10 Things that Suck About the Job Hunt

It’s finally Wednesday! This week is just dragging for whatever reason. I’ve been applying to jobs like crazy so that’s more than likely why. Several months ago, I was hired for a temporary position in Washington, DC. That position’s contract is going to expire in a few months and I need to find a new, permanent job (preferably near a Starbucks). I’ve been thinking to myself how ridiculous the application process is nowadays. My parents were telling me how differently things were done “way back when”. Frankly, it sounded a lot less complicated. Since we’re on the subject, I’m going to share with you the most annoying things about job hunting. I guarantee you’ll at least laugh or be able to sympathize with me.

1. Lack of salary information– It’s like “here’s a job that sounds pretty decent but we aren’t going to tell you how much it pays.” I get it, employers don’t want to advertise a specific number when the best applicant they find isn’t worth that much, but at least give me an idea of what the minimum salary is so I can decide whether I should waste my time with the lengthy application process you inevitably have. This brings me to the next annoying thing.
2. The lengthy application process– There are only a few applications I’ve filled out that I thought were efficient and made sense. Most of the other processes are long, ask repetitive questions, and are clearly designed for a computer to pick through looking for keywords. If your resume (which you inevitably have to reenter into their “employment history” section) doesn’t include these keywords, then it will be tossed into cyber space’s garbage can.
3. Filling out a profile– For many of the bigger companies, before you can even apply for a position you have to create a profile. This means you come up with a username, password, and give a few other details about yourself. That’s all fine and dandy until you have to do it a million times.
4. Empty promises– “If you’re qualifications meet what we’re looking for, we will be in touch. If not, we’ll keep your resume on file for 6 months in case another job opens up that better fits with your skill set.” Yeah, I’ve heard that before.
5. The let down– You’ve applied, waited for someone to get back to you, gotten excited, and then you get this email: “Thank you for your interest in ___ position. The initial screening of applications has been completed. At this time we have decided to move forward with other candidates whose experience and background better match the requirements for the position.” Thanks for the computer generated response. I do appreciate it. Sarcasm intended.
6. Cover letters– Who honestly reads these? You spend at least 30 minutes tailoring the cover letter to the company’s needs and then nothing comes of it. The end.
7. Strength and weakness questions– Do you really think I’m going to tell you what my biggest weakness is? Since a computer is probably sifting through those answers too, I think it would be real funny to say that my biggest weakness is being on time for work. At least it would make me laugh.
8. “Entry level” positions– Years ago when the economy was on the up and up, an entry level position was tailored to the recent college graduate who had maybe an internship or two on their resume. Now, underneath all of the other qualifications for an entry level position, you need, drum roll please, one to two years of experience! Because that makes perfect sense.
9. Advertised entry level positions– Yes, I know this contradicts my complaints from my last point but in my application experience, anytime a position is advertised as being entry level it usually ends up being a scam. For example, I applied for a job being advertised as “entry level communications assistant”. I thought I had struck gold when I found this! Better yet, I even got an interview for it. A day later, I got on the phone with my interviewer and she told me more about the job. Apparently my job as a “communications assistant” would include going door-to-door “communicating” to people about the amazing coupons they can buy from me. No thanks, I think I’m good.
10. The people that say they’ll “keep their eyes open“– People are busy and have busy lives, I understand that. It just puts a damper on my mood when I ask someone who I think will actually know something about finding a job in a certain locale and they don’t and then follow it up with “I’ll keep my eyes open.” You’re a human, an hour from now you’ll forget we had this conversation, but I know you mean well.

I know, I’m a negative Nancy and I’ve already been told by my mom that I’ll never get a job with that attitude. Frankly, this whole blog post was just comedic relief. Sometimes you just have to let the sarcasm flow and have yourself a good laugh about it. One day, hopefully in the near future, I’ll find a job I love to do and a company I want to work for. Right now, I’m just going to laugh about life and keep submitting applications.

Beyonce’s 22 Day Diet Plan

It’s February and I broke my “clean eating” resolution about 3 weeks ago. It got boring and expensive. For your daily dose of inspiration though, Beyonce has announced a 22 day diet plan that she and her trainer have put together that will get you on the right track!

This plan is completely vegan and essentially cleans out your insides of all the gunk you put in it on a daily basis. Sounds great right? Meals delivered to your door and everything is completely measured out for you. There’s nothing better than knowing you’re getting enough kale in your diet. All good things come at a price though, and in this case, a high one. Each meal costs between $9-16. 

Here’s my hangup with it- too expensive. I get why Beyonce is promoting this diet; it’s healthy and with her star power she can make a few (million) dollars off of it. However, truth be told, if we all had the money she does to spend on our diets, we would be eating just as healthily as she is. Well, most of us would. I would love to be able to make my favorite salad of toasted walnuts and pecans, chopped grapes, goat cheese, strawberries, spinach, and balsamic vinegar everyday. My budget doesn’t allow me to eat like this though. Most of America’s population can’t either.

This country is interesting because the poorest people tend to be the most overweight because they only have access to pre-packaged, high calorie food, which is cheaper. Due to our nation’s large geography, most of our fresh food is loaded on trucks 700 (or more) miles away and delivered to our stores. Economically speaking, in order for the farmers and stores to make a profit, they have to price the goods at a rate that will cover growing and shipping expenses, plus pay the people that are part of the process. The strawberries at my grocery store come from a totally different region of the United States and the price is reflected in that. I’m not angry at the farmers, the stores, or anyone else; it’s simply part of life. Unfortunately, I can’t afford to enjoy this luxury too often.

3 Ways to Eat Healthier

So what can we do to improve our diets? I really wish I could give you a simple answer to this, but there really isn’t one. I do have a few suggestions though.

1. Plant a small garden- Pick out a few of your favorite fruits and veggies and plant them in the ground. For you city people, choose plants that don’t require deep soil so that you can plant them in window boxes and clay pots on your deck or in your window. You may not be growing enough veggies to feed your family for an entire season, but every bit helps.
2. Go vegan one or two days a week- Like I just said, every bit helps. Reducing your intake of animal-based food to only five days a week can help cleanse your digestive system and it won’t ruin your budget.
3. Juice it- I love a smoothie on days when I’m just too busy to eat a normal meal. These days can be for a juice cleanse. Try it weekly on your busiest days. There are tons of great recipes for healthy smoothies with fruits and veggies mixed in. My suggestion would be to buy the frozen fruit packages for cheap and spend the extra on buying the green goodness that goes in smoothie.

I think the key to a good diet is not about depriving yourself of everything (whether healthy, good stuff or chocolatey deliciousness), but enjoying it in moderation. If you’re a recent college graduate like me with lots of debt and no job offers, this rule is what we live and die by.

P.S. For any of my Jordanian readers, my thoughts and prayers are with your country in the wake of the horrific death of your pilot.