Well folks, a little later than planned, but I wanted to go and make my official departure from this blog....though I do have a little surprise I'll share at the end!
I've been on the job for just over a month now, and it definitely has been a whirlwind. There have been awesome days and rough days, and sometimes it's terrifying to stop and think that this is my life for the foreseeable future. Crazy.
I could go on and on forever with reflections on the job search process and what it's like as a new professional and what the biggest challenges were and are and on and on and on. Instead, I'll try to keep this a bit organized and I'll do a couple of lists. So, here we go....
Best Feelings Since I Started My Job Search:
- Passing comps and finishing my coursework
- Amazing networking and learning opportunities at national conferences
- Countless nights with my friends, whether we were actually being social or complaining about how much we hate applying for jobs
- When I got the interview for my current job, which was kind of a crazy thing overall since I turned down my original offer and then realized that was stupid and I actually kind of wanted the job...
- Hooding (even though I was in a ton of pain) and spending the weekend with my family
- Getting my job offer!!!!!
- Spending time with my family without it seeming totally rushed
- Celebrating every little achievement with my roommates, from getting a phone interview to actually getting a job
- Again, the friends thing
- My first day on the job, even though it was slightly terrifying
- The first time my colleague (who I really respect) made me feel really good about the work I'm doing
- When a student thanked me just for listening and being a resource and support
- When the logistical headache that was driving me crazy at work got fixed and I almost cried tears of joy
- Every day when I have what are now cross-country text chats with my friends
....and I'm sure I could go on. Clearly, it's been a great journey.
Worst Things/Feelings Since I Started My Job Search:
- Not being able to really take advantage of my coursework because I was so stressed with trying to do that and study for comps and apply for jobs and everything
- The break-ups that have happened between then and now
- All the anxiety and fear that I wouldn't get a job
- Every rejection email -- they still burn now, even though I have a job!
- The uncertainty of whether I made the "right" decision or not
- Spending time at home with my family knowing it was probably the longest uninterrupted amount of time I would ever get to spend with them again
- Every single going away dinner and good-bye hug. Those are probably the worst. I just want to lay here and cry for a bit thinking about how much I love and miss my friends who became my grad school family.
- Sitting at work staring at my office and getting the unescapable feeling that I have no clue what I'm doing and I'm in way over my head
...and of course there have been others too.
Overall, I would say it's been a balance, with things generally going in the positive direction. Honestly this is one of the first times I've really sat down and thought about how much I miss all of my friends, and it really kind of sucks. I've been busying myself with work and trying to find a house and things...and I know I'll make new friends (and continue enjoying the folks who are still around). But, wow, I really do miss them.
Okay, enough of that. I'll wrap up with some "lessons learned/bits of wisdom" for any job searchers/graduating HESA folks out there....And yes, I fully understand that if I had read the same list 6 months ago I wouldn't have trusted a word of it....but all the same.
1) Stay organized. If you aren't already an organized person, get on it. Figure out whatever process works for you (for me, it was many many folders on my Google drive), and figure it out before you're in the midst of everything. You'll get postings every day with different deadlines, you'll recycle bits of cover letters (but hopefully change the name of the institution), and you'll feel like you're losing your mind. And that's only in relation to actual applications, haha. So get organized and stay that way. It really does make things more manageable.
2) Practice, practice, and prep! Especially do this before you're really in the thick of your process. The more eyes you have on your resume and a couple cover letters, the more mock interviews you do, and the more times you do your elevator speech in the shower (I know, it sounds stupid, but it works), the easier things will be. All this professionalism stuff really is kind of a sport, and practice makes you better!
3) Be honest with yourself about what you want to do, where you want to do it, and what some of your dealbreakers and must-haves are. This was really hard for me in the beginning...I kept thinking I would apply for positions super far away or doing things that I wasn't completely passionate about, more tangentially....but when it boiled down to it I knew I didn't want to be a plane ride away from my family, and that I would pretty much give anything to do the specific work that I'm doing. Keeping an open-mind is important, but also know what is out of the question and don't waste your time on those. You'll thank yourself later. Besides, it's always easy to widen your parameters a bit if you're getting on in the season and getting nervous.
