Hi, my name is Emotional Mess and Anxiety.
Yesterday I had a spontaneous crying fit in the office. Maybe it wasn't so spontaneous, since one of my supervisors asked how I was and that sort of brought it on.
I am very much aware that my time left at my assistantship and in this program is running out. I would very much like to find a job so that I can figure out my gameplan for the next few months. This whole waiting around thing isn't really working for me anymore, and if I was okay with it, it still wouldn't make this whole decision-making process any easier.
My interview from last week went well. Aside from completely rambling through a presentation, it was good. Great? Awesome? I can't even tell. Would I be surprised if they called and offered it to me.....no. I don't want to say that I expect it, but I can definitely see it happening. What would I say if that happened.....I have no idea. I'm making it a practice to not answer any numbers I don't know that have that area code and exchange. I'd rather get a voicemail and then have time to process things. At this point (and to the disappointment of many, I'm sure) I would probably take the job. Not saying that I wouldn't do some additional follow-up with the other places that I liked at ACPA, but unless someone said "Oh, I was just about to call you!" I'm not sure I could turn it down.
In the meantime, I'll continue sitting and waiting. Patience may be a virtue but it's certainly not one that I possess. If nothing else, I suppose this job search has given me a lesson in that.
Showing posts with label on-campus interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on-campus interview. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The Great Fishbowl Quest #15
Well, with another on-campus interview complete (third of the season), I think that I’ve seen enough. I’m on the fast timeline, which means at this point I’ve started declining on-campus interviews that I otherwise would have enjoyed visiting. I hope that I’ve declined in a matter that hasn’t shut any doors for future opportunities.
I’d like to provide an update on the institution with a quick turn-around on the job offer. When I e-mailed them, I expected them to offer an extension, even though one was denied to me on the phone. The response I got, though, pretty much was summed up, “Thanks for declining us. Good luck, pal.” I was surprised that such an uncompromising timeline really stuck. I don’t feel that I am typically one who wishes a hard time on those who give me a hard time, but I am glad to say that I received an e-mail this weekend from the person who wasn’t willing to compromise by a day on the timeline. The e-mail stated that I would be getting called tomorrow to discuss our search processes.
Needless to say, they received an e-mail from me saying they are no longer a part of my search process.
Apparently, this institution has a history of offering like this to all levels of staff. That’s not the place for me. It seems that it’s not the place for others, either, as apparently they were not able to get enough people to accept this past week.
This story seems to sum up my thoughts about the power of the candidate. I think far too often new job candidates underestimate their worth and negotiating power. I know that there isn’t a magic formula for knowing how much power a candidate has, but there are some factors that help determine your power.
A good example, and the easiest to determine in my opinion, is “supply and demand.”
In short, if they are hiring for a larger number of positions, you may have some level of power in negotiating timelines, salaries, other tangibles (moving expenses, preference in living location). A good and fair question to ask to determine the “demand” is: “How many positions are you hiring for and how many candidates are you inviting onto campus?”
You can also ask, “Where do I stand as a candidate with your institution?” If they are highly interested, more than likely they will share that information.
This does not apply only to institutions that are hiring a large number. The more important factor to look at is the ratio between open positions and candidates invited on-campus.
Alright, enough of the strategic talk. I hope to have this search process wrapped up by the end of the week. That’s the plan. My wife and I have it narrowed down to two schools and the timing is perfect. I’m pretty confident I will have one offer that I believe I will have high negotiating power with and a potential offer from another institution. Regardless, I will hear from one institution this week and will use it to solicit information in regards to where I stand with the other institution. Based on the details that we can work out, I hope to select a position.
My wife and I (and our families) are holding our breath in regards to which job we will select if both offer.
The decision of the next chapter of our lives is quickly coming to the decision we feared most: a great opportunity in a dream location far from family versus a great-but-not-dreamy opportunity in a great community (but far colder) closer to family?
Stay tuned for the surprising results (even we don’t know yet…)…
I’d like to provide an update on the institution with a quick turn-around on the job offer. When I e-mailed them, I expected them to offer an extension, even though one was denied to me on the phone. The response I got, though, pretty much was summed up, “Thanks for declining us. Good luck, pal.” I was surprised that such an uncompromising timeline really stuck. I don’t feel that I am typically one who wishes a hard time on those who give me a hard time, but I am glad to say that I received an e-mail this weekend from the person who wasn’t willing to compromise by a day on the timeline. The e-mail stated that I would be getting called tomorrow to discuss our search processes.
Needless to say, they received an e-mail from me saying they are no longer a part of my search process.
Apparently, this institution has a history of offering like this to all levels of staff. That’s not the place for me. It seems that it’s not the place for others, either, as apparently they were not able to get enough people to accept this past week.
This story seems to sum up my thoughts about the power of the candidate. I think far too often new job candidates underestimate their worth and negotiating power. I know that there isn’t a magic formula for knowing how much power a candidate has, but there are some factors that help determine your power.
A good example, and the easiest to determine in my opinion, is “supply and demand.”
In short, if they are hiring for a larger number of positions, you may have some level of power in negotiating timelines, salaries, other tangibles (moving expenses, preference in living location). A good and fair question to ask to determine the “demand” is: “How many positions are you hiring for and how many candidates are you inviting onto campus?”
