Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be.... #13

Since the start of the week it seems like things have exploded.

My inbox is still getting interview requests, and now they've started via phone. I'm up to 9 scheduled interviews for the conference, with two more email requests hanging out waiting for my response.

I have another institution that's trying to set up a phone interview. Time constraints on both sides have pushed this off until after the conference, thankfully.

I scheduled an on-campus interview yesterday. Not the one I've previously mentioned; I'm waiting for a reply back from them. This is another one, who apparently isn't doing phone interviews....or else I made beyond that round with just my experience. This one is an interesting one because of where it's at, and I think everyone is surprised when I tell them that I'm interviewing. Hell, I'm surprised. But it would be fun and enjoyable and I'm not going to turn down an interview for reasons that I don't feel are really worth giving up this type of opportunity.

I feel like I'm standing still and watching everything around me fly by. Most of my prep for ACPA is done, there's just a few last minute things left to finish up. I'm saving all of my packing and outfit configuring until Thursday, mainly because I'll have no time to do any of that until then. I am sure I will spend the evening trying to cleverly fold and maneuver everything into one suitcase, one carry-on, and my purse. I'm refusing, at this point, to check two bags and increase the risk that one or both of them won't make it to Atlanta. My flight leaves Friday morning and then this whirlwind weekend begins.

As for the actual conference....at this point I'm betting that I won't make it to very many sessions. I haven't looked at what's being offered, but I know that there will be things that I'll wish I could be at and won't be able to get to. The greater good is finding a position that fits me.

So, I'm off to start my day and make long lists of all the things I need. I feel like I'm preparing for some huge event that will change my life. Despite my tendencies to wax philosophical about things, I think this time it's actually true. Good luck to all my other job search companions out there -- ACPA, here I come!

Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be.... #10

I'm starting to wonder if the key to things actually happening with my job search is me blogging about how it's stagnant.

Since posting the other day I have scheduled 3 more ACPA interviews AND have had a phone interview. I feel like I hit 'submit' and everything exploded on me. This is definitely all a good thing. I'm starting to feel a little more calm about the conference in terms of the number of my interviews. I can handle 6; I think 10-15 would be my ideal. Even as I say that it seems like way too many. I just want to get the most out of the conference experience, and to do that is to take full advantage of placement. Overall, I just submitted an application for my 26th position. It kind of feels like I've done way more than that.

The phone interview went well....I think. I'm afraid to even guess anymore, as it seems like I can never really tell what anyone's reaction is. I'm hoping it went well - the institution is definitely one that looks incredible and offers much of what I'm looking for. I have a connection to someone who used to work there, and much of what I thought about the place seems to be correct. I can't believe that I have "connections".

I'm starting to go into hyper-organized mode. I've already begun to make special folders (in addition to the ones I already have) for those institutions I'll be speaking with at ACPA. I'm making lists of things I still need to gather up, things I need to remember to bring with me. I'm trying to figure out what suitcases to pack (yes, that is a plural 'suitcases'. I tend to overpack. I don't even try to stop it, I just embrace it and work with it.) and what I can squish down to a smaller size so I have more space. I'm starting to look into what there is to do in Atlanta as well. I have no idea if I'll have any time to be a tourist (especially since I'd like to make it to a few sessions at the conference), but I have to get out and do some vacation-like things admist this crazy and stressful process. I've never been to Atlanta, but it seems amazing and fun.

Back in reality, I'm working on a schedule for work and trying to figure out how many hours I have to put in over spring break. I'm working the Second Job a little extra (because I am, obviously, asking to have a mental breakdown) so that I can have some extra money for the trip. It's amazing that I find time to eat, sleep, and go to class.

I will spend my weekend trying to keep up with homework and having fun here and there. My usual dormant social life is suddenly coming around to exciting things. It's such a double-edged sword; while I'm thankful for having the time to go out and connect with my friends I've made since moving here, it's hard to get closer and closer to some people while knowing that I will more than likely be packing up and moving by the end of summer.

Oh, and the last 2% of my plant died. I have no idea what happened to it, but this part died as suddenly as the last. I suppose I'm lucky I can keep myself up and running, let alone worry about anything/one else.

Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be.... #7

I am attempting to not get my hopes up. I keep telling myself, "Self. Do not get overly excited about this."
The phone interview went very, very well. I felt like things were just right. It felt sincere and exciting. We'll see what happens next, but I'm hoping for the on-campus invite.

I also got my first email from a prospective employer who's interview at ACPA saying "Hey....we saw your resume and think you're mighty awesome. Wanna interview with us?" [I might be paraphrasing that :P] Job search-wise, it's been a pretty good week.

I like reading and then responding to reader comments that are left on posts (those that I catch, at least). Someone commented on my last post asking a few questions about my placement and conference choices.....
Why'd I pick ACPA? When I decided to attend the Joint Conference last year, I picked ACPA to be my affiliation. I tend to enjoy the things that ACPA does a little more than NASPA, and I knew I couldn't afford to go both places this year. So ACPA in Atlanta was the obvious choice.

Most of my job searching has been done on the web, usually with higheredjobs.com. Of course I also use studentaffairs.com (I think I might get kicked off writing this blog if I didn't) and I check the Chronicle, but it doesn't yield me much. I'm starting to peruse the ACPA Placement site a little more frequently.

The Joint Conference last year was the most amazing experience. The opening ceremony......whoa. I don't think I'll ever forget the moment that the slide show started, splashing facts about both organizations across the screen. There was this upbeat music playing behind it and I literally got chills. (Keep in mind that I'm a HUGE dork, and so these sorts of things amuse me) Despite the fact that I had only been a member of ACPA for about 6 months, I felt like I was so important to what was going on. The sessions were good, the weather was amazing, and I got to go to Disney World :) I was able to volunteer to help out at placement, and it was definitely a good thing to see. I would recommend anyone who's attending a conference but not interviewing to help out at placement. Getting a first-hand look at how things are run (and how hectic it is!) will be helpful later. If nothing else, I know to expect a busy day with many things all going on at once.

As for the cost....I am very fortunate to have financial outlets of my institution and my assistantship. It doesn't cover all the costs, but it sure is nice to have some money to work with.

When it comes to phone interview prep, I make sure I completely dissect the website of the institution. I try and get a feel for student life and also the department that I'm interviewing with. I always hit up the "Fast Facts" type page that gives all the important data figures about the institution. I have ideas jotted down for the standard "interview questions" that might come up, and I try to come up with at least 5 questions to ask - many times some of these may be answered by the interviewer during the course of the interview, but I try to have one or two that are obscure enough that I'll have to ask on my own. I also make sure I have a copy of the cover letter that I used, as well as a copy of the job description. Is all of this a good idea? It sure seems like it to me, but I don't have a job yet. Ask me in about six months :)

Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be.... #6

I had a mental meltdown yesterday.

It's all starting to weigh on me and I completely went postal yesterday afternoon. My gripes about my internship became too much to handle and I decided to succomb to the breakdown that was building. So I freaked out on my best friend and my mom, sent some emails, and I'm starting to finally float back to Earth. At least before it was just quiet panic attacks about time management and organization. This is my first complete, no holds barred, freak out of the semester. I hope to not have very many more.

Eeriely enough, after making my last post about not having any new job search info to report...I heard some news! I got a call for another phone interview for a different position. The amusing part is that it's at the SAME institution that I interviewed with before. At least I know they must like me there :) I applied for about 4 more positions over the weekend. What's left to do now is starting my focus on the ACPA Placement. I'm still a little in the dark as to how to go about doing all of this. I've posted my resume and updated my info on my candidate profile....I suppose I should now start directly sending stuff to the contacts of the positions that I like. I can't believe that it's just about one month away. I can't believe that spring break is right around the corner and that the semester is nearly half over. Time is flying by - just as everyone promised.

It seems my blogging pal (and hopefully all of you lovely readers) who attended the placement this past week had wonderful interviews and made some good connections. My excitement for my own placement is building, but much of it is for the warm weather that will be there. As I sit here and stare out a snowy world I wonder if it'll ever get warm again. I was fortunate to attend the Joint Conference last year - warm and sunny Florida was a fantastic change from the winter weather....but I was quickly brought back to reality when I arrived back home to cold and snowy weather. Curses to these differences in climate!