4) Enjoy every single moment with your friends/support network. Even if it's sitting around your office with everyone stressing about a different project or assignment or application....just do it. Take giggle breaks and go get milkshakes and be grumpy the next day because none of you got enough sleep. Don't take this time for granted, even though it seems like there's a million other things you should be doing. Unfortunately, before you know it you've been to a slew of good-bye dinners where the crowd gets progressively smaller at each once, and then all of a sudden you're sitting at your desk realizing that you have practically no one left on campus to grab lunch with. And it sucks. You've probably done the transition before, so you kind of know what to expect....but that doesn't make it any easier.
5) And finally....the hardest piece of advice to follow...trust your instincts and trust the process. It WILL work out. Perhaps not in the way that you thought it would, or perhaps in a way that doesn't even feel like it's working out at the time...but it will. Trust the process. That doesn't mean be lazy...you have to practice and polish and put yourself out there...push yourself to a level that you feel proud of and comfortable with. Don't push yourself over the edge. Once you know you're putting your best foot forward, trust the process. It will work out.
So...I suppose that's it. Thanks for reading folks. It's been a hell of a journey.
Oh, and my little surprise! Well, if you're interested in continuing to follow my journey for a bit, make sure you are following StudentAffairs.com @istudentaffairs!! I'll be tweeting about my adjustment to life as a new professional and all of the trials and tribulations that come with it. I'll try to include #SANewProf and #sachat on all of my tweets...so come and follow the journey :) Also, feel free to connect with me via Twitter! I'm better at updating since it's faster, haha. So, check it out, connect with me, and keep up the good work.
That's all folks.
P.S. In response to my title...well, I found the job...and there's plenty of life, love, and laughter to be had, you just have to look for it :)
Monday, July 22, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Looking for Life, Love, and Laughter...And a Job #24
Hey there strangers! Okay, I know it's been a month, but I'll get to my delay momentarily. For now, settle in and get excited to hear about the magic that is the working life.
So after my last post I headed out on vacation for a while. One of my close friends from my cohort got married over Memorial Day weekend, so a group of us headed down to celebrate with her. It was beautiful and totally made me cry. After the wedding we headed to the beach for a nice little getaway before we all went our separate ways. Overall it wasn't a super eventful trip....though it was wonderful! So nice to spend time with each other and just relax before all of the changes to come. While we were there my very best friend got her job offer, so that was super exciting! Unfortunately she's moved very far away from me, and I'm already totally sad.
After the beach, I headed back to my hometown for a while. I had planned to stay for 3 or 4 days and ended up staying for more like 9, but it was a much needed trip to spend time with my amazing family. This trip definitely felt different in a lot of ways -- my hometown and my family's house will always be home to me, but this time there was definitely a different feeling this time. I mean, honestly that was probably the longest amount of time I'll ever get to spend at home from now on, so I was enjoying every minute of it. We had so much fun -- I love my family so much. We had a great time reminiscing and whatnot...when I moved out of my apartment in undergrad I basically just threw everything into my closet back home without really organizing it, so we had a few great nights with lots of wine and laughing while going through all of my stuff. So yeah, long story short, home was amazing. Truly wonderful. I love my family so much and really enjoyed getting to spend time with them.
When I finally came back, I spent the first couple of days helping my roomie get packed and move out, and then she left. So sad. So so sad. I also started a complicated and totally overwhelming and cool process of....get this...buying a house!! Yes, you read that right, I'm buying a house! Basically while I was at home my family and I spent a lot of time crunching the numbers, and it financially makes more sense for me to do this. Now, I should warn you that I knew absolutely nothing about house buying or mortgages or equity or anything like that approximately 3 weeks ago, and now I'm practically an expert!! It's crazy!! So yes, lots of exciting things going on.
So, in the midst of all of this going on...there's kind of the major point of actually starting my job! I've officially been working for two weeks, and it's been absolutely wonderful! I am really confident that I made a good decision in taking this job opportunity, and every day has been fantastic thus far. There is definitely a lot to learn and do, and I'm already a little overwhelmed, but I'm also really motivated and excited about the opportunity to have a really positive impact.
