Last week proved to be very challenging, and I was nearly ready to just throw in the towel. The pressure of finding a job before the end of July (my original goal) combined with the stress of looking for somewhere new to live really started to get to me. Although I had my first full-on interview (no thanks necessary for any of my many staffing agencies) last Monday, it was extremely overshadowed. Applying for that position was a long shot, and I wasn't extremely confident in my qualifications for the job to begin with. I did the best I could at the interview, but I thought it could have gone better. When they didn't call by the end of the week, like they said they would, I thought that opportunity had passed. In the spirit of getting that dream job of mine, I called them this Monday to see if they had filled the position. Much to my surprise, they were just taking a few extra days to decide who to call back for second interviews.
So, my week was off to a good start, and I had the motivation to keep trudging through the job search. After another 6 or 7 follow-up "Happy Monday" emails, I received a phone call for an interview with a government relations firm on The Hill. If I knew a few crazy antics would help me break through the clutter of other job applicants, I would have used them long ago! In any case, I scheduled my second, self-earned interview yesterday. Things were definitely looking better, but today added even more hope to getting that job...and soon!
I received a call from the lobbying firm I interviewed with last week. They wanted to schedule a second interview with me! Apparently the first interview went better than I thought, and now I need to impress the CEO with my personality (as I'm competing with several other people with similar qualifications). If it comes down to a positive attitude and a go-getter personality, you better believe I'm in the running! And as if two interviews in two days wasn't promising enough, I also received a call from the public policy division of a PR firm I had applied to two weeks ago. They wanted to schedule an interview with me this week, too! So...I will be engaging in three interviews in two days, all of which I found/earned on my own. My persistence paid off, and I really think that one of these will result in a job :)
With my job situation looking up, now I am trying to get a handle on finding somewhere to live. I have just over a week to find something. I've spent many hours on the Metro meeting potential roommates. Although the last house I visited had everything I could want (including friendly housemates), it is all the way out in Fairfax, VA and would require me traveling to the end of the orange line and taking a 15 minute bus ride to get home. Depending on where I work, my commute would likely be an hour or even more. Plus, I would need to rely on two separate forms of public transportation. That's a scary thought. So, my housing search continues, but it's definitely crunch time.
As for my social calendar...I attended a special event at an art museum last week, went out with the girls to the Clarendon Ballroom this weekend, and enjoyed Screen on the Green (an outdoor movie on The Mall with the Capitol in the background!) last night. And tomorrow night, I am attending a book signing at the Sewall-Belmont House with several big name women politicians to be in attendance. All great stuff, really!
If you spoke with me last week, thanks for your support. I was struggling, and I am happy to report that I'm finally getting close to finding that job. And if you haven't gotten the chance to talk to me on the phone recently, I hope to be calling you soon with good news!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
meeting versus interview
As you may or may not be aware, I've been forced to make a distinction between the types of interviews I am engaging in throughout my job search. Up to this point, I've only been having *meetings* with recruiters at staffing agencies. However, I am hopefully on track to have two actual *interviews* this week. Neither of them is officially scheduled yet, so I am a bit uneasy about that, but I'm continuing to have positive thoughts about the whole situation.
The past few days I have been feeling guilty about the amount of money I'm spending while currently not bringing any in. It's difficult to look the part for the job interview that occurs well before I'm actually on the payroll. It turns out even with a big ONE DAY SALE at Macy's, that originally priced $280 suit still doesn't quite fit into my budget. I may or may not have a shed a few tears in the dressing room, but I later found comfort in a few bargains at JCPenney's. They may not be dry clean only, but they'll help me give the illusion of looking the part. I'm okay with that.
After feeling guilty about shopping and eating fast food at the plaza, my big thrill event for Friday night included a visit to the gym. Very cool, I know. But yesterday I finally got to meet up with one of my former fellow interns in the Senate. It was great catching up with her! Our night out included dinner with a very crabby server, live music with a cover band and some people around twice my age, and a dance club where I was networking with people to help me find a job. All very interesting, and all done with Anne's cousin (named David--adding yet another to my fetish) who just graduated from the Naval Academy (and his friend) who just so happened to be a junior high friend of one of my really close friends in college. Crazy how small the world is, huh?
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I begin my interviews!
The past few days I have been feeling guilty about the amount of money I'm spending while currently not bringing any in. It's difficult to look the part for the job interview that occurs well before I'm actually on the payroll. It turns out even with a big ONE DAY SALE at Macy's, that originally priced $280 suit still doesn't quite fit into my budget. I may or may not have a shed a few tears in the dressing room, but I later found comfort in a few bargains at JCPenney's. They may not be dry clean only, but they'll help me give the illusion of looking the part. I'm okay with that.
