Sometimes my feelings taste like Sauvignon Blanc

Monday was not a good day for me. I was not offered the job that I had three interviews for. It hit me that I have been searching for three months and I've had one phone interview, one series of interviews for the same job, and a trial run as a waitress which I turned down. Monday was a three-glasses-of-wine kind of night.

Seriously, SIMI should sponsor my pity parties.

When I was planning my job-seeking strategy for Austin, I knew we had enough money saved up that I could take my time looking for a career-oriented job and not just a bill-paying job. I've been passing over retail and dental office jobs for non-profit and PR jobs. I though by mid-October I'd be settled in somewhere, but it seems I have a way to go.

I'm trying not to act like an entitled millennial snot about it, but damn I feel like I've worked hard for this. I feel like I worked hard enough in school and at my first couple of post-grad jobs that I could start choosing my path instead of taking whatever job will have me.

Since I decided on my career path, I felt that going back to school would be the perfect fresh start. I could learn about the business of non-profits and arts administration in a classroom setting where I could be absolved of the sins of my undergrad years. I would work hard for straight-As, network through student organizations, and be eligible for student-only internships again. The rain on my parade has always been "can we afford it?"

After my wine-soaked pity party, Corey and I finally agreed that I should apply for grad school and if I get accepted, we will figure out financials form there. Whether I go full-time, part-time, or online will also be decided by where and when I get accepted. I have RSVP'd to two grad fairs for next week.

After finally coming to this decision, I feel like the little back rain cloud over me has dissipated. I feel like with grad school possibly on my horizon, taking a bill-paying job is not a defeat, but another brick in my path.

Study Space by laurenbcunningham featuring a pocket chair

The Waiting Game

My last post was about two job interviews I had back on 9/23. One was for a political campaign, the other for a serving gig. Currently, I am neither canvassing nor waiting tables.

The campaign interview went fine, but I think they sensed I was not crazy about the idea of canvassing, especially by myself in a city that I don't know very well. They never called me back which kind of annoys me. If you actually took time to meet with me, why would you not even call to say "thanks, but no thanks?" (It could be because the guy who interviewed me was an Ohio State fan. Boo.)

I turned down the serving job. I shadowed a server for a few hours on a slow night, and all my repressed anxiety from my previous (and disastrous) serving job came flooding back.  I called the next day and told the manager "thanks, but no thanks." I figured that if I need a temporary gig to make some kind of paycheck before I find something stable, I will stick with what I know (read: retail).

However, since then I have had three interviews with a local private school for a campus manager position. It's a great job with awesome benefits and a salary that will keep Corey and I living comfortably. It's a non-profit school, so I would consider the job a real career move as opposed to just another bill-paying job. I feel really good about my prospects it since everyone I have met (five people in three interviews and a shadowing) has been so welcoming and encouraging. I had my third interview on Monday, and I'm still waiting to hear from the HR manager. I didn't get the impression that many people made it to the third interview, so I am cautiously optimistic. I'm debating whether to email the HR director on Monday night if I don't hear anything by then.

In other news, Corey and I have been attending some awesome performances lately, and I realized I haven't written about music in a LONG time, so I am preparing reviews of an outdoor installation piece, UT's New Music Ensemble, and a CLUTCH concert (UT's student composers organization). Bonus: we celebrated our anniversary a little early by seeing The Book of Mormon on Wednesday. (Spoiler Alert: It was AMAZING!)

Two-A-Days

Tomorrow's schedule contains two job interviews, neither of which have anything to do with my currently defined career path.

The morning interview is with a political campaign. I received a phone call from the manager who received my resume from a charity I applied to several weeks ago. I didn't get that job, but this campaign is in need of a field organizer for canvassers. I've coordinated volunteers before, but I have NEVER worked in politics. I agreed to the interview, and immediately called one of my best friends who used to be a campaign organizer and is currently a union organizer. She helped me figure out what questions to ask and how my experience relates to the position. I love having friends in so many career fields!