A recap on the last month then....vacation and home, which were fabulous. Both of my roommates have officially moved out of my apartment, so I'm all alone, which is sad. I've been packing on the weekends -- how did I accumulate so much stuff? I've also found the house I plan to buy and am putting in a contract tomorrow! Most of my best friends have gotten jobs and moved away, which has been really tough, but I'm extremely happy for all of them. I managed to navigate my way through my benefits and retirement paperwork with the help of a wonderful benefits counselor at the University, and I've survived two solid weeks of work. It's been a hell of a month to say the least.
We are approaching the end of the month, and like my counterpart, I will be taking my leave of the blog shortly. However, I do want to write a couple more entries on what starting my professional career has been like, as well as some overall thoughts on the job search process. Apologies for taking so long before getting back to y'all -- I've learned that after a long day of work that mostly involves sitting on my computer, coming home and getting on my laptop is like the last thing I want to do. Oops! But I'm getting used to it :)
So, thanks for continuing to follow my adventures -- things have certainly been wild lately. Tune in again soon to hear more about the life of a new professional :)
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
A Wish Your Heart Makes 22
Hello folks, remember me?
The month is coming to an end, and with it, my commitment to writing this blog. I hope it has been helpful to some of you out there in the internet.
I am settling into my new job and so far I love it. Of course, my inner pessimist keeps waiting for the other shoe to fall. For right now I am thoroughly enjoying it and feel like I ABSOLUTELY made the right choice.My job provides me a near perfect mix of challenge and discovery. I work with an incredible group of people who challenge me and care about me in a way that makes me want to give my very best every single day.
Today I went to the retirement celebration of a coworker. It was a little weird because I have only known her for a few weeks, yet I felt this pang of emotion. One, she is a wonderful person. Everyone had such heartfelt things to say to her and they felt genuine. And two, she's been a the University for close to 40 years. I find that to be amazing.
I lived my life as a vagabond. My mom moved me from school to school and I've called at least four states home. I had always found people who stayed in one place to be a little bit prosaic. I imagined I would get few more travels under my belt before possibly settling down in my middle age or something. But when I was hearing about the story of this woman, who had given so much of her life and energy to this one institution I felt a growing respect for her loyalty. I too love this institution and feel bound to see it grow and expand. There may be many opportunities for professional growth in other positions but I am realizing I may be a person who is more bound to their location then their titles.
I do believe it is possible to build communities beyond borders. Our profession's professional organizations have further validated that point. And in this age where people have become more mobile and technology compensates for our face-to-face connection, it can be easy to move from state to state and institution to institution. Yet, the heart of an institution remains the same. It may still continue to attract exceptional professionals and people. It can still continue to be home.
I feel really connected to this place. The double digit legacies of the people who surround me, convince me that I am in an incredible place. It's 8:30 and I am still sitting in my office (take that work/life balance) really appreciating where I am today. Yes, I found a job but I found so much more than that. I found a community, I found a love, I found a passion, I found a reason to wake up every morning. I found myself.
Until Next Time
The month is coming to an end, and with it, my commitment to writing this blog. I hope it has been helpful to some of you out there in the internet.
I am settling into my new job and so far I love it. Of course, my inner pessimist keeps waiting for the other shoe to fall. For right now I am thoroughly enjoying it and feel like I ABSOLUTELY made the right choice.My job provides me a near perfect mix of challenge and discovery. I work with an incredible group of people who challenge me and care about me in a way that makes me want to give my very best every single day.
Today I went to the retirement celebration of a coworker. It was a little weird because I have only known her for a few weeks, yet I felt this pang of emotion. One, she is a wonderful person. Everyone had such heartfelt things to say to her and they felt genuine. And two, she's been a the University for close to 40 years. I find that to be amazing.
I lived my life as a vagabond. My mom moved me from school to school and I've called at least four states home. I had always found people who stayed in one place to be a little bit prosaic. I imagined I would get few more travels under my belt before possibly settling down in my middle age or something. But when I was hearing about the story of this woman, who had given so much of her life and energy to this one institution I felt a growing respect for her loyalty. I too love this institution and feel bound to see it grow and expand. There may be many opportunities for professional growth in other positions but I am realizing I may be a person who is more bound to their location then their titles.
I do believe it is possible to build communities beyond borders. Our profession's professional organizations have further validated that point. And in this age where people have become more mobile and technology compensates for our face-to-face connection, it can be easy to move from state to state and institution to institution. Yet, the heart of an institution remains the same. It may still continue to attract exceptional professionals and people. It can still continue to be home.
