Saturday, December 25, 2010
here we go
It's been a while since I've posted so this one might be a little different. Things have changed dramatically in my life. I have come to many realizations about what life is and what people do with it. I have learned from countless people that have crossed my path. I am happy to say I finally got a job. I enjoy my time there as much as one could love an entry level job. No matter what though, whoever tells you, "if you do what you love, then you'll never work a day in your life" they are assholes. It is called work for a reason. If it weren't, it would be called play. Some people get payed to play but that is unlikely for everyone. Get over it. It is a part of life that the majority of us have to work to make the life they want to live. Luckily, I have the great fortune of working for a company who treats their employees with the utmost respect and gratitude. I couldn't be happier with them. Nevertheless, even if I didn't like it, nobody cares if you hate your job. It will only get worse if you do nothing about it and it will bring you down. Do what you have to do. It's that simple. Just get it done. You want to make millions trading stocks? Go and get the education and qualifications you need to do that. If you want to just get by and have more free time, that's fine too. But complaining will never solve a problem and neither will bottling it up. Life is not a major motion picture. There will not always be a happy ending. There are hard times that last longer than 1.5 hours. If you do nothing about a problem you have then you will never solve it. If you can't talk about a situation because you have to protect people from reality then there is something bigger than that causing it. When you lose the ability to talk about your feelings, you lose the ability to have them. There is a fine line between sanity and insanity. The problem is never know which side your on, you just hope it's the right one. Bad things happen. It is a fact of life. There will forever be deaths occurring in our lifetime. People you know personally, will die before you, Fact. Does it suck? Yes, it can be terrible. But, to not celebrate the life that those people lived is an absolute disgrace. (Don't worry, nobody died to cause this rant, it's just an example). When you bottle up all this "stuff" you become unstable to the point where anything will throw you off kilter and then BAM brain hemorrhage, dead. Does that sound happy and sugar coated? No, because it's reality. Instead of seeing only good things and sugar coating the rest, why don't we work on fixing the bad? Survey says....because it's hard. Sugar coating is much easier. Agreed, but it can have much more severe consequences. Let's stop walking on eggshells here and live life to the fullest. If you aren't living on the edge, you aren't living. This is not another day. This is a new beginning. Merry Christmas.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Job interviews
People go to college to expand their knowledge and to better prepare themselves for the working world. You can get straight A's in every course out there but there is still one obstacle that must be overcome before securing a job. If you cannot get over this one obstacle, I can almost guarantee you will not get the position you are looking for. This obstacle is, of course, the dreaded job interview. There are a number of tips you can utilize to increase your interviewing skills. I have found many of these tips useful but none have really quelled my nervousness before any interview. I know I am not the only one who feels nervous before an interview. In fact, according to an unsupported statistic that I found on a completely random forum, 99% of people get nervous before a job interview. This is clearly an exaggeration but it gets the point across.
I'm writing about this topic because I recently had an interview at a radio station. I was interviewed by 4 people separately in one visit and I found this out after I arrived there! Talk about dropping the bomb. This wasn't the half of it. After the first interview was wrapping up I was told I had to go meet the studio technician and record my voice. Needless to say, I am not a fan of being put on the spot. Regardless of all these curveballs thrown at me, I still think the interview went really well.
Here I will discuss things that I have learned through my job interviewing experience.
First thing's first. Preparation is key! Mental and physical preparation. Get your mind and body right. You can have all the right answers but if you smell like a dumpster then you wont get the offer. Also on the other hand, just because you look good and are well groomed doesn't mean you will get the offer if you can't answer a question about yourself. Basic things to know about yourself are strengths and weaknesses(try to make weaknesses sound like a benefit if possible). Also be ready to answer a question as simple as, "what do you like to do?" You would not believe how clueless I was the first time I was asked this in an interview. I froze up for a second. This is how I learned to change my mindset for a job interview. Set your mindset to force yourself to come up with an answer for every question (try to make it a few sentences at least. Remember, a perfect interview is really just a conversation). I don't know is the absolute worst answer you can use in an interview unless you can explain it. One way I have used this is when I was asked where I see myself in 5 years. I answered, "I don't know. I haven't found my niche yet so I'm really looking to use this experience to help guide me in my pursuit of a career." Now, I'm not sure how the interview took that but I thought it was a decent answer. One of the most important things is to BE CONFIDENT. Confidence is a very admirable characteristic. You will go much farther if you embody this, I promise.
