Pick Me! Choose Me! Hire Me!
We're adults. When did that happen? And how do we make it stop? ~Grey’s Anatomy
Hello and welcome (soon to be) loyal readers! I have been asked to give you a glimpse into my job search process from researching potential jobs, phone interviews, the ACPA/NASPA meat market experience, on site interviews, and hopefully the big day of accepting a position which seems so far away. I am also going to attempt to make this whole thing enjoyable and entertaining. Some of this is for you, but I see this as a way to keep my sanity through the next six months.
You may have noticed the quote from Grey’s Anatomy at the top of the blog. I am a huge fan of the show and have been from the beginning. I’m not one of those people who jumped on the band wagon half-way through the second season. Therefore, most of my posts will have some sort of Grey’s themes or quotes so if you haven’t started watching, rent the first two seasons and start watching immediately. I promise that you won’t be disappointed! Someone recently told me that grad school for student affairs was very similar to being a surgical intern like Meredith, George, Izzie, Christina, and Karev. We work together, study together, live together, and (sometimes) sleep together. We are each other’s source of support, stress relief, but are also each other’s biggest competitions. I would do anything for the people in my cohort, but when it comes down to it, I going to do everything I can to beat them out of a job if I want it too.
Here’s the thing about me. I’m in Res. Life. I had three years of undergrad experience, I’m currently a Graduate Hall Director, and I spent my summer internship at a great housing department on the other side of the country. I’m not worried about finding a job. Everyone I know says that there are thousands of Res. Life jobs out there and to just calm down. The problem for me is more about finding the right job.
Basically, I’m picky. I have been since I’ve been little, you can ask my mom. She says I’m picky, but I prefer the term “particular.” I just don’t want the right job, I want the perfect job. What does the perfect job look like for me? My priorities are (in no particular order)
-I want a great working environment. Too vague? Okay, I mean that I want to be able to drive to the beach in no more than 30 minutes, work with interesting, diverse, and engaged students, and be part of a department that is full of fun, hardworking, dedicated, and hilarious people.
-I want to live in a fun place. This means more restaurant choices than McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and the local pizza place. I want a cool atmosphere, a good martini bar, and if I want to go to a museum or see a show (preferably Wicked, my new favorite musical) then getting there shouldn’t mimic the migratory patterns of a flock of birds who travel for hours and hours just to get to their destination.
-I want to be able to bring my cat with me and then get a dog so my live-in accommodations will need to be pet-friendly.
-I want my department to offer same-sex partner benefits. While I identify as straight, I’m also an ally so I don’t want to work at a place where there isn’t housing equality.
-I want my supervisor to not just supervise me, but also be a mentor. Does this make me high maintenance?
-I want a place that values personal and professional balance. Oh wait, I’m in student affairs, the profession of Blackberry’s, 4,000 e-mails a day, text messaging, 24-hour cell phone coverage, instant messages, and people who take classes, have a family, workout, volunteer, serve on committees, go to conferences, mentor students, plus the whole full-time job thing. Maybe this is too much to ask for in a first job.
-I want a nice apartment. Call me vain, but I want an apartment that is comparable to what I would get “on the outside,” but for free! Speaking of free, I want a meal plan too. I’ve been dependent on campus food for going on six years and I don’t plan on learning how to cook anytime soon. I also want a parking spot (I’m lazy) and laundry (because I’m also cheap).
I’m sure there are other things on my list too. Such as a diverse student and professional population, inviting campus environment, a place where I can “put theory to practice” as well as have opportunities to learn, develop, and grow, but those aren’t fun to think about.
I can’t decide if I’m being delusional or just “particular.” I hope this fantasy job really is out there, because the pressure is already on. My advisor told all of us not to even look at job descriptions until after Thanksgiving, but that went out the window the first day of class. I literally came back from my first class of the year to an IM from one of my friends who had found the “perfect” job for her, but it had a January 1st start date. I freaked out!!! Why were members of my cohort already looking at job descriptions? We are only half way through our program! We still have to graduate in order to even be considered for these jobs!
Then it dawned on me. Although my cohort (and the profession in general, in my ever so humble grad student opinion) is supportive and friendly, it is also filled with competition. Sure, we’ll send you an e-card or give you a hug when we see you, but there is a secret place in everyone’s mind, a place that nobody likes to talk about at parties, that really wishes the accomplishment was for them. Maybe I’m being cynical. However, it is hard not to be when I just e-mailed a job description to one of my friends who then said he was mad at me because it was “his perfect job” and he couldn’t believe I would even consider applying for it even though it was fairly close to “my perfect job.” The last thing I have time to deal with is inter-cohort drama!
In closing, I am excited, terrified, anxious, and nervous about the impending job search. I think the only thing that will get me through it is my weekly therapy sessions with Dr. Meredith Grey and all of her doctor friends at Seattle Grace. However, it’s group therapy with people who will be my competition for jobs, so where does that leave me?
Until Next Time,
Pick Me! Choose Me! Hire Me!
posted by StudentAffairs.com @ 6:26 PM
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