at a later date.

Best regards,
Beth

Method 5: Interesting Video

This video is an animation of a talk by Daniel Pink, and it explores those areas of motivation that are too difficult to quantify to be covered in management school.

Very interesting and highly recommendable!

I'm Picking Up Good Vibrations...

Just finished an interview with a Solar Company out here in the Orange County area.  They had a very interesting format for the interview, where they brought us in as a group and monitored our interactions, our leadership styles and our ability to answer questions together.  Then separately.

I would say overall I made a positive impression, though next time I must be certain to bring all of my anecdotes around to a moral or a lesson.

I am very impressed by their business model, though I have some concerns about their approach to it.  The CEO was in the interview and he was  very adamant that this was the beginning of the next .com boom, and compared our opportunity to that of joining Google when it was first starting off.

Though I do agree with part of his analogy; that the green economy bubble is comparable to the dot com bubble, I have to wonder: what about when the bubble bursts?  Both Henk and I would be employed in the 'green' sector, and if alternative energy is to fossil fuels what dot com was to standard commerce we'd be at risk of losing both our incomes when the inevitable happens.

I think he wanted us (the interviewees) to believe that we would be in that top percent of people who make and continue to make significant money despite the bubble burst.

I hope that they have considered the long term sustainability of the business; how to cope with technology changes and the difficulties associated with upgrading a heavily decentralized grid; potential government regulations; alternative suppliers... the gambit.  As much as they want to know that I will be around in five years, I want to know they will be around in five years.

The most interesting moment came after the interview as we were all saying our good-bye's.  The CEO turned to me and said "I was reading your blog while you guys were talking".  I was a so taken aback that someone unrelated to me had bothered to read this thing that I couldn't formulate a response!

Though I did realize later that meant I had the CEO's attention (in one form or another) throughout the entire interview.

Here's to hoping!
Beth

Method 6: Excitement!

After some heavy research I found that Consolidated Graphics has a pretty exciting management training program!  It's a three year extensive management training program that starts you out on the ground floor (printing presses; literally) then moves you to administration, and finally into managerial training.  You network, you learn, you basically have three years to prove to them that you're worth their effort.

Very exciting, and I'm very much looking forward to meeting their recruiters and asking them many questions!

Best regards,
Beth

Method 2: Resume Posting

I do believe I've received my first legitimate hit from posting my resume!

The company installs solar panels onto the roof of your house, and you pay for the power you use, rather than for the panels themselves.  Basically, it's a very decentralized solar grid they're trying to build.

The person who contacted me was unwilling to share details of the position.  Sure, maybe he just did not want to mislead me by giving me bad information, but I'm still weary of a company that doesn't tell you anything about its job postings.

About a year ago they were driving pretty hard for sales interns.  Most of the questions he asked over the phone, however, were regarding leadership and my past managerial experience.  It will be interesting to find out where in their company they see me fitting.

I have the interview tomorrow, so I plan on finding out the answers to all of these questions, and more!

I wish I had been given more time to prepare, but they'll either have to love me or not!

Best regards,
Beth

Company Review: Fujitsu Limited

I recently received a "tentative offer of employment" email from Fujitsu Limited.  They outlined a beautiful job and went on to day all I would need to do for this would be to supply them with my credit report, from a particular company.

A legitimate employer should never:

1. offer you employment before they call or meet with you.
2. Want your credit score before meeting with you.
3. Ask you for a credit score from a particular company.

Keep in mind that Fujitsu is a reputable company, and this is merely a scam artist using their name.

Best regards and safe searching,
Beth

Method 5: Book Review

"The Myth of Multi-Tasking" by Dave Crenshaw.

The Premise
While we think we're multi-tasking, or completing many tasks at the same time, we're actually switch-tasking; jumping back and forth between tasks. People lose up to 50% of their time on this inefficient system. The system is inefficient because when we take time to make the switch.

(Next time you're interrupted from working on something that takes your full attention, pay attention to how long it takes you to switch back and forth.)

The book also gives a few methods for chronic switch-taskers to improve their efficiency (read: stop switch-tasking). The most important are:

1. Set up recurring appointments with those people who interrupt you most often.
2. Set up 'shop hours' so people know when you will be available next

The idea is that people interrupt you most often because they're afraid they won't be able to pin you down again until after you are needed. By setting up regular appointments with those who interrupt you most frequently you are turning them from an interruption to a primary activity. They will hold onto issues until your next meeting instead of running to you the second they pop-up.