My personal way of executing an interview can be is by following these steps.
(Up to a week prior to interview)
1. Prepare for any questions related to the specific job or company.
2. Prepare for any questions about yourself.
3. Prepare questions to ask them (don't ask a question that could easily be answered with little research, you will come off as lazy)
4. Prepare some more. They may ask you something you would never think of.
5. Get a full nights sleep the night before the interview.
(The day of the interview)
1. Have a good wholesome meal for breakfast.
2. Get your mind ready.
3. Review your resume.
4. The three S's (S**t, Shower, and Shave)
5. (This may not be for everyone) Have an energy drink shortly before the interview. (no more than 2 hours prior)
6. Expect for delays in your commute so worst case scenario you will still be early.
(At the interview)
1. Be polite to everyone you meet. (You may be working with them if all goes well)
2. Greet your interviewer with a firm confident handshake and use their name shortly after you learn it (ex: Hi John Smith, thank you for giving me this opportunity).
3. Build rapport with your interviewer.
4. Eye contact is important.
5. Be energetic and speak clearly
6. Thank them for their time and say something like "I look forward to hearing from you soon."
7. Ask for a business card. (Very simple task that can make you stand out but it is often overlooked)
(After the interview)
1. Send them a letter or email thanking them for the time. (relate it to a unique part of your interview to stand out better)
2. Try contacting them after some time if you don't hear from them but don't be annoying or seem desperate.
This may seem like a lot to you but it is very straightforward. By following these steps I have minimized my pre-interview anxiety and had successful interviews. With all this good information you would think that I have a great corporate job somewhere. No such luck haha. I've had great interviews but so far to no avail. This is a tough time to get a job. You really need to be the perfect candidate. Don't let this discourage you though because if you don't apply then you are definitely not the perfect candidate. You never know unless you try. This is yet another day, yet another interview.
I'm writing about this topic because I recently had an interview at a radio station. I was interviewed by 4 people separately in one visit and I found this out after I arrived there! Talk about dropping the bomb. This wasn't the half of it. After the first interview was wrapping up I was told I had to go meet the studio technician and record my voice. Needless to say, I am not a fan of being put on the spot. Regardless of all these curveballs thrown at me, I still think the interview went really well.
Here I will discuss things that I have learned through my job interviewing experience.
First thing's first. Preparation is key! Mental and physical preparation. Get your mind and body right. You can have all the right answers but if you smell like a dumpster then you wont get the offer. Also on the other hand, just because you look good and are well groomed doesn't mean you will get the offer if you can't answer a question about yourself. Basic things to know about yourself are strengths and weaknesses(try to make weaknesses sound like a benefit if possible). Also be ready to answer a question as simple as, "what do you like to do?" You would not believe how clueless I was the first time I was asked this in an interview. I froze up for a second. This is how I learned to change my mindset for a job interview. Set your mindset to force yourself to come up with an answer for every question (try to make it a few sentences at least. Remember, a perfect interview is really just a conversation). I don't know is the absolute worst answer you can use in an interview unless you can explain it. One way I have used this is when I was asked where I see myself in 5 years. I answered, "I don't know. I haven't found my niche yet so I'm really looking to use this experience to help guide me in my pursuit of a career." Now, I'm not sure how the interview took that but I thought it was a decent answer. One of the most important things is to BE CONFIDENT. Confidence is a very admirable characteristic. You will go much farther if you embody this, I promise.
My personal way of executing an interview can be is by following these steps.
