I was debating between the title I chose and "It's Like Rain on Your Wedding Day." Explanation: I woke up this morning to reread my cover letter and resume and get those sent off, and to my surprise, the position I applied for did not require (or even allow) me to post a cover letter. Oh well I guess. It was good practice?
Then, I was gone a mere couple of hours at the gym. When I returned there was an e-mail in my inbox informing me that they already had a better fit. I can't help but wonder how many rejections I have yet to come, but on the positive side, at least I found out quickly. I got a new resume and cover letter sent out tonight for another research position. This one examines how various environments affect the spatial development of children in the Chicago area. As I wrote my cover letter I got more excited about the position, but that happened last night as well. Now some more job searching befor bed!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
3 hours= 1 page= a job?
Yes, that's correct. I have just spent the past three hours editing my cover letter and resume for ONE job application. Is it supposed to take that long? This job search is more difficult & draining than I thought it would be!! I would guess I have spent about 15 hours sifting through various university and hospital websites, and I have found about 3 jobs that I plan to apply for. Regardless, I've set a goal start date of September 2nd. I know. I know. It's very ambitious, especially thinking that I want to be living in Chicago by then, but I have to set my sights somewhere. Why not set high?
While I spent a good part of yesterday browsing the internet, I did go into Evanston for the weekend and had the opportunity to catch up with some friends. I got in around 7PM on Friday and took Jess out to dinner for a belated 21st dinner. (I was in Europe when the big bash occurred.) We went to Thai Sookdee, which really hit the spot. She knows I like to share, and she was willing to eat vegan for the night, so we went with Pad Thai (-egg +tofu) and yellow curry (+ mixed vegetables) with brown rice. It had been awhile since we had time just the two of us, and I very much enjoyed it. She went downtown with Krauss that night to celebrate someone else's birthday.
I had plans to meet up with Marc, Cristy and Dave but had some time to kill in between so I went to Borders for a new book. I recently received recommendations to read both Life of Pi and The Pillars of the Earth. I went with the second: more bang for my buck. :) Instead of reading too much of that one, I decided to pick up A Complaint Free World, a book I had read about in Shape magazine. Basically the book encourages people to try giving up complaining and gossiping. To do so the author has purple "complaint free" bracelets that are supposed to be worn on one wrist Then, any time you slip, the bracelet is moved to the other wrist. According to him it takes approximately 4-8 months for an individual to make it to 21 days (the amount of time it's supposed to take to break a habit). If you look at the website, the founder (Will Bowen) says, "Your thoughts create your world and your words indicate your thoughts. When you eliminate complaining from your life you will enjoy happier relationships, better health and greater prosperity. The Complaint Free program helps you set a trap for your own negativity and redirect your mind towards a more positive and rewarding life." I'm intrigued and up for the challenge. you?
I was almost done with the first chapter when Marc called, and I went over to 1118 to catch up with him. Then, Cristy and Dave got back from dinner right as Marc and I were talking about how excited we are to babysit baby McGill. I learned all about Dave's new job and the apartment that they found. In addition, I asked about the baby and Cristy A LOT! Of all the things I love about Cristy, her honesty is up there as one of her best qualities (in my opinion). Pregnancy is amazing. Don't get me wrong. I just never heard about all of the difficulties/changes before. [For example, did you know a pregnant woman's feet usually grow an entire size by the end of her pregnancy?] Cristy and I talked the guys to sleep, so we decided to call it a night around 2AM. I went back to 1943 and crashed pretty quickly.
Yesterday morning was spent sleeping in and just being lazy. Once Jess and Krauss went to meet a friend's parents for lunch, I called Cristy and mobilized to get some food myself. Oh how I miss being able to walk to Whole Foods and spend $12 on a salad that lasts me two meals. I was also craving a bubble tea, so I stopped by Sashimi Sashimi and tried red bean with coconut- tasted great on a warm day and an empty stomach. We ate lunch and just chatted at 1943 with the one and only G Lee until Cristy left for Naperville and Gina started packing. I had an invitation to go to the Wicker Park festival earlier but had just returned with lunch and therefore passed on the invite.
With those two gone it was me, a television and Jess's laptop... Job searching it is! I was on the computer/watching television until Krauss got back from the festival and Jess got back from babysitting. (I hadn't spent a lot of time with Krauss before, but I think she's pretty fantastic. :) Sadly the job search wasn't too successful, but I would say I covered a lot of ground. I think I've covered most of the hospitals and universities in the Chicago area. After so much staring my eyes were ready for a pretty early bedtime. I woke up on my own around 8 this morning and met Lauren for tea at Peet's. Lauren and I have very similar interests, so it's always fun for me to bounce ideas off of her. We started out as pre-med "study buddies" freshman year but both decided not to pursue medical school. (Our other buddy was Bri who is in the application process right now- mad kudos to her!) Right now she holds a part-time reserach job at Childrens. If it worked out I would love to have two part-time jobs, but I think it's too good to be true. So hopefully a resume or two out tomorrow, and we'll see what happens...
While I spent a good part of yesterday browsing the internet, I did go into Evanston for the weekend and had the opportunity to catch up with some friends. I got in around 7PM on Friday and took Jess out to dinner for a belated 21st dinner. (I was in Europe when the big bash occurred.) We went to Thai Sookdee, which really hit the spot. She knows I like to share, and she was willing to eat vegan for the night, so we went with Pad Thai (-egg +tofu) and yellow curry (+ mixed vegetables) with brown rice. It had been awhile since we had time just the two of us, and I very much enjoyed it. She went downtown with Krauss that night to celebrate someone else's birthday.