Setting shop hours is like recurring meetings, only the attendees are not always the same. You say "I will listen to ideas/complaints at 10am, 1pm and 4pm." That way people get your full attention and do not get nervous they'll never see you again.

Opinion

The book never addresses whether or not true multi-tasking is possible, it does mention 'background tasking', for example listening to music while you jog. Listening to music is passive in this instance, and as a result it can be successfully completed while doing your primary task of jogging.

As always, I'm skeptical. I believe that many activities we do can become background processes with enough practice, or the right kind of methods for doing them. Though writing (like I'm doing right now) demands my full attention, doing the dishes doesn't necessarily, so long as I have a system down that will ensure that I will not be able to leave food remnants on the plates.

Of course, the dishwasher would completely count in this case ;).

Application


I am reminded of a former boss of mine. An absolutely brilliant woman who was almost incapable of completing anything because her day consisted entirely of interruptions. She was so disorganized even those people with appointments were treated as interruptions. Her job was very broad in scope, and as a result everyone in the organization constantly needed a piece of her.

Recommendation

I would recommend this book to people like her. For myself, however, I am a very organized person, and I have yet to be in a position where I felt as disorganized as I would need to be in order to require the changes recommended in this book.

Method 6: CSULB Career Fair Employer Review, Method 5: New books!

Now that I've decided to attend the CSULB career fair on November 27 instead of the National career fair that same day, here's a list of those companies with whom I share a mutual interest: me working for them.

Employer Name	Position Info	Distance, Bus	Distance, Bike
Working Wardrobes	Possible internship	1hr 3 min	30 min
OC Printing (subsidiary of CGX)	non specific	30 min	11 min
OCTA	Internship	1 hour	1 hour
Sherwin Williams Santa Ana Location	MGT training program	1 hr 20 min	51 min

As you can see, the list is limited, but it's better than the scammy alternative.

And now it's time to get down to business on the resumes.

Also, I found a new book that might turn out to be helpful: They Don't Teach Corporate in College by Alexandra Levitt. Also, the GRE Study Guide finally came back, so I grabbed it and checked it out.

Due to recent disappointments, it was nice to have a small victory of finding some interesting books.

Best regards!
Beth

Method 6: Quality Control

Alright, it's time to get serious about this job fair thing. Just going to any old job fair is not going to cut it, I need to be selective, I need to find the job fair that will have jobs for me. Not just jobs in general.

I have decided to check out the Job Fair at California State University, Long Beach. The timing of this fair directly conflicts with the OC job fair, but, since that job fair is primarily populated by scam artists, this seems less of a waste of time.

In fact, looking over it, there are many more companies attending, and almost none of them are flim flam. Apparently universities have higher standards for which employers they'll allow to recruit at their locations. Higher than National Career Fairs at least.

There looks to be quite a few companies interested in Business majors, and most of them have management jobs that they're advertising.

Time for some celebratory research!

Best regards,
Beth

Perhaps I've finally found the trick to applying method six...

Method 6: Companies to Avoid

Just in case, the following companies are certainly MLM:

1. 20/20 Companies
2. Franchisemart/Biz1Brokers
3. Independent Capital Management
4. Kangen Water
5. MonaVie
6. PartyLite Inc
7. United States Bank Card Service

Places that will charge for training

1. Guardian Life
2. Aflac 
3. New York Life Insurance
4. Sterling Wealth Strategies
5. Trilogy Financial Services, Inc.
6. World financial services

What's left?

1. Aaron's furniture, they are looking for a management trainee.
2. American Institute of Renewable Energy: They don't actually hire, they train
3. Argosy University; educates, not pays
4. California State University Fullerton - MBA Programs, not quite ready for my MBA
5. Defense Contract Management Agency. Moral issues with this one.
6. Franchisemart/Biz1Brokers. Not really in the mood to start a franchise
7. Lakeshore Learning Materials. Ok, I'll give it a shot
8. Orange County Staffing. Yep... a staffing agency. Nope!
9. The Art Institute. Only professor positions available.
10. Association for Operations Managers. Might let me hook up with something. Probably just looking to recruit trainees.
11. The travel corporation USA. It's a possibility, but I'm not sure what I'd do for them. Probably sales.