(Up to a week prior to interview)
1. Prepare for any questions related to the specific job or company.
2. Prepare for any questions about yourself.
3. Prepare questions to ask them (don't ask a question that could easily be answered with little research, you will come off as lazy)
4. Prepare some more. They may ask you something you would never think of.
5. Get a full nights sleep the night before the interview.
(The day of the interview)
1. Have a good wholesome meal for breakfast.
2. Get your mind ready.
3. Review your resume.
4. The three S's (S**t, Shower, and Shave)
5. (This may not be for everyone) Have an energy drink shortly before the interview. (no more than 2 hours prior)
6. Expect for delays in your commute so worst case scenario you will still be early.
(At the interview)
1. Be polite to everyone you meet. (You may be working with them if all goes well)
2. Greet your interviewer with a firm confident handshake and use their name shortly after you learn it (ex: Hi John Smith, thank you for giving me this opportunity).
3. Build rapport with your interviewer.
4. Eye contact is important.
5. Be energetic and speak clearly
6. Thank them for their time and say something like "I look forward to hearing from you soon."
7. Ask for a business card. (Very simple task that can make you stand out but it is often overlooked)
(After the interview)
1. Send them a letter or email thanking them for the time. (relate it to a unique part of your interview to stand out better)
2. Try contacting them after some time if you don't hear from them but don't be annoying or seem desperate.
This may seem like a lot to you but it is very straightforward. By following these steps I have minimized my pre-interview anxiety and had successful interviews. With all this good information you would think that I have a great corporate job somewhere. No such luck haha. I've had great interviews but so far to no avail. This is a tough time to get a job. You really need to be the perfect candidate. Don't let this discourage you though because if you don't apply then you are definitely not the perfect candidate. You never know unless you try. This is yet another day, yet another interview.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Freedom to rock out!
A couple days ago, I attended the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival in Hartford, CT along with a few friends. There were three stages, 2 outside and one main stage inside. I have been to a few metal shows in the past and this one met/exceeded my expectations. We showed up early to do a little tailgating, a few brats and burgers and beers did the trick nicely. If you've never been to a metal show before, it is an experience to say the least. The music is heavy, the fans are from all walks of life, and crowd gets wild. I did a fair share of people watching at the show. A lot of people wore black, there were more piercings than you could imagine, some people had over-the-top makeup on (even guys). This lifestyle isn't something I would normally associate myself with but metal shows are different. You can see how passionate the artists are with their music and the fans are so devoted they will do anything the bands request, literally. One point in the show, a singer said he wanted to break a record for most people crowd surfing at once. Right as the song started, the guy next to me got on his hands and knees and told people to jump off his back to surf. As they pushed off his back I grabbed them and threw them further. Unsuspecting people soon realized what was happening. It sounds insane but you really have no idea unless you're right there in the heat of the moment. After the song ended, the singer thanked the crowd for such a great performance of crowd surfing.
People express themselves through their choice of clothes and accessories at these shows. They also express themselves through the music. Some people choose to nod along with the beat or sing along. Others choose to throw their bodies around in mosh pits and go crowd surfing (both can be very dangerous). An outside look at mosh pits, you would think that it is unorganized, chaotic, mayhem. In all seriousness however, there are unwritten rules, gentleman's rules, if you may. When someone gets knocked down, someone is always there to pick you up right away to make sure you don't get trampled. Also, if someone does get hurt, the pit shifts away from them so injuries don't become more serious. At this particular show, a fellow mosher fell back and slammed his head on the pavement and was knocked unconscious (accidentally of course). This doesn't always happen, but when it does, people know it can be serious. When this incident occurred half of the people in the pit and many surrounding it immediately tried to help pick him up but realized it would be better to keep him down so they forced the rest of the pit away from the wounded soldier. This one person went down. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a single person in the pit who even knew this man, but nevertheless, there were a handful of people right there at his aid. To me, this was a great representation of our society and human nature. People need to let loose sometimes and slam into each other wildly but there is no intention to seriously harm another. They are all there for the same reason, to express themselves. The barbaric nature of heavy metal almost seems quelled when looking at it this way.
