Tag Archive for 'NASPA'

The Placement Exchange: Day 1

Published on March 4, 2010 in Job Search. 1 Comment Tags: , , , .

Day 1 of the placement exchange is in the bag!  I forgot just how much I really do enjoy this process.  It is nerve-wracking as all hell, but it’s incredibly exciting.

I came in here today expecting to have a bit of a rough start.  They always tell you to schedule a couple interviews as “practice” or “warm-up” interviews to get rid of the nerves and to work out answers that you were still unsure of.  Today I didn’t have that luxury, though.

My travel plans changed as I was trying to save a little money by staying one less night in the conference hotel, so I woke up at 4:30 this morning and was on the road by 5:15 driving to Chicago.  I arrived at about 10:30am and immediately ran into several people I know, and a couple I hadn’t seen in a few years!

First interview: 1pm.  It was a school I was very interested in.  I feel as though I did very well, and managed to land a 2nd interview with them.  Bonus!

Then there was the surprise interview that somehow didn’t make it onto my schedule on my computer, but was on the website.  I did some frantic quick research and managed to finish strong with that interview, though I don’t know for sure if the school is the absolute best fit for me at this time.

Then there was some down time.  I spent some time trying to track down some folks on Twitter for an impromptu tweetup, while simultaneously inhaling a Southern Style Chicken sandwich from McDonald’s at the bargain price of $8.  Despite our best efforts, @thestacyface and I couldn’t make our schedules jive.  We’ll try again tomorrow.  Any other Higher Ed/Student Affairs twitter folks out there who want to meet up at TPE, hit me up: @erikbates.

I wrapped up the evening with one last interview that went pretty well, and I started to mosey back to my room, after calling home and stopping off to chat with @dwibb, an old friend from graduate school.

On the whole, it was a very successful first day.  The volunteers were very friendly (one was actually an old friend from undergrad) and helpful.  Check-in went very smoothly, and the waiting rooms were quiet, but not dull.  People were obviously nervous, but not annoyingly so.  I’m looking forward to day 2.  I have several more interviews tomorrow, so I’m going to be much more frantic.

Placement Exchange Prep

Published on January 25, 2010 in Job Search. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

Preparing for The Placement Exchange is a big process.  Todays to-do list included:

  1. Complete my profile, including figuring out how to write a blurb again (suggestions appreciated).
  2. Find the most current version of my resume.
  3. Take said resume and try to add my current retail experience into the mix so that it doesn’t look like I’ve just been sitting around not working for the past 6 months (suggestions on this part are also appreciated).
  4. Browse around the TPE website to see who is hiring!

How much of this did I get accomplished?  Well, I dug up the resume and knocked the dust off of it, and I played around with some formatting (with and without my current retail experience), and I browsed the TPE website.  I worked on my profile, but will need a little help from some friends to get the blurbs looking polished and ready for presentation.

The question of the day regarding my resume:

Regarding my resume, do I include my current retail experience and, if so, how?

I’ve had suggestions on both sides of the argument.  Either leave it out and explain it in my cover letter (which employers won’t actually see while browsing the TPE profiles), or put it in because having a gap in employment looks worse than irrelevant work experience.  I can understand both sides of the argument, so naturally, I’m torn.  Thoughts and suggestions from anybody who wishes to chime in would be greatly appreciated.

On another note, is anybody going to TPE and needs a roommate?  I don’t snore (much), and I don’t hog the bathroom!

The (Job) Hunt is On

Published on January 20, 2010 in Job Search. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

Well, I’m hitting job search mode like a champ.  God bless you, Office Max, but your part-time experience is not what I had in mind when I decided to spend 2 years in graduate school.

So, here I am, polishing the resume and trying to figure out just what my next step should be.  My options (at least in my opinion):

  • Residence Life
  • Housing (yes, I’m making a distinction between the two)
  • Academic Advising
  • Admissions
  • Dream world: Campus Ministry (though not likely with my experience and education)

I’m making preparations to attend The Placement Exchange.  It’s a short trip for me this year — St. Louis to Chicago, and with some luck, I’ll be able to share a hotel room with a friend or two who is attending the conference.

So, the hunt is on.  Honestly, I enjoy the job search process.  It is a little more fun when you’re searching casually, though.  This search has a little more importance, though, as it’s going to (hopefully) get me out of retail land and back into the higher ed game where I belong.  I’ve enjoyed working at Office Max.  Don’t get me wrong.  I like my coworkers, and I think I could see myself staying there longer if I only got paid a bit more.  Unfortunately, $8 an hour in a part-time job just doesn’t make the monthly student loan payment.

To those of you who are entering the hunt this year, I wish you the best of luck.  Unless, of course, we’re applying for the same job.  In that case, watch out.  I’m coming for you.