January is over!

Here we are at the end of month one! Thank goodness! Not only because the winter gets better in Feb and March, but I can stop looking for a job now! Just kidding!
I come out of this month with having learned a few things, which I guess was the point. Well, the point really was to find work, but I made a few steps closer to work, AND learned a few things along the way! Even better than I imagined.
First, I can pat myself on the back for the improvement of my networking skills. It helped me acquire a "mentor" within the biz. Also, a plan to work alongside said mentor with the intention of becoming part of her successful business.
In the meantime, I will continue to look for full-time work in the city or any other opportunities that come my way. Depending on where I am in a few months I may have to make another "focus on finding a job month."
One thing that was on my mind throughout most of this month was: what if I was in any other situation, I would have to really swallow my pride and do something I don't want for a while to survive. The question I have been asking myself (and others in my position) for some time now is "where does my search for the perfect job end, and the search for ANY job begin? Were I in any other situation, like having to pay rent and utilities or live without my CT client who keeps my hope alive that I have some skills worth paying for. What would I do then? Where would I be? How would I reconcile spending thousands of dollars on my graduate degree while working at a local restaurant as a waitress, where I was when I started. The whole point of grad school was to improve my situation, guarantee a job in the design world, and make more money.
Still, I don't know what the answer is. I do know that what my father always said is true: "life isn't fair." I have to make the best of my situation. Though recently while watching my favorite financial advisor Suze Orman, there was a 28 year old woman on who was laid off from her job (that she seemed not to like very much. ) They offered her job back with no benefits and she didn't want it. Suze said DO NOT TAKE THE JOB. First, it seems like the company was trying to take advantage of her. Second, her family was pressuring her to take the job because it is a paying job and in this economy who can say no. WEll Suze said it. This young woman, at 28 years of age, has her life ahead of her and her only job is to MAKE HER DREAMS a REALITY. It validated what I am doing. Somewhat. I need to push forward and make my dreams come true. I need to believe I can make them happen, and continue to try despite the risk involved.

exploring possibility

Yesterday I went into the city with Kaja. (http://www.kajagamdesign.com/) We went to the corian showroom and to her clients loft apartment downtown. We checked out the bathroom demolition her husband the contractor was, well demolishing. I sat in on their lunch meeting about possibly moving the overflow, what to do with the tile edges, and how the radiant heat flooring was going to be installed. We also dropped by her two other clients homes where she was extremely close with their families, and had some quick follow up work to do or consulting. And even though I am not paid to be there, I considered it all a great learning experience.
I was also able to send out a resume earlier this week and today worked on my google sketch-up skillz.
And to top off my week, I was contacted by a business in town looking for an admin assistant part-time. We have not spoken yet, but I am willing to meet with her to discuss the possibility. Should I be dreaming big, aiming high and only be pursuing jobs that suit my degree or should I be worried about money, and making ends meet? Perhaps both.
I'm considering sending resume to California Closets--I just saw a posting.

update

Ok--so my many readers must be wondering what ever happened with the design lady in town! So here is the update:
We met last week and spoke about how we could help each other out. I can't necessarily go out on my own yet because I have a total lack of resources, contacts, and experience. I feel as though I would be providing my clients with a a laundry list of complaints about the inevitable mistakes I would make on subsequent projects.
And she needs to grow her business in a time when most are hunkering down and not making big plans utilizing an experienced and expensive interior designer.
We came to the conclusion that I would help her network and market her business, and she would provide me with a space to work, as well as a few billable hours here and there, as well as a learning experience. This is all with the intention that I will someday become a part of her business.
Now I am not totally sold. I sat in on a meeting with her and some bankers and heard many things discussed about running your own business and it scared the hell out of me. I almost ran to Gensler with my resume shouting "PLEASE HIRE ME IN YOUR HORRIBLE FACELESS CORPORATE YET COMFORTABLE AND GIANT ARCHITECTURE FIRM!!!"
So yes, I am still looking for full time work. In fact I responded to an add on craigslist just today for an assistant design position in the city. and I am still babysitting. But I feel a step ahead where I was last month. I still have a lot to think about, and to work on. I face everyday trying to improve myself in so many ways. I have less than one week left of this month, I hope to approach it with gusto. and next week, well, its a new month.

work???

The meeting went well! We are working towards some sort of an arrangement that benefits the both of us. I go back tomorrow with some ideas and to test the waters...

Good news!

The woman I emailed yesterday who works in town wrote me back!!!
She still does not have full time positions available but wants me to stop by to discuss the "future" OOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!! I LOVE the FUTURE!!!!!

