Unemployed Yet Again

millie-bell: YES! OCCUPY! I know this has already been...

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:36:57 -0400

YES! OCCUPY!

I know this has already been reblogged a million times, but… what’s one more?

I hate this article

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:48:32 -0400

I have mixed feelings about even posting this, since I really don’t want to promote this horrible article, but here are some excerpts:

“What a [job candidate] likes to do outside of work might show how they are in their job,” she says. “As a hiring manager, what you don’t like to hear is, ‘I just like to sit around at home and read books all day.’”

Yes, god forbid you hire someone intelligent who actually enjoys reading!

Some career experts also warn against the tired stand-by opening lines in a cover letter. “Opening a letter with a passive and clichéd statement such as ‘Enclosed please find my resume highlighting my experience and skills that would help your company to grow and succeed,’” is a no-no.

I know they get tired of reading the same cover letters, but seriously, there are only so many ways to say “here’s my resume.”

College Grads Gain on M.B.A.s

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:39:03 -0400

College Grads Gain on M.B.A.s :

Yeah, big surprise here. I saw this one coming a few years ago.

Back in 2007/2008, I applied for those summer associate positions at various banks. It was for the summer of 2008, which is just when the recession really hit, so you can guess how that went. I was contacted by one bank, BNP Paribas, via email to complete some sort of online “psychological screening.”

I never heard from them again, so I guess I failed.

I'm back

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:35:00 -0400

Hey everyone,

I gave up on this blog for a while, since I was trying to focus on my new grad program, but I do have a few complaints to share… so here I am!

Recently, I came across a site called “occupy occupy wall street.” This group is apparently united under the premise of “the 1% strikes back.” Yes, because, clearly, they really need to strike back against something??! (Needless to say, I am one of the 99%.) I know that the occupy wall street protests haven’t really articulated their goals and objectives in terms of what they want to gain from protesting, but I think it’s important to draw attention to the huge income disparity in this country, so I support them. Anyway, this site stated the following:

“To be angry at the wealthiest Americans for their success is simply childish jealousy from those who have failed to create the same opportunities themselves,” representative John Selvig states. “America is not kindergarten; there are winners and losers. This is a country where if you work hard in the right field you can become extremely wealthy. We are proud of that wealth and will not sit back and watch a group slander it in our own backyard. We will not stop until #OOWS out-occupies the occupiers.” This movement believes that “The system is not broken and we will fight, at all costs, to maintain the status quo. We are the 1% and we are 100% proud!”

Wow, really? The system isn’t broken? Oh, so you (you meaning the Wall Streeters actually responsible for the recession, which is not all of them - many people worked in departments unrelated to subprime mortgages) MEANT to bankrupt all the banks? You did that on purpose? The recession was intentional? Rising unemployment in the U.S. is all fine? People just need to work hard in the right field?? (If you are unemployed, how are you supposed to work hard? Not everyone has the start-up money for their own business.)

Also, apparently, life IS fair (according to this guy, at least). Who knew? Certainly not me. I thought it was pretty obvious that not everyone has the same opportunities, regardless of how hard they work. Luck and timing play a huge part in any kind of success.

Whoever John Selvig is, I hate him.

100% proud? Of what? Having no compassion or empathy for other people? Refusing to see that there are hardworking people out of work all over, and it’s NOT THEIR FAULT, it could happen to anyone, and it could happen to you too, asshole.

After I read this, I was thinking - if someone said this to my face, this is what I would say to them:

“I graduated from college when I was 20 years old. I worked full-time for a few years, then went to business school. My GMAT score was over 700. For a year, I worked 9-5 and went to class at night. Then I went to school full-time and worked part-time. One semester, I took 3 classes and worked 2 part-time jobs. I was a leader in a student group (leaving out the details here that could identify me), maintained a decent GPA, and earned my MBA before I turned 27. I went to every networking event, job fair, headhunter, and contacted every connection I ever hard. I spent years looking for a job, went on dozens on interview, and didn’t get one. Look me in the eyes and tell me that this is my fault.”

Then, if the person I was speaking to wasn’t sufficiently contrite, I would continue yelling at them:

“Do you want to tell me that it’s my fucking fault? Do you? Do you? Huh?”

Ok, so this fantasy got away from me a little.

Yes, I'm living up to my blog title, as predicted...

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:08:30 -0400

As per my previous post (here), I was recently rejected from a position that I wasn’t sure I wanted anyway. I wish I could give the details, but I’m paranoid that someone who knows me will find this blog and identify me:( However, my freelance assignment recently ended, so I’m back to hanging out at home, applying for jobs, and looking for free/cheap things to do. Since I’m going back to school this fall, I’m no longer looking for a full-time job, and I’m focusing on finding something for the summer or something part-time instead. Somehow I thought that might be easier… naturally, I was wrong!

