Texas Tales on the Job Search Trail

My Last Post

2008-07-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

This is my last post as a job seeker in this post-2008 presidential casmpaign. I am honored to be a Legislative Counsel in the United States Congress, working for Dr. Michael Burgess of the 26th District of Texas (my home district). With this opportunity, I will have been able to work in all three branches of the Federal Government (judicial, executive and legislative) as well as having been able to work on staff with a Presidential Campaign and various lower-level campaign jobs in my short-time on this earth.

It's something not very many people can say they did with their careers, and when you enjoy the SERVICE of public service ... there was just no way I could turn down this chance to be apart of what was going on in our Nation's Capitol.

Four months went by much both slower and quicker than I ever would have thought. To get here, I ultimately went on about 36 job interviews, wrote more than a 100 thank-you cards, composed countless emails, made even more countless phone calls and engaged in numerous trips to the dry cleaners. My own level of pickiness made time seemingly drag on yet, at the end-of-the-day, I wanted to be apart of something special and make a difference. Money ... well, there will always be a chance to make money. There will not always be a chance to be in politics.

I think in any job search there is always a cost-benefit analysis, and I made mine in the time it took me to agree to an offer. I had my first interview less than twelve hours after Governor Huckabee conceeded the presidential race, and a tenative offer a few short hours later.

I have no special words of wisdom to anyone, no parting words of encouragement. The only thing I have to say is this: we all have one shot to do something with your life. One shot to make a difference. One shot to change the world. One shot to help a friend in need. One shot. Because, at the end of the day, you never know when you are going to get another chance ... when a missed opportunity will again become a great opportunity.

I thankfully didn't miss my opportunity. Maybe it was because I actually HAD a choice. I truly did have a world of choices NOT because I was someone special -- or even that I was particularly smart, connected, talented, etc. -- but because I happened to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right friends to support me in this journey.

So I would just like to say thank you to my family in Texas, my surrogate family here in Northern Virginia, to "my girls" (especially the girls of the 315), to "my guys" (J.O., J. Slatts, T. Wear and O'Breezy), to everyone who sent me a job posting, provided me a reference, bought me a meal or coffee, and helped me stay normal and sane ... my life is what it is because of you.

And I would especially like to say to The University of Texas community how thankful I am for you allowing me to come study at UT. I can not imagine my life without my family and friends, but I also can not imagine my life without the UT community.

I hope I made you proud in this next chapter of my life.

Tony Snow

2008-07-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I received numerous calls telling me that Tony Snow had passed away. I was shocked and deeply saddened by his passing.

Contrary to popular belief, I did not know Tony that well. Sure we interacted, but mostly he was someone I deeply respected and admired from afar. I just marveled at him because there was something about his passion and zeal for his job as White House Press Secretary which compelled me. I would watch his briefings almost daily -- if not live, then on the web after I got off of work -- and gap at his effortless charm with the press corp. I mean ... the man would make fun (!) of the press corp to their face (!!), and they just laughed (!!!).

Tony was, I think, the best Press Secretary President Bush ever had ... maybe the best Press Secretary ever. He is the only one I remember being famous enough, and popular enough, that he could go out on the road and raise a ton of money for the Republican Party. (I liked to joke he was so popular because he was so "hot," but that's neither-here-nor-there!)

At the end of the day, he was amazing because he simply, totally and absolutely loved his job. He was passionate about it. He was enlivened by it. He L-O-V-E-D it. Loved it.

And we loved him. Not only because he was a gifted communicator, but because he could say when he had made a mistake. He was just flat out honest when he was wrong. In politics, that's like being a white unicorn. Not really in existence ...

He really wasn't afraid to call it like it was -- even if it was on himself -- since he wanted to be the man of integrity professinally as well as personally. He lived to be consistent through-and-through.

I think in my job search I have tried to find the job which would ignite in me the same passion and intensity. I really TRULY want to believe in what I am doing. I want to make a difference. I want my life to mean something.

I'm not alone either. At the end of the day, we ALL search for passion in our lives. If we are really lucky we can find passion not only in love but in our professional life.

Tony Snow found it. So many other have too. And I think I just found my next one.

So this is me giving you one more post before I give you my last post. Stay tuned!! (And thanks Tony for all the memories. My prayers are with you and your family!)

Isn't it all temporary??

2008-07-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

The other day someone emailed me for advice to see whether it was worthwhile (or not) to work as a temp in Washington, D.C. while they searched for a job. "Sure! You should do it. It's a great way to make some money while you get your foot in the door."

It's true. I did some temp work when I got done with school, and I had LOADS of fun! There were two particularly memorable temp assignments.

On one of the jobs, I was placed at this company for a week. I didn't have a clue as to what the company did -- or who these people were. When the phone rang and the recruiter called I just said, "Absolutely!! I'm TOTALLY free and would be happy to do it."

Well, when I got to the company, it turns out the guy owned like fifteen magazines. (swooning) Oh my goodness! I absolutely love magazines! I totally have a magazine fetish and would/could/should have been the next Anna Wintour (editor of Vogue, nee the magazine editor that Meryl Streep played in the funny movie The Devil Wears Prada) or Bonnie Fuller except my attention span is like THIS short. I spend waaaay too much time at Barnes and Noble!

I digress.

So I got to the company. Penthouse suite, natch. The executive assistant greeted me at the door. She had a big smile on her face and kindly said to me, "You came very highly recommended." I blushed -- which I don't often do because I don't tend to be very shy. "Thank you very much. They are very nice to have said that."

Then, much to my utter shock and complete surprise, she proceeded to do the most remarkable thing! "Here are the keys to the office." Horrors! What do I say to that? I came up with the brillant, "Um ... thank you." Very loqacious of me.

I just had never had that happen to me before! No one had ever given me, as the temp, the keys to the office.

But the surprises weren't over yet. Once I took the keys from her, she replied, "Okay, well I'm off now."

(mouth dropped) I stammered out, "Excuse me? I'm sorry, will you be back?"

She looked at me bemusedly as if I was the crazy one to be wondering why I was questioning being offered the key to the house and she said to me, "No. I'm going on vacation, and the CEO is out for the week too. He bought a new yacht (!) and is giving it a test run."

Oh. Right. The CEO is taking out his yacht. Duh. Why didn't I think of that?

My.

God.

(laughing) I think about that now, and I'm absolutely horrified. I mean ... I guess it's really cool that I came THAT highly recommended. Seriously. They gave me the keys to the office, the building code, emergency phone numbers and basically free reign over the joint. I was just to answer the phone whenever it rang -- "I'm sorry sir. Mr. Big-deal-so-and-so is not in the office because he is out testing his yacht!" (Well ... I didn't say anything about the yacht part.)