Yep, that's all folks. I'll be sure to check out Lakeshore Learning Materials but emphasize I'm interested in assistant management positions at their Laguna Hills location. And Aaron's; they have a manager trainee program available. And maybe Operations Management can hook me up with something. I won't hold my breath, though.

At least I won't waste as much of my time this time around!

Best regards,
Beth

Metho 60: OC job Fair The FILTERED list of Companies

With the MLM companies filtered out, here are my options at the OC job fair...
Lakeshore Learning Materials.

The end.

Must look into other resources for job fairs.

Best regards,
Beth

Give 'em the old three ring circus

How can they see with sequins in their eyes?

After recent experiences with three scummy, scammy and just plain annoying companies,, it's time to discuss how does one avoid wasting their time on endless pyramid *ahem* multi-level marketing schemes?

The first trick would be research; look them up online.  Type in the company's name and MLM.  See what pops up.

Some other phrases to be watchful of:

1. Unlimited Earnings, Unlimited Potential, Unlimited Opportunities, Unlimited Growth.
   If anywhere in their literature they state that by working for their company you can experience this unlimited potential, run for the hills. No company can offer that, there's always a limit. When they say unlimited they're lying to you.
2. Multi-level marketing.
   This one speaks for itself.
3. Their literature focuses more on the benefits of working for the company than on the position they are offering.  In these cases the position is secondary, "oh yeah, you'll be selling" is usually somewhere hidden under "unlimited earnings potential" or some other phrase like that.
4. Work from home.  This usually means they have no physical office, other than their dupes' homes.  You'll be making cold calls on your dime for quite a while.

More to be added as I find more.

Time to research the OC job fair to find if there are any that aren't MLM's.

Best regards,
Beth

Company Review: AIL

Stalking my prey, I soon realized, these were not wild animals I was stalking.

This was a circus.

American Income Life is yet another multi-level marketing company that does not rely on its sales people to sell its product, it relies on its sales people to recruit more sales people.  And those sales people? recruit yet more sales people.

The cycle of ponzis continues, as does the hunt.

Best regards,
Beth

Company Review: Izigg

To my surprise, I received another call today about a position.  They asked that I check out some videos on their website, and then get back to them in an hour.  Ok, I figured, why not.

The company is Izigg (careful, the video starts playing immediately).  And my first question was "what do these people do?"

It's not entirely clear, it sounds like you buy access to this service, and people text 90201 a certain code and when your code it texted to them they send a preset message back.

I think. To be honest, it was a little hard to figure out what exactly they do between the marketing buzzwords.

And to top it all off, the founder of the company is Brian Underwood, of the LocaladLink scam.


Fantastic.  Two scam artists in one day.

Employer Review: Trilogy Financial

And then... there was flim flam.

My hopes and enthusiasm high, I arrived for my group interview at Trilogy Financial. They wasted twenty of my minutes pompously proporting the recent growth of their company, and describing the positive experience they had working for Trilogy.

Then came the description of our training process. They charge their applicants $823 to get certified to work for their company, and then decide if they're going to hire you.

Wait... what?

That's right, you pay nearly $1000 for the possibility of working for them.

I looked around the room and counted 10 of us sitting there. They looked around the room and saw $8,230 sitting in front of them.

They even had the audacity to ask "why would we ask that you invest the $823 instead of us paying it?"

The group responded "To prove our commitment to having a career with Trilogy".

That's when they lost me. Prove my commitment? No, my dear, it's time for you to prove your commitment to me. I spent four years of my life proving my commitment to my career. Now it's time for a company to prove its commitment and invest something in me.

I may not have the highest standards while I look for a job, but it completely unconscionable to work for a company that refuses to invest even the slightest bit in their employees.

If they were truly looking for financial consultants, they would spend the resources towards finding those people who they were confident in and investing in helping those people ace the test. Not finding the most gullible among us and asking for $823.

I'm afraid my hunt continues.

Better things to come tomorrow, hopefully.

Best regards,
Elizabeth Bailey

Method 6: Success!