I know there are a lot of people that don't like the metal genre. I admit, I didn't always like it and I understand why some don't. It can be extremely heavy and unconventional. But you have to admit, if you see a metal band perform, they are so passionate about what they are doing that you can feel it. Ok, you might be feeling the subwoofer, but seriously, I've never seen more passionate performers than these guys. Jonathan Davis from Korn may seem strange to those who don't know his music but when he grabbed that microphone and screamed the lyrics, you could see it in his face that this is what he was meant to do. Maybe I noticed all this because I am still looking for what my purpose is because I'm pretty sure it isn't landscaping (though it might be, hopefully not) haha. No offense to landscaping, I just didn't go to 4 years of college to be a labor grunt. I just hope one day I find what I am passionate about like the bands who performed on the main stage: Korn, Rob Zombie, Lamb of God, and Five Finger Death Punch. It is yet another day rocking out.
People express themselves through their choice of clothes and accessories at these shows. They also express themselves through the music. Some people choose to nod along with the beat or sing along. Others choose to throw their bodies around in mosh pits and go crowd surfing (both can be very dangerous). An outside look at mosh pits, you would think that it is unorganized, chaotic, mayhem. In all seriousness however, there are unwritten rules, gentleman's rules, if you may. When someone gets knocked down, someone is always there to pick you up right away to make sure you don't get trampled. Also, if someone does get hurt, the pit shifts away from them so injuries don't become more serious. At this particular show, a fellow mosher fell back and slammed his head on the pavement and was knocked unconscious (accidentally of course). This doesn't always happen, but when it does, people know it can be serious. When this incident occurred half of the people in the pit and many surrounding it immediately tried to help pick him up but realized it would be better to keep him down so they forced the rest of the pit away from the wounded soldier. This one person went down. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a single person in the pit who even knew this man, but nevertheless, there were a handful of people right there at his aid. To me, this was a great representation of our society and human nature. People need to let loose sometimes and slam into each other wildly but there is no intention to seriously harm another. They are all there for the same reason, to express themselves. The barbaric nature of heavy metal almost seems quelled when looking at it this way.
I know there are a lot of people that don't like the metal genre. I admit, I didn't always like it and I understand why some don't. It can be extremely heavy and unconventional. But you have to admit, if you see a metal band perform, they are so passionate about what they are doing that you can feel it. Ok, you might be feeling the subwoofer, but seriously, I've never seen more passionate performers than these guys. Jonathan Davis from Korn may seem strange to those who don't know his music but when he grabbed that microphone and screamed the lyrics, you could see it in his face that this is what he was meant to do. Maybe I noticed all this because I am still looking for what my purpose is because I'm pretty sure it isn't landscaping (though it might be, hopefully not) haha. No offense to landscaping, I just didn't go to 4 years of college to be a labor grunt. I just hope one day I find what I am passionate about like the bands who performed on the main stage: Korn, Rob Zombie, Lamb of God, and Five Finger Death Punch. It is yet another day rocking out.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Pretending to be a soccer fan when the World Cup comes around.
At 2:30pm Eastern time, the last semifinal match of the 2010 World Cup will commence. The match is between Germany and Spain. Both teams have highly skilled players. I have been trying to watch as much of the World Cup as I can, but I find it hard because I work all day Monday-Friday. I took today off because I am feeling some after effects of heat exhaustion that I acquired yesterday as a result of working in 100 degree+ heat all day. So due to all of this, I will finally be able to see one of the midweek Football (Soccer) matches. The one coming up today is shaping up to be a good one (according to ESPN). This got me thinking about how much I really cared about the sport. Just like many young children, I played when I was too young to make my own decisions. As the years passed by, I became very bored of it. I didn't understand why anyone would enjoy running up and down a field over and over again with a small possibility of touching the ball for a split second and even less of a possibility of scoring a goal.
Now with all the hype on TV, I have become infatuated with the sport as I was when I played it. It seems to me that many Americans share the same feelings towards soccer as I do. I know, I know, its not commonly called soccer in many places other than the USA, but I am American so that is what I will call it. By the way, I recently found out the origins of the word soccer is actually a "colloquial abbreviation" or a shortened version of Association Football (the more worldwide accepted title). Back to America though. Here, we have many athletes and fans of all different sport arenas. Baseball is considered our nation's pastime. Football (American) is another popular sport in the states right along with NASCAR. It seems to me that Americans don't care nearly as much about any one particular sport than the rest of the world collectively cares about soccer. I never understood why this phenomenon happened until I though more in depth about it.