I feel really connected to this place. The double digit legacies of the people who surround me, convince me that I am in an incredible place. It's 8:30 and I am still sitting in my office (take that work/life balance) really appreciating where I am today. Yes, I found a job but I found so much more than that. I found a community, I found a love, I found a passion, I found a reason to wake up every morning. I found myself.
Until Next Time
Sunday, June 2, 2013
A Wish Your Heart Makes 21
I'm conflicted about what to write my post about.
On one hand, I am absolutely ecstatic because I began my professional "journey" tomorrow. And on the other, I know that many of my peers are still in the midst of the job search. While it can be easy to put a smile on your face as you pat the backs of your peers who have secured jobs, is there some part of your soul that is secretly crying in angst? Or maybe there are some out there floating out there on the "it's going to happen in time wave."
I had nightmares of being the last person in my cohort to get a job. Or worst, the one who didn't get one. at. all. The high placement rate of my program's grads was not enough to qualm my fears.
My job process was serendipitous. I came to learn about my job from a professional I had done an informational interview with a year before. It was a topsy turvy process and a few more options were thrown in the mix from other professionals I knew. It was relieving and anxiety provoking. Relieving because my reputation had preceded itself. But anxiety provoking because I was deathly afraid that I wouldn't live up to the expectations people had of me. To be cautious, I applied to several outside jobs and from January to April experienced a steady flow of rejection.
It was a really difficult time. That and the overwhelming stress of my final semester of grad school AND my persistent fear that I was never going to get a job really started to wear on my spirit. I would like to say things started to fall together into a perfect wonderful lovely job, but that is not exactly true. I guess I could equate it to having a garden. You do all this work (okay, I don't garden so this is going to be a struggle) and you plant and do whatever you do and then you just sit back and wait. The tough part is that all the "magic" (or whatever happens) is happening under the soil, where you can't see it, and you just have to wait till some little pop of life emerges from the soil to validate all of that time and effort you poured into your garden. When you see it, it's a surge of relief but really that little life has been developing far before you knew it existed. And it all begin with you and your work and your hope. I guess that is what the job search can be like. Because those most anxiety ridden moments are happening when you're waiting. Waiting for an interview, waiting for a call, waiting for your application status to change. And it can seem like nothing is happening at all BUT IT IS. That is, of course, because you are watering and plowing and doing whatever gardeners do.
After I accepted my job, I got two interviews for jobs that I would LOVE in wonderful locations. I feel thankful that I'm really really happy with my job, but I keep thinking of if I had let my job search been guided by fear. If I had foreclosed on a job too early because I was afraid nothing else would come along. It can be easy for me to say that, coming from a place where my job search is done-zo, but there is still truth to staying true to who you are and who you want to be.
So don't stop believing in the little life you have growing beneath your feet, the hope of some awesome amazing job. You've done the work and it's on it's way. It's on its way.
Until Next Time
On one hand, I am absolutely ecstatic because I began my professional "journey" tomorrow. And on the other, I know that many of my peers are still in the midst of the job search. While it can be easy to put a smile on your face as you pat the backs of your peers who have secured jobs, is there some part of your soul that is secretly crying in angst? Or maybe there are some out there floating out there on the "it's going to happen in time wave."
I had nightmares of being the last person in my cohort to get a job. Or worst, the one who didn't get one. at. all. The high placement rate of my program's grads was not enough to qualm my fears.
My job process was serendipitous. I came to learn about my job from a professional I had done an informational interview with a year before. It was a topsy turvy process and a few more options were thrown in the mix from other professionals I knew. It was relieving and anxiety provoking. Relieving because my reputation had preceded itself. But anxiety provoking because I was deathly afraid that I wouldn't live up to the expectations people had of me. To be cautious, I applied to several outside jobs and from January to April experienced a steady flow of rejection.