I have successfully tracked two of my prey and cornered them!

Two interviews, one today the other tomorrow fell out of the woodwork!

As always I'm keeping my antenae up, but thus far they seem legitimate companies.

A few things I will ask about:

1. Do they pay me during training?
2. Do I need to pay for my own training?

I'll see if I can come up with others, and research both online, but that about covers my concerns.

Best regards,
Beth

Method 6: Homework LB Revised, OC Career Fair

1. Create a resume tailored to office management, personnel coordination and training experience. Check.
2. Learn about MCIF, Visio, QuarkXPress, Flash.  Procrastinated for tomorrow.

So, here's the deal, company X is about 3 or 4 hours away from the apartment by bus, and thereby a complete waste of effort. Sad, because that was the company on which I used Method 7.

And, of course, this Wednesday I have new hunting grounds! The OC job fair will provide me with ample game to stalk!

Below are my primary targets, and their most desirable attributes.

Game	Desirable Attributes
Independent Capitial Management	Management Trainee Program
Lakeshore Learning Materials	Assistant Store Manager Laguna Hills location
New York Life Insurance	Associate Program to be hired into Marketing or Corporate Communications

Time to start on customized resumes for these exciting positions!

Post Method 6 Homework

Just some final words about following up after the job fair.

1. Create a resume tailored to office management, personnel coordination and training experience.
2. Learn some Polish phrases
3. Research what company X does, and their industry
4. Learn about MCIF, Visio, QuarkXPress, Flash

Beth

Method 6: Dates

Upcoming Orange County Career Fair Dates, locations and links:

October 27, 2010
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
1855 South Harbor Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92802

November 16, 2010
10:30 am - 2:00 pm
The Radisson Hotel - John Wayne Airport
Orange County, CA

Beth

Method 6: Success? Append: Method 7

The Long Beach Career Fair has come and gone!  My first real Career Fair, and a whole bundle of new experiences to report!

First, I arrived at the fair about an hour early.  There was about 10 minutes of standing around awkwardly until people started to queue.  I ended up in the first dozen or so hopefuls.  Lesson for next time: make sure to ask the person behind the desk (in case someone else doesn't) in which direction the line grows.  If you are the first to try this it guarantees you a spot near the front of the line.

We all stood around awkwardly making conversation for the next forty minutes or so.  Many clusters found themselves caught in an increasingly awkward, and occasionally inappropriate loops of conversation.  For example, the cluster behind mine found itself caught in a discussion about guns, though only one of them had an gun-related knowledge.  Another group found itself awkwardly discussing tattoos they found silly; though they ran out of tattoo related knowledge and anecdotes about 5 minutes into the 20 minute convo-loop.  Lesson for next time: prepare neutral, pleasant conversation topics to use to gently shift the conversation out of these loops.

And finally it was time to filter in.  Those people who had registered online were allowed in first, and the drop ins were required to fill out the registration forms.  Luckily I was one of those who were allowed in directly.  But a good thing to remember: Always register before you show up.

And then, gradually encroaching chaos.  At first I had my pick of tables, being one of the first, and refusing to get caught at the first two very popular tables, I made a beeline for the opposite end of the room. 
This actually ended up being one of the best decisions I could have made, but more about that later.  As the applicants filtered in, the more disorderly everything got, and the more lines that snaked around the room.

I  found myself stumbling through the first introduction.  I must have said something along the lines of "My name is Beth Bailey and Business School management, what jobs?".  I took a moment, composed myself, and tried again "Hello, My name is Elizabeth Bailey, I recently graduated from the School of Business Administration.  As you can see from my resume, the majority of my experience is in program and project management. Does your company have any open positions that might be able to use these skills?" A daring save, and she seemed somewhat impressed that I was able to take my stumble in stride.  Lesson for next time: PRACTICE, practice, practice the introduction. Sure I went over it a few times, but just a few more times over, and I'm sure I could have avoided sounding like a dummy.


All in all I spoke with five companies that had positions I was interested in, and they all seemed genuinely interested in me.  
Then, there were the flim flammers.

They were the displays closest to the doors; the ones that attracted everyone's attention at the beginning.  Before attending the fair, I looked up the companies that would be there.  I found two of them had poor reputations amongst members of the online community, and decided those would be the companies I would rank lowest priority.