Let's break it down a bit. According to FIFA.com, there are over 200 teams that participate in world class soccer. 202 to be exact. Many of these teams represent an entire country but not all of them do. This accounts for the majority of countries in the world. How many other countries participate in NASCAR? None. How many participate in American Football? None. How many participate in Baseball? A few, but nowhere close to 200. People play soccer in America but in my interpretation, it appears that we only do it because other countries around the world do it. It sounds silly but there is an amount of international peer pressure going on here. The United States is saying, "Hey if all these other places are playing soccer, we probably should to." It is not in our American nature to be left out. Some of you might be saying, "well maybe we play it because we are a country that has been created by mixing all these other soccer fueled cultures together and we do it because our ancestors used to." No. This is not the reason. If that were the case, we would be more enthralled in soccer all the time instead of the, once-every-four-years-when-the-world-cup-is-on fan, which most Americans are. Soccer sheds light on numerous foreign cultures that, for the most part, would not be seen by many Americans. What we know as foreign culture is formulated by things we consume from media and how our minds interpret them. Also Americans are businesspeople. Soccer is a business that is worth millions and is celebrated internationally. There is an inconceivable amount of money to be made. Merchandise sales and advertising sales make up only a fraction of the total soccer revenue. In relation to advertising sales, television and radio coverage takes up a good portion of the the respective markets (television more than radio).
I have deductively come up with 4 reasons why Americans jump on the soccer bandwagon during the World Cup. Number 1) Americans don't like to feel left out therefore there is the international peer pressure factor. Number 2) Americans are a intrigued and maybe a bit jealous when it comes to foreign cultures. Number 3) Merchandising and advertising. Number 4) ESPN and other sports news programs cover the World Cup more than entertainment news covered the death of Michael Jackson (humor ensues). It is impossible to avoid all the publicity.
Yes, we have a national team, and yes, they are fairly good in the international standings (currently 14th?), but that does not mean we, as a nation, care about it as England does for example. Our team isn't good because we have a whole nation supporting them. I never even know when they are playing unless it is World Cup season. Our team is good because we have a large and extremely talented bunch of athletes to draw from and we have great facilities to train and play in. We also have excellent sports medicine doctors that can treat injured players. Obviously we are going to better than places like Palestine and Papua New Guinea (no offense of course).
In the sporting world, the US has many things going for them that other places do not. I think we should fess up for misleading the rest of the world in thinking that we embody soccer as they do. We have a decent team because all of our soccer planets have aligned (for lack of a better phrase). We have a perfect environment for breeding soccer players. But I digress. When it comes time for the World Cup every four years, Americans jump on the soccer bandwagon. It happens every time the tournament does. No matter how well the USA team does, and no matter how little soccer matters to us individually, many of us still follow the tournament all the way through to the final whistle in the championship match. This is yet another day as an American who only follows soccer when the World Cup happens.
Now it is time for me to watch the Germany vs. Spain match. After the final match this Saturday we can all go back to our normal American lives without soccer being a part.
Now with all the hype on TV, I have become infatuated with the sport as I was when I played it. It seems to me that many Americans share the same feelings towards soccer as I do. I know, I know, its not commonly called soccer in many places other than the USA, but I am American so that is what I will call it. By the way, I recently found out the origins of the word soccer is actually a "colloquial abbreviation" or a shortened version of Association Football (the more worldwide accepted title). Back to America though. Here, we have many athletes and fans of all different sport arenas. Baseball is considered our nation's pastime. Football (American) is another popular sport in the states right along with NASCAR. It seems to me that Americans don't care nearly as much about any one particular sport than the rest of the world collectively cares about soccer. I never understood why this phenomenon happened until I though more in depth about it.