Cross your fingers that I'll have a good interview this week. Not that the other one was necessarily bad, just not what I expected. I'm hoping for good things from this one. It could definitely spice up things up - in a very good way :)

Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be.... #4

The phone interview went well.....they asked questions I anticipated and I think I answered intelligently. The big downfall seems to be that they want someone to start very soon, and I sensed disappointment that I won't be available until May. There's still the chance that they'll ask me to campus anyway and like me enough to wait, but who knows. I'm not getting my hopes up.

I've put more applications out this past week at a few new places. I need to start prowling the ACPA placement site more carefully and start working on setting things up there. I'm looking forward to interviewing, but I know it will be a stressful few days. Just about a month and a half until then!

I have a lead on another job that I just recently applied for. I think that they are interested in interviewing me, but I know they will definitely be at NASPA and are looking to do some interviewing there. I'm actually really surprised that anyone even contacted me. This is a position that I know I will be viewed as not-so-likely of a candidate. I guess being optimistic and having a creative cover letter can pay off :)

Remember all that talk I did in a previous post about how no one in my program is discussing the job search? Throw that out the window. In the last week there have been rumbles about different positions out there and applications getting sent. A few classmates have just been offered positions. It's getting more and more "real" by the day, but I'm still not completely freaking out yet. This is definitely a good thing. I am, however, reaching quiet desperation regarding a few other issues in conjunction with my search. These are the things that are stressing me out the most right now and they are also the things that I can't really do much about.

The list of bookmarked sites on my computer keeps growing as I add more and more schools that I'm interested in. I'm making it a point to check everything once a week, at least. I'm trying to check everywhere at least once a week. Fortunately I keep finding positions I like, but my folder with the print-outs keeps getting thicker and the neatly labeled folders with the things I have applied to aren't getting any larger. I need to step up my game with this whole time management thing.

Despite all of this stuff I was able to find the time this weekend to go out and have a good time with good friends. I have more fun things planned in the coming weeks so that I can retain some small amount of my sanity. If it wasn't for these plans and my concerning addiction to reality tv, I'd probably go postal.

Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be.... #3

I just spent the last 10 minutes trying to find a great quote about happiness or joy, or something like that. I can't find anything I like and that seems to fit, so I'll forget about being creative and just announce the news:

I got my first phone interview!!!


In a day of missed calls and voicemails (and also endless meetings), the end of my workday gave me a lovely message about wanting to set up a phone interview. The coolness factor: it's at a really awesome institution. The "Haha...are you serious?!?!" factor: it's for a type of position that I wasn't even looking really hard at. The "OMG freakout!" factor: the phone interview is this week. Whoa. My lovely supervisors at the office are helping me by completely encouraging me and also driving me towards the loony bin. Those of them that read this (because, as I mentioned before, secret-keeping is not my forte) will be delighted to see that I've finally made mention of this. My head supervisor (or, as I refer to her, The Queen of Me) had incredible fun giving me sample interview questions and threatening to put me through a mock interview. As excited as I am to graduate and get a job, my heart is breaking at the thought of leaving this office. I have had the most wonderful experience in this assistantship, an experience that I never could have had anywhere else. Each step I make towards graduation is a step closer to the day I actually have to leave. This is a feat I am not yet ready to tackle. (And let's all pause to find a tissue, because even writing it makes me misty-eyed).

Everything else sort of came to a grinding halt this weekend. I got done about a tenth of what I wanted to and made no additional progress with my cover letters. I don't even have a good excuse, honestly. In reality I'm lazy, enjoy procrastination, and sometimes suffer from a lack of motivation. But my huge to-do list that I now have is enough to put me back on track. And the goal of getting things taken care of in time to do a few fun things I have scheduled on my calendar is also good motivation.