I overheard 'recruiting agents' from one my two disreputables using the event as an opportunity to convince applicants to purchase their product.  With no intention of hiring any of these unemployed hopefuls, the scam artists strung them along, describing the benefits of their product, as the prospectives waited patiently for the position description.

There was no position.

Word to the Wise: In your research of the companies, make sure you check that every company is legitimate; feel free to use your own standards, but I ask myself: How does this company survive?  If I can't answer it, I don't go for it.  Or if the answer is "through completely unscrupulous means", I still avoid.

My final interaction for the day lead me to another method of job searching.  I have dubbed it:
Method 7: Imaginary Jobs. I haven't merely been reacting to job postings and existing openings.  I've also been proactively petitioning companies for positions I feel they ought to have available.

To this point I hadn't had much success in these endeavors.  In fact, they were all either met with indifference or mild confusion.

Until today that is!

Waiting in line for a particular company, I heard the recruiter mention to every person who walked up to him he was only hiring for sales.  The company was expanding its sales force, and that was that.

I don't want sales positions.  They're towards the bottom of my desired positions.  But I had already sat for twenty minutes; I was committed to talking with this guy.  I was going to talk to him, and he was going to listen.

So, I decided it's time to harness the power of Method 7: Imaginary Job.

Confidence dial cranked up to 11, I marched up to him, shook his hand and told him "My name is Elizabeth Bailey, and I understand you are growing your sales force.  I have personnel management experience that might be useful to coordinate your sales team".

To my surprise he agreed with me!  It turned out I was speaking with the CEO of the company, and up until this point he had been coordinating the sales team by himself.  He had neglected to consider what support he might need with the increased volume of sales as well as sales people.  He handed me his card, wrote down his correct phone number and asked me to call him tomorrow! Strategy for next time:  Don't be limited to the jobs they're offering, dream big and be creative (but keep it relevant to what you know they want/have)

And finally, lo and behold, I have an interview set up for Wednesday with yet another company!  They're hiring for what sounds like an office management/training/personnel coordination position.  The representative didn't sound completely familiar with the position, but I'm sure I'll learn more Wednesday!  At the very least it'll be interview practice.

And finally, I wrote thank you and follow up emails. Every company in which I was interested I sent a thank you letter to the recruiter.  A little detective work was necessary for one of the emails addresses, but I found it and look forward to hearing from all of the recruiters soon.  I was proud of the fact that I received one message saying "I will be out of office October 18th for the job fair", I sent the email to her before she even had a chance to get back to the office from the fair!

All in all, Method 6 and Method 7 turned out to be highly successful, and I learned ways to make the most of OC job fair October 27 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Best regards and happy thoughts,
Beth

Method 6: Focused Reduction

Personal Themes: Initiative taking, Leader, Resourceful and Organized

Who I am in relation to these themes (in 150 words or less):

My name is Elizabeth Bailey, and I recently received my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration.  I'm very interested in a career in management.  As you can see from my resume, the majority of my experience is in project coordination and program management.
I have implemented an entire department at an Internet Service Provider, brought order to a forty person mob to organize an event for a charity, brought organization to an office in chaos, and directed a summer camp.  And I did all of this at different companies with minimal resources.  To achieve all of this, I lead organizational change, put in the requisite leg work and earned the respect of my colleagues.
What can you tell me about the positions *your firm* has to offer?

Of course, this would change depending on my impression of the person from watching them interact with other career fair goers, and the type of person for which their company might be looking.

My resumes are printed, out, my suit is pressed, and my notebook is packed.
 I daresay, I'm ready!

Wish me luck!
Beth

Method 6: Paragraphs and Themes

Star #1: Capstone Project Day One

My class was assigned to organize ourselves in order to plan and implement an event for a local charity.  I identified the need for organization, and began the class-wide discussion.  After I was certain everyone's ideas had been voiced, I took a preliminary vote to determine the final ideas.  From there, I asked the proponents of each idea to step up and defend their idea to the rest of the class.  A final vote was taken, and we selected our event; a bowling fundraiser for the Detroit Institute for Children. I became the lead of the marketing team, and coordinated the efforts of the entire class.
Themes: Leadership, initiative, organization (chaos to order), centralization