You can also ask, “Where do I stand as a candidate with your institution?” If they are highly interested, more than likely they will share that information.
This does not apply only to institutions that are hiring a large number. The more important factor to look at is the ratio between open positions and candidates invited on-campus.
Alright, enough of the strategic talk. I hope to have this search process wrapped up by the end of the week. That’s the plan. My wife and I have it narrowed down to two schools and the timing is perfect. I’m pretty confident I will have one offer that I believe I will have high negotiating power with and a potential offer from another institution. Regardless, I will hear from one institution this week and will use it to solicit information in regards to where I stand with the other institution. Based on the details that we can work out, I hope to select a position.
My wife and I (and our families) are holding our breath in regards to which job we will select if both offer.
The decision of the next chapter of our lives is quickly coming to the decision we feared most: a great opportunity in a dream location far from family versus a great-but-not-dreamy opportunity in a great community (but far colder) closer to family?
Stay tuned for the surprising results (even we don’t know yet…)…
Sunday, March 30, 2008
The Great Fishbowl Quest #14
Wow.
Good opening for both me and my blogging buddy.
There is a job offer on the table.
I’m grateful for the offer. It was an interview I enjoyed, the people I met on campus were great, and the job would be close to home. Here is why there is no exclamation point on that sentence.
This past week I had an on-campus interview that exceeded the offered job in every category except for being closer to home. I also have my third on-campus interview scheduled for Friday of this week. Now, typically, because I enjoyed the interview and could see myself working there, I would ask for time to make a decision. This way, if the excellent institution didn’t offer (I believe they are only inviting three onto campus), I wouldn’t end up jobless or taking a job somewhere that I didn’t enjoy.
I asked if I could contact them in two weeks. They laughed.
I explained that I had one more on-campus this Friday. They were gracious and gave me this whole weekend to decide.
Keep in mind they contacted me on Thursday.
From what I’ve heard and experienced, this is a rather unrealistic timeline. Typically, when you ask for a specific length of time for a specific reason, you can get it. If not, there is some level of compromise that you can work with. In this conversation, no compromise was made, regardless of the number of options I attempted to provide.
It can mean different things, but at this point in the process, I see it as a bad sign. To me, it says that there is poor planning on their part, high pressure to have me accept before checking out my options, and it communicates a lack of foresight. I was told when I finished interviewing that there would be every effort made to accommodate my timeline as necessary within reason; now I’m being told there is no time for a decision to be made.
Having to make a decision in such a short period of time, I asked if they could tell me what position I would fill. I was told that they weren’t sure if I would be placed in one of two halls. This typically occurs when hiring multiple professionals for the same level of position. However, wanting a quick response from me warrants me having extra information. I was told I could end up in an all-male hall composed of mainly freshmen or a co-ed hall of upperclassmen. These are two very distinct populations. One of which I’d be excited to work with, one of which I’d be somewhat hesitant.
Needless to say, I’m going to have to respond tomorrow declining the position. This is very frustrating, as I did enjoy my experience and could see myself working at the institution down the road. Also, from a practical point of view, having a “contingency” plan never hurts. I know that we don’t tend to talk about “Plan B’s,” but they make sense to have. I didn’t really view this institution as a “Plan B” yet; there is still one other institution I wanted to be able to compare it with.
So…I am officially making the decision to continue this exhausting process and tell a pretty good place that at this moment in time, if they require a response, I’m not interested.
Good opening for both me and my blogging buddy.
There is a job offer on the table.
I’m grateful for the offer. It was an interview I enjoyed, the people I met on campus were great, and the job would be close to home. Here is why there is no exclamation point on that sentence.
This past week I had an on-campus interview that exceeded the offered job in every category except for being closer to home. I also have my third on-campus interview scheduled for Friday of this week. Now, typically, because I enjoyed the interview and could see myself working there, I would ask for time to make a decision. This way, if the excellent institution didn’t offer (I believe they are only inviting three onto campus), I wouldn’t end up jobless or taking a job somewhere that I didn’t enjoy.
I asked if I could contact them in two weeks. They laughed.
I explained that I had one more on-campus this Friday. They were gracious and gave me this whole weekend to decide.
Keep in mind they contacted me on Thursday.
From what I’ve heard and experienced, this is a rather unrealistic timeline. Typically, when you ask for a specific length of time for a specific reason, you can get it. If not, there is some level of compromise that you can work with. In this conversation, no compromise was made, regardless of the number of options I attempted to provide.
It can mean different things, but at this point in the process, I see it as a bad sign. To me, it says that there is poor planning on their part, high pressure to have me accept before checking out my options, and it communicates a lack of foresight. I was told when I finished interviewing that there would be every effort made to accommodate my timeline as necessary within reason; now I’m being told there is no time for a decision to be made.
Having to make a decision in such a short period of time, I asked if they could tell me what position I would fill. I was told that they weren’t sure if I would be placed in one of two halls. This typically occurs when hiring multiple professionals for the same level of position. However, wanting a quick response from me warrants me having extra information. I was told I could end up in an all-male hall composed of mainly freshmen or a co-ed hall of upperclassmen. These are two very distinct populations. One of which I’d be excited to work with, one of which I’d be somewhat hesitant.