Let's break it down a bit. According to FIFA.com, there are over 200 teams that participate in world class soccer. 202 to be exact. Many of these teams represent an entire country but not all of them do. This accounts for the majority of countries in the world. How many other countries participate in NASCAR? None. How many participate in American Football? None. How many participate in Baseball? A few, but nowhere close to 200. People play soccer in America but in my interpretation, it appears that we only do it because other countries around the world do it. It sounds silly but there is an amount of international peer pressure going on here. The United States is saying, "Hey if all these other places are playing soccer, we probably should to." It is not in our American nature to be left out. Some of you might be saying, "well maybe we play it because we are a country that has been created by mixing all these other soccer fueled cultures together and we do it because our ancestors used to." No. This is not the reason. If that were the case, we would be more enthralled in soccer all the time instead of the, once-every-four-years-when-the-world-cup-is-on fan, which most Americans are. Soccer sheds light on numerous foreign cultures that, for the most part, would not be seen by many Americans. What we know as foreign culture is formulated by things we consume from media and how our minds interpret them. Also Americans are businesspeople. Soccer is a business that is worth millions and is celebrated internationally. There is an inconceivable amount of money to be made. Merchandise sales and advertising sales make up only a fraction of the total soccer revenue. In relation to advertising sales, television and radio coverage takes up a good portion of the the respective markets (television more than radio).
I have deductively come up with 4 reasons why Americans jump on the soccer bandwagon during the World Cup. Number 1) Americans don't like to feel left out therefore there is the international peer pressure factor. Number 2) Americans are a intrigued and maybe a bit jealous when it comes to foreign cultures. Number 3) Merchandising and advertising. Number 4) ESPN and other sports news programs cover the World Cup more than entertainment news covered the death of Michael Jackson (humor ensues). It is impossible to avoid all the publicity.
Yes, we have a national team, and yes, they are fairly good in the international standings (currently 14th?), but that does not mean we, as a nation, care about it as England does for example. Our team isn't good because we have a whole nation supporting them. I never even know when they are playing unless it is World Cup season. Our team is good because we have a large and extremely talented bunch of athletes to draw from and we have great facilities to train and play in. We also have excellent sports medicine doctors that can treat injured players. Obviously we are going to better than places like Palestine and Papua New Guinea (no offense of course).
In the sporting world, the US has many things going for them that other places do not. I think we should fess up for misleading the rest of the world in thinking that we embody soccer as they do. We have a decent team because all of our soccer planets have aligned (for lack of a better phrase). We have a perfect environment for breeding soccer players. But I digress. When it comes time for the World Cup every four years, Americans jump on the soccer bandwagon. It happens every time the tournament does. No matter how well the USA team does, and no matter how little soccer matters to us individually, many of us still follow the tournament all the way through to the final whistle in the championship match. This is yet another day as an American who only follows soccer when the World Cup happens.
Now it is time for me to watch the Germany vs. Spain match. After the final match this Saturday we can all go back to our normal American lives without soccer being a part.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Looking to start a career
I recently graduated college with a bachelors degree in communications. I remember graduating high school then getting ready to head off to college. I remember thinking, "this isn't going to be easy but it will help me get a job and it will be a great experience." So I stuck it out. I had good times and bad times. I made great friends who I will never forget. Also, I earned a degree. This was a great accomplishment to me. So now what? This is a common question among my fellow graduates from the class of 2010. With our economy still struggling this is one of the worst times to graduate and expect to find a decent job (let alone one that involves your major).
There are tips that can be found all over the internet on how to find a job and how to market yourself. I have used many of these tips. One tip is networking. I have reached out to neighbors, friends, and family members who have well established careers. All of them have told me, "it's all about who you know." Well I KNOW ALL OF YOU! (lol). I'm starting to get the feeling that nowadays it is less about who you know and more about how you market yourself. It is looked down upon in today's society to be hired because a relative works at a certain company. This is understandable (family disputes, business needs and wants may conflict, lack of professionalism, etc) but this is a big change in how one should go about finding a job. Many fresh graduates are under the impression that this is the best way to get a job but that is not the case anymore. I have much less of a chance to get a job this way than I did ten years ago.