Star #2: Capstone Project, Continuous Success

The marketing team for our capstone project--the planning and execution of an event for a local charity--set ourselves the very lofty goal of convincing 360 people to attend our event.  As marketing team leader, I held meetings where team members described what they considered the most effective ways of promoting the event.  I then assigned tasks to each member and myself.  I coordinated everyone's efforts within the team.  As a result of this decentralized structure, we were advertised on television, radio, newspapers, through social media and through flier distribution.  All of this was accomplished with no budget.
Themes: Leadership, teamwork, organization, decentralization, delegation, success from minimal resources, initiative

Star #3: The Provide.net Experience

I signed on to help a struggling Internet Service Provider improve its market position.  Realizing the lack of support from upper management, and the lack of monetary resources, I analyzed what assets the company had to offer.  I determined the most valuable of these assets were its human resources and virtually vacant upstream bandwidth; the perfect ingredients for a web design department.  I taught myself HTML, CSS and Content Management Systems, and trained the idle technicians on these techniques.  Provide.net is now able to offer additional services, its technicians are capable of addressing a wider range of issues, freeing up the operations manager to focus on improving the technical capabilities of the company.
Themes: Success from minimal resources, leadership, teamwork, training, initiative

Star #4: International Institute Incident

I was asked to direct the summer camp for the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit's Education Department without budget, staff, or support from the department's director.  I researched activities for the campers, proposed the camp as a promotional opportunity for local cultural presenters, and developed a partnership with the local library for weekly educational visits.  After the eight week camp experience, the campers had a wonderful time and left with an appreciation for the world's cultural diversity.

Themes: Success from minimal resources, leadership, initiative

Star #5: Pretty Lake Office

The office at Pretty Lake Vacation Camp was left in disarray by its previous manager.  When the campers arrived, the new office manager found herself overburdened, the counselors did not receive important medical information on their campers in a timely manner, and we were at risk of failing a government audit.  I stepped in, and became the assistant office manager.  I completed all clerical tasks, allowing the office manager to catch up on the office organization.  I also created a camper information processing system that allowed us to efficiently disseminate camper records to counselors, automatically comply with government audit standards and digitize all camper information.

Themes: Organization (chaos to order), initiative

Themes

Theme	Frequency
Initiative	5
Leadership	4
Success from Minimal resources	3
Organization (chaos to order)	2
Team Work	2
Decentralization	1
Centralization	1
Training	1
Delegation	1

Initiative, Leadership, Success from Minimal Resources and Organization are themes that are repeated most often, and those that I would like to experience again.  I believe that I would succeed in a position with these attributes, and enjoy that position immensely. 

Method 6: Five Stars

Star #1: Capstone Project Day One
Situation/Task: My class was assigned to organize ourselves in order to host an event for a local charity.
Action: I took everyone's opinions on what sort of event we should hold.  When the board was full, I held a preliminary vote on the top three choices.  From there, I asked each of the idea champions (those people who had come up with the ideas) to defend their idea. 
Result: We elected to hold a Bowling Event for the Detroit Institute for Children.  The class divided itself into functional teams, and  I became the leader of the marketing team, and coordinated the class' efforts to keep everyone on track.  The class raised over $5,000 for the Detroit Institute for Children.

Star #2: Capstone Project, Continuous Success
Situation/task: The marketing team set its own goals for success; one of these goals was to maximize the capacity of the bowling alley.  This particular bowling alley could accommodate 360 bowlers, and we only had five weeks and no budget to advertise.
Action: I polled the team about what everyone thought would be the best way of promoting the event. I then assigned each team member to champion a project.
Result: The team succeeded in pursuing more forms of promotion than one would have thought possible.  We were advertised in newspapers, on television, on the radio and fliers all over the tri-county area.  Though we did not achieve our goal of maximum capacity, I am proud of the wide range of exposure we achieved for our event.

Star #3: The Provide.net Experience
Situation/Task: I signed on to a struggling company with the intention of turning it around.  This company was pigeonholed a declining market and the attention of the owner was divided, and he was not able to focus exclusively on the company.
Action: I did an analysis and determined that at its disposal the company had ample human resources and upstream bandwidth; the two ingredients necessary for a web design department.  I taught myself HTML, CSS and the use of some common content management systems .  In the technicians' free time, I trained them in these techniques.  I also updated Provide.net's website to appear more modern and business-like.
Result: Provide.net is able to offer website maintenance and support to its customers, and now advertises itself as a full Internet Solutions Provider.  The technicians are able to support website related issues, allowing the operations manager to focus his time on improving the business.


