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.

Summer Days With George and Martha

I love summer days when you have time on your hands to just enjoy the outdoors and the abundant sunshine. Earlier this week, I took some time out of my day to visit Mt. Vernon, the home of President George Washington. It’s located on the Potomac River and surrounded by lovely fields and forests. I honestly could have spent all day there and not seen everything. Despite the breeze, it was just too hot to be outside for very long. Here’s a peek at my day!

Being the tourist I am, I thought it would be most appropriate to carry around my Kate Spade bag all day. As much as I adore it, it got really heavy! I wore light weight clothing to make up for it though. My shorts are J Crew and top is a throwback from Old Navy years ago. I’ve gotten a lot of wear and tear on both of these items. I just love bright colors like these for the summer months!

The incredibly beautiful gardens next to the President’s mansion. It truly is a little oasis right by the Potomac River. The various flowers and plants that were in the garden have been grown there since the Washington’s resided in the home.

Not many people know that besides politics and the military, George Washington was a successful farmer. He absolutely loved the land and rose early in the morning to meet with his farm manager.

 

The porch view of the Potomac River.

The front view of the home. The trees lined the driveway and provided a wonderful breeze to enjoy while walking around.

 

What I Keep at the Office

Rejoice pretty people, it’s Friday! We’ve all been working hard (or hardly working) this week and it’s time for a break. Living near Washington, D.C. means that we need it more than everyone else. We truly are the city that never sleeps. We’re also the city that knows way too much about happy hours and not enough about how important it is that our livers function properly. That’s another post though.

I mentioned in another post that I got my first “big girl” job. I started about two weeks ago and have been going through some introductory meetings several times a week with my new team members- all of whom are guys. I’m the only girl to be hired on for this project. Many of you might run away at the idea of this but trust me, that would be a mistake! There’s a lot of power I have because of my unique position. Ok, maybe not. However, there are some advantages such as playing a leadership role when no one else is sure who should. Or being the only female voice, thus automatically getting more attention. Like I said, it isn’t a bad position to be in!

With everything in life, you need to be a little prepared though. I have a few #bosslady necessities that you’ll always find me with at the office or in a meeting. Let’s start with my red lipstick because it’s becoming my persona. Nars Cruella lip pencil is something I don’t leave home without anymore. It’s dramatic and eye catching! In a city that’s all business, this beautiful red fits the bill of being a business savvy Washingtonian.

My next must-have are heels. Ballet flats don’t command the attention of anyone. Heels, on the other hand, are quite attention grabbing. I work with men whom are all taller than I am, the heels really level the playing field for me. Plus, my legs look great! #winning

I feel like this next one goes without saying, but my grande vanilla iced latte will always be near by. I need energy to keep up with my team members. They’re smart, witty, and have commutes that are far shorter than mine. The coffee stays with me to cling to in my most desperate hour, which usually comes around 2:30 when I’m ready for a siesta.

Being the grown-up I am I always carry with me an agenda/planner. Little things I need to remember for certain dates always seem to come up in discussions. With my hot pink pen, I write down the details of events, projects, and the occasional happy hour.

Finally, I rock my reading glasses. Ladies, never underestimate the visual power of such a tool. Glasses suggest so much about a person’s intellect. I’d wear them more often if they didn’t get in the way of my Audrey Hepburn-style sunglasses.

I’m always adding to and updating my must-have list. Aren’t we all? I’m always falling in love with something new. During the winter months, my must-have was a heating pad so I wouldn’t be cold. I may be keeping it on the list if this new office proves to be chilly!

Enjoy your weekend!

Graduation Day Style

I’m happy to say I’ve finally chosen a dress for my big day! After a few months of searching, I decided on a gorgeous Lilly Pulitzer dress for my graduation. I went up to one of the nicer malls in the Washington, DC area yesterday in search of the perfect ensemble for the special day. I tried on two dresses and without a doubt chose the right one!

I want my graduation day to be special and Lilly says special to me. Better yet, it’s my very first Lilly dress! I’m not one of those girls who grew up wearing these expensive, bright clothing designs. My family didn’t have money to spend $80 on a little girl dress for the summer and that was ok. Now that I’m older and have my own income, I get to splurge on little things like this. It truly is a sense of accomplishment.

The rest of my graduation day outfit is a bit up in the air. How on Earth do you plan for something that’s outdoors and a month away? That’s right, you don’t. I’m just hoping the weather is nice and the humidity isn’t ridiculous. I’ll certainly be wearing a heel of some sort if it isn’t wet outside. Otherwise, my ballet flats will be making their graduation debut. I’ll be rocking the pearls around my neck to add that extra prep in my step. Here’s hoping they don’t get caught in my hair because it’ll be curled! Story of my life.

I’m still trying to figure out who will be taking my graduation pictures for me. I want to do them on my college campus in my Lilly dress and get a few shots of me holding my graduation cap or throwing it in the air. I have so many great ideas for pictures and no photographer to make it happen and understand my vision.

If you guys have any suggestions or ideas for great graduation day style, I’d love to hear them! Comment below!

What Saturdays are for

Saturdays Shopping by oceangirl15 featuring Kendra Scott

My favorite part about the weekend is that I can go out shopping and eating with friends. I love farmer’s markets like Eastern Market in Washington, D.C. I also love finding cute little cafes to get my coffee at and then a glamorous place for brunch later on. Going boutique shopping or even outlet shopping is also something I love spending my weekends doing even if I don’t buy a thing.

This look was inspired by the warm summer colors I love so much and the plaids that become a staple for New Englanders in the fall. It’s a great transition look. I’m still holding onto summer for as long as I can.

This weekend I hope some of you get to go out and enjoy the fabulous shopping and dining around your cities. I’ll be sitting in my room doing homework and gulping down coffee while rocking out to my new favorite song- Hideaway by Kiesza! Seriously, it’s easy to get in the mood to do anything with this song playing.

Speaking of getting in the mood to do things, here’s a little sample of my top 5 things I need to do this weekend:

1. Finish my paper and take my quizzes

2. Clean out my closet

3. Exercise (hoping to find a kick boxing program on Netflix)

4. Organize my Lilly planner a little better

5. Relax with my Pinterest and a latte

If only there were more hours in the day… first world problems. Tell me what you’re up to this weekend in the comments below!