I also did a temp job, actually many MANY a temp job, where the people wanted me to stay with them. The best one was with Clear Channel Entertainment in Nashville. They wanted me to work in their country music department. Free concerts, etc.

Some people would have killed for that opportunity. Not me. I wanted to go work in a law firm. Crazy huh? Yeah.

Even now, I guess I'm doing temp work. I am just helping a friend until I get the call with the offer of my dreams -- seriously, will Facebook or Google or you-know who ever call?!? But, at the end of the day, isn't it all rather temporary?

Think about this presidential race. At the end of the day being President of The United States is being a temp -- albeit the most glorified, the most high-profile, the most powerful temp job ever. It's four years if your lucky, eight years if you are really lucky (or not, depending upon the time and circumstances).

Oh wait. Did I just called the President a temp?????!!!!! ha!

So yes. While you are waiting for a perfect job, temping is good. Besides, ultimately, it's all about getting your foot in the door and meeting the right person to forward your resume to the right person. And corporations sometimes will think they just need a temp, seeing your work ethic/charming personality, and decide they want to make you an offer. It happens more than you know!

Here in Washington, D.C., there are lots of agencies so don't limit yourself to just one. Register at as many will give you an interview. And, for goodness sake, remember the cardinal rule of temping: never EVER turn down the chance to interview for a real job (a full-time, standard job) because you are temping. That is absolutely dumb.

Hope that helps!

Brief Update

2008-07-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I made a vow over a week ago to attempt to blog every single day. *rolling my eyes at myself* Obviously THAT worked out well. Yeah. I'm right back at my pace of once-a-week. I think I should just DO IT and not speak about what I am going to do (or what I should/could/would do).

Life has been super-busy. I am doing some work for a friend. Thankfully it's a nice paying gig. I think I am going to be working about 90 hours this week. Who knows how long this will last? Maybe it will be forever -- or maybe it's just here to tide me over until my dream job comes calling ("HELLO GOD! Can you get Facebook to call me?" =P)

Actually, the schedule isn't too bad. Sounds fairly psychotic, but I am pretty used to this type of schedule. I mean, at the end of the day, who needs sleep?!? As the famous philosopher Jennifer Lopez - ha! - once said, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

One thing has been lessened on my time pressures. I have given over the reigns of the DC Texas Exes to the new President. I will still be serving on the Board as "President-Elect," which basically means I will run the March 2nd fundraiser and most of the social activities. I am so happy to be involved with anything Texas has me do so we'll see what that turns into. (Hey ... if Texas asks, then I will probably never say no!)

I also am getting really interested in the Trust for the National Mall organization. www.nationalmall.org. I love going on the National Mall for all sorts of great activities: picnics, flying kites, intramural sports, the famous "Screen on the Green" (first one for this summer starts next Monday) as well as midnight strolls with a special someone -- that one is MY favorite! =) This organization is committed to raising the $350 million dollars it will take to upkeep/maintain our Nation's treasures.

It's a wonderful thing.

I have been reading about it and can't get enough so I will, somehow, manage to fit it all into my current work/social/business obligations. I will. I must!

You know ... life is really random sometimes. I just wanted to say that. Seven years ago, I helped a friend with some work. That work led to me helping on a tour, and on that tour I met this girl who is now really famous. Katy Perry, i.e. of the hit song "I kissed a girl."

Wow huh?!? It's funny how life has so many twists and turns. I thought Katy was talented -- and was saddened, a few years ago, to hear that she wasn't doing as well as I thought her talent would take her -- but it's wonderful to see that fame has found her talent.

I always say to people, "Be nice to people because you just never know where they will end up and what they will do." I think others refer to it as "Don't burn bridges." Just a word to the wise. You never know ... you just never know ...

Well, that's about all I have for now. I won't say that I am going to post a blog tomorrow - although that is the goal - but you never know. The to-do-list is growing shorter by the hour so why not add to it??

P.S. If you ever need a job, just email me. I have enough referral sources that I would be happy to make the connection! They didn't interest me, but maybe they will interest you!

Hope you had a great Fourth of July! (Below is a shot of the new Nationals stadium with a bit of Texas flair. Score Nationals 3, Texas 13! HOORAH!)

References

2008-06-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

So I’ve been a real slacker at posting on this blog. For the three of you who read this – thanks family for the support (haha!) – I haven’t been avoiding posting for any specific reason. Sure, there have been moments where I think to myself, “Do I have anything interesting to contribute to the job searchers of the universe?!?,” convince myself that I don’t and then just leave “no post behind.”

Then, there are the moments where I am slightly embarrassed at having to undergo this job search so, the lack of posts, can be attributed to my wanting to ignore my present reality (heightened only by posting) and pretend I’m on an extended vacation.

Well, I just need to snap-out-of-it and be more pro-active with this blog just as much as I have been pro-active in the job search. Ultimately, it is supposed to be a journal of my DAILY experiences and while I journal everyday in my personal life – about my personal life – there is absolutely nothing consistent about my posting on this blog so, I’m going to rectify it right now. A post a day … we’ll see how well that turns out!!

So on to today’s post.

For me, this job hunt has been a very personal and one of the few moments in my life where I have let myself be seen as remotely vulnerable. I’m not really good at letting people see the “needy” side of me. I like to be the take-charge, get things done girl. I like to make things happen, and this job search has definitely not been about me being self-sufficient.

This job search has been about me needing something. I need a job. I need a purpose. I need a goal. I need, I need, I need!

But you know what I really “need?” I realize I really need people.

And when I say, “I really need people,” I mean it both in the literal scene that I need people in my everyday life to keep me sane, i.e. having fun and enjoying life, as well as I need people to be references for me.

References are an interesting thing.

Most people pick references with awesomely intimidating titles. It's like we think if we find someone impressive enough, the fact that they (with their fabulous title) picked you to be friends with says you are equally amazing, or on the pathway to the same intimidatingness that the reference currently owns.

As for me, I don’t think I’ve ever made friends with somebody because their title was super-impressive. I like to think of myself as making friends with people because they have a cool life story; are generally great company; have a good reputation for fun; wear stylish clothes so they would be good shopping companions; or have hot friends I want to date (just kidding!).

Seriously though, I would like to think I treat the mailman the same as I would treat the President of The United States. I like to think I look at a person and just enjoy them for who they are.

So, because I am clearly so shy (!), I have met many a people in my life. (Honestly, I have the most random rolodex of all time!) Yet references aren’t about the random person you meet at a party. Sure, personal references may be that way. You want people in your social circle to say, “She’s cool!” Or you want them to say, “She’s so much fun!” Or, as my friends like to say, “Sery’s so C-R-A-Z-Y!”

