Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Job Hunting

job

5 things I’ve learned from job hunting:

  • I’m supposed to have an objective reason for everything I do in life, in particular a reason why I moved to the UAE… and a reason why I came home.  Because it felt right or because it was time does not seem to suffice.
  • My Masters qualification is generally regarded by relatives as some kind of superpower that I stubbornly refuse to use.
  • I don’t have any substantial evidence of the things I’m good at, except my own certainty that I’d undoubtedly excel at them if given that chance.
  • There is a qualification for everything, and everyone else in the world has been secretly sneaking out at night and getting qualified in all manner of awesome things that I didn’t even know existed until now.
  • I will never know if any given job is the right job for me until I’m working it.  That’s when the career retrospectoscope will pronounce my decision right or wrong.

12 comments:

trishie said...

Haha, I can totally relate to #2 re. the masters qualifications.

MARTA said...

I loved this post! I've been and i am job hunting and i relate to all of these. Especially number 3: as you state, sometimes it's more about the personal qualities that will tell you if a person will know how to react in a different range of situations (not so much about an outstanding experience that companies like to look at). Of course number 1: everything you've done before needs a logical reason with logical arguments. Which i understand but, why "willing to learn more isn't suffice?". My favorite number 5: i couldn't agree more :)

yessie (cinnamonandzoeykisses) said...

I'm at a job I took rather quickly as I had been looking forever and now am wondering if it's what I need/am qualified for. Good luck in your search:) xx

Thelma Frayne said...

Thank you for the moral support, yeah it's tough!

Erin said...

"I don’t have any substantial evidence of the things I’m good at, except my own certainty that I’d undoubtedly excel at them if given that chance." Oh my gosh, so true. I could easily succeed at any number of positions that my resume cannot substantiate, but no one wants to take a gamble and hire me! Sigh. Good luck with your search! I know it can be rough. xo

Unknown said...

I don't have anything against jobs or employees.. BUT.. I could never have a job.. of course I've had..some.. BUT I've never spent more than 6 months on any of them..except for being a teacher at Fashion University.. but other than that.. I've learned I'm way better as a freelancer and being my own boss.. it's just not my thing to be in an office or under someone else's rules.. it just beats the crap out of my brain cells.. I tend to get really stressed, anxious and just impatient about the whole "job commitment" thing.. I think that whatever job you find yourself in.. after a while you should ask yourself this question: "do I enjoy my job?"... if your job makes you happy, well congrats and by all means stay on that road (not many people find that).. but if it doesn't make you happy.. why bother? why waste time there?... most people would say "because of the money"... and that's when I just collapse and think "man.. no wonder the world's like this"... hope you don't do it just for the money.. keep looking, you'll find your job! just don't settle... keep searching

Ashley said...

We are SOOOO in the same boat with everything right now, thelma!!!!!!! The problem is, with a country as big as mine, and my wanderlusty tendencies...I have the urge to apply to every city across the nation. AHHH!

Unknown said...

Best of luck with the search Thelma - whatever you end up doing, I have no doubt you will be awesome.

Thelma Frayne said...

Thanks everyone, you're all so great.

Ivette, such sound advice. I've learnt the hard way over the last 2 years. I won't settle. x

Matthew Spade said...

this makes a lot of sense. I don't have any advice to add sadly as I'm still looking, always looking. I must work harder.

Still want to move stateside

Laura said...

Oh man, I think your third point really hits the nail on the head... all a person really needs in life is to be given a chance!

k said...

interviewing is such BS! "where do you want to be in 5 years"....omg. seriously, i don't even know where i want to be today