Needless to say, I’m going to have to respond tomorrow declining the position. This is very frustrating, as I did enjoy my experience and could see myself working at the institution down the road. Also, from a practical point of view, having a “contingency” plan never hurts. I know that we don’t tend to talk about “Plan B’s,” but they make sense to have. I didn’t really view this institution as a “Plan B” yet; there is still one other institution I wanted to be able to compare it with.
So…I am officially making the decision to continue this exhausting process and tell a pretty good place that at this moment in time, if they require a response, I’m not interested.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
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!
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!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be.... #12
It's a week until the conference and suddenly my inbox has exploded with interview offers. I'm getting multiple invites a day and it's getting overwhelming. The good thing is that I'm starting to actually get a little picky, and so it's easier to decide who I will meet with and who isn't really interesting. I still just have the 6 interviews for now, but I'm planning on setting up at least one or two more before I head off next Friday. I'm working on setting up the on campus interview that I received last week and I also just got an offer for a phone interview with another institution. The weeks of silence are now yielding a lot of hoopla. It's exciting and overwhelming, but at least it means that people are interested.
A lot of the more recent ACPA interview requests have come from places much farther away than I ever thought I might end up. Some I can easily dismiss - either the place is just not one that appeals to me at all, or the institution doesn't really grab my attention - but others are becoming harder to ignore. The one interview that I mentioned a few entries ago (the one that I was struggling over accepting because of where it's located) is the only "far away" one that I've accepted as of now. I gave in because of how amazing the institution is, how fantastic the students seem to be, and how beautiful the campus looks. The latter was the real kicker. I'm completely won over by atmosphere every time. I could meet these people at ACPA and immediately know that it's not where I want to be.....or I could fall in love with them and the position. We shall see, but I'm keeping an open mind.
All of my stress and anxiety is finally taking a toll on my body. I started getting sick a few days ago and I'm pumping myself full of cold medicine to try and head it off before it turns into something big. Being sick next week is NOT an option. I'm consuming lots of juice and yesterday I slept so much that I'm not really sure how I'm actually still tired. None of this makes my to-do list any shorter, and so I'll finally venture out of my apartment today and try to rejoin society.
I hope to update again before leaving for the conference, and definitely (if time allows it) while I'm there. The more entertaining bits might be any stories I have of the airport and the flight. I'm not the most calm flyer and I still don't really understand how everything at the airport functions, so there's bound to be something mildly embarrassing to share. I'm also hoping that Atlanta is somewhat put back together by next week. I've been wondering if everything is still set for the conference, but I got an email a few days ago saying that the hotels and conference center are ready to go. I just need to make sure that I am, too.
A lot of the more recent ACPA interview requests have come from places much farther away than I ever thought I might end up. Some I can easily dismiss - either the place is just not one that appeals to me at all, or the institution doesn't really grab my attention - but others are becoming harder to ignore. The one interview that I mentioned a few entries ago (the one that I was struggling over accepting because of where it's located) is the only "far away" one that I've accepted as of now. I gave in because of how amazing the institution is, how fantastic the students seem to be, and how beautiful the campus looks. The latter was the real kicker. I'm completely won over by atmosphere every time. I could meet these people at ACPA and immediately know that it's not where I want to be.....or I could fall in love with them and the position. We shall see, but I'm keeping an open mind.
All of my stress and anxiety is finally taking a toll on my body. I started getting sick a few days ago and I'm pumping myself full of cold medicine to try and head it off before it turns into something big. Being sick next week is NOT an option. I'm consuming lots of juice and yesterday I slept so much that I'm not really sure how I'm actually still tired. None of this makes my to-do list any shorter, and so I'll finally venture out of my apartment today and try to rejoin society.
I hope to update again before leaving for the conference, and definitely (if time allows it) while I'm there. The more entertaining bits might be any stories I have of the airport and the flight. I'm not the most calm flyer and I still don't really understand how everything at the airport functions, so there's bound to be something mildly embarrassing to share. I'm also hoping that Atlanta is somewhat put back together by next week. I've been wondering if everything is still set for the conference, but I got an email a few days ago saying that the hotels and conference center are ready to go. I just need to make sure that I am, too.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Great Fishbowl Quest #12
I apologize for going silent for a solid eight days. Today was our comprehensive exam. Honestly, it wasn’t that bad at all. I’m proud to say that at no point in time did I lose sleep in preparing for this test. I have successfully kept from sacrificing sleep in regards to the job search or prepping for what my cohort has referred to as “the test with no name.” Hopefully, everyone is as confident as I am with our performance on the test. The looks on some of my peers’ faces don’t have me convinced.
Anyway, with the job search, I have to say that I’m a little anxious. Up until now, I’ve done well at predicting the “traffic” of interview requests and on-campus offers. I predicted incorrectly, though, that more institutions would be getting in contact with me this week than the number that got in contact with me last week. At the beginning of this week, I declined three on-campus interview offers. I was confident that one of those would pretty much translate into a job offer very quickly. I keep telling myself that I knew that none of those were going to provide the right “fit” for my wife and I, but it would have been nice to have accepted more on-campuses than I’ve declined. I’ve been comparing offers of on-campuses with the one that I have already completed. The only possible flaw in this strategy is that if that institution doesn’t offer a job, it isn’t going to do me any good to have turned down everybody else.