Another tip was to get my resume on job sites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com. I have been on these sites day in and day out. I apply left and right for anything I see interesting, or even anything that I feel qualified for (some that I am unqualified for just to see what happens). I personally believe that simply posting a resume online and submitting applications electronically is not enough. The whole process is too easy and usually unrewarding. There is almost an empty feeling after posting for a job online. I often sit at my computer after I send in an application and wonder, "that's it? now what?". There are other things to do. You can call the company and ask to speak to a hiring manager or someone in HR about your resume. You can schedule a tour of the company. There are many things you can do aside from posting a resume online, it's just a matter of doing them.
With all of the jobs I've applied for online, there seems to be a pattern for the ones that actually call back. It seems that the only companies that call people back in reference to their online applications are those involved in scams. I use the term scam loosely as to not make any bold statements about any companies in particular. But when I say scam, I am referring to the multilevel marketing firms (MLM for short) who appear to be complex so it becomes hard to tell if their business practices are legal or not. I have gotten 4 calls in the past month from different companies who found my resume online and were interested in me. All four of these had reports written against them claiming that they were running scams. I will not name any names publicly but if you would like to find out, just email me.
It becomes very disheartening when you are granted the opportunity of an interview (in office or over the phone) and you later find out they (the company) are not who they say they are. I know, from personal experience, that there are many fresh college graduates who are still unemployed and are looking for jobs and are duped by these scams. This is why MLM scams can prosper. They prey on fresh graduates who most likely still live at home by promising a ridiculous salary with no glass ceiling and freedom that other jobs can provide. This is how I learned a lesson the hard way (somewhat. could have been worse).
I learned the lesson that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. I came across an add on Monster.com that promised all of these great things mentioned above and I was naive. I was naive because I was excited to finally get my first interview, and also because the job sounded great. I went through the interviewing process and I thought it went incredibly. I came out of that office feeling on top of the world, I OWNED THAT INTERVIEW! Then I got home and received a phone call. It was the office informing me they liked me and wanted me to come for a secondary interview. This is when I began my extensive research on the company. Not that I had doubts, but because I wanted to know what I was getting myself into. This is the moment that I felt my world being smashed to the ground. I typed the companies name into a search engine and immediately the autofill choices ended in the word scam. *Companies Name* scam, *Companies Name**Town* scam, you get the picture. I didn't stop at there however. I was so naive that I was hoping to find out that there were just two companies with the same name in the same town and I was offered a job at the legitimate one...wishful thinking one could say. I read through the links and read stories upon stories that began exactly as my recent experience (all the way down to the phone call after the interview and the secondary interview offer).All of these stories had endings of disappointment. This was more than a low blow. Not only was I back to square one, I almost fell victim to a MLM scam and was completely embarrassed. It is quite embarrassing telling everyone how excited you are about a job interview then finding out the job is a scam and you have to relay that information to everyone who is waiting eagerly to hear about it.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Ever since that experience I have come across 3 more MLM scams and have made sure not to let them get anything out of me. If I could give any advice about looking for a job it would be DO YOUR RESEARCH. A company may say they are one thing on their website but don't stop there. Look for customer reviews or former/current employee ratings. Even check out the Better Business Bureau (BBB). If a company is not on the BBB then dig deeper because that is red flag number 1.
As I continue my hunt for a place of business where I can plant my roots and flourish, I still try to expand my network. Just because they might not be able to get you a job personally, they can always inform you of openings that they hear of which is very beneficial. I also improve/alter my resume whenever I feel the need. I continue to search job postings on the internet. But most of all I continue living life. As disheartening and depressing it can be looking for a job after college, you have to keep on keepin' on. Don't let it get to you because the big break is coming. I will eventually catch my break and anyone else who is seriously dedicated to finding a job will eventually get theirs. This is, after all, yet another day in search of a job.
There are tips that can be found all over the internet on how to find a job and how to market yourself. I have used many of these tips. One tip is networking. I have reached out to neighbors, friends, and family members who have well established careers. All of them have told me, "it's all about who you know." Well I KNOW ALL OF YOU! (lol). I'm starting to get the feeling that nowadays it is less about who you know and more about how you market yourself. It is looked down upon in today's society to be hired because a relative works at a certain company. This is understandable (family disputes, business needs and wants may conflict, lack of professionalism, etc) but this is a big change in how one should go about finding a job. Many fresh graduates are under the impression that this is the best way to get a job but that is not the case anymore. I have much less of a chance to get a job this way than I did ten years ago.
