As I was sitting at my reception gig on the Star Wars planet, just beginning to relish being paid for sitting around doing nothing all day except greeting the occasional guest and answering calls once in a blue moon, a man walked in and told me he was here to apply for the receptionist position.
I thought this was odd, since:
A. no one here seemed to know how this position was being filled, as I was here indefinitely
B. HR had not posted the position yet
C. this guy obviously had not made an appointment. Did people still do that anymore?
Apparently yes, they do, and more shocking, he got the job!
One of his friends used to work for the Star Wars planet years ago, though he declined to give a name for unknown reasons. He met with the HR person for a brief amount of time, gave in his resume, and boom, that was that.
I was a little sad to hear that my time would be cut short, but hey, if being a professional receptionist is what this guy wants, then he should be here, not me.
But I had no idea people still walked into places and actually succeeded in getting positions that way. After all, those craigslist ads mostly say "NO calls about this job". How would they react to someone strolling in expecting to be interviewed on the spot? They'd probably get their resume fed through a shredder.
There is definitely value in meeting with someone in person rather than paper. After all, my first "real person job" was not achieved through an application, but because I happened to have lunch with the owner of a business who I clicked with. I never showed my portfolio, resume, or anything. The important thing was that I showed up. Maybe since I was accompanying a friend to an event at a college, my then future boss realized that I was likely to keep an appointment when asked. Maybe it was important that I had a friend, or that I enjoyed reading, which is what I was doing when I met her. Either way, I doubt I would have been offered the position if she had only judged me by words on paper.
Maybe I should just start barging into places, if not for nothing else but to hand deliver my resume? Maybe putting a face to a name is more important than I originally thought. However, maybe it only works for more entry level positions like retail or reception.
Either way, kudos to you, new Star Wars receptionist.
I hope you like yahoo games and copious amounts of facebook.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
The top ten time-wasters for admins
If you too have found yourself at a job where you pretty much get paid to answer 15 phone calls a day, then maybe you're already all-too-familiar with the below ways to pass the time. Aside from the givens of checking your facebook and email a zillion times a day.
1. participating in office practical jokes
Let people know that you are open and available to assisting in office practical jokes. The people at this particular office enjoy having me page colleagues over the PA system that they see standing outside their glass offices, and then giggle when they get up to reception and realize it was a joke. This is particularly effective if someone wants to hide something on their desk.
2. Responding to emails in your inbox that you put off for weeks
In my case, it's all the starred gmails I mentally replied to in my head, but have yet to actually type
3. Stalking your exes on google
This is the perfect opportunity find out juicy (or not so juicy) information, while secretly hoping that they too are working a boring desk job, or at least still in another state. (he is)
4. Applying for other jobs
I've applied to four jobs today, because the motivation for doing so when picturing an existence surfing the internet all day is an amazing kick in the butt.
5. This jaunty bouncing balls game on yahoo
I have wasted hours of my life getting up to level four. HOURS I TELL YOU.
6. Actually working
Believe it or not, I wish more people would call or come in so I could actually do what I am being paid to. Of course now that I've said that, I bet tomorrow will be like a "be careful what you wish for" kind of day.
7. Watching tea brew
This one is about as exciting as it sounds and usually peaks my interest around 4 pm when my eyes start crossing and I need a physical object to look at.
8. Betting with yourself on what time the FedEx guy will show up
Sometimes it's 3:35. But then other times, it's closer to 3:38.
9. Deciding to go to the gym after work, or go home and watch shirtless David Duchovny in Californication, conveniently located in my instant netflix queue.
This one takes pretty much all day, so it's best to start early.
10. The celebrity death list on wikipedia
Type "celebrity deaths" into the wiki search bar, and enjoy a morbid catalogued list of any deceased person who has ever been listed on wikipedia, including race horses. A list of people who are worse off than you!
1. participating in office practical jokes
Let people know that you are open and available to assisting in office practical jokes. The people at this particular office enjoy having me page colleagues over the PA system that they see standing outside their glass offices, and then giggle when they get up to reception and realize it was a joke. This is particularly effective if someone wants to hide something on their desk.