I do have one on-campus I’ll be doing this next week during my spring break. I’m pretty excited about the opportunity, but the job I was originally interviewed for (and considered strongly for) has changed. I’m now being interviewed for a job that is quite different within the same department. We’ll see. I’m really excited about the new opportunity, possibly more than the original job I interviewed for. This interview requires a presentation, though, so it would be wise if I stopped blogging and started working.
Taking my own advice isn’t something I do when I finish such a big accomplishment as comps. I’ll keep writing.
Unless I hear from a few institutions by the end of this week, my interest list drops to six institutions. One of the institutions that I’m very interested in has just notified me that the position they were considering me for may be changing (seems to be a trend). The problem with this is that it may create a different opening that I can’t be considered for (female only). I’m disappointed just thinking about it. We’ll see.
My peers are having varying experiences. One of my close friends attempted to get into another master’s program and was unsuccessful with the institution she was hoping for. Seeing somebody I care about having to shift to Plan B and let go of Plan A is disheartening. Another one of my colleagues is starting to receive “no longer considering you” communication.
At this point, I’d really take any communication. I think tomorrow I will begin contacting the institutions left on my list. I’m starting to worry about the silence.
Anyway, with the job search, I have to say that I’m a little anxious. Up until now, I’ve done well at predicting the “traffic” of interview requests and on-campus offers. I predicted incorrectly, though, that more institutions would be getting in contact with me this week than the number that got in contact with me last week. At the beginning of this week, I declined three on-campus interview offers. I was confident that one of those would pretty much translate into a job offer very quickly. I keep telling myself that I knew that none of those were going to provide the right “fit” for my wife and I, but it would have been nice to have accepted more on-campuses than I’ve declined. I’ve been comparing offers of on-campuses with the one that I have already completed. The only possible flaw in this strategy is that if that institution doesn’t offer a job, it isn’t going to do me any good to have turned down everybody else.
I do have one on-campus I’ll be doing this next week during my spring break. I’m pretty excited about the opportunity, but the job I was originally interviewed for (and considered strongly for) has changed. I’m now being interviewed for a job that is quite different within the same department. We’ll see. I’m really excited about the new opportunity, possibly more than the original job I interviewed for. This interview requires a presentation, though, so it would be wise if I stopped blogging and started working.
Taking my own advice isn’t something I do when I finish such a big accomplishment as comps. I’ll keep writing.
Unless I hear from a few institutions by the end of this week, my interest list drops to six institutions. One of the institutions that I’m very interested in has just notified me that the position they were considering me for may be changing (seems to be a trend). The problem with this is that it may create a different opening that I can’t be considered for (female only). I’m disappointed just thinking about it. We’ll see.
My peers are having varying experiences. One of my close friends attempted to get into another master’s program and was unsuccessful with the institution she was hoping for. Seeing somebody I care about having to shift to Plan B and let go of Plan A is disheartening. Another one of my colleagues is starting to receive “no longer considering you” communication.
At this point, I’d really take any communication. I think tomorrow I will begin contacting the institutions left on my list. I’m starting to worry about the silence.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be.... #11
My concentration level has taken a nose-dive. I can't stay focused on anything and my mind is all over the place. I will directly blame daylight savings time.
It's nice to suddenly have sunshine into the evening hours, but not when I lose an hour of my life to make it happen. I thought I was ready for the Saturday night change over last week, but Sunday came and I felt like I was lost and confused. I couldn't fall asleep and then, of course, I was exhausted Monday morning. This lasted the entire week. How I actually made it to class is beyond me. And of course, when it comes time for this weekend and I'm finally able to sleep in, I sleep one hour later than normal and then wake up. I just can't win.
My classmates have returned from NASPA with stories about second and third interviews and on-campus requests. I am jealous, and I can't wait for ACPA to get here. 2 more weeks and I'll be freaking out about everything and preparing for my own interviews. I haven't scheduled any more and I haven't contacted anyone new; suddenly there's not a whole lot up on the site that interests me.
The big news for the week was an email I received regarding one of the phone interviews I did last month......they want to meet with me in person!!!! I am incredibly excited. This job is awesome because:
1. It seems like something that would amazing to get involved with, and I know I'm good at it.
2. It's in (what I hear is) a really cool place.
3. I don't think it snows there, or if it does, it's nothing like what I'm putting up with here.
4. The institution is...well, there are no words. It's a place that when I mention it to my friends as an option for me they say, "Ohhh yeah. I can totally see you there."
I can't wait to hear back so I can set something up. I was starting to have mini anxiety attacks about not being a viable candidate for ANYTHING, and then here is someone who is interested in me. While I'm definitely still worked up about this whole process, I've gone down a few notches on the crazy meter.
So I guess it's time to use my day wisely and start in on the many things that I need to get done. The only good part about being up early is then having the opportunity to take a nap. And as a grad student who's schedule is pretty much always out of control, I never pass up the chance to curl up and sleep.