With work references, you want a mix of the impressive title as well as someone you are honestly good friends with. You want to make sure they can attest to both your work attributes and make you seem like good company because, at the end of the day, you spend more time with your work colleagues than you do your friends and family.

I think of the recent passing of Tim Russert. I watched his son on The Today Show and instantly developed a respect for Luke Russert – and admired Tim even more. His son was the penultimate reference for the life that Tim Russert led: honorable, respectful, caring, fun and, despite his immense fame and power, normal. At the end of the day, Tim Russert was just your normal guy.

Tim also had a swath of really famous people attest for him. Presidents (current, former and potential), Senators, Congressman, celebrities, and even former teachers. He had people from every single chapter of his all-together too short a life and that says a lot for a person.

Your references for a job should be like that. You should be able to pick people from various chapters of your life who can attest for you because, at the end of the day, employers want to see consistency in your character. Sure, they want to know you are a ball-buster and can get things done, but they also want to know when you are put in a tough situation will you bail because it’s tough or will you stick with it – with charm, with grace, with conviction and with joy – because that’s what you have ALWAYS done.

So think about it. Think about who you want your references to be. Who do you want to attest for you and, more importantly, WOULD people attest for you because life is not about how you want it to be. Life is what you are living everyday. And everyday, the people you interact with are references for you. What would they say about you?

What would they say?

CEO-style

2008-06-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

The other day, a good friend of mine sent me a job listing for a CEO job. My eyes widened. "Me?? A CEO?? Right now?? CRAZY!!" I was surprised to be thought of so highly at this point-in-my-life, but then, as always, I thought to myself, "I could do that!"

The job listing got me thinking about how CEOs got to be where they are. Everyone starts somewhere right? CEOs aren't just born CEOs are they? (No nature vs. nuture argument right now please.) The road there can not be easy -- and you know what? Even those people lose their jobs. In fact, here is a good article I read today in Fortune Magazine entitled "Lessons of the Fall: Ex-CEOs from JetBlue, Starbucks and Motorola discuss what they learned when they lost their jobs" by Patricia Sellars. http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/27/magazines/fortune/lessons_fall_sellers.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008052911.

Another CEO article was in USA Today today about how "CEOs value lessons from teen jobs" by Del Jones. http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2008-06-05-summer-jobs-ceos_N.htm.

If neither of these articles are helpful, the best article I read in today's wires was in the "Opinion" section of my favorite paper The New York Times by David Brooks entitled "The Art of Growing Up." http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/opinion/06brooks.html?ref=opinion.

Sometimes, it's very easy to think the grass is greener on the other side. Yet, we should never forget that no one has a perfect life. Not even our presidents have charmed lives even legendary ones like Abraham Lincoln. It's in our struggles in which we truly find ourselves and define ourselves. I hope Brooks' article encourages you. Lincoln's life always encourages me!

Tipping Point

2008-06-04T09:59:00.001-07:00

Last night, I gasped as I sat and realized I watched nearly 300 years of America history challenged and changed irrevocably FOR THE BETTER. Irrespective of my personal politics, as a minority operating in the political arena (as a minority living in this world period), I couldn't help but marvel at Barack Obama's courage, tenacity, discipline, grace and the manifestation of hope he gave to countless people not just in the United States but around the world.

His campaign was almost akin to a litmus test, a tipping point if you will, for those in our electorate who voted for him. It was a vote, as they say, "for change." It was as though for them, in the moment they chose to vote, they voted as much with their hearts as they did their heads thus tipping our country into this life-changing moment.

Truly, his story is only possible in this wonderful country of ours, and I just want to say "Simply amazing."

As for me, I also feel as though I am on the verge of something. I also feel as though I am operating in a tipping point of my own.

I am three months into this journey, and everyday is a new life lesson. I am no Barack Obama. I dare not even make the comparison with his life story (or Senator McCain or my wonderful former boss Governor Huckabee) or even with anyone. I don't want to. I am my own person, with my own story, and my own desires for the future.

And those desires have me looking for jobs every single day. Everyday is a chance for me to tip myself towards where I want to be -- or to stay where I have always been.

It's incredibly hard to be disciplined. It's really just not easy to tip myself forward.

It's not easy to constantly network and keep hunting for new jobs and great opportunities. It's not easy to write. It's not easy to wonder if you should ask the one person who could really really REALLY help you for help, when you just don't want to do it because you don't want to bother him in his own crazy-hectic life.

It's not easy to feel hope: to give hope to yourself and to those who love you.

Yes. It's not easy, but it's my choice. Ultimately, it's my decision.

It was my decision to turn down those early job offers, and it's remained my decision to turn down ones that have come along the way.

It's my decision to apply for certain jobs, and it's remained my decision not to apply for other jobs.

It's my decision to stay in D.C. and try and work in law/lobbying/politics, and its remained my decision not to move to some other location to find another job and do something different.

It's my choice. It's my vote. It's my life.

So, I guess, all this to say, I'm not sure what this blog does for anyone who reads it except I hope it says that you always have a choice in the matter. Just like in politics, you always have a choice in the job process ... you always have your vote.

Everyday you have a choice whether you will find a job in the interim (maybe at Starbucks or at the mall) or whether you will sit around and watch tv (do you need a vacation? do you need a break?) or whether you will just pound the pavement because in your heart you know that what you dream is possible because, quite frankly, anything in America is possible.

Just look at me. My entire life is based upon choices. It was my parent's choice to come to America to pursue the American dream. It was my choice to study when I was in school -- or the lack thereof! It was my choice to go and make great friends; my choice to work great jobs in politics; and now it's my choice I get to be a pop-up on my alma maters web-site!

Where are your choices taking you?

Once, before I got this blog -- and probably before he even knew how involved I had been with the alumni association -- I joked with President Powers that "I'm probably that student you (the university) doesn't want to claim." He laughed in appreciation at the joke and then, with all seriousness, he looked at me with confident encouragement and said firmly, "We are always proud of every graduate."

I'm not sure why it made a difference to me to hear President Powers say that. I didn't know him at all, and honestly he didn't know me at all. But he was a symbol. To me, he represented the full weight of the university, and I was so encouraged to hear him say those words. I was speechless because it did matter to me whether the university was proud of me.

I believe President Powers' statement is true not just for me but for every student, every alumnus, and every person who ever felt that they weren't tipping into the next chapter of their lives. If you went to The University of Texas, they are proud of you. No caveats. You did a marvelous thing.

So take that knowledge in this job search. No matter what you are feeling now -- no matter what is going on in your life now -- at one point you made a great choice. You chose The University of Texas. And that choice will forever open doors for you -- and has ALREADY opened doors for you.

What are you doing with that choice?

Each day is a chance for me, for you, to do something. You don't have to wait for someone to give you a job. You are making a difference by just being alive.