The out-of-the-blue phone call was very welcome since I have yet to find a job, but I'm nervous. I think the interview will go fine, but if I'm offered the position, I hope I can handle it. I've never even considered working in public policy. However, it's only temporary, 6 weeks exactly, and the board of directors is a well-connected bunch. If I can pull this off, it would be a huge opportunity for me.

In the evening, I will be "testing out" the idea of serving at a cute sandwich and pizza place three blocks from our apartment. I happened to come across an ad on Craigslist for servers and bartenders, and I recognized the name from driving past it all the time. I figured it would be a good way to bring in a paycheck while I keep the career search going. My last experience serving was not great, but it was a management issue and not lack of effort on my part. I stopped in last week with my resume and the owner asked me to come back and shadow for an evening.

So still no calls from non-profits, PR firms, or university admin offices, but public policy and food service are interested in me. Go figure.

How it went

My non-interview interview was not exactly what I was expecting, but I am choosing to remain optimistic. As it turns out, the "part-time job" turned out to be a volunteer opportunity. I learned that the organization does not have the funding to pay the salary of an office manager, and they are in great need of help.

With an extremely dedicated artistic director and a small but enthusiastic board of directors, the ensemble stays afloat, but they need help with recruitment and fundraising. Color me crazy, but my response was "I'm in."

No one knows as well as I do that I need a bill-paying job, but this group touched my heart, and the part of my brain that knows the value of getting in on the ground floor. This could be an amazing opportunity for me if I can help them raise their numbers and their account balance. From the performance I saw last night, I saw endless potential for growth; the organization just needs another pair of hands to get some necessary projects off the ground.

I expect to meet with the artistic director sometime this week. My goal now is to keep searching for a job with a regular schedule and benefits that will allow me to work part-time for this organization while still keeping food on the table. Should be a cinch, right?

Preparing for a non-interview interview

Tomorrow I will meet the executive director of a local music ensemble that is in need of an office manager. I attended my first SAI Austin Alumnae meeting last Sunday and one of the members is on the board of this ensemble. When she heard I was looking for work, she asked me to come to a concert this Saturday to meet the ED. The position is part-time, but I am willing to do anything to get a foot in the door of this music scene.

So now I am preparing to attend this concert with my most professional foot forward. It is important to take any meetings like this as seriously as any formal interview. I must prepare to look professional, ask good questions, talk about myself in a professional way, and have my resume at the ready.

Step One: Ensemble.

Not only is the a professional engagement for me, but the concert is going to be held in a church, so appropriateness is doubly important. It's still in the upper 90s in Austin, so I think a pretty shift dress with a modest neckline would be perfect.

This one is from Old Navy, my favorite store for inexpensive, age-appropriate garments. Perfect for the young professional on a budget. This dress covers me, it's comfortable, and it's perfectly business-casual. If this were a real interview, I would just add a structured jacket for a put-together look.

I have a pet peeve regarding shoes in professional situations: NO OPEN TOE! I try to stick with flats for interviews unless is with a really formal company. Again I'm going with Old Navy for my shoes. The straw-like material is a fun alternative to a leather or fabric flat.

I haven't worn them yet, so I'm breaking them in tonight. Happy early Halloween! :)

As for accessories, I'm going with a watch--an interview must-have--and a pretty bag that's big enough to hold an envelope with my resume.

Step Two: Conversation Prep

I can't really do regular interview prep because this is not really an interview, but I must be prepared to ask questions and talk about myself. Examples of good questions in this situation would be:

-What do you feel is the most important task of the office manager?
-Are you looking for just an office manager or do you need help with marketing, social media, development, education, etc?
-What are your goals for the ensemble this season?

These questions have specific answers that can lead to a meaningful conversation about the position and about my qualifications and previous experience. Also, I will not leave the conversation before getting an email address.

Step Three: Resume and Letter

I've printed out a fresh resume and written a short letter to go with it. The letter is slightly shorter than my normal cover letter, and includes a message of "nice to meet you, looking forward to seeing you again soon, etc."