It's nice to suddenly have sunshine into the evening hours, but not when I lose an hour of my life to make it happen. I thought I was ready for the Saturday night change over last week, but Sunday came and I felt like I was lost and confused. I couldn't fall asleep and then, of course, I was exhausted Monday morning. This lasted the entire week. How I actually made it to class is beyond me. And of course, when it comes time for this weekend and I'm finally able to sleep in, I sleep one hour later than normal and then wake up. I just can't win.
My classmates have returned from NASPA with stories about second and third interviews and on-campus requests. I am jealous, and I can't wait for ACPA to get here. 2 more weeks and I'll be freaking out about everything and preparing for my own interviews. I haven't scheduled any more and I haven't contacted anyone new; suddenly there's not a whole lot up on the site that interests me.
The big news for the week was an email I received regarding one of the phone interviews I did last month......they want to meet with me in person!!!! I am incredibly excited. This job is awesome because:
1. It seems like something that would amazing to get involved with, and I know I'm good at it.
2. It's in (what I hear is) a really cool place.
3. I don't think it snows there, or if it does, it's nothing like what I'm putting up with here.
4. The institution is...well, there are no words. It's a place that when I mention it to my friends as an option for me they say, "Ohhh yeah. I can totally see you there."
I can't wait to hear back so I can set something up. I was starting to have mini anxiety attacks about not being a viable candidate for ANYTHING, and then here is someone who is interested in me. While I'm definitely still worked up about this whole process, I've gone down a few notches on the crazy meter.
So I guess it's time to use my day wisely and start in on the many things that I need to get done. The only good part about being up early is then having the opportunity to take a nap. And as a grad student who's schedule is pretty much always out of control, I never pass up the chance to curl up and sleep.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Great Fishbowl Quest #11
So much to write about, so little time. I have comps in eight days and we have recruitment going on for both our graduate staff and our undergraduate RA staff. I think for the purposes of today’s post, I will focus on what I learned from NASPA’s TPE and hopefully that will help my blogging buddy and others going to ACPA.
This was my second placement exchange of the season. I think I have now attended one of the smallest popular placement exchanges and one of the largest. People kept telling me how different it was going to be and to be quite honest, I didn’t see too much of a difference. Yes, it TPE was a lot larger than SPE. Instead of one waiting area, there were seven. Instead of 100 mailboxes there were 1,000 (maybe less, maybe more…I was too busy to count). Overall, though, you could use the same pattern of: interview, write your thoughts, prepare for your next interview, interview, etc.
The biggest difference I noticed immediately was the other candidates. It seemed as if I walked into the wrong conference: not one person was smiling. I understand and appreciate professionalism (I’m not one of those people that get excited about glitter or training themes), but I felt as if I had walked into a union meeting of the Cubicle Corporation. This, of course, made me smile and slow my pace as I walked. It was a perfect opportunity to exude my warmth and optimism! With “poker faces” racing by on every side, I took the time to make eye contact as I strolled through the main hall and the reaction was great: it kept me calm and it got others interested (at least curious) in me.
This is not to say I was the James Bond of the conference. I most definitely messed up an interview one night (yeah…night); apparently I could no longer translate “student affairs” speak into English. The mistake that bothered me the most occurred in a second interview. It was one of those interviews that you feel like you can’t get any “points” in; the goal is to stay at zero and avoid negative points. Well, I was doing well until I was questioning the employer and asked about a program that wasn’t in place at their institution (it was most definitely a program I had learned about at that bad interview the night before). I think, typically, employers would say something simple: “You must be thinking of something at another institution.” Instead, the employers chose the most awkward option and said nothing about my mistake. They simply answered the question in a very vague manner. Quite honestly, it created some concerns to me when they weren’t willing to address that I made a mistake: I make a lot; I could have handled it).
With both placement exchanges done for me, at this point it is working out who I will accept on-campus interviews with if offered. I have one completed that went well. I believe, at most, I can pull off five more on-campus interviews this semester. My concern is that I’m interested in seven. Strangely enough, there would be some level of relief if two or three of these institutions that seem interested decided to pass me up. Of course, though, I want 100% of the schools I’m interested in to offer on-campuses and jobs.
We’ll see.
This was my second placement exchange of the season. I think I have now attended one of the smallest popular placement exchanges and one of the largest. People kept telling me how different it was going to be and to be quite honest, I didn’t see too much of a difference. Yes, it TPE was a lot larger than SPE. Instead of one waiting area, there were seven. Instead of 100 mailboxes there were 1,000 (maybe less, maybe more…I was too busy to count). Overall, though, you could use the same pattern of: interview, write your thoughts, prepare for your next interview, interview, etc.
The biggest difference I noticed immediately was the other candidates. It seemed as if I walked into the wrong conference: not one person was smiling. I understand and appreciate professionalism (I’m not one of those people that get excited about glitter or training themes), but I felt as if I had walked into a union meeting of the Cubicle Corporation. This, of course, made me smile and slow my pace as I walked. It was a perfect opportunity to exude my warmth and optimism! With “poker faces” racing by on every side, I took the time to make eye contact as I strolled through the main hall and the reaction was great: it kept me calm and it got others interested (at least curious) in me.