I just hope we are tipping ourselves into doing something not just for ourselves, but for the dreams of those who walk alongside us in this journey -- and for the dreams of those yet to come.

Make a choice. I'm going to. Actually, I think I just did.

Line-by-Line

2008-05-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me the other day when for what felt like the ten millionth person asked me “What do you do every day?” I wanted to look at them sternly and admonish them that I actually am working very hard at finding a job.

Other questions typically asked of me include:

1. “What time do you get up?” (Answer: “Normally between 7:15 am and 8:15 am.”)

2. “Are you enjoying this time?” (Answer – do not hold the sarcasm – “Oh yeah. It’s a blast being unemployed. I get to stress out about how I had to, for the first time last week, decide between asking my parents for help or taking money out of my savings.”)

3. “Where do you think you’ll end up?” (Answer – hold the sarcasm – “I think I’m going to end up running the universe, and you will be my first minion!”)

4. And this one seems to be the most popular question: “When are you going to run (for public office)?” (Answer – with utmost seriousness – “When the entire world collapses, and there is not a single person I want to run their campaign.”)

No day is ever exactly the same. Some days I just can’t stand the idea of applying for a job so I sit around and read a book – or I’ll walk around Tysons Mall and window shop. Other days, I can’t stop applying for jobs so all I do is apply the entire day.

But basically, my days are pretty much the same. Here’s my schedule or, what they say in campaign parlance, my weekday “line-by-line”:

7:15 a.m. Alarm clock goes off

7:15:01 a.m. Snooze alarm clock

7:15:02 a.m. Fall back asleep

7:20 a.m. Wake up voluntarily

7:21 a.m. Lay in bed with eyes open thinking how much I don’t want to get up

7:30:01 a.m. Berate myself for being a slacker and throw off the covers

7:31 a.m. Open all the shutters in my room so I can see the world is still going despite my unemployment

7:32 a.m. Wash face, brush teeth, change out of my pjs and put on baseball cap

7:35 a.m. Make coffee

7:36 a.m. Check emails

8:00 a.m. Drink coffee and spend some time in quiet reflection

8:30 a.m. Read the wires

9:50 a.m. Leave for public library

10:00 a.m. Nestle into my corner of the free wi-fi public library

10:01 a.m. Check Facebook account, especially to see if there are new pictures up

10:10 a.m. Begin applying for jobs

11:00 a.m. Read a magazine (probably some cooking magazine)

11:15 a.m. Apply for more jobs -- while I think that I am soooo qualified to do anything!

1:00 p.m. Eat some crackers while reading through the updated wires

1:15 p.m. Apply for more jobs -- while I want to strangle X person for not calling me back

2:00 p.m. Write/Journal

2:30 p.m. Read a book -- while I think to myself "I could write a book"

3:00 p.m. Drive back to the house as slow as I possibly can because I know I am going to have to run

3:15 p.m. Go for a run around the neighborhood and tell myself "I am never going to eat unhealthy EVER again!"

4:00 p.m. Hop in shower and think about how much I want to eat pizza for dinner

4:05 p.m. Eat dinner which is definately NOT pizza

5:00 p.m. Watch “Hardball with Chris Matthews”

6:00 p.m. Watch trashy reality t.v.

7:00 p.m. Watch “Hardball with Chris Matthews” if new developments have occurred

7:30/8:00 p.m. Social activity

11:00 p.m. Check emails and Facebook -- "What?!? Still no new pictures??"

11:15 p.m. Watch a movie

1:00 a.m. Check emails and Facebook

1:15 a.m. Go to bed

Yup. Nothing that interesting but it works. Of course, back in April, I was spending a lot more time everyday going out and taking meetings and interviews. My life still has those activities – I probably spend equal amounts of time doing the above as I do dolling myself up and going into the city for a meeting/interview/event/social function – but that’s not what I consider a “usual day.”

Interestingly enough, I get tired much easier now than even when I was working 21 hour days on the campaign trail which is weird considering I don’t think I’m doing a whole lot. Maybe my body is getting accustomed to just not doing too much so even a plain vanilla social activity exhausts me! That’s kind-of a scary thought!!

Say It

2008-05-18T11:18:00.001-07:00

Today I read this interesting article in The New York Times called "The Language of Loss for the Jobless." http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/fashion/18layoff.html?ref=style.

I think most people find my circumstances to be slightly different than the corporate world, i.e. I wasn't so much "laid-off" as I was embarking on the KNOWN uncertainty which is presidential politics. Still, I do find people's reactions to my situation interesting. Thankfully, almost everyone is sympathetic and wanting to help. For instance, this morning at Sunday School, I mentioned to a friend I was in need of a job, and she helpfully responded by saying "You should send me your resume. I'll forward it on to my neighbor."

Not knowing her very well, my curiosity was instantly peaked. "Who is your neighbor? What does he do?" I attempted to casually question her.

I don't think my feigned blase spirit came across because she looked at me intently and responded "Oh. He does X." Then she said his full name.

When I heard the name, my jaw-dropped! The thought raced through my brain "Wow. No wonder she looked at me for my reaction. He did X,Y and Z. It would be really cool to meet him."

If I have learned nothing in these two months, I have learned that there is a reward in just being frank when asked the inevitable question for those who look over the age of 18: "What do you do?"

You shouldn't be embarrassed by the fact that you are looking for a job -- nor should you overstate your prospects. As with anything else in life, just be forthright in your pursuit of the end result because, ultimately, it is not so much the end result but your actions and choices in the process of getting there which truly defines who you are and how you will be perceived.

P.S. Funny story. My best reaction so far to the question-and-answer of "What do you do?"/"I don't do anything." was a guy I met at a party who followed this exchange with "What t.v. shows do you watch?" -- as if I use every moment of my day doing nothing but watching t.v.!!

Review, Rewind and Repeat

2008-05-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I forget that in this job search process, the point of my life is not just to look at the clock and count how many total days have gone by without a payroll direct-deposit in my bank account. Sometimes I forget that the most important aspect of this journey is what I do each day to make myself a better person: a better daughter, a better sister, a better friend and a better citizen of my community.

I thought about that yesterday morning as I poured myself into my favorite chair, in my favorite corner, of the public library and started applying for jobs. Actually, I couldn't stop thinking about it yesterday. I thought about that as I went for my daily job around the neighborhood, and I thought about that as I spent six hours away from the internet so I could contemplate what this journey has done for me as a human being.

During this job hunting process, I think it's so easy to focus miscroscopically on what we feel is the most important thing: a job. I think most -- if not all -- job searchers just drill down everyday and think (a la Frankenstein) "Must find job ... must find job."