I had plans to meet up with Marc, Cristy and Dave but had some time to kill in between so I went to Borders for a new book. I recently received recommendations to read both Life of Pi and The Pillars of the Earth. I went with the second: more bang for my buck. :) Instead of reading too much of that one, I decided to pick up A Complaint Free World, a book I had read about in Shape magazine. Basically the book encourages people to try giving up complaining and gossiping. To do so the author has purple "complaint free" bracelets that are supposed to be worn on one wrist Then, any time you slip, the bracelet is moved to the other wrist. According to him it takes approximately 4-8 months for an individual to make it to 21 days (the amount of time it's supposed to take to break a habit). If you look at the website, the founder (Will Bowen) says, "Your thoughts create your world and your words indicate your thoughts. When you eliminate complaining from your life you will enjoy happier relationships, better health and greater prosperity. The Complaint Free program helps you set a trap for your own negativity and redirect your mind towards a more positive and rewarding life." I'm intrigued and up for the challenge. you?
I was almost done with the first chapter when Marc called, and I went over to 1118 to catch up with him. Then, Cristy and Dave got back from dinner right as Marc and I were talking about how excited we are to babysit baby McGill. I learned all about Dave's new job and the apartment that they found. In addition, I asked about the baby and Cristy A LOT! Of all the things I love about Cristy, her honesty is up there as one of her best qualities (in my opinion). Pregnancy is amazing. Don't get me wrong. I just never heard about all of the difficulties/changes before. [For example, did you know a pregnant woman's feet usually grow an entire size by the end of her pregnancy?] Cristy and I talked the guys to sleep, so we decided to call it a night around 2AM. I went back to 1943 and crashed pretty quickly.
Yesterday morning was spent sleeping in and just being lazy. Once Jess and Krauss went to meet a friend's parents for lunch, I called Cristy and mobilized to get some food myself. Oh how I miss being able to walk to Whole Foods and spend $12 on a salad that lasts me two meals. I was also craving a bubble tea, so I stopped by Sashimi Sashimi and tried red bean with coconut- tasted great on a warm day and an empty stomach. We ate lunch and just chatted at 1943 with the one and only G Lee until Cristy left for Naperville and Gina started packing. I had an invitation to go to the Wicker Park festival earlier but had just returned with lunch and therefore passed on the invite.
With those two gone it was me, a television and Jess's laptop... Job searching it is! I was on the computer/watching television until Krauss got back from the festival and Jess got back from babysitting. (I hadn't spent a lot of time with Krauss before, but I think she's pretty fantastic. :) Sadly the job search wasn't too successful, but I would say I covered a lot of ground. I think I've covered most of the hospitals and universities in the Chicago area. After so much staring my eyes were ready for a pretty early bedtime. I woke up on my own around 8 this morning and met Lauren for tea at Peet's. Lauren and I have very similar interests, so it's always fun for me to bounce ideas off of her. We started out as pre-med "study buddies" freshman year but both decided not to pursue medical school. (Our other buddy was Bri who is in the application process right now- mad kudos to her!) Right now she holds a part-time reserach job at Childrens. If it worked out I would love to have two part-time jobs, but I think it's too good to be true. So hopefully a resume or two out tomorrow, and we'll see what happens...
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Back to the Real World
It's my second morning back in the United States after a three week stint of traveling in Europe. While I slept from 10PM-1PM the night before last, I woke up at 5:15AM this morning after retiring around midnight last night. (I think I might still be a bit jet lagged.) I've gone through some mail and tidied up my room a bit already this morning, and not knowing what to do next, I thought I'd start a blog. If you are wondering why I decided to do so, I will tell you right now. First, I loved e-mailing my friends and family about my experiences while being abroad. Second, I met a guy named Tim on my trip (just a friend) who started a blog awhile ago, and it really intrigued me. He parted from the group in Rome, while I continued to Greece, to backpack on his own in Spain, and it was nice to be able to read about his journey when I got home. Next, I have kept a journal since I was 16. Last, seeing as I just recently graduated from college (Northwestern University), I couldn't think of a better time to start a blog. As you can see from the title of my blog,"What's Next?", I honestly have no idea where my life is going. I hoped being in Europe would lead me to some sort of epiphany, but no such luck. Last night I tried to begin the job search, but I was quickly overwhelmed. It probably does not help that I am not really sure what I want to do. As of right now careers I'm considering include nursing, teaching, psychology, nutrition and alternative medicine. So pretty much my one prerequisite involves working with people. As I searched through some hospital and non-profit job openings I realized that I've never searched for a job in this manner. In the past I've worked at a tanning salon, been a cashier/lifeguard/swim instructor at a local pool, spent a couple of summers as camp counselors, worked nights and weekends as a waitress, had a work-study job as a Customer Service Representative, babysat for a various families and held an internship at CASARC (Child and Adolescent Services Advocacy and Resource Center) in San Francisco. For the most part I heard about those jobs via word of mouth or e-mail. However, it's a different story now. As of right now I do not mind being at home: I do not have any rent or utilities to pay; I am able to spend time with my family, including my 19 year-old sister, and I have a very flexible schedule. However, not many of my friends remain in the area, and I know I will go stir crazy both being at home and not having a job. I guess that's it for now. (I just realized I don't really know how to end these.)
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