This is not to say I was the James Bond of the conference. I most definitely messed up an interview one night (yeah…night); apparently I could no longer translate “student affairs” speak into English. The mistake that bothered me the most occurred in a second interview. It was one of those interviews that you feel like you can’t get any “points” in; the goal is to stay at zero and avoid negative points. Well, I was doing well until I was questioning the employer and asked about a program that wasn’t in place at their institution (it was most definitely a program I had learned about at that bad interview the night before). I think, typically, employers would say something simple: “You must be thinking of something at another institution.” Instead, the employers chose the most awkward option and said nothing about my mistake. They simply answered the question in a very vague manner. Quite honestly, it created some concerns to me when they weren’t willing to address that I made a mistake: I make a lot; I could have handled it).
With both placement exchanges done for me, at this point it is working out who I will accept on-campus interviews with if offered. I have one completed that went well. I believe, at most, I can pull off five more on-campus interviews this semester. My concern is that I’m interested in seven. Strangely enough, there would be some level of relief if two or three of these institutions that seem interested decided to pass me up. Of course, though, I want 100% of the schools I’m interested in to offer on-campuses and jobs.
We’ll see.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Great Fishbowl Quest #10
I got back really late (or really early) the other night after driving 8½ hours from an 8-hour day of interviewing on-campus. My wife and I took a weekend trip that consisted of my hours logged in driving than in visiting or interviewing, but it was an insightful trip regardless. We visited four institutions in one weekend, two of which I had interviewed with at SPE, and two of which I have interviews set up for NASPA. Interestingly enough, once again an institution that had been near the top of my list just jumped off Interest Cliff. The institution was too urban for our liking and the people weren’t as friendly as we were hoping for. Visiting informally has its advantages of getting to really see a place for what it may be, as long as you can see the things you’re wanting to without help.
The on-campus interview went fantastically. Quite honestly, this was a department that truly appears to live up to its stated values. If you’re wondering how to test that (because you may have noticed most institutions say that they are “student-focused”), it’s pretty simple. Talk to everybody you make eye contact with (I said “simple,” not “easy). I know that’s a little exaggerated, but it is important to talk to a variety of people that haven’t necessarily been selected to interview you. When you do that, you’ve got to look for consistency in answers and themes that emerge. In this instance, it became clear based on everybody that I talked to that the entire staff and the students feel valued and listened to. For me, that’s a pretty big deal. Because of all of this, this institution is pretty high on my list, and I can’t imagine there being a group of people that could top this group of people. With that said, though, the apartment I saw was frighteningly small to live in with a spouse and it’s a bit in the middle of nowhere. I don’t want to make a decision on those factors, but those factors may be enough to knock it out of number one if I can find an equally awesome staff in a better location with a nicer place to call home for the next few years.
Anxiety is pretty much choking me every time I turn on my brain to think, which is disappointing, since thinking is a bit critical right now. Last night was my one chance to get a good night’s sleep this week and that didn’t happen. I’ll be getting up around 4:00 in the morning to head to the airport to get to NASPA. I feel that I can be prepared for NASPA without too much trouble, but I haven’t prepared at all for comps (pesky little detail that determines if I graduate) and it is in 15 days. Wait a minute while I grab my paper bag and do my breathing exercises.
Writing in this blog has proved to be helpful, but even now my time grows short. I have a phone interview in twenty minutes and I believe that if they are interested, I receive an invitation to come onto campus. Sadly, I feel that this may be a waste of time because even if I do well, I can’t justify traveling to a campus based on a thirty-minute phone conversation. It is hard enough to do that based on spending thirty minutes with a person or two at an exchange.
Anyway, I’ve experienced a lot of the same frustration and anxiety that my blogging buddy has, although the advice she has received is completely true. It is very typical to get e-mailed in the last few days before an exchange, even if you have e-mailed the institution weeks ago.
Reminds me a good vent story to share, but I’ve got to prep for this interview. Maybe next time. Good luck to those of you traveling to Boston!
Oh! The "open interview" I was trying to figure out: In this instance, "open interview" meant that it was open for anybody to attend, although specific people had been chosen to be a part of it as well. I interviewed with people from high in the food chain to low on the totem pole, all at once.
The on-campus interview went fantastically. Quite honestly, this was a department that truly appears to live up to its stated values. If you’re wondering how to test that (because you may have noticed most institutions say that they are “student-focused”), it’s pretty simple. Talk to everybody you make eye contact with (I said “simple,” not “easy). I know that’s a little exaggerated, but it is important to talk to a variety of people that haven’t necessarily been selected to interview you. When you do that, you’ve got to look for consistency in answers and themes that emerge. In this instance, it became clear based on everybody that I talked to that the entire staff and the students feel valued and listened to. For me, that’s a pretty big deal. Because of all of this, this institution is pretty high on my list, and I can’t imagine there being a group of people that could top this group of people. With that said, though, the apartment I saw was frighteningly small to live in with a spouse and it’s a bit in the middle of nowhere. I don’t want to make a decision on those factors, but those factors may be enough to knock it out of number one if I can find an equally awesome staff in a better location with a nicer place to call home for the next few years.