So we do. We constantly search websites; give ourselves a daily quota for how many jobs we will apply for; ceaslessly revamp out resume; numbingly review articles on interviewing skills; and consume as much cultural information as our brains will allow so we can be conversant in any social networking situation.

Every day is an endlessly boring tale of "review, rewind and repeat."

Seriously! When you don't have a job, every day kinda' feels like Groundhog's Day.

By the way, I love that movie with Bill Murray. (I love movies period!) At the start of Groundhog's Day, Murray is a t.v. correspondent: an utterly selfish jerk so full of himself he is only concerned with himself. Then, when he goes out to cover a Groundhog's Day event in some po-dunk town, Murray wakes up the next day only to discover he is stuck in Groundhog's Day, over-and-over-and-over again.

You can imagine his shock and dismay. He doesn't believe this is actually occurring to him. Slowly reality hits, and he realizes his life is "review, rewind and repeat."

Initially, Murray uses this knowledge -- that he gets a new day with every person's memories of him wiped clean each morning -- for his selfish advantage. He basically goes on the make with every attractive woman he wants.

The problem with this scenario is there is only one woman Murray truly wants (played my Andie MacDowell). Tough luck for him, she doesn't want the selfish him no matter what he says or does.

Eventually, Murray realizes it's hopeless to pursue her by merely saying what he hopes are the right things. He finally realizes that pursuing her is ultimately not about her. He realizes he needs to do something about himself.

After this revelation, Murray proceeds to spend the rest of the movie bettering himself which, conveniently enough, turns out to be exactly the person she wants.

In the job hunting process, everyday is like Groundhog's Day. Initially, I think too many of us job seekers try to say the rights things -- and do the rights things -- instead of just being the right person. I think we torture ourselves to become the "perfect candidate" when in reality there isn't a perfect candidate -- or even the perfect job. There is just the right fit, at the right time, at the right moment.

Yesterday afternoon, I realized that it was pretty hopeless for me to convince people I was right for their job opening. (Nearly two months of it has gotten me nowhere!) I realized there was nothing more I could do/say/think/try which would make someone want to hire me. I came to the conclusion that I just need to be happy in this moment of "review, rewind and repeat" and take time each day to become the better person I've always thought I could be.

It's freeing to come to this conclusion. It really is. It's just simply a matter of letting yourself realize you should do everything you can to GET a job just don't pretend you're something you're not.

So ... one of the ways I've decided I'm going to be a better person is to run the Army Ten-Miler this October. I'm not much of an athlete, but I've discovered that yelling at the concrete for giving me shin-splints -- or at myself for eating one too many Church Street pizza slices -- is far more cathartic than staring at the computer screen applying for yet another job.

Besides, if P. Diddy/Puff Daddy/Sean Combs, Oprah and my former boss Governor Huckabee can do this ... well, darn it all (!) ... so can I!!!

I've also come to the conclusion that I'm going to do something everyday which I have never done before. I've decided I'm going to enjoy this time and stop drilling down and just focusing on my career (using my workaholic tendencies to become a job-search-a-holic) rather than focusing on the things which are the most important in life: faith, family and friends.

Who knows? Maybe I'll go and see a new exhibit at one of the museums on the Smithsonian Mall. Maybe I'll rent a DVD on how to hip-hop dance. Maybe I'll learn how to make a fabulous meal -- or a scrumptuous cake. And maybe, just maybe, I'll let myself *be* the person I've always wanted to be ... maybe I'll let myself be in a community for the rest of my life.

Think about it.

This picture is me hanging out with friends in D.C. a few weeks ago. I look pretty carefree don't I? =)

Rejected by Retail

2008-05-12T12:07:00.001-07:00

I have so much free time, and I am just not used to it so I decided to apply for some jobs in retail to help me pass the time -- as well as save money for all the destination weddings I have to attend this year. I thought Crate and Barrel would be perfect so I put in an application a few weeks ago. (Yes! I did! I figured even if the job only paid $10 an hour, the 40% discount would be more than worth it for me.)

Well, I have been rejected by retail! Amazing. Here's what Crate&Barrel had to say to me:

Crate and Barrel
1800 International Drive
McLean, Virginia 22101
Telephone: (703) 891-0090
Facsimile: (703) 891-0091

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your recent interest in employment with Crate & Barrel. As you can imagine, we have received many applications, and choosing among the many talented people is not an easy task. While you were not selected, we greatly appreciate your interest in working with us.

Thank you again for your interest in Crate and Barrel. We will keep your application on file for three months and contact you should any appropriate positions become available. Best of luck in your future endeavors.

Sincerely,
/s/ Amy Westerman
Store Manager

Okay. Realistically, should I be offended -- or upset -- that Crate and Barrel rejected me? No. If I was a retail manager, I would see my credentials and say "There is absolutely no way this girl is going to be with us for longer than it takes her to find a job which could be at any moment. Why waste money in training her?"

So yeah. If I really sit and think about it, I'm not offended. How could I be? I'm just ... what's the right word ... surprised? No. Maybe astonished? No. Wait. I'm amused? Yeah. Maybe I'm amused.

I. Have. Been. Rejected. By. Retail.

That is all. I'll write something more insightful (hopefully) later. I just thought I would share that little tidbit.

Thanks.

Book Me

2008-05-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

I love to read. Right now I am reading this book called Eat Pray Love and it is perhaps the best book I have read for my current mindset. Perhaps you’ve read it – it was profiled in Oprah’s book club a while back -- Talk about a woman with a really cool job! Oprah is like queen of the universe! Elizabeth Gilbert got a book advance to go and travel to Italy, India and Indonesia and write about it! Wouldn’t that be awesome!

I would love to write (and be paid for it) full time. And I just might get to!

At a party the other night, I met a business reporter for The Washington Post. I love the numbers involved in business and for some reason my brain has a great capacity for storing random numbers – I make for a great party invite for game night!! When I heard what he did, I proceeded to spout numbers at him as the conversation went from brainless talk about good restaurants in D.C. to mergers-and-acquisitions.

“You should come and work for The Washington Post!” he exclaimed in astonishment.

I bowed my head, overwhelmed at the idea that little old me could write for THE Washington Post and so I modestly replied that I wasn’t that qualified.

As I stood in front of a seven shelf tall bookshelf at Barnes and Noble this morning and stared at the title caption over head saying “Careers,” I thought about what he said – and I also thought about what makes me think I can’t write for The Washington Post?!? “Wouldn’t that be a dream job Sery?!?” I taunted myself. “Don’t you want to go and journal about what people in the business sector are doing?”

I love love love to write – can you tell? – so it would be a good fit. Maybe the only thing that would be better would be to be paid to travel and write about traveling. Oooh! Maybe the only thing better than that would be to be paid to travel and write about traveling AND great restaurants to eat at! That would be ideal!

