Bring an extra pair of nylons

Yesterday I got a call, my first legit one since starting the job search process, and went in today for a group interview.  The company was not one that I'd applied to- they found my resume on Monster, and so it was a little weird to have them ask me "why insurance?" when a) they solicited me, and b) there's nothing about insurance on my resume or job interests.  I wonder what their search criteria are?


The job is actually an independent contractor/agent type thing, which I'm not really interested at this point in life, mostly because I'm not willing to pay to get licensed in an area I'm not really all that passionate about.  Its not even totally about willingness-  I don't have the money for that kind of investment.  But I went to the interview anyways, to get experience, learn more about the field and the company.  It was pretty interesting; I know a lot more about senior citizens and health insurance than I did 24 hours ago.  Parts of the interview were as a group, and part were individual, and as I walked from one office to the other, I realized I had a huge run in my pantyhose...so I spent the next 40 minutes trying to not show the back of that leg, without looking like I was trying not to show the back of my right leg! Haha.


Actually, overall it was a weird day in general; my printer ran out of ink so I had to go to Fedex office to print the updated version of my resume...which they told us to bring and then didn't ask for.  I also managed to make a wrong turn on my way there, even though the office is literally walking distance from my current part-time job.  But, I made it, and it went ok; I got invited back for a second interview, but I got the feeling it was more a "whoever still thinks this might be interesting after today's ordeal can come back," and I'm not sure that's me.  I will, however, do some research to see if there are actually positions within the company (versus independent contractor positions).  As I was reading the company profile handbook they gave us, I found myself wanting to reword the manual; maybe they've got something along the lines of what my interests are.


Waste of time?  No.  I picked up some experience of what to say and not say in an interview, learned a lot about an industry I hadn't considered before, and I now know to bring a second pair of nylons with me, in case the first pair rips before I make it to the introduction.

Looking for color in a shade of gray

This is the part that no one can do for you.  Some can help you revise your resume, or refer you to a job listing, or give you ideas, but the cover letter writing, the interviews, the research on companies, these are things you have to do yourself.


You don't have to do them alone.  And I don't particularly want to, which is why I'm inviting you to walk this journey with me.


I'm a recent college graduate, doing what most of my classmates are doing now: looking for a job.  But more than just looking for a way to pay the bills (though that's definitely important)...I don't want to settle.  Its hard to get motivated, to put yourself out there, risking rejection every time.  Its hard to brag about yourself without appearing to be a braggart.  And its hard to find a job in this economy.  But not too hard for me.  And not too hard for you, either.


This blog will journal my efforts, my struggles, my successes, and the many lessons I am learning as I flip the pages, looking for the start to the next chapter of my life.  I want to have fun, to be excited about the process of getting to the next page, and I hope you'll join me!