Moving forward

I had a lot of time this week to work on my "resolution" and I spent most of the time beating myself up! But did make some headway on a few things. I sent my resume and work samples in to a couple of job postings. Those are always a stretch but I have had two other interviews thanks to that so I am still hopeful. I know once I get in the door I can be my best, its just a question of whether I fit in better than any other candidate. Something that would be really helpful is if I knew ANYONE that works at these companies. If you know anyone at Ethan Allen or Equinox gyms please let me know!

I also sent a little email to a high-school friend who is redoing his kitchen. (His mom told my mom and then my mom wouldn't let me get away without asking him about it!) So, I let him know I am available, even if for a free consultation, which I am totally willing to do for anyone who may need my interior design services down the road.

There is an interior designer in town that I met with in June, and her business was not doing well enough to hire at the time, but it was a great informational meeting and she seemed interested in my work. So today I emailed her some examples of what I have been working on since I finished school, and asked her to keep me in mind if she had any work she needed help with. One thing I forgot to do was ask her how work was going for her--which may have been detrimental to me ever working with her. Bugger.

I am also playing around with some ideas of my own business. I want to be out on my own but I have so much to learn. I feel like there will be so many mistakes along the way, and I don't even know where to start. I also am aware that sometimes the biggest risk gets the biggest reward and I may have to take a risk in order to ever know if I could be a success.

Week three!

Hello again! Last week I went north to CT to work with my freelance client...we got so much work done! I love going there and working with her as it always puts me in the right frame of mind (I AM a designer, I DO know what I am doing, I LIKE my work!) Early in the week we focused on Bath fittings and towards the end were thinking about the kitchen accessories, and doing a lot of problem solving in the meantime. When I got home I continued on the kitchen work.
Meanwhile, I stayed up late one night and found some show on depression and job loss. It was interesting enough for me to find a website the subject was using...
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/testcenter.aspx

I took a few tests throughout last week. My first test was authentic happiness survey. I think I scored low because of the mood I was in while I took the test...I was feeling pretty down and out at the moment. I imagine if I took it again right now I would score better (since I just had a cup of coffee!)

In addition to the authentic happiness survey, I took the brief strengths test which seemed pretty accurate. I scored highest on forgiveness and mercy, appreciation of beauty and excellence, and humor.
As for my lowest scores I did not fare so well in self-regulation, humility and modesty, and leadership and bravery.
It seems that my strengths would have nothing to do with finding or having a job with the exception of the knack for "appreciation of beauty." And my weaknesses may highlight why it is taking me 6 months to find a job! I think something I could focus on this month is the self-regulation...as it is a huge part of my new years resolution.

I have a couple of things left to do today, and I will tell you about them in my next post.

I also found several other blogs on job loss and depression. Please do read these if you are feeling like you may be in the same place, or perhaps to help understand where a loved one is in terms of their own job search.
http://www.job-hunt.org/article_jobsearchblues.shtml
http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2007/10/29/depression-clouds-everything/
http://jobhunt.typepad.com/jobsearching/2007/10/job-search-depr.html

Day 1 Monday

Okay, who knew it would happen like this? I did. I stayed up way too late last night, reading. Therefore I slept in way too long today, day one of my job hunt.
I know, excuses, excuses.
I needed motivation. I drank coffee. I started working on my freelance project, to get the ball rolling. I ended up doing that most of the day, all while talking on the phone with my mom, and my friend Shannon. Though Shan is in the same place as me, graduated, looking for work in the design industry, so you could call that "market research" I suppose.
But what it comes down to is how do I do this? How do I make my first move and what is my first move??? I have had three good job leads in the past 6 months and all of them have fallen flat, this is not good for the old confidence! It comes down to the fact that I'm scared. I have to put myself out there to get a big return, and thats scary. This is one of the reasons I set up the blog, because it gives me something or someone to answer to at the end of the day. And it sucks having to say I failed day 1 of my project. But I can only start over again. Tomorrow is a new day, isn't that what life is about?
I am working on the freelance project the next few days, because that was best for my clients schedule, and we have a lot of work to do. I will be back putting my best foot forward at the end of the week. sigh....

January

This month is all about finding full time work for myself. I have a masters degree in Interior Design from Pratt Institute. I am currently working on a small residential freelance project. This takes about three days of each week. Last year I babysat to supplement my income, but this year I would like to find full time work within my industry.
My proposal for this month is to dedicate my time to updating and improving my portfolio, making more connections in the business in New York City, networking, marketing myself and my work, and ultimately getting a full time job in the interior design world. Yes, I need more than a month. Hopefully the work I do within January will carry over into the next few months and I will have work in no time!
Schedule:
Mondays and Tuesdays are full days working on the aforementioned proposal.
Thursday Fridays are to work on existing job.
Wednesdays are divided in half for both.