Who knows? Maybe I’ll get to! The Washington Post has my resume now.

In the meantime, I managed to pull four books off the bookshelf which I hope will help me advance myself in my current job search.

The first book I pulled was How’d You Score THAT Gig? by Alexandra Levit. I pulled it because it had the most copies on the bookshelf. See, I have this idea in my brain that if there are lots of copies of a book on a bookshelf then it means one of two things: either it’s really bad and no one wants to buy it OR they loaded up on a lot of these books because it’s really good and everyone wants it. (Honestly, who knows how books get displayed on bookshelves! Personally I think it’s a big conspiracy theory between the bookstores and the publishing companies …) I think it's the former. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

I also got the book What’s That Job and How The Hell Do I Get It? by David J. Rosen. The book title just struck me as being so funny so I had to pull it! The cover is just as hilarious as the book title. There is a picture of this stick figure guy with his feet propped up on the desk, his legs crossed and his arms behind his head. He looks ... hmmm ... how shall we say this politely … “comfortable.” Yes. Comfortable. (Quite frankly, to me he kinda' looks lazy, but, then again, he’s the one with the dream job right while I am the one blogging about trying to find a dream job!)

To the right of this book was a book I felt I needed after yesterday’s blog rant about how I am desperately searching for my dream job: Your Dream Career for Dummies by Carol L. McClelland. I really enjoy these “dummy” books. Maybe they can break-it-down as to what I need to do to get my dream job. Get this bit of irony though! On the cover of this book there is also another picture of some guy – this one real instead of a stick figure – who is seated with his legs propped up on a desk and his arms behind his back!

What is that about!?! Is that the stereotypical pose of contentment??? By all accounts, it would appear to be so! I guess I need to check my idea of that pose being one of laziness at the door!

Finally, the last book I pulled off the shelf was The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss. The back cover of the book indicates this book will allow me to “outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want;” “how blue-chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs;” how to trade a long-haul career for short work bursts and frequent ‘mini-retirement’.” It sounds really fascinating. Seriously. No sarcasm intended.

Hopefully, just maybe, I’ll learn something from these books. If not, there’s always the option of studying for the GMAT and going to business school – yes! I am nerdy enough to consider adding to my education.

Nothing like multiple degrees to make you realize just how useless you really are to society! =)

Great Dreams

2008-05-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

In the business sector this past weekend, there was rampant speculation the potential merger between Microsoft and Yahoo will occur – it didn’t. Also, in business news, Warren Buffett and friends held the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting. And, finally, there was news the other day regarding how ExxonMobil was “disappointed” because they “only” made about $10 BILLION – that’s a “b” there people! – this past quarter.

All this business talk is rather depressing. Why?

You’ve got to figure that none of these companies were birthed instantaneously as world-wide conglomerates. Each and every one of them all began as dreams in the hearts of their founders. They were probably sitting in some dark room, hating their perceived futures as mere drudges, because they knew they had something more to give, something more to offer.

They were all visionaries with “great dreams.” Dreams and not a little bit of hard HARD work.

Closer to home, I think of the list of our most recent Outstanding Alums. These five men and women are incredible! And they aren’t incredible just because they were recognized by our university. For me, they are incredible because they live(d) lives of such focus, such determination, such passion, that the end product of their endeavors lead to the point where we could not help BUT to recognize them.

When I sit here going through job site after job site, I think about what would focus me and incite in me a passion large enough to work harder, longer, and maybe better then the next person. I think about the fact that while I am on this job search, I need to pursue my dreams and not just a paycheck.

For instance, let’s say that miracles of all miracles, I actually get an offer from Google or from Disney or a massive law firm like Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. How do these jobs take me a step closer towards my dreams?

Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t just start my own business. Heck! All these companies started as the dream of people who were willing to go out-on-a-limb and make it happen.

Do I have that same capacity in me?

I know starting your own business is no joke. It’s not something you just decide to do because you’ve re-vamped your resume for the 30th time and the thought of changing it yet again makes you want to turn yourself into a homeless itinerant.

By all accounts, starting your own business requires many a sleepless night – and not a few layers of thick skin! (And if your own business is running for public office (let’s not even go there right now), then the idea of you putting yourself out there as a human piñata so that people who barely even know you can make judgments about your family, your friends, your business and even – especially as a woman – your appearance, well … let’s just say I would rather, right now, go and work for somebody else!!)

Besides what kind of business would I start to take me towards my “great dream?”

Now, there are some who would feel as though *I* am currently living a “great dream.” Personally, I think my life is HIGHLY over-rated. (shrugging my shoulders) It’s just not that glamorous or interesting. Sure I’ve met some really amazing people and dumb lucked myself into more than one interesting situation (the Gerald Ford presidential funeral, sixth row RIGHT behind Chief Justice John Roberts!!), the retirement party of a prominent general and, on more than one occasion, into a confined space (elevator, car, etc.) with some really REALLY famous person, but I’m just trying to make my life mean something to myself.

Don’t we all do that?

I don’t imagine my life will be so extraordinary as to be recognized by our university as an Outstanding Alumnus. I truly don’t forsee me winning Congressional Medals of Honor – or even getting in with some start-up to the point where I will make millions and millions of dollars.
What I do see is that I will live with my life with purpose and meaning.

One of the hardest parts of the job search is the waiting. In the silence, you get all these really crazy ideas of what you should do. I remind myself every day how I just need to be patient and, in the silence of the phone and email, wait for the “great dream” to be fulfilled however it is meant to be fulfilled.

It’s just hard. The silence can be deafening. The job search process brings you to such a solitary place where all you do is have time to think about who you are – and who you want to be. You can’t help but to feel anxious – like with every tick of the clock, your dreams die just a little more each day.

Still jobless time is not an exclusively unhappy time. It’s a time for you to focus and prepare yourself for the next chapter of your life because this searching is ultimately futile if you have a “great dream” in your heart to do something – and you don’t use this time to purpose yourself to become a better person.

So I’ve got consider: What am I doing, right now in this very moment, to take me closer to that great dream?

Resume Reality

2008-04-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

The first impression most employers have of you is not your charming personality, your good looks or your brilliance under pressure. The first impression employers have of you is based solely upon your resume.

No offense to the cover letter writers – and requesters – of the universe, but I have it on good authority from several recruiting friends that they usually throw away cover letters without taking a look at them and focus exclusively upon the resume.

“I look for key words,” said a good friend of mine who works in the intelligence field. “If they have it, then the resume is a go. If they don’t, then I chuck it.”

“How long does it take for you to review a resume,” I questioned.

“Oh … I can tell in about two to three minutes,” he nonchalantly replied.

TWO TO THREE MINUTES?!? My resume is exactly two-and-a-half pages long!