Anxiety is pretty much choking me every time I turn on my brain to think, which is disappointing, since thinking is a bit critical right now. Last night was my one chance to get a good night’s sleep this week and that didn’t happen. I’ll be getting up around 4:00 in the morning to head to the airport to get to NASPA. I feel that I can be prepared for NASPA without too much trouble, but I haven’t prepared at all for comps (pesky little detail that determines if I graduate) and it is in 15 days. Wait a minute while I grab my paper bag and do my breathing exercises.
Writing in this blog has proved to be helpful, but even now my time grows short. I have a phone interview in twenty minutes and I believe that if they are interested, I receive an invitation to come onto campus. Sadly, I feel that this may be a waste of time because even if I do well, I can’t justify traveling to a campus based on a thirty-minute phone conversation. It is hard enough to do that based on spending thirty minutes with a person or two at an exchange.
Anyway, I’ve experienced a lot of the same frustration and anxiety that my blogging buddy has, although the advice she has received is completely true. It is very typical to get e-mailed in the last few days before an exchange, even if you have e-mailed the institution weeks ago.
Reminds me a good vent story to share, but I’ve got to prep for this interview. Maybe next time. Good luck to those of you traveling to Boston!
Oh! The "open interview" I was trying to figure out: In this instance, "open interview" meant that it was open for anybody to attend, although specific people had been chosen to be a part of it as well. I interviewed with people from high in the food chain to low on the totem pole, all at once.
Friday, February 29, 2008
The Great Fishbowl Quest #9
Posting two days in a row?! I promise not to make a habit of it.
I’m leaving in less than two hours to drive to an undisclosed set of institutions to unofficially check out their campuses and communities. The job search process gets trickier when there are two lives to consider instead of one. With an on-campus interview scheduled for Monday, it seemed to make sense to make the most of the trip and check out other institutions nearby. By doing this, if I am offered any other on-campuses, my wife will have already had the opportunity to check out the schools and communities. It will also give me something extra to talk about when I travel to NASPA next week.
Despite the amount of last-minute work I’m doing to get out of here on time (although I found time to sit and blog…where are my priorities?), I feel very optimistic at the moment. Multiple institutions have offered on-campuses and I still have one more exchange to attend; I’m getting to get away from campus and get some good old-fashioned road-trip therapy; and I only slightly panic when I think about comps which are within three weeks that I am not more than 10% prepared for.
Thoughts about my on-campus are somewhat mixed. I am very excited about the institution and have only heard good things from those that have worked there and professionals nearby. I believe that I typically do really well at on-campuses and look forward to the chance to get a real feel for the place.
Only question I currently have: What does “open interview” mean? My itinerary does well at telling me the variety of people I will be interviewing with during my stay; however, I have two hour-long “open interviews” scheduled back-to-back in the same room. My guess is that professionals and staff will be made aware that a candidate will be on-campus and available to meet and question during those two times.
When I find out, I’ll let you know. I'm hoping that hearing the song, "Suddenly I See," as I type this is a good omen.
Good luck to those of you recruiting and being recruited at OPE this weekend and good luck to those attempting to prepare for TPE at NASPA which is quickly approaching.
For those of you attempting to do both OPE and TPE, may God have mercy on your souls.
I’m leaving in less than two hours to drive to an undisclosed set of institutions to unofficially check out their campuses and communities. The job search process gets trickier when there are two lives to consider instead of one. With an on-campus interview scheduled for Monday, it seemed to make sense to make the most of the trip and check out other institutions nearby. By doing this, if I am offered any other on-campuses, my wife will have already had the opportunity to check out the schools and communities. It will also give me something extra to talk about when I travel to NASPA next week.
Despite the amount of last-minute work I’m doing to get out of here on time (although I found time to sit and blog…where are my priorities?), I feel very optimistic at the moment. Multiple institutions have offered on-campuses and I still have one more exchange to attend; I’m getting to get away from campus and get some good old-fashioned road-trip therapy; and I only slightly panic when I think about comps which are within three weeks that I am not more than 10% prepared for.
Thoughts about my on-campus are somewhat mixed. I am very excited about the institution and have only heard good things from those that have worked there and professionals nearby. I believe that I typically do really well at on-campuses and look forward to the chance to get a real feel for the place.
Only question I currently have: What does “open interview” mean? My itinerary does well at telling me the variety of people I will be interviewing with during my stay; however, I have two hour-long “open interviews” scheduled back-to-back in the same room. My guess is that professionals and staff will be made aware that a candidate will be on-campus and available to meet and question during those two times.
When I find out, I’ll let you know. I'm hoping that hearing the song, "Suddenly I See," as I type this is a good omen.
Good luck to those of you recruiting and being recruited at OPE this weekend and good luck to those attempting to prepare for TPE at NASPA which is quickly approaching.
For those of you attempting to do both OPE and TPE, may God have mercy on your souls.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The Great Fishbowl Quest #7
I have a handful of good problems I’m dealing with at the moment. I much rather have these issues than others.