I don’t have any money to travel, I don’t really have any hobbies, I don’t have a lot of job leads, so I’m back to harassing temp agency employees to try to find an assignment for me. Oh well. Meanwhile, there’s still lots of television shows I haven’t seen yet.

"In life you have to do a lot of things you don’t fucking want to do. Many times, that’s what the..."

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:00:06 -0400

“In life you have to do a lot of things you don’t fucking want to do. Many times, that’s what the fuck life is… one vile fucking task after another.”

- Al Swearengen, Deadwood (via everythingtv)

You know what sucks?

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:47:41 -0400

Being rejected for a job you didn’t even really want! For some reason, it’s more insulting than being rejected from something you actually wanted.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Priorities

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:29:53 -0400

(in keeping with my promise to post a bunch of old stuff, this was something that actually happened in December 2010)

Today my only plan was to go to the liquor store, to pick up a bottle of Bailey’s that I had promised to bring to a holiday party at a friend’s place. When you have only one errand to run, somehow your whole day revolves around that. So today was liquor store day, and then I got an email about a job from someone requesting a phone interview. Well, naturally, my first thought was “I will have to schedule this phone call around my trip to the liquor store.” (have I mentioned that the store is 2 blocks away?) Ummm….maybe that kind of thinking is the reason I don’t already have a job?

When the next interviewer asks me about my ability to “prioritize,” maybe it’s best if I don’t share this one?? ha ha. (btw, I obv didn’t get that job - but that’s a story for another post…)

"Not a writer!"

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:45:45 -0400

“Not a writer!”

- The guys to Peggy, after she turns down a second drink during a work meeting.

(Mad Men)

"Now, I didn’t actually know any commercial bankers, but a commercial banker was reputed to be just..."

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 23:38:48 -0400

“Now, I didn’t actually know any commercial bankers, but a commercial banker was reputed to be just an ordinary American businessman with ordinary American ambitions. He lent a few hundred million dollars each day to South American countries. But really, he meant no harm. He was only doing what he was told by someone higher up in an endless chain of command. A commercial banker wasn’t any more trouble than Dagwood Bumstead. He had a wife, a station wagon, 2.2 children, and a dog that brought him his slippers when he returned home from work at six.”

- Michael Lewis, Liar’s Poker

Things to do this summer

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:00:06 -0400

Since my job/project is ending soon, I need to find something else to do for a few months until grad school starts in the fall. (Funny, I always thought that the one thing I would NEVER turn out to be is one of those career students. I guess you really can’t predict anything.)

Naturally, I’m searching for some sort of summer job/part-time job I could keep during the fall semester. However, since I’m find it just as difficult to find a part-time job as a full-time one, I’m trying to think up some additional ideas. Here they are:

watch everything on HBO GO online (it contains almost every HBO show ever created)
watch everything in my Netflix Instant queue via my Blu-Ray player
watch the entire Homicide: Life on the Street box set (I’ve been meaning to do this for a while)
go to the park or something (note: this is unlikely to actually occur)
read all my shelves of books I’ve been meaning to read
volunteer - it’s better than an internship since at least it would involve a worthwhile cause (note to self: find a worthwhile cause).
try to start some kind of freelance writing career (I’ve tried, very briefly, in the past, but didn’t get very far).
put together a book proposal about unemployment in America among 20-somethings (probably the same idea every other unemployed 20-something has).
I dunno, anyone have any other ideas??

Reblog if you're willing to answer anything that comes to your ask box right now.

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:37:17 -0400

Update

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:00:06 -0400

So, since a few people have asked, here’s some info about what I’ve been doing lately…

I’ve been working at a short-term, part-time job, which is probably ending in a few weeks. Unfortunately, I’m actually hoping that it ends soon, since (like some of my previous jobs), the reality of the position was not at all what the hiring manager told me it would be. I keep reading articles about how you can learn something from any job, even if you feel like it’s beneath you… the only thing I learned from this one is “don’t trust anyone, ever,” but, I knew that already.

(Ok, I’m sort of kidding. But this job sounded really interesting during the interview, and it was definitely a let down. Oh well. I’ve been on other interviews recently and maybe something else will come up soon.)