“Yeah. That’s kinda’ long,” a different friend at a majorly prestigious law firm in D.C. advised. “You’ve got to get it down to two pages because people just don’t have the time to read through all that information. Don’t get me wrong. You’re impressive … you just need to be impressive in two pages.”

Sheesh! Who knew?!?

So I decided to totally re-vamp my resume. It’s just a matter of what kind of statement do I want to make with my resume, i.e. what do I want people to think when I look at it.

Frankly, I kinda’ don’t want to do it. I WANT my resume to be long and weighty – maybe it’ll make up for the so-so grades I made in law school! (Shhh … don’t tell my parents I didn’t make straight A’s!) I want people to take one look at my resume and be awwwed by what I hope is all the wonderful things I have accomplished.

Reality? Yeah right. I’m about as impressive as the next person – and with the current poll numbers of the Administration and Republicans overall I’m sure there are certain people who would take exactly 10 seconds to read “Schedule C Appointment” and chuck me into the trash can!

(sigh) Sad but true.

Well, there’s nothing for me to do but to roll-up my sleeves and get to work on making my resume stellar. Yup. I have decided I am going to use some of my time to wisely change my resume based upon what the resume books say. Now, while on the hunt for the perfect job, I am also on a quest to make the perfect resume.

First things first, I decided to go to my favorite bookstore Barnes & Noble to see what they have. Since gas is about $3.67 where I live, I decided to try online before I actually head over to Tysons Mall to make a purchase. A key word search for “resumes” at http://www.bn.com/ brought up 1,827 books! Just on resumes!! Gosh! An entire cottage industry has been built up on how to write resumes.

Book titles range from something as basic as Resumes to more eloquent (apparently) book titles like Elements of Resume Style (I can be stylish and write my life story in two pages!) and to the fabulously blunt Resumes That Knock ‘Em Dead – as an aside … if they are “dead” then how can they hire you?

A lot of these resume books have samples of resumes you can copy the format of. I like the ones that are simple, basic and elegant. Of course having a simple, basic and elegant resume doesn’t mean I am excluded from using those “key words” and getting it down to two pages! I just need to figure out how to summarize my professional life to get the attention of my future “dream job” employer!

Hmmm … I wonder if I can outsource this … =) Oh wait. I have nothing BUT time … =P

"Sounds good"

2008-04-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

I don’t know exactly how much time I spend a day looking for a job. I guess it’s somewhere between 4 to 6 hours. This doesn’t include the networking activities, i.e. parties/lunches/functions, etc., which I attend on a fairly frequent basis.

My sources for jobs don’t include the newspaper per se. I do READ the newspaper (The Washington Post, USA Today, The New York Times – my favorite –, The Politico, The Hill, etc.) as well as a host of other periodicals. I just don’t open the “Classifieds” section like job seekers in the movies do: with a red marker in my hand circling all the jobs which I may find interesting.

I think my greatest source for jobs is online websites. Our University has a great database of jobs. https://www.texasexes.org/career/online_resources.asp. LinkedIn is another good one. www.linkedin.com. I also look at the online job databases of my hometown paper The Washington Post as well as The New York Times.

The one online database I don’t use is www.monster.com. I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s just confusing or it’s just a redundancy of the same jobs over-and-over again. (No offense, but honestly the spamming function could be a bit better.)

As I peruse these jobs, there is always a “key word” you need for the “search” function. Depending on the type of day I had before, the “key word” I use to sort could be “attorney” or it could be “writer” or it could be “entertainment.” I never put in “campaign jobs” because you don’t find campaign jobs online.

FYI: For those of you interested in finding a job in a campaign, the best way to do it is to volunteer on a campaign and get to know the “right people” – and by the “right people” I mean the campaign manager (or whoever is in charge of hiring), the candidate’s spouse or the people who are the closest to the candidate (old college buddies, etc.). You only get a job by a referral in a campaign, period. No way around it.

I was telling a friend who was looking for a job in politics why this was. He was ranting and railing about how nepotism reigns in Washington, D.C. I am probably one of the few people who will actually defend Washington, D.C. – or politicians. I insisted to my friend that it’s not nepotism but rather it is strictly about trust.

In politics, it’s all about your reputation and your image (real, perceived or just spoken about). You are what people see/think/say you are. And in this tenuous universe, you need to be surrounded by people who you know you can count on. Trust. You H-A-V-E to be able to trust them.

The problem is most people searching for a job don’t know all the “right people.” We just are trying to do our best. And so as the jobless days mount up, you look at each and every job with new eyes.

I think there is a certain tipping point in the job search where you stop trying for the “dream job” (for me that would be the job of Chief-of-Staff, working for Google or Facebook, associate at a big-time law firm or working at a huge entertainment conglomerate) and all jobs start to sound good. “Director of Compliance” at some small-tier business? Sounds good. “Health benefits lawyer” in some city you never imagined living in? Sounds good. “Freelance Security Writer” at a defense contractor you never heard of? Sounds good.

I mean … when weighing no paycheck with “lesser jobs,” it all starts to sound good!!

Here’s the thing. I think the hardest part of a job search is figuring out what you want to do. There are so many interesting jobs, with so many wonderful companies, in a multiple of fascinating locations that to narrow your choices is really, REALLY hard.

I’m reading this lovely biography. It Ain’t All About the Cookin’ by Paula Deen – I just love her! She’s the cook on the Food Network where everything is seemingly made with twelve sticks of butter! www.pauladeen.com.

Anyway. She kind-of fell into cooking professional although she had always been cooking. Me? There isn’t one thing I have been doing well my entire life (except write), but there are a zillion things which interest me … which professionally interest me.

Sometimes I wish there were a manual of “Things to say to get the job of your dreams – if only you could figure out what your dreams were.”

When I’m in these social settings networking, I joke a lot that I am “gainfully unemployed while I figure out what I want to do when I go up!” That always get a hearty laugh; however, when I sit quietly and think about it, it’s really not that funny. In the 21st century, you don’t get credited if you have a host of interests, a la the Renaissance period. You are credited if you are focused and pursuing a singular goal.

So, maybe, it’s time to just sit-down and really think: what do I want to do when I grow up?

"Ooooh! Pick me! Pick me!"

2008-04-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen the movie Shrek? (If you haven’t, you should check it out. It’s pretty funny.) Sometimes, I feel like being on a job search is like being the annoying – yet loveable – donkey voiced by the indescribably funny Eddie Murphy in Shrek. The launch screen for the DVD has the donkey jumping up-and-down, in the midst of a crowd of cartoon characters, shouting “Oooh! Pick me! Pick me!”

(nodding my head) Yup. Exactly how I feel.