1) I did really well at SPE last week (it feels like it happened a month ago). Out of the twelve institutions I interviewed with, five expressed a high-level of interest at the exchange and two others have contacted in the past week. Where’s the problem? I’ve already scheduled two on-campus interviews. My goal is to not take more than five on-campus interviews total, and there’s at least one more institution from SPE that I hope to get contacted by this next week. That means that I’m going to TPE with the goal of accepting no more than two on-campus interviews. I guess it comes down to the worry that I’ve committed too quickly to two on-campus interviews.
2) Some institutions are pursuing fast. I shoot to be the top candidate (as everybody should) and get the first offers. Having attended the first placement exchange of the recruiting season, there is a real potential that if I do well, I may receive job offers prior to attending TPE. I don’t know that this will happen, but if it does, I need to be able to say, “I won’t be accepting an offer until (fill in the blank) date.”
3) I’ve got no clue about which institutions will jump to the top of my list at TPE. At SPE, my #1 quickly became my #0 and an institution that was low on my list jumped to #1. It makes it hard to accept and decline interviews.
4) This whole job search is getting expensive fast. I have an on-campus next week that’s an eight-hour drive away. I’m not flying for a couple reasons: last-minute plane tickets aren’t usually cheap and my wife won’t be able to check out the place unless we get two tickets or drive. Institutions (reasonably) won’t pay for my wife’s travel and they won’t reimburse if they offer and you don’t accept. I hope to do well enough to receive multiple offers, which means I won’t be getting reimbursed one or a few times.
5) With my recent success at SPE, I haven’t been motivated to get ready for TPE. I rather by a second plane ticket and treat Boston as a min-vacation with my wife. My wife, however, is far more sensible, and doesn’t want me to pass up opportunities that may land us at our dream home that we don’t know about yet.
Needless to say, all of those are good problems. Not-so-good problems include the fact that I have an inner-ear infection that makes me fall to the left whenever it feels like it, we may have to rent a car for this on-campus road trip next week, and coursework is piling up on all sides of me.
The cohort that I often refer to do is doing well for the most part. It seems that those with some type of job search parameters (geographic, benefits, etc.) are doing much better than those open to anything. The ones open to anything are truly taking whatever interviews are offered first and are filling their schedules. Those with parameters have been declining more interviews than accepting. I guess we’ll see how it turns out at the end.
I've got to stop writing and get to work. Today I need to write cover letters for all of the institutions that I currently want to interview with at The Placement Exchange at NASPA. I’ve never attempted to attend more than one placement exchange, and I’m not sure that I’m a big fan. However, after spending $400 on a plane ticket, I find myself committed to the idea.
Keep up the work, you candidates and recruiters.
1) I did really well at SPE last week (it feels like it happened a month ago). Out of the twelve institutions I interviewed with, five expressed a high-level of interest at the exchange and two others have contacted in the past week. Where’s the problem? I’ve already scheduled two on-campus interviews. My goal is to not take more than five on-campus interviews total, and there’s at least one more institution from SPE that I hope to get contacted by this next week. That means that I’m going to TPE with the goal of accepting no more than two on-campus interviews. I guess it comes down to the worry that I’ve committed too quickly to two on-campus interviews.
2) Some institutions are pursuing fast. I shoot to be the top candidate (as everybody should) and get the first offers. Having attended the first placement exchange of the recruiting season, there is a real potential that if I do well, I may receive job offers prior to attending TPE. I don’t know that this will happen, but if it does, I need to be able to say, “I won’t be accepting an offer until (fill in the blank) date.”
3) I’ve got no clue about which institutions will jump to the top of my list at TPE. At SPE, my #1 quickly became my #0 and an institution that was low on my list jumped to #1. It makes it hard to accept and decline interviews.
4) This whole job search is getting expensive fast. I have an on-campus next week that’s an eight-hour drive away. I’m not flying for a couple reasons: last-minute plane tickets aren’t usually cheap and my wife won’t be able to check out the place unless we get two tickets or drive. Institutions (reasonably) won’t pay for my wife’s travel and they won’t reimburse if they offer and you don’t accept. I hope to do well enough to receive multiple offers, which means I won’t be getting reimbursed one or a few times.
5) With my recent success at SPE, I haven’t been motivated to get ready for TPE. I rather by a second plane ticket and treat Boston as a min-vacation with my wife. My wife, however, is far more sensible, and doesn’t want me to pass up opportunities that may land us at our dream home that we don’t know about yet.
Needless to say, all of those are good problems. Not-so-good problems include the fact that I have an inner-ear infection that makes me fall to the left whenever it feels like it, we may have to rent a car for this on-campus road trip next week, and coursework is piling up on all sides of me.
The cohort that I often refer to do is doing well for the most part. It seems that those with some type of job search parameters (geographic, benefits, etc.) are doing much better than those open to anything. The ones open to anything are truly taking whatever interviews are offered first and are filling their schedules. Those with parameters have been declining more interviews than accepting. I guess we’ll see how it turns out at the end.
I've got to stop writing and get to work. Today I need to write cover letters for all of the institutions that I currently want to interview with at The Placement Exchange at NASPA. I’ve never attempted to attend more than one placement exchange, and I’m not sure that I’m a big fan. However, after spending $400 on a plane ticket, I find myself committed to the idea.
Keep up the work, you candidates and recruiters.
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