It was a really difficult time. That and the overwhelming stress of my final semester of grad school AND my persistent fear that I was never going to get a job really started to wear on my spirit. I would like to say things started to fall together into a perfect wonderful lovely job, but that is not exactly true. I guess I could equate it to having a garden. You do all this work (okay, I don't garden so this is going to be a struggle) and you plant and do whatever you do and then you just sit back and wait. The tough part is that all the "magic" (or whatever happens) is happening under the soil, where you can't see it, and you just have to wait till some little pop of life emerges from the soil to validate all of that time and effort you poured into your garden. When you see it, it's a surge of relief but really that little life has been developing far before you knew it existed. And it all begin with you and your work and your hope. I guess that is what the job search can be like. Because those most anxiety ridden moments are happening when you're waiting. Waiting for an interview, waiting for a call, waiting for your application status to change. And it can seem like nothing is happening at all BUT IT IS. That is, of course, because you are watering and plowing and doing whatever gardeners do.
After I accepted my job, I got two interviews for jobs that I would LOVE in wonderful locations. I feel thankful that I'm really really happy with my job, but I keep thinking of if I had let my job search been guided by fear. If I had foreclosed on a job too early because I was afraid nothing else would come along. It can be easy for me to say that, coming from a place where my job search is done-zo, but there is still truth to staying true to who you are and who you want to be.
So don't stop believing in the little life you have growing beneath your feet, the hope of some awesome amazing job. You've done the work and it's on it's way. It's on its way.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
A Wish Your Heart Makes 20
The past two weeks have been a blur. Wait, has it actually been two weeks? haa.
I graduated and it was an absolutely incredible time. My family and friends came up and I was bursting with excitement. This was the first big event I experienced since my mom's death. Leading up to the event I was ball of nervousness and anxiety. I realize now I was scared of feeling excited, knowing that my mom wasn't able to experience this day with me. What did it mean if I was happy and grateful and fine if my mom wasn't here? The anxiety was so intense that every time I went in to buy my graduation regalia, I would get nauseous. My whole being was not ready for this moment to come.
Well when it did, it could not have been more perfect. I was SO HAPPY. I did feel a little grief after it was all over. I don't think any experience has been more painful and challenging. Even my mom's funeral which is saying a lot. It was definitely something I would never do again, but I don't regret that I did it. Graduation was a time for all the warm fuzzies to come up and I finally realized all of the good things I gleaned from this experience and all the new people I have to love. But most importantly, I truly felt that I had made my mom proud. I felt incredibly at peace for the first time since my mom's death. I felt that I had honored all my mom had done for me to bring me to this point, and it felt like the right thing to do to be happy because that's what her love meant for me to be. It was an incredible time.
And of course the cherry on the sundae was that I finally got a job! Ha. I got the call and official offer the Thursday before graduation. Although, I had been dreaming about this moment and hoping it would work out, I was surprised at the spectrum of emotions I felt. I was excited, but scared, felt unworthy, felt grateful. I was so confused but so sure. I called my mentor immediately to process the emotions but she helped me see I had already said yes in my heart. And so I accepted and I really felt that I accepted my dream job. Everyone keeps commenting that it is the perfect job for me and I couldn't agree more. I literally cant remember the last time I was so excited about something. The most mundane emails (recently my boss asked me what name I wanted on my name tag) send me into euphoria. I can't wait to get started!! And I got a RAISE! ALREADY! ha.
My one advice to y'all is to negotiate your salary. If you feel confident you are going to get an offer for a job you would accept, talk to someone like a mentor or your career services office about how to negotiate. I didn't negotiate even though EVERYONE said I should because I just wasn't sure how to broach the topic. Since this is a public university, I had looked up the salaries of people in similar positions (my position is new so there isn't anyone to compare to) and I compared across universities. I also weighed my education and experience. My mentor told me she usually offers a lower salary expecting people to negotiate and so it behooves you to at least try. Plus this is the starting point for the rest of your career so you want to start off on as high as a foot you can get. I'm glad my employer was looking out for me and it makes me feel even more confident that I made the right choice.
I start in ONE WEEK! And can't wait to update you on all the juicy details of starting out. Keep the faith searchers!
Until Next Time,
I graduated and it was an absolutely incredible time. My family and friends came up and I was bursting with excitement. This was the first big event I experienced since my mom's death. Leading up to the event I was ball of nervousness and anxiety. I realize now I was scared of feeling excited, knowing that my mom wasn't able to experience this day with me. What did it mean if I was happy and grateful and fine if my mom wasn't here? The anxiety was so intense that every time I went in to buy my graduation regalia, I would get nauseous. My whole being was not ready for this moment to come.