It think with all this preparation, I am ready for my non-interview interview tomorrow. I promise I'll tell you how it goes!

Thoughts on coffee

I am not a morning person; never have been, never will be. My mom will tell you about the shouting matches that occurred in the mornings during my elementary school days. In middle and high school it got a little better since I started to care about how I looked, but I'm still on Team Snooze.

My mom used to tell me that I'd become a morning person once I got my first job out of college. She also told me that I'd get used to rising early and start drinking coffee regularly. At that point, I was only drinking coffee on occasion and for pleasure, not out of necessity.

Fast forward to my second job out of college, my first "big girl" (i.e. full time) job. I was stationed at a reception desk with the company's payroll department behind me. The office coffee pot was situated on a little counter top to my left. The way the was the room was set up, everyone in the office had to pass by me (and the boss's office window) to grab a cup. The boss had strict rules about only making two pots per day, and people had to supply their own creamer. The first pot was always drained as soon as it was finished, and some scavengers would come for the their second cup before the second pot was finished brewing.

Now, I get it that in a company that offers few perks, you want to get your money's worth in free coffee, but crappy Folgers drowned in french vanilla? I didn't get the appeal. This desperate need for sup-par caffeine confused and worried me. After witnessing this Lord of the Flies for coffee, I decided that I never want to become chemically dependent on caffeine, no matter how perky it would make my mornings.

Transitioning again

I'm writing this post from the desktop computer at the home of my in-laws. Corey and I are living here in transition between Ann Arbor and Ausin, and because of our move-in date, our stay here is going to be a bit longer than we originally planned.

Don't get me wrong, I love my in-laws. Corey and I realize how lucky we are that we not only love our respective in-laws, but both sets of parents enjoy each other's company as well. So my mild misery has nothing to do with prolonged proximity to childhood bedrooms.

The melancholy comes from the fact that this time two years ago I was in a similar situation. I was about to move to a city I'd never visited and responsible for finding a job that would house and feed and family of two adults plus two cats.

Between application emails and labored sighs I have two thoughts:

#1: THIS again? I HATE sending the cover letter that says "here's how qualified I am, but I can't interview for another four weeks." A motherly voice would remind me that I signed up for this when I married perpetual student , and I know. All the job rejections in the world wouldn't make me ever regret being with Corey, but it's frustrating none the less. 

#2: Shit. All my talk about "starting my career" is Austin is now slapping me in the face. I feel compelled to get a job in a non-profit and fast. There's no outside excuses now for not diving headfirst into my career. For months I've been talking about a career in the arts and now I've really got to figure out how I'm going to get there. In between job searches, I'm researching CFRE courses and MPAff programs. I'd be reading my "Grantwriting for Dummies" if I hadn't packed it in Michigan.

The bottom line is I get SUPER antsy during these holding patterns, but the silver lining is that this should be the last one. Austin is it for us until one of us gets a better job offer elsewhere. Who knows? Corey may be following me next time.

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My Internship!

So the reason I have been failing epically at the posting schedule I set for myself a few weeks ago is because in addition to my full-time job, I accepted an internship with the Ann Arbor Summer Festival! I'm so excited to be back working for the arts, especially in a festival setting. Some of my readers may know that I interned for the Eau Claire Jazz Festival in college and had a blast.

I'm tired and a little stressed, but I'm mostly excited. I'm happy to be tired and stressed working for the arts! I am interning with the Volunteer Coordinators. We essentially wrangle the volunteer greeters who greet festival-goers and ask for a $3/person donation to keep the festivities free. It's a great price for 2-3 bands (per day!) and an outdoor movie. (To read more about the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, check out www.a2sf.org)

Gaining this experience with the A2SF right before I move (literally, I'm actually staying at a friend's place for the final week of the Festival while Corey and our parents move us back to WI) is just the professional pick-me-up I needed. I've been struggling for two years to find a career in the arts in the Ann Arbor/Detroit area to no avail. As a watched my arts admin experience pushed further and further down my resume, I worried about my future prospects. So when I saw that the A2SF was accepting applications for interns, I sent off my materials with hopes of refreshing my resume while working at the best summertime hang-out spot in Ann Arbor.

