That Damn Word Again

Well, here it comes again... EXPERIENCE.

That's all everything boils down to. I had another interview Thursday that went spectacularly. Going into it, I wasn't exactly sure that it was what I necessarily wanted to do, but then I met with the two owners and realized that not only could I enjoy it, but that it would be a fantastic job to have, and I would learn an insane amount from it. So the interview goes really well, and I'm told that the time frame of hearing something is less than a week.

So now I'm excited and hoping that things work out. I know I can do a great job for this company.

And then comes the call from my recruiter.
- I interviewed great.
- They loved my personality.
- They thought I'd be a great fit for the company.

BUT...
I didn't have enough experience.

But let me tell you why I'm so confused. The final line of the job description I was given said they were looking for "someone green that they could train to use their methods." So, last time I checked, that would include me, and not someone with more experience.

I know that I'm one of a million kids looking for a job and facing the same problems, but at some point, what do you do? How do you get more experience in a field when no one will hire you? It just gets so frustrating hearing the same thing over and over again.

Anyways, done with my venting for now. Instead, I'm going to go wallow in self-pity, close my eyes, and listen to the following song and dream of being out on the water.

Networking? How About Pretending We're Back In College

So last night was a blast. The UGA Alumni Association hosted an event at the Sweetwater Brewery in Atlanta, so Courtney, Ann, and I got dolled up to go mingle and network. I mean, what a great opportunity to make connections, right?

Well, it ended up feeling more like we were back in a bar in Athens, except on a classier level. It was still a blast though. Plus we looked cute.

It was all you can drink Sweetwater beer, which was awesome because we got to sample the different kinds, and I discovered a new favorite. We saw a few friends from school, and even got a picture with Hairy Dawg, the Georgia mascot, which we never actually managed to get while we were in school.

 Courtney, Hairy, Ann, and I

We stayed and mingled for a few hours, grabbed a couple of freebies, and then decided to head out. Next stop, Decatur. We picked up a friend and headed for Twain's in downtown Decatur, where we ordered an obscene amount of bar food. Try, deep fried green beans, sweet potato fries, deep fried macaroni and bacon bits, wings, and chips and dip. It was a pig-out heaven.

Our deep fried green beans and some of the best sweet potato fries ever. So delicious, and oh-so-Southern. Yum.

After that we headed for another bar that was fairly empty so we were all able to chill out and get to know one of Courtney's co workers and his brother that had met up with us. All in all, it was a great night.

At the start of the night, we were hoping for a little more networking possibilities, but instead had a great night on the town with great friends. It was a much needed and long awaited evening of relaxation.

Although I feel so old with how tired I am after getting in at 3:30 AM. Probably why this doesn't happen very often anymore.

Experience, Experience, Experience

That's what it comes down to - experience. I got rave reviews from the company I interviewed with and they would have hired me immediately...had I had more experience.

Now can someone please tell me how you get experience when NO ONE WILL HIRE YOU? I mean, experience isn't exactly easy to come by in some fields.

Internships have to be for course credit, which obviously I am not getting. Internships give you experience. Can't have a job until you have experience. So really, how does one get that experience?

Okay, rant over. Had to get that off my chest. It's just frustrating to hear that you're perfect for a position, but another candidate had more experience and would therefore require less training.

At least the interview itself gives me more experience. Yes, there's that word again.

Alright, really moving on now. I have another interview tomorrow, for a completely different type of position. So we'll see how that goes. It's more social media/advertising oriented, so I know I'd probably enjoy it more. However, it also includes some administrative work, and I'm not so sure about being someone's errand girl.

But while I look for that ever elusive full-time position, I still have my part-time job to head to. The nice part is that I get to wear close to whatever I want. Soooo... even though I am super opposed to the 'MySpace style, self portrait in a mirror' look, I did it today. The following is my new favorite outfit.

Head-to-toe Old Navy, can't lie. The coral shorts are my faves, and I've been wearing them non-stop since I got them about two months ago. And the top is so comfy and flowy. And all together, it totals only about $25, because this poor, under-employed kid only shops with a bargain in mind.

Now, back to the NHL Awards, because yes, I watch them. And you should too. Super hot, buff men.

Harsh Reality

So the interview itself went fantastically. I was so comfortable, and I felt like I answered everyone's questions really well. My first meeting was with the manager, and she administered my math tests. Let me just tell you, I rocked them. The tests were more like puzzles, and I love a good math riddle/puzzle, so that didn't phase me at all.

I was a tad thrown off with the next portion of my interview, because it was the first time that I've experienced a group interview. It was me and three senior reps from the department I would be working in. Almost felt a bit like a firing squad at first. But they were all very welcoming and made me feel really comfortable.

After the interview, I did the necessary 'thank you' emails and then called my recruiter to report on the interview. She said the company had already followed up with them about me, wanting to know my thoughts on the interview.

However, I have already gotten the news that I didn't get the job. That's another perk of using a recruiter - because they're in constant contact with the company, you find out almost immediately how you did and if you got the job or not. The good news was that I apparently interviewed really well. Minus my lack of experience in this particular field, I was a perfect candidate. Too bad another candidate had more experience than me.

Oh well, add it to my interview experience. It is a great boost to my interview confidence to hear that I did a good job.

I also got to rock my favorite interview outfit. It's been my go-to for about five interviews now, and since they're all with different companies, who cares? At least I feel comfortable. I think that's very important during an interview - you have to feel confident.

Pleeeease ignore the awful photo. This was taken post-interview and 100 degree car ride, so it's not my best.

But this is my all-time favorite dress. I got it on super sale from the Banana Republic outlet last Labor Day, and have worn it as often as possible since.

The nude heels are also a fave of mine, and despite being one of the higher heels I own, they are insanely comfortable.

Finally, my necklace that I stole from my mom. It was a gift to her from my grandparent's trip to Rome, and it's slowly made it's way into my collection.

So, that's my story for the day. I have to admit that while this blogging thing makes me nervous and almost feel somewhat self-conscious, it's also quite therapeutic. I don't have any followers now, but I like being able to type this all out at the end of the day. Like a less-personal diary.

Welcome to the Real World

Well, turns out I've been doing the job search all wrong for the last two years. Today I met with a recruiter for the first time, and it was the most successful meeting/interview I've had since I graduated two years ago. She was so insanely helpful and gave me amazing advice. Plus, I already have an interview lined up for tomorrow through her! What have I been doing wrong the last two years? Well, who knows, but at least things seem to be moving forward now. Fingers crossed that things go well tomorrow. Only really nervous about the fact that I will apparently be taking a math test during the interview.

Yep, a math test.

So looks like I'll be spending my evening researching the company and brushing up on my fractions and percentages as instructed.

I'll also be figuring out just what exactly to wear - always a huge decision. 

Time to get back on the blogging bandwagon.

I created this thing and then took a nice long break between my first post and now, but I'm back. I've packed a lot into the last two weeks or so that I decided not to blog, so I guess it's time to share.

Seeing as it's prime baseball season, my friends and I have been packing in the games. I have been to five Braves games already this season, which I'm pretty sure is a personal record. The last game I went to was this past Wednesday night, where it decided to pour down rain. Thankfully the game continued and we stayed dry, but it definitely made for an interesting night.

 Here we are doing our best Kimbrel impersonation. Yes, we're very tough.

And here we are after we have sweated it out and gotten a little wet. Even with the Braves losing, we still had an incredible time.

That's my post for now, but I'll be working on another one soon to share my awesome Good Will purchases of the week!