In that respect, I am currently semi-employed, and soon to be unemployed (yet again)… no big surprise there:(

In other, better, news… I have decided to go back to school. I recently applied and was accepted to a new program that is writing-related (I can’t give away too much since it is a specific niche program). It’s a few days a week, so I am still looking for a part-time job. (And I still have years of stories about business school and bad interviews to share, as soon as I get around to writing them!) But I’m happy that I finally have something to do that I’m excited about. It starts in the fall, so I still have the summer to wait around, hopefully work if I can find a job, etc. I had considered going back to school for another degree for a while, but I couldn’t find anything that was really right for me. Then I found out about this one, which sounds exactly like what I really want to do. It’s for a master’s degree, but not really a traditional academic program, with lectures and all. It’s more about the writing. So for once, I’m feeling optimistic…

Having Needles Stuck Under Your Fingernails Should Not Be Part Of The Job Interview Process

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:09:20 -0400

Having Needles Stuck Under Your Fingernails Should Not Be Part Of The Job Interview Process:

badjobinterviews:

The job interview process can be quite taxing to the applicant’s mind, body and wallet, but at no point should it involve being tied up, flogged and tortured… right?

Authorities in suburban New York have arrested a man who did the above-mentioned things, and more, to men who thought they were applying for high security gigs in the intelligence-gathering industry.

The jobs were fake, but the pain was real.

This is so horrifying.

Since I am (probably unreasonably) paranoid that my boss checks my Internet browsing history, I do...

Tue, 31 May 2011 13:07:39 -0400

Since I am (probably unreasonably) paranoid that my boss checks my Internet browsing history, I do most of my stupid web surfing/slacking off on my phone instead of my work computer. That will probably backfire though, I bet he thinks I’m texting instead. Today I spent my morning squinting at Thought Catalog on my phone, while trying to look serious and not laugh out loud. I’m sure that wasn’t suspicious at all.

"It’s a job I fell into because I wasn’t strong, and grew to tolerate because I had to, then suddenly..."

Tue, 31 May 2011 10:40:06 -0400

“It’s a job I fell into because I wasn’t strong, and grew to tolerate because I had to, then suddenly couldn’t stand another hour of.”

- (Ryan Bingham)

Walter Kirn, Up in The Air

It came to my attention yesterday that my accountant had made an error on my taxes. He did not count...

Mon, 30 May 2011 18:18:06 -0400

It came to my attention yesterday that my accountant had made an error on my taxes. He did not count me as my parents’ dependent, nor did he count me as my own dependent. Which leads me to conclude something I had always suspected…

I don’t actually exist.

"Realize, as the long hot days freakishly repeat themselves, one after the other, that whatever I am..."

Mon, 30 May 2011 17:30:00 -0400

“Realize, as the long hot days freakishly repeat themselves, one after the other, that whatever I am doing I really think that I ought to be doing something else. It comes from the same feeling family as the one which periodically makes you think that just because you live in central London you should be out at the RSC/Albert Hall/Tower of London/Royal Academy/Madame Tussauds, instead of hanging around in bars enjoying yourself.”

- Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones’ Diary

(In honor of my totally boring Memorial Day weekend…I always feel like I should do something more fun for a holiday weekend, but I never do.)

A Generation of Slackers? Not So Much

Mon, 30 May 2011 16:48:11 -0400

A Generation of Slackers? Not So Much:

It’s worth remembering that to some extent, these accusations of laziness and narcissism in “kids these days” are nothing new — they’ve been levied against Generation X, Baby Boomers and many generations before them. Even Aristotle and Plato were said to have expressed similar feelings about the slacker youth of their times.

I usually don’t like anything that generalizes about a generation of people as if they’re all the same person - but at least this article is a little more sympathetic to Gen Y grads who are just getting out of college. There are so many articles about how “young people today are so entitled/spoiled/lazy, blah blah blah”…yet, it’s been PROVEN that this country is experiencing a recession. Naturally, new grads will find it extremely difficult to find jobs, and naturally, people will be frustrated by this!

(btw, I was also sad to realize that I don’t even fit into this category anymore! I’m in my late 20s now…this article is referring mainly to 16-24 yr old, apparently. but i happened to get my mba in ‘09, the “worst year for grads,” which was also true for people graduating with advanced degrees.)

Why Graduate School is Like Crack

Fri, 27 May 2011 17:01:06 -0400

Because one day, a long time ago, you were really bored and thought that it might be fun to try. Years went by, and though you knew deep down that it wasn’t really improving your life, you kept doing it anyway. It wasn’t fun, and it wasn’t going to help you become a self-sufficient adult (whatever that is), but it was all you had. Then you woke up and found yourself broke, friendless, and barely able to function. But this can’t be you, right? You’re a respectable middle-class type person. It must be someone else.