2. Responding to emails in your inbox that you put off for weeks
In my case, it's all the starred gmails I mentally replied to in my head, but have yet to actually type
3. Stalking your exes on google
This is the perfect opportunity find out juicy (or not so juicy) information, while secretly hoping that they too are working a boring desk job, or at least still in another state. (he is)
4. Applying for other jobs
I've applied to four jobs today, because the motivation for doing so when picturing an existence surfing the internet all day is an amazing kick in the butt.
5. This jaunty bouncing balls game on yahoo
I have wasted hours of my life getting up to level four. HOURS I TELL YOU.
6. Actually working
Believe it or not, I wish more people would call or come in so I could actually do what I am being paid to. Of course now that I've said that, I bet tomorrow will be like a "be careful what you wish for" kind of day.
7. Watching tea brew
This one is about as exciting as it sounds and usually peaks my interest around 4 pm when my eyes start crossing and I need a physical object to look at.
8. Betting with yourself on what time the FedEx guy will show up
Sometimes it's 3:35. But then other times, it's closer to 3:38.
9. Deciding to go to the gym after work, or go home and watch shirtless David Duchovny in Californication, conveniently located in my instant netflix queue.
This one takes pretty much all day, so it's best to start early.
10. The celebrity death list on wikipedia
Type "celebrity deaths" into the wiki search bar, and enjoy a morbid catalogued list of any deceased person who has ever been listed on wikipedia, including race horses. A list of people who are worse off than you!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
I've gotta get out of this place
My clingy relationship to my phone paid off, and I was offered a two week assignment as a receptionist at a nice, big, creative agency. They're a great company full of nice people, a fantabulous view of the bay and I've worked with them before, last year, so it's good to be back. Also, the name of their company rhymes with "Endor", which makes it get bonus points because I can pretend I'm running a Star Wars planet.
The only downside is that I get paid to read my book all day (and the internet) and take a couple of phone calls. A lot of people would say that's an upside, and it does beat filing or telemarketing, but for me it's a bit boring. I feel like I've reached the end of the internet and it's only on day 2 of my two week assignment. At least people really don't care what I do here, which is a plus. Some jobs I have had, they forbid internet usage, books, and any kind of entertainment, forcing you to just stare into space and hope that someone calls. And then hope that someone calls telling you something is on fire just to add some excitement to your day.
I think it was this realization that finally motivated me to actually apply for more jobs. The thought of sitting around behind a desk every day for a couple weeks knowing that I'm gopher level support staff to a top notch creative firm made me think that I needed to know I had made some kind of real effort to get myself out of this situation.
So the night I got the assignment I spent about 4 hrs writing cover letters and applying to positions I really had an interest in. It's the least I can do for right now. Well, I guess the least I can do is stare at that palm tree.
It's tall.
The only downside is that I get paid to read my book all day (and the internet) and take a couple of phone calls. A lot of people would say that's an upside, and it does beat filing or telemarketing, but for me it's a bit boring. I feel like I've reached the end of the internet and it's only on day 2 of my two week assignment. At least people really don't care what I do here, which is a plus. Some jobs I have had, they forbid internet usage, books, and any kind of entertainment, forcing you to just stare into space and hope that someone calls. And then hope that someone calls telling you something is on fire just to add some excitement to your day.
I think it was this realization that finally motivated me to actually apply for more jobs. The thought of sitting around behind a desk every day for a couple weeks knowing that I'm gopher level support staff to a top notch creative firm made me think that I needed to know I had made some kind of real effort to get myself out of this situation.
So the night I got the assignment I spent about 4 hrs writing cover letters and applying to positions I really had an interest in. It's the least I can do for right now. Well, I guess the least I can do is stare at that palm tree.
It's tall.
Monday, March 8, 2010
the elusive phone call
To work at a temp agency, I swear you have to be up between the hours of 7-9 am, fully dressed and waiting by the phone, because if you aren't, someone else sure will be.
This morning, as I was getting ready to head out to do some contract work, Greg knocked on the door and told me that one of my temp agencies had just called and had a job available just for today. Funnily enough, the position was to help them with front desk work at their offices. I guess it makes sense they would hire themselves as a temp agency. In fact, I would be worried if they went anywhere else.
I knew I wasn't going to be able to take it since I was on my way out anyway, but I called them back anyway to be polite. Less than five minutes had gone by since the call, but when I reached them, the rep told me that they already had someone coming in in 20 minutes.
