Wow!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't posted in a bit..i am very sorry to anyone who reads and follows this..one..maybe? LOL! Anyways, there is a good reason recently that I have not. I got an email from a school!!! And they were asking if I am still interested in their position. I was like..ummm...YEAH!!!! I sent them back an email that day and spoke to one of their area coordinators the next day. Very good conversation...very nice and professional person and I was told that if the school was interested, they may contact me soon for a phone interview. Here is some invaluable advice that I learned through that conversation....stay current..especially in the field of student affairs. I asked if the fact that I have been out of the field for a while would work against me. I was told if I was current and had been doing things relevant to the field that it would certainly be taken into consideration. I went home that night..brainstormed and came up with a list of all the things that I had done that were relevant to the field and it actually was a pretty long list. I added all that information on my online application which fortunately had not been looked at yet..lol. I also sent an email to the area coordinator summarizing what I had done. The next day, I got an email from the Director of Residential Life wanting to schedule a phone interview. This is where we are at now. Not only would I be back in the field...it is at a school I have always dreamed of working at. I am a little nervous but making myself as prepared as I can possibly be and give the interview of my life! So..I give you this advice. Don't ever give up...have a good attitude. Also...keep the lines of communication open..i got an email on a Sunday so you literally never know when an employer might contact you. Finally, contact as soon as possible..it shows that you are definitely interested. I have followed up both emails the next day with phone calls. Well..I hope to have bigger news in the near future so stay tuned!

Update!

Well...I did have a company call me which was very cool and I am going to see where it goes. It isn't in student affairs so that search will be ongoing but the fact that this company calls me means a great deal and I am at least curious as to where this might go..and the experience is very good as well! The search continues though...applied to two more schools. I do recommend again..if you have not posted your resume on Monster.com...do so right now..stop reading this..if you are..lol...and do it now!!!!! I dont think student affairs really gets that involved with Monster.com but other fields definitely do and it seems as though very positive results happen! Well..if I know more from this company...it should be this week. Still hoping for positive things!!!! Stay tuned!

Updates

Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you all know where life in the Fishbowl is at! I did end up doing one of those Facebook ads..not much of a response yet..but I do like the idea. I do think I might have to link it up to one of my other sites. Speaking of links...hehehe..hows that for a segue? I did have people looking at my LinkedIn profile...I definitely feel as though my resume is starting to get noticed..i just hope more schools start looking at it! I also had a friend of mine take a look at my resume..he used to be a recruiter for many years and he is very good at what he does..some advice..if you have resources or someone offers you help..take it..it really is invaluable and particularly if they have background experience. He basically tore it apart..but it really needed to be...I like it a lot better..and at this point..my resume is done..I think. I have done all the tweaking I can do and I do believe it is up to professional standards. Some good news..I did get a call from a local computer company who saw my resume on Monster.com and wanted to talk to me about employment opportunities. A little more advice, if you are looking for a job and you havent posted on Monster.com...leave this blog...i wont be upset..lol..and open up an account there. I did not even call this company and now they are calling me. Social Media..networking..it really is amazing! Thats about all for now..talk to you folks soon!

Busy Day

Hello everyone! Well a lot happened today with the job search..did talk to a few schools..we will see what happens. I also did post a Facebook Ad as well! I will post another blog in the next day or so and go into more detail..no interviews..but a good day today all in all!!

Placing Ads

So another day...the search continues. If nothing else, I have gained so much experience from this...experience...lol!!! But I am still very hopeful something will happen! Anyways...I was reading about a gentleman named Alec Brownstein. Are you wondering who he is? Well..if you are in the boat that I am in, that is a name you should definitely know because I think in many circles, he is a bit of a celebrity and certainly without a doubt, an innovator. Alec Brownstein is the guy who got the job of his dreams essentially by having the companies that he was interested in google themselves and that led to his website...I think I have that process right...lol! I have thought about doing what he did but I am not sure how well it will work for two reasons. One..because it worked so well for Alec, I think more people are going to try that idea and something that was a really unique and interesting idea might seem not so new because so many people are going to want to try it. Two..i think in a field like public relations..its a lot easier to figure out the top five firms where one would want to work or the top five people in the field that one would want to work for. I think in student affairs it is a lot more arbitrary..the top five schools in the nation doesn't necessarily mean those are the top five student affairs departments. Now I am not criticizing Alec at all..come on...he is currently at his dream job..while I am just blogging about it..for now! No..Alec definitely knows what he is doing and he came up with an awesome idea. I just think if I am going to do it...i need to tweak the idea a bit. I'm thinking about maybe doing something on Facebook.It seems like a lot of student affairs and higher education personnel are on Facebook quite a bit. Any thoughts? No entry tomorrow..but stay tuned for another one probably on Sunday! Take care!

Welcome!

Well..im very excited today! No...no job offer...at least not yet! What I do have is apparently an audience for my blog! So...welcome aboard!!! I hope that people enjoy this blog and I definitely enjoy working on it! Today's word of wisdom...I really think anyone who is on a job search should be using LinkedIn...its great to be networking with people and it actually makes one feel that they are not at a moat of a giant castle trying to get past the gatekeeper! Hehehe..i like that analogy...i have to remember that! Anyways..welcome..im going to try to make the Fishbowl a daily blog or at least as often as I can, so stay tuned and thank you!

Job Search

Wow! This is some competitive job market! I found out today that one of the schools that I applied to..there are over 100 candidates for one position..100 candidates! That is insane! However..that still has me just as determined as ever. I have been doing a lot of networking tonight..posting on discussion boards and updating the Fishbowl! I also found out..through networking, might I add..about a website called Excelon Associates (www.excelonassociates.com) which is a recruiting agency for higher education. I posted my resume on there and we will see what happens!