This job search thing feels like I am trying to do everything I can to get noticed when, in reality, I just want my dream employer to just take one look at me – or my resume – and say “You’re hired.”

(sigh) That’s just not the case.

I live in Washington, D.C., i.e. the land of aspiring politicos, where 1 out of every 10 people residing in the D.C. is a lawyer. (As an aside, all lawyer jokes welcome!) So I am in a double-deep pool with being both a political operative as well as a lawyer. Plus I have a pretty healthy interest in the entertainment and sports industry as my profession.

There just seem to be a never-ending pool of people willing to do whatever it takes to get a job in politics – or in law. Actually, in the current recession market, there seems to be an endless pool of job applicants period. And these people are aggressive. I personally know of people who unabashedly go up to Members of Congress (or to any other “statured” people) and boldly declare “I am the perfect person to work for you.”

Wow. Talk about a donkey moment.

That’s rather aggressive right? Well, maybe not. I mean, how exactly do you break through the crowd and stand out enough for a recruiter (or a politician) to hire you? Should you be like my friends and be like the donkey in Shrek and jump up-and-down and shout “pick me?”

How do you break through the noise of hundreds of cover letters and resumes? How do you find a job?

For me, I’m not sure I could go up to a Member of Congress and say so bluntly what my friends have said. I mean I can – and have – gone up to Members and bantered sassily with them. I have absolutely no problem saying, upon introduction, to a Congressman or a Senator “Wow. That’s pretty pathetic that you couldn’t find a real job.” Seriously. I have done that.

But ask them for a job flat-out? I am not sure I can just go up to somebody and say “hire me.” I’m not shy. Then what’s the problem right? It’s just I get nervous when it comes to talking about myself – or especially my resume. In fact, the other day I dumb lucked myself into an elevator with Senator John McCain, i.e. the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and I was so starstruck – a rare occurrence for me – that I had a hard time talking!! I felt like S-U-C-H an idiot afterwards!! I mean, I always sound so eloquent in the shower when I am practicing introducing myself to people …

So what is the best way to be picked for a job? How aggressive is too aggressive?

I think the one thing that is true in the job search is a personal connection is always best. If you have a friend who works at the company you want to work at, send your friend the resume and have them forward it. It’s like adding color to the still for a cartoon. It brings your resume to “life,” so to speak.

Furthermore, sometimes it does help to boldly go up to someone and say “hire me.” Depending upon the person that could be just the trick to set you apart from the rest of the crowd.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll say that to Senator McCain the next time I see him!

An Introduction

2008-04-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have always associated myself with what I do. “I’m a student;” “I’m studying for the bar exam;” “I work for the Bush Administration;” “I write entertainment reviews for NBC;” and, until March 15, 2008, I was on the payroll of Mike Huckabee for President, Inc. as his “Director of Research.” Ever since then, the only thing I can say when people ask me what I do is that “I am gainfully unemployed.”

I like the adjective “gainfully” to describe my unemployment because it makes it seem like I am actually doing something about my current status; however, no matter what I do now, “gainfully unemployed” – as a whole – is a painful place to be in.

It’s only been four weeks, and I am already driving myself crazy with stress and worry. I am definitely not good with free time. My entire life I have always scheduled myself to the max: filling my days with work, my nights with social activities and my weekends with fun adventures. If there is any “down time” in my life, it’s because I scheduled it! Perhaps it’s the Type A personality in me. Honestly? I think it’s because I’ve always wanted to get to where I’ve wanted to go in a big hurry! I wanted to do this better and faster than anyone else!

In fact, I never thought I would end up unemployed. I mean, when I took the job on the Huckabee campaign, I always knew I would have to find another job. Unlike jobs in the private sector – and even unlike jobs in the public sector – campaign jobs are for a finite period of time. Start date is when you are hired. End date is the day of the election (unless your candidate does something terrifically stupid in which case you could be out-of-a-job in a no time flat). I just thought my next job would be as easy as picking a post in the next Administration, in The West Wing, a la Leo McGarity (the fictitious White House Chief-of-Staff on the hit-NBC show “The West Wing”).

During this stretch of “gainful unemployment,” a few things have consoled me. I’m lucky to have a great family (both real and surrogate) and the most amazing friends a person could ever ask for. They have been a source of strength as well as providing me some welcome distractions – can we say “Guitar Hero?!?”

I’m also, somewhat, consoled by the fact that I am not alone in this journey. There are other people in the same position as I am in. Some have sadly been in this position for a much MUCH longer time than I hope to be. In fact, The New York Times reported last week that the former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is without a job, and his resume is far more impressive than mine!

Also, I shouldn’t be so “woe is me” and pretend like I don’t have options, and I haven’t been made offers … good offers in fact. Starting from the day after Governor Huckabee dropped out of the race, I have been on interviews, more interviews and yet more interviews. Some of these interviews were more “Catch me up on what the campaign trail was like and what you are doing now” then they were formal interviews. One particularly memorable “catch me up” conversation/interview was when a strongly Democratic partner at a law firm, having heard my story on the balcony of a ten-story building, responded to my very Republican resume by saying “DON’T JUMP!”

(drolly) Funny. Very funny. In all seriousness, suicide is definitely not an option!

What is an option is sharing my story – the struggles and the entire journey – with my fellow Texans.

I think there are many of us who are in the position of trying to find a new job. Most of us are not going to be unemployed – hopefully not – while we are on the job search. Many of us will be looking to transition to something bigger, better or brighter, i.e. a new locale. While there is no set path to finding a new job, there are some common truths: truths which many of us share but few actually share publicly.

Well, I (for one) am not that shy so I pitched the idea of a job hunt blog to my good friend Jennifer Duncan, the Director of Career Services here at The University of Texas. Her instant reaction was favorable but quickly followed up with the comment “This blog isn’t going to be around for long because you’re such a good networker you are going to find a job in no time!”

That’s just the thing. Everyone has told me “You’re not going to have a problem finding a job” or “Everyone wants you” or “When you figure out what it is you want to do, you’ll land on your feet.” Well, quite frankly, I’ve been on the market for four weeks now, and I can say with all honesty, it’s not that easy to find a job in today’s market! Period. BIG exclamation point. (Seriously. If Alberto Gonzalez can’t find a job, what does that bode for me?)

The great thing is everyone has a network. Every job seeker has friends. And there is an even larger resource network to tap into, i.e. The University of Texas. We are a great school with even better people, each of us with a wealth of knowledge.

So, I hope, this blog will be a source for you. It’s my daily diary of all the thoughts, feelings, emotions, steps, processes and frustrations as I try and find my next “dream job,” but ultimately I hope it’s a source of encouragement. I hope my stories from the job trail encourage you – and help you to find a new job quicker than I do!

With hope and friendship,
Sery