There have been times during the last two weeks that I've thought, "Am I crazy? What was I thinking taking on this internship when I work full-time?" But like I said, I'm happy to work hard for the thing that I love, that being the arts AND supporting my family.

I'm looking forward to a great time in the next three weeks. Volunteer training is tonight and the Festival opens on Friday. I'm going to be gaining a lot of great experience, building my resume for the future, and helping to give the town that has been my home for the last two years the best Summer Festival yet.

(Follow my Ann Arbor Summer Festival experience on Twitter @ReadheadRecords and Instagram @RedheadRecords!)

Married to Music: Networking at Corey's Summer Festival

I'm finally over the jet lag and settled into the weekend. I've been too tired to write until now, since I went back to work immediately after traveling for 12 hours and sleeping for 7. Corey is on his way home and will be back on Monday night after a brief stop in New York.

This trip was amazing in so many ways. I saw New York City for the first (sort of) time, I spent time in a lovely corner of northern Italy, I heard some great music and I did it all with my best friend. I even did some networking for myself and picked up some career tips that I'm really excited about. I was not expecting to make any career connections for myself at the festival, I was just planning to be a tag-along, but I was pleasantly surprised. I learned that every opportunity Corey gets has potential for me too, which is lifting my spirits after the career drought I've been suffering from since, well, graduation. 

I had a major job interview right before we left. It was a part-time gig, but the company (which for professional reason will remain anonymous) was such that it would have majorly kicked-off my career. A year working part-time for this place could have easily boosted me to a full-time gig in a smaller market. I write in the past-tense because I did not get the job. I'm sad about it but I'm trying to stay optimistic. I've got a few more applications out there, and at least one more to write when I'm finished posting this.

Anyway, someone I met at the festival in Italy told me about weekend courses in arts management that are offered at NYU. It's a little over $500 to take a class Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It would look great on my resume and would be a great test-run for grad school, plus I would make connections just by showing up. Right now I'm digging around for funding. The professional development grants offered by my music fraternity are only offered to applicants who already work in a music field. Boo.

This trip has really inspired me to take charge of my career. I'm going to keep applying, networking, volunteering and studying until I can get a job in arts administration. I will keep my loyal readers posted :)

Article published on DivineCaroline.com!

Hello friends!

Last week I discovered DivineCaroline.com, and online community for women that encourages members to write articles, stories, anecdotes, and other wisdom for all to read. I actually found them through the Ladies Home Journal. Not a magazine I would have picked up on my own, but I took it home from the office and I really enjoyed it! There new model is very focused on reader contribution, which is really cool.

So check out The Grad Student's Wife on DivineCaroline. It's a little more emo than I usually get here, but I'm proud of my husband and dammit, I want to tell the world!

I've also been spending some of my writing time on more contributions to my BFF's beauty blog, TruBeautyGems. It's becoming an addiction of mine. What do you think? Can I be taken seriously as a music writer AND a beauty writer at the same time?

Confession

So I have to admit that I'm a bit of a fraud. I've noticed that I'm not super-confident in my ability to write about music, and I realized it's because I don't READ nearly enough about music. So to go along with my resolution to blog more, I resolve to read twice as much. Here are some of the blogs contributing to my growth as a music writer:

1. Arts Beat, NYTimes.com

2. Music News, NPR

3. All Songs Considered, NPR

4. The Rest is Noise, Alex Ross (music critic for The New Yorker)

5. Nico Muhly, composer

Also, Corey is in this awesome class this semester that coincides with a new music festival put on by the San Francisco Orchestra and the spring season of concerts put on my the University Music Society. I plan to attend ALL of the concerts with him and report back. I am particularly excited to see the rarely performed opera Einstein on the Beach by Phillip Glass. (I have a feeling Corey will like it more than Faust.)