Star #4: International Institute Incident:
Situation: I was asked to direct the summer camp at the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, with minimal support from my superior, an absentee volunteer staff, no budget.

Action: I did a lot of research and found multi-cultural activities that would appeal to kids of all ages.  I contacted local cultural groups and proposed they use our camp as an opportunity to promote their work.  I created a partnership with the local library for weekly visits.
Result: A very successful camp experience!  Although the first week was a bit rocky, by the end of eight weeks the campers had a great time, and had a new appreciation for the great diversity of people in the world.


Star #5: Pretty Lake Office
Situation: The previous year's office staff at Pretty Lake Vacation Camp had left its offices in complete disarray.  Counselors were not receiving necessary medical information on time, and the camp was at risk of failing a government audit of camper financial information.
Action: I stepped in and became the assistant office manager.  I took care of all the day-to-day clerical activities to allow the Office Manager to get the office in working order.  I also implemented filing systems, and worked on digitizing camper files.
Result: I came up with a system for filing and disseminating information that meant that not only were counselors given their camper's medical information immediately, but all records were kept in compliance with government regulations.

Method 6: Preparation for the Fair

The Long Beach Job Fair is tomorrow! In preparation, I am devising my 'elevator introductions', or the thirty second to one minute self-introduction meant to convince a potential employer that I just might be the right person for the job.

According to an article on wikiHow (numerous authors) the process starts with five 'star's, or situation/task, action and result.  These should be descriptive of my greatest personal and professional accomplishments.

Once those are worked out, reduce them to one paragraph each.  From there, analyze for any theme(s) that comes across from each.  Decide which themes to emphasize, and focus those answers that are most applicable towards those themes.

Finally, reduce it all to less than 350 words.  (Because the article is geared towards how to answer a question in an interview setting rather than a job fair, I will try for 150 words or less)

Method 5: Fascinating Video about International Business

Devdutt Pattanaik does an excellent job of explaining some of the roots of cultural differences between the United States and India.

Method 1: Job Postings, Method 3: Networking

After searching through every one of these twenty sites you see on the right of your screen, I was only able to find one (yes, that's right ONE) position that I was:
1. Eligible for and
2. Interested in.

It's an associate manager position with a fairly well known gaming entertainment company, and the position's description sounded like it was right up my alley.  I filled out the requisite application information, and sent in my resume.

Turns out, Henk met one of the engineers for this company on his plane ride over here.  He agreed to do a little networking for me and send in my resume via email.

Very nice because the submission form on the site nuked all of my formatting.

The hunt continues, but it's nice to know that I know someone who knows someone for the first time since the beginning of my search.

Best regards,
Beth

Method 6, Job Fairs and Method 5, personal enrichment

The long beach job fair is coming up next Monday!

Though most of the companies are insurance or financial services (can anyone say cold sales?) There were a few in which I'm interested.  So, it's time to update the resume!

I have two resumes that I consider 'general', one for marketing, and one for coordination.  I use these for career sites and for jumping off points for resumes customized to job postings.  And it's high time I give them a revamp!

Because none of the employers in which I'm interested list positions, it'll be a bit of a guessing game as to what to put on the resume.  My plan is to put in those experiences which I would like to duplicate.  I plan on communicating what I want out of a job to the employer based on what I put in my resume.  Of course, I'll be a bit selective about which employers I give which resume, those that I suspect might be looking for salesmen I'll be more likely to offer my coordination resume, and those that I think might have a career path that starts with marketing I will give the marketing resume.

Of course, Long Beach is about an hour and a half away from Irvine, meaning most of the companies are not located near enough to my apartment.  But as they say, practice makes perfect!  In attending this fair, I'll be more than ready for the Orange County job fair on the 27th.

I plan on passing out more of the coordination resume due to my personal interests and strenghts.