DAMN! For some reason it really irritated me even though I couldn't have done it anyway. I had been mentally preparing myself to dump them only to have them do it first and replace me with someone who is obviously superior since they live closer.
But, just for the record, when I called them later that afternoon, whoever they got accidentally transferred me to accounting, so HA. I take my bitter little victories where I can get them.
In other news, I think I'm going to strap my phone to myself and start sleeping in pinstriped pants and high heels.
This morning, as I was getting ready to head out to do some contract work, Greg knocked on the door and told me that one of my temp agencies had just called and had a job available just for today. Funnily enough, the position was to help them with front desk work at their offices. I guess it makes sense they would hire themselves as a temp agency. In fact, I would be worried if they went anywhere else.
I knew I wasn't going to be able to take it since I was on my way out anyway, but I called them back anyway to be polite. Less than five minutes had gone by since the call, but when I reached them, the rep told me that they already had someone coming in in 20 minutes.
DAMN! For some reason it really irritated me even though I couldn't have done it anyway. I had been mentally preparing myself to dump them only to have them do it first and replace me with someone who is obviously superior since they live closer.
But, just for the record, when I called them later that afternoon, whoever they got accidentally transferred me to accounting, so HA. I take my bitter little victories where I can get them.
In other news, I think I'm going to strap my phone to myself and start sleeping in pinstriped pants and high heels.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
First post- first rejection letter
Looking for work sucks. It sucks for everyone, but it's always pretty much sucked for me since I graduated at a time when the economy collapsed. 5 years later and I've had many different jobs, but the ones I wanted I got laid off from, or was told I could not be hired full time, no matter how much they loved me. The others may have paid the bills (or in some cases not even that) but were ultimately not what I wanted to do, which leaves me at a loss in a crumby economy.
Unemployed yet again and having been an intern in some capacity or another for the past 4 years or so (in four different fields: graphic design, marketing, theater and most recently, editorial ), I find myself once again in that beautiful and tragic state of limbo where I wake up at 11 am, and spend the day in my pajamas on craigslist and linkedin hoping to one day soon be able to have a career to call my own.
I've decided to do what everyone else on the planet now does when they want to complain about something and feel productive at the same time: start a blog. And here I am. I'm going to document the process, successes and inevitable failures of my search for elusive work.
Since it's my first post, I thought I would start with my first rejection letter. It's probably a healthy thing to celebrate failures as well as victories, or at least not incredibly unhealthy.
Hello Miriam,
Thank you for your interest in our Junior Editor position.
We are fortunate to have many qualified candidates apply with us. We have reviewed the qualifications of each candidate and after careful consideration, we have determined that the credentials of other candidates may better fit our needs at this time.
Please accept our best wishes and thank you for your interest in working with our team.
Regards,
Megan
The best part about this is that I waited around for two weeks after the interview without hearing a peep from them, only to send an email inquiry and receive this no less than 2 minutes later. Ah well, as my friend Matthew pointed out, this particular company is being sued anyway, so maybe it worked out for the best.
Onwards!
Unemployed yet again and having been an intern in some capacity or another for the past 4 years or so (in four different fields: graphic design, marketing, theater and most recently, editorial ), I find myself once again in that beautiful and tragic state of limbo where I wake up at 11 am, and spend the day in my pajamas on craigslist and linkedin hoping to one day soon be able to have a career to call my own.
I've decided to do what everyone else on the planet now does when they want to complain about something and feel productive at the same time: start a blog. And here I am. I'm going to document the process, successes and inevitable failures of my search for elusive work.
Since it's my first post, I thought I would start with my first rejection letter. It's probably a healthy thing to celebrate failures as well as victories, or at least not incredibly unhealthy.
Hello Miriam,
Thank you for your interest in our Junior Editor position.
We are fortunate to have many qualified candidates apply with us. We have reviewed the qualifications of each candidate and after careful consideration, we have determined that the credentials of other candidates may better fit our needs at this time.
Please accept our best wishes and thank you for your interest in working with our team.
Regards,
Megan
The best part about this is that I waited around for two weeks after the interview without hearing a peep from them, only to send an email inquiry and receive this no less than 2 minutes later. Ah well, as my friend Matthew pointed out, this particular company is being sued anyway, so maybe it worked out for the best.
Onwards!
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