Well when it did, it could not have been more perfect. I was SO HAPPY. I did feel a little grief after it was all over. I don't think any experience has been more painful and challenging. Even my mom's funeral which is saying a lot. It was definitely something I would never do again, but I don't regret that I did it. Graduation was a time for all the warm fuzzies to come up and I finally realized all of the good things I gleaned from this experience and all the new people I have to love. But most importantly, I truly felt that I had made my mom proud. I felt incredibly at peace for the first time since my mom's death. I felt that I had honored all my mom had done for me to bring me to this point, and it felt like the right thing to do to be happy because that's what her love meant for me to be. It was an incredible time.
And of course the cherry on the sundae was that I finally got a job! Ha. I got the call and official offer the Thursday before graduation. Although, I had been dreaming about this moment and hoping it would work out, I was surprised at the spectrum of emotions I felt. I was excited, but scared, felt unworthy, felt grateful. I was so confused but so sure. I called my mentor immediately to process the emotions but she helped me see I had already said yes in my heart. And so I accepted and I really felt that I accepted my dream job. Everyone keeps commenting that it is the perfect job for me and I couldn't agree more. I literally cant remember the last time I was so excited about something. The most mundane emails (recently my boss asked me what name I wanted on my name tag) send me into euphoria. I can't wait to get started!! And I got a RAISE! ALREADY! ha.
My one advice to y'all is to negotiate your salary. If you feel confident you are going to get an offer for a job you would accept, talk to someone like a mentor or your career services office about how to negotiate. I didn't negotiate even though EVERYONE said I should because I just wasn't sure how to broach the topic. Since this is a public university, I had looked up the salaries of people in similar positions (my position is new so there isn't anyone to compare to) and I compared across universities. I also weighed my education and experience. My mentor told me she usually offers a lower salary expecting people to negotiate and so it behooves you to at least try. Plus this is the starting point for the rest of your career so you want to start off on as high as a foot you can get. I'm glad my employer was looking out for me and it makes me feel even more confident that I made the right choice.
I start in ONE WEEK! And can't wait to update you on all the juicy details of starting out. Keep the faith searchers!
Until Next Time,
Friday, May 24, 2013
Looking for Life, Love, and Laughter...and a Job #23
I DID IT! I'VE BEEN HIRED!!!
Oh my goodness, y'all, what a feeling. So the angst of waiting last week finally paid off --- they contacted me on Tuesday of this past week. The position I was offered was my first choice, so I accepted the next day and was signing paperwork on Wednesday! It's for real...I have a job!!
I am so unbelievably excited! The position will definitely come with a lot of challenges, but it's what I want to do and I know I can make a valuable impact on students and our campus community. I'm totally scared to death too, but I'm trusting the process.
Finding out was not exactly what I thought it would be. Getting my offer came with a rush of mixed emotions -- excitement, anxiety, disbelief, and genuine thankfulness, to name a few. Excitement because...well, that one is probably pretty obvious. Anxiety because there will definitely be some challenges coming my way. And I have to move!! Disbelief...is it really over? Can I seriously deactivate my job emails and stop stalking my application spreadsheet? And thankfulness -- thankful to the institution that is willing to take a chance on me, thankful to the supporters who have been there throughout this entire process, thankful to have the opportunity to do something that I love....so many things to be thankful for.
Getting to share the news with everyone was pretty fantastic -- I think my mom made noises only dolphins could hear and cried a little even though she was at work when I told her. The students I will be working with seem really excited to have me on board, so that's really wonderful. And with things falling into place for most of my cohort, everyone is genuinely excited for one another at this point.
Since I got my offer, things have been moving pretty quickly. I've been looking for a place to live and collecting boxes for moving -- I start June 17th and hope to get moved before then. I decided not to continue working over the summer, and I cleaned out my desk :( Right now I'm trying to get packed up for a couple of weeks -- heading down to Florida for a friend's wedding, and then home for a little while before I move. So much going on!
So, I'll leave off here for now, but I'll come back in a couple weeks to share some of my overall insights/thoughts about the process, and maybe reflect on my first couple of days as a NEW PROFESSIONAL. But hiatus for now as I soak up the sun and friends and family and everything I am so lucky to have in my life...with a huge weight lifted!
Still looking for life, love, and laughter...but got the job!