And in preparation for any potential interviews or meetings, I checked out a book from the library; Doing Business In China.  Come to find out I should have checked the copyright date; 1994.  Suspecting that there may have been some changes in the past decade and a half, I purchased another book (Strategic Asia) from the local university bookstore.  This purchase was only $1, and contains information from as recent as 2007!  Not exactly bleeding edge recent, but a little better than 1994.

Wish me luck on my resume updates!

Beth

Method 1: Job Postings, Method 5: Personal Enrichment

While patrolling my common job posting boards, I found an interesting listing.  One that the job didn't seem to match up with the requirements.  By this I mean the job looked to be much higher level than  the requirements would dictate.

Sure, I'd love to be a management consultant to fortune 500 companies all over the world, but are you sure that I only need 1 year of work experience and a bachelor's degree to do that?

Intrigued, I investigated further.  Turns out they have an internship program, which in turn leads to an associate consultancy, and eventually full on consultancy, with a path into the company's upper management.

Cool!

I can do an internship, and I certainly fit their criteria.  So, after about 3 hours of collaborative work on a cover letter and resume (thank you Allison and Sara!) I finally had a product with which I was happy.

Of course, after staring at a screen for three hours, my brain will convince me that a three year old's story is Shakespearean verse, so I elected to take this morning (and early afternoon) off from the screen.

My shift at the library was from 12pm - 2pm.  I was on shelf reading, and, lo and behold, I reached the area with books on consultancy and working with China (the company has two offices in China!).  I checked out the books I thought would be most helpful, and plan on reading them in case they call me for an interview.  At the very least I won't sound completely green!

More than that, if anything happens with Henk's work, they're a consultant firm, too!  And if I am hired onto a management position, again I won't sound completely naive for the first few months.

And of course doing business in China will probably be inescapable no matter where I end up working.

I also started re-reading my programming book.  It's all in Python, but I figure I can take what I learn and apply it to other languages.  I got through the first chapter which covers if/then, while, and a few other basic tools of programming.

And finally I drew on my tablet for about half an hour (will probably do more of that before the day is out).  Nothing major, just working on a drawing of a woman.  I should probably start doing more graphical things rather than art, but I'm enjoying myself for now.

My day continues!

Beth

The Premise, Continued

I realized after I thought for a while that I'd forgotten a few methods.
I would like to append the method list with:

5. Personal Enrichment.  This includes learning new skills that might help me find a job (at the moment programming and digital art), as well as studying for the GRE and preparing for potential graduate school.

6. Job fairs. Just that.  Preparing for them, finding them, and attending.

The Premise

This blog is meant to chronicle my post-bachelor's degree job hunt.  I've had some experience in the past, internships, part time positions and summer full time work, but it seems that the well spring that brought me those positions has all but dried up.  Moving into the official job market means I'm not just competing with my peers, but with individuals with decades of experience.

And I've been trying to come up with a few ways of giving myself an edge.  Reading articles, asking 'experts' (for my purposes, I consider an expert to be anyone who already has a position in their feild)  and lots and lots of leg work.  I've also come up with a few--probably dead end, but possibly fruitful--unconventional job search methods.

So the race begins.

It's time to see which of these strategies is the best.  Of course, I'll measure success based on which method I use to get my first position.

The methods:

1. Searching Job Postings.  I've found over a dozen such sites, which I will list later.  Each day I will go over the recent posts (from the past 24 hours) on each site, and apply for positions for which I qualify.
2. Posting my resume.  Again, back to the dozen sites.  The majority of sites allow for resume postings for passive job searches.  I will specify on the list of sites on which I have posted my resume.
3. Networking.  I've started volunteering at the library in hopes of meeting savvy business owners seeking a recent graduate.  I've also been fostering hope that the library might need a business major some day.  I've also started taking dance classes.  And, finally, I've been getting to know Henk's coworkers (and bits and pieces of his job) as well as I can; even sending my resume with Henk to work to give to HR.
4. Self employment.  Sounds like a challenge (and it would be), but I have a few methods that I've decided to employ for this.  Every day, I cook Henk a delicious lunch, make sure his shirts are properly ironed, and send him on his way.  My hope is that his coworkers, whose wives are in Germany or Michigan, will see the value of paying someone to perform these duties for them.  I will have to come up with a cost structure, if this becomes the case.

On your mark, get set...

GO!