Another tip was to get my resume on job sites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com. I have been on these sites day in and day out. I apply left and right for anything I see interesting, or even anything that I feel qualified for (some that I am unqualified for just to see what happens). I personally believe that simply posting a resume online and submitting applications electronically is not enough. The whole process is too easy and usually unrewarding. There is almost an empty feeling after posting for a job online. I often sit at my computer after I send in an application and wonder, "that's it? now what?". There are other things to do. You can call the company and ask to speak to a hiring manager or someone in HR about your resume. You can schedule a tour of the company. There are many things you can do aside from posting a resume online, it's just a matter of doing them.
With all of the jobs I've applied for online, there seems to be a pattern for the ones that actually call back. It seems that the only companies that call people back in reference to their online applications are those involved in scams. I use the term scam loosely as to not make any bold statements about any companies in particular. But when I say scam, I am referring to the multilevel marketing firms (MLM for short) who appear to be complex so it becomes hard to tell if their business practices are legal or not. I have gotten 4 calls in the past month from different companies who found my resume online and were interested in me. All four of these had reports written against them claiming that they were running scams. I will not name any names publicly but if you would like to find out, just email me.
It becomes very disheartening when you are granted the opportunity of an interview (in office or over the phone) and you later find out they (the company) are not who they say they are. I know, from personal experience, that there are many fresh college graduates who are still unemployed and are looking for jobs and are duped by these scams. This is why MLM scams can prosper. They prey on fresh graduates who most likely still live at home by promising a ridiculous salary with no glass ceiling and freedom that other jobs can provide. This is how I learned a lesson the hard way (somewhat. could have been worse).
I learned the lesson that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. I came across an add on Monster.com that promised all of these great things mentioned above and I was naive. I was naive because I was excited to finally get my first interview, and also because the job sounded great. I went through the interviewing process and I thought it went incredibly. I came out of that office feeling on top of the world, I OWNED THAT INTERVIEW! Then I got home and received a phone call. It was the office informing me they liked me and wanted me to come for a secondary interview. This is when I began my extensive research on the company. Not that I had doubts, but because I wanted to know what I was getting myself into. This is the moment that I felt my world being smashed to the ground. I typed the companies name into a search engine and immediately the autofill choices ended in the word scam. *Companies Name* scam, *Companies Name**Town* scam, you get the picture. I didn't stop at there however. I was so naive that I was hoping to find out that there were just two companies with the same name in the same town and I was offered a job at the legitimate one...wishful thinking one could say. I read through the links and read stories upon stories that began exactly as my recent experience (all the way down to the phone call after the interview and the secondary interview offer).All of these stories had endings of disappointment. This was more than a low blow. Not only was I back to square one, I almost fell victim to a MLM scam and was completely embarrassed. It is quite embarrassing telling everyone how excited you are about a job interview then finding out the job is a scam and you have to relay that information to everyone who is waiting eagerly to hear about it.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Ever since that experience I have come across 3 more MLM scams and have made sure not to let them get anything out of me. If I could give any advice about looking for a job it would be DO YOUR RESEARCH. A company may say they are one thing on their website but don't stop there. Look for customer reviews or former/current employee ratings. Even check out the Better Business Bureau (BBB). If a company is not on the BBB then dig deeper because that is red flag number 1.
As I continue my hunt for a place of business where I can plant my roots and flourish, I still try to expand my network. Just because they might not be able to get you a job personally, they can always inform you of openings that they hear of which is very beneficial. I also improve/alter my resume whenever I feel the need. I continue to search job postings on the internet. But most of all I continue living life. As disheartening and depressing it can be looking for a job after college, you have to keep on keepin' on. Don't let it get to you because the big break is coming. I will eventually catch my break and anyone else who is seriously dedicated to finding a job will eventually get theirs. This is, after all, yet another day in search of a job.
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