After feeling guilty about shopping and eating fast food at the plaza, my big thrill event for Friday night included a visit to the gym. Very cool, I know. But yesterday I finally got to meet up with one of my former fellow interns in the Senate. It was great catching up with her! Our night out included dinner with a very crabby server, live music with a cover band and some people around twice my age, and a dance club where I was networking with people to help me find a job. All very interesting, and all done with Anne's cousin (named David--adding yet another to my fetish) who just graduated from the Naval Academy (and his friend) who just so happened to be a junior high friend of one of my really close friends in college. Crazy how small the world is, huh?
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I begin my interviews!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Fourth...thru the 8th!
If you happened to catch any of Huey Lewis or Taylor Hick live in concert or the fireworks show on The Mall on the Fourth and asked yourself, I wonder if Amy Jo is there right now? Well, I sure was!
I went into DC on Thursday night and met up with the girls still at 510 C, but not without visiting Lance and Carlos at Union Pub on the way (of course!). Along with Chelsey and Sarah, I hung out with the newest residents of my old house and we went out near Eastern Market. The gang and I decided to start singing a patriotic hymn at midnight to begin our celebration of independence, but people in the bar were not impressed that we were "Proud to be an American"...oh well!
So I spent the night (in 2rnc...weird) with them and then hit up the Fourth of July parade on Constitution Ave in the morning. We had hoped for some famous politicians, but all we saw were countless marching bands, several big balloons (Macy's style), and George Washington & Abe Lincoln impersonators on a float. A bit of a let down, but at least we didn't get there hours in advance like hundreds of others just to get a good spot.
After the parade, I joined in the 510 BBQ. What started out as just the housemates plus a few fellow interns from one office soon multiplied into quite the gathering. The backyard has likely never seen as much action as it did that afternoon, but it seems fitting for Capitol Hill on the day we celebrate freedom.
When all was said and done, I had met around 20 new people in 24 hours. Unfortunately for me, nearly all of them will be returning to their respective homes within the next month or so. My new, permanent friends are still out there, I just need to find them! Although the small talk with my roommates has been improving over the last several days, I just don't think I'll stay in touch with these girls when my sublet is up.
Fast forward through Saturday (on the phone most of the day), Sunday (church and grocery shopping), and Monday (job searching and Bachelorette finale for 3 hours)...and we are ready for today. I met with another staffing/recruiting agency, but this one will hopefully lead to my first *real interview* for a job. Due to the nature of these places, I don't have the details just yet. However, I am waiting to receive information regarding the job description and the actual employer. It should be coming sometime tomorrow, and I will likely interview next week. Although it may sound extremely questionable, this is my biggest success in the job hunt to date. So I am happy :)
Upon being in the area for an entire week now, I'm feeling as settled as possible given the circumstances. If you haven't spoken to me yet since I left the Midwest, you can expect a call sometime soon!
*all my love*
I went into DC on Thursday night and met up with the girls still at 510 C, but not without visiting Lance and Carlos at Union Pub on the way (of course!). Along with Chelsey and Sarah, I hung out with the newest residents of my old house and we went out near Eastern Market. The gang and I decided to start singing a patriotic hymn at midnight to begin our celebration of independence, but people in the bar were not impressed that we were "Proud to be an American"...oh well!
So I spent the night (in 2rnc...weird) with them and then hit up the Fourth of July parade on Constitution Ave in the morning. We had hoped for some famous politicians, but all we saw were countless marching bands, several big balloons (Macy's style), and George Washington & Abe Lincoln impersonators on a float. A bit of a let down, but at least we didn't get there hours in advance like hundreds of others just to get a good spot.
After the parade, I joined in the 510 BBQ. What started out as just the housemates plus a few fellow interns from one office soon multiplied into quite the gathering. The backyard has likely never seen as much action as it did that afternoon, but it seems fitting for Capitol Hill on the day we celebrate freedom.
When all was said and done, I had met around 20 new people in 24 hours. Unfortunately for me, nearly all of them will be returning to their respective homes within the next month or so. My new, permanent friends are still out there, I just need to find them! Although the small talk with my roommates has been improving over the last several days, I just don't think I'll stay in touch with these girls when my sublet is up.
Fast forward through Saturday (on the phone most of the day), Sunday (church and grocery shopping), and Monday (job searching and Bachelorette finale for 3 hours)...and we are ready for today. I met with another staffing/recruiting agency, but this one will hopefully lead to my first *real interview* for a job. Due to the nature of these places, I don't have the details just yet. However, I am waiting to receive information regarding the job description and the actual employer. It should be coming sometime tomorrow, and I will likely interview next week. Although it may sound extremely questionable, this is my biggest success in the job hunt to date. So I am happy :)
Upon being in the area for an entire week now, I'm feeling as settled as possible given the circumstances. If you haven't spoken to me yet since I left the Midwest, you can expect a call sometime soon!