As far as slogging through my classes......it's a mixed bag of emotions towards the semester. The one class I was hoping to be enlightening and interesting is currently extremely boring and off-topic. The other class that I've been looking forward to is......interesting. Let's say that not everyone has the same opinion on matters discussed, and it's very divided among first-years and second-years/doc students. I am loving the dynamic of it.


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I have to interrupt my own thought process and share that my wonderful "Queen of Me" supervisor just sent me a very detailed email with thoughts and ideas and things to question going into this phone interview. See, THIS is what I'm talking about. THIS is the incredible support that's there for me (aside from all the teasing and torture that will lead me to the loony bin) that makes me so lucky.

But I digress.

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I feel that this post reflects the disjointed and jumbled mess that is my brain right now. Maybe it's just that time of year, as my writing pal seems to be going through the same thing right now. I'm half-tempted to go back and try to make this post seem a little more well organized, but honestly, I don't even think I can focus properly enough to make it worth while. We'll leave it at this and I'll try and not be mentally all over the road for next time.

The Great Fishbowl Quest* #1

Really? Already?

What better day to start a blog than the day you hold your first interview?

Before getting into that, though, I’ve been asked to tell you a little bit about myself. This should be a breeze considering that this is the first interview question all of us who are job searching will be asked a countless number of times. The tricky part is answering without a name, an institution, or other identifying labels (mysterious, isn’t it?).

Currently, I am completing my last semester of graduate school studying “Student Affairs” while serving as a “Hall Director” at my institution. The coursework is quite intimidating this semester, and I believe the instructors are looking to make our comprehensive exams a “grand finale” which will leave us with spots in front of our eyes. In addition to graduating, I also hope to be granted a job (that I choose) at an institution in a community that my wife and I will enjoy. That’s right; I’m married, too, which is fantastic for me, because I have a support network 24/7 (although I don’t know how great it is for her, having to be my support network 24/7).

With that said, I’d like to jump right into my experiences up to now. Last week I was contacted by an institution to set up a phone interview. I was very excited to have the opportunity, as this school rates high on my list (Once my list is complete, I will have a ranking I may refer to throughout the blog). We’ll call this school Top Ten Institution. Being excited about the opportunity, though, is not the same as “looking forward” to it.

I have never had a phone interview. I’d like to emphasize that word “never.” I’ll even add “ever” to it. Never ever. Had this not been Top Ten Institution, I wouldn’t be so nervous. I’d much prefer to hold my first phone interview with Far Unlikely Institution.

I combined some survival tactics and did the following: I waited two days to respond and used that time to give myself a crash-course in practicing interview questions and learning everything I could about phone interviews. When I replied, it was that time in the week that the odds were in my favor that we would interview the following week. All went just according to plan.

We had scheduled for this morning. I dressed the part (tie and all) and waited for the phone to ring in my silent apartment. I used my cell phone to call my apartment and make sure the phone was working. I had my friend call so I could find out if the volume was alright. I ended up hiding my cell phone so that I would stop looking at the time. And then I jumped a mile high when the phone rang.

It rang once (Don’t answer; you’ll come off too eager). It rang twice (Hurry and answer the phone before it rings a third time!).

I’d love to say it went perfectly, that I anticipated every question. Not quite.

I made the mistake of anticipating the “tell us a little bit about yourself” question. It’s the question to test the waters; your chance to figure out if this is a formal or informal interview. And with a phone interview, you need any clues you can get when you don’t have any nonverbals for hints.

Here’s how the first fifteen seconds of the phone interview went:

“Good morning, Candidate speaking.”

“Good morning, Candidate. I’m #1. This is #2. Let’s get started. Why Top Ten Institution?”

I wanted to ask for a chance to pick myself up off the ground, but I thought that might make a bad first impression.

After that, though, things quickly took a positive turn. Once those first five minutes were over, the interview went perfectly. I feel very confident that Top Ten Institution will ask me to interview with them again at one of the exchanges.

One down, two to go (with that institution). Only about forty other institutions left.

* I’ve titled my portion of this blog The Great Fishbowl Quest as I currently work in a “fishbowl” and am on a quest to find a new and exciting “fishbowl” to join.