Oh my goodness, y'all, what a feeling. So the angst of waiting last week finally paid off --- they contacted me on Tuesday of this past week. The position I was offered was my first choice, so I accepted the next day and was signing paperwork on Wednesday! It's for real...I have a job!!
I am so unbelievably excited! The position will definitely come with a lot of challenges, but it's what I want to do and I know I can make a valuable impact on students and our campus community. I'm totally scared to death too, but I'm trusting the process.
Finding out was not exactly what I thought it would be. Getting my offer came with a rush of mixed emotions -- excitement, anxiety, disbelief, and genuine thankfulness, to name a few. Excitement because...well, that one is probably pretty obvious. Anxiety because there will definitely be some challenges coming my way. And I have to move!! Disbelief...is it really over? Can I seriously deactivate my job emails and stop stalking my application spreadsheet? And thankfulness -- thankful to the institution that is willing to take a chance on me, thankful to the supporters who have been there throughout this entire process, thankful to have the opportunity to do something that I love....so many things to be thankful for.
Getting to share the news with everyone was pretty fantastic -- I think my mom made noises only dolphins could hear and cried a little even though she was at work when I told her. The students I will be working with seem really excited to have me on board, so that's really wonderful. And with things falling into place for most of my cohort, everyone is genuinely excited for one another at this point.
Since I got my offer, things have been moving pretty quickly. I've been looking for a place to live and collecting boxes for moving -- I start June 17th and hope to get moved before then. I decided not to continue working over the summer, and I cleaned out my desk :( Right now I'm trying to get packed up for a couple of weeks -- heading down to Florida for a friend's wedding, and then home for a little while before I move. So much going on!
So, I'll leave off here for now, but I'll come back in a couple weeks to share some of my overall insights/thoughts about the process, and maybe reflect on my first couple of days as a NEW PROFESSIONAL. But hiatus for now as I soak up the sun and friends and family and everything I am so lucky to have in my life...with a huge weight lifted!
Still looking for life, love, and laughter...but got the job!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Looking for Life, Love, and Laughter...And A Job #22
Oh. My. God.
I just don't understand. If they say "we'll let you know by the end of the week" why can't they just let you know BY THE END OF THE WEEK?!?!?!?
At this point, I don't even care what they would tell me. They could tell me they decided to give the job to a talking penguin and I would be grateful just to know. This is the WORST part about a job search.
Okay, I'll calm down. Basically, I interviewed for a position last week, and I feel good about it. I feel like it's what I need to do. I'm ready to accept. Yet...they haven't called....
I also interviewed for another position last week...you know, the one I was on the way to the airport for? Well, that was interesting, to say the least. The summary is that I liked a lot of things about the position, yet there are a lot of things I don't. Good things include student, coworkers, and salary. Bad things include coworkers and location and snow. A lot to think about.
I'm at a place right now where I'm just like....okay, if the one I want doesn't work out, and I get offered this other one...do I take it, or do I keep applying? There's a few out there still open that are what I truly want to do. That means there's hope, right? Ugh.
So yeah, this was a quick one because honestly, I don't want to "reflect" too much right now. I'm "reflecting" all day, every day. Growing up is awful.
I just don't understand. If they say "we'll let you know by the end of the week" why can't they just let you know BY THE END OF THE WEEK?!?!?!?
At this point, I don't even care what they would tell me. They could tell me they decided to give the job to a talking penguin and I would be grateful just to know. This is the WORST part about a job search.
Okay, I'll calm down. Basically, I interviewed for a position last week, and I feel good about it. I feel like it's what I need to do. I'm ready to accept. Yet...they haven't called....
I also interviewed for another position last week...you know, the one I was on the way to the airport for? Well, that was interesting, to say the least. The summary is that I liked a lot of things about the position, yet there are a lot of things I don't. Good things include student, coworkers, and salary. Bad things include coworkers and location and snow. A lot to think about.
I'm at a place right now where I'm just like....okay, if the one I want doesn't work out, and I get offered this other one...do I take it, or do I keep applying? There's a few out there still open that are what I truly want to do. That means there's hope, right? Ugh.
So yeah, this was a quick one because honestly, I don't want to "reflect" too much right now. I'm "reflecting" all day, every day. Growing up is awful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)