*all my love*
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Back in Business
Hello gang! I'm sure you've all been getting anxious for my first post from DC. You're in luck, because here it is...and in less than 48 hours after my arrival :)
Traveling here on Tuesday was quite exhausting, especially after I had stayed up so late packing my belongings. So although I made it to my apartment around 6pm, I didn't have time or energy to do a whole lot. I went to Target (which is literally across the street) to purchase a few necessities and unpacked about half of my stuff. The other half is still in my bags, unfortunately, because I had to get some sleep before my interviews on Wednesday.
I slept longer than I had wanted to, so I was rushed to get out the door in time to make the commute into the city. The problem with that was I had not gotten my Internet up and running, so I did not know where my nearest Metro station was, nor did I know exactly where I was going for my morning interview. You'd think I would have a been a tad more prepared, huh? Well, no need to worry, because it all worked out in the end. My first interview was quite a lengthy process. I had to do a written spelling and proofreading test (quite difficult, maybe even for you, Mom), followed by a computer assessment in Word and a 5-minute typing test (only 60 wpm...boo), and then I finally got to meet with my recruiter. She was extremely nice, and I would assume things went well. After we finished, she took my information back to the other recruiters to see if anyone had something for me. I met with another woman who asked me a bunch more interviewish questions before she told me about the job she had available. It was for an assistant office manager position in a law firm, which sounded like a lot of budget work and not a lot of legal exposure. After expressing my hesitation about that, I guess I had said no to the job without fully realizing it. They will keep me posted if anything else comes up...
My second interview turned out to be a block away from where I was, so I grabbed some lunch and walked down the street in hopes of getting in early to go through the whole thing again. Much to my surprise, this agency had a much more simple process. The only thing I had to do before meeting with my recruiter was take an extremely easy spelling and grammar test, of which I'm not sure how you could have missed any of the questions. My meeting with Justin went really well, and it sounds like his agency works with the types of places I am hoping to find a job in...trade associations, legislative agencies, and legal non-profits. However, he only had one position that might be available next week. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that and hoping he has a few more jobs come in soon!
While I was in the District, I decided to visit the Senate office and see some familiar faces. I didn't really feel like I was back *home* until I got off the Metro at Union Station and walked the streets of The Hill. It was great seeing the surprised looks on everyone's faces when I was back in the office, and I felt much better about being here after talking to some friends. And that will only get better after I make my return to 510 C tonight to see the girls!
I'm very, very excited about celebrating the Fourth in DC. I'll be enjoying the amazing fireworks show on the Mall that thousands (or maybe millions?) are watching on TV!!!
*love you all*
Traveling here on Tuesday was quite exhausting, especially after I had stayed up so late packing my belongings. So although I made it to my apartment around 6pm, I didn't have time or energy to do a whole lot. I went to Target (which is literally across the street) to purchase a few necessities and unpacked about half of my stuff. The other half is still in my bags, unfortunately, because I had to get some sleep before my interviews on Wednesday.
I slept longer than I had wanted to, so I was rushed to get out the door in time to make the commute into the city. The problem with that was I had not gotten my Internet up and running, so I did not know where my nearest Metro station was, nor did I know exactly where I was going for my morning interview. You'd think I would have a been a tad more prepared, huh? Well, no need to worry, because it all worked out in the end. My first interview was quite a lengthy process. I had to do a written spelling and proofreading test (quite difficult, maybe even for you, Mom), followed by a computer assessment in Word and a 5-minute typing test (only 60 wpm...boo), and then I finally got to meet with my recruiter. She was extremely nice, and I would assume things went well. After we finished, she took my information back to the other recruiters to see if anyone had something for me. I met with another woman who asked me a bunch more interviewish questions before she told me about the job she had available. It was for an assistant office manager position in a law firm, which sounded like a lot of budget work and not a lot of legal exposure. After expressing my hesitation about that, I guess I had said no to the job without fully realizing it. They will keep me posted if anything else comes up...
My second interview turned out to be a block away from where I was, so I grabbed some lunch and walked down the street in hopes of getting in early to go through the whole thing again. Much to my surprise, this agency had a much more simple process. The only thing I had to do before meeting with my recruiter was take an extremely easy spelling and grammar test, of which I'm not sure how you could have missed any of the questions. My meeting with Justin went really well, and it sounds like his agency works with the types of places I am hoping to find a job in...trade associations, legislative agencies, and legal non-profits. However, he only had one position that might be available next week. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that and hoping he has a few more jobs come in soon!
While I was in the District, I decided to visit the Senate office and see some familiar faces. I didn't really feel like I was back *home* until I got off the Metro at Union Station and walked the streets of The Hill. It was great seeing the surprised looks on everyone's faces when I was back in the office, and I felt much better about being here after talking to some friends. And that will only get better after I make my return to 510 C tonight to see the girls!
I'm very, very excited about celebrating the Fourth in DC. I'll be enjoying the amazing fireworks show on the Mall that thousands (or maybe millions?) are watching on TV!!!
*love you all*
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