tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89440785403863369762024-02-06T23:51:03.295-06:00Tiger2TigerChris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-32152328271733656272011-07-05T23:14:00.001-05:002011-07-05T23:15:41.824-05:00I've moved my blogging over to a Tumblr site at <a href="http://neatlyinshambles.tumblr.com/">http://neatlyinshambles.tumblr.com</a> because I prefer the formatting and other options available to me. It's more of a life blog than a job search one since I'm still looking for the right fit and wanted to journal the experience a bit more freely. I'm actually pretty proud of the frequency with which I've posted though I'm sure others on Twitter and Facebook are tiring quickly of the multiple posts that appear daily.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-46671526872156508972010-10-27T16:20:00.000-05:002010-10-27T16:20:32.444-05:00Quick (and Overdue) UpdateI'm staying busy in Dallas and still waiting for a new chapter to start in life.<br />
<br />
Since resigning from my position at Peak, there honestly hasn't been a lot of new things to discuss (hence the lapse in blogging). I spent a great week at home in Baton Rouge and it was amazing to see friends and family. I've started working at Michael's (arts & crafts store) and Barnes & Noble to help with bills and all. Working at Michael's and having a great deal of free time has been great for my creativity as those who follow me on Twitter may have seen. I would, however, welcome a day off or two. As of today, I've worked at one job or another (and yes, both) every day for the past 13 days and am scheduled to continue on with this streak for the foreseeable future. <br />
<br />
On the job search front, I've applied to a number of schools and interviewed with two so far. I'm back in familiar territory just waiting for the phone to ring and applying for as many positions as I feel comfortable. I may have one or two that I'm hoping for a bit more than the others, but that's completely natural. I just wonder about being out of the "student affairs loop" for too long and having to justify my absence (ie- why could I not find a job in higher ed if that's what I really wanted).<br />
<br />
Regardless of work and job searching hurdles, I'm planning to make another trip home in a few weeks since I doubt that I'll be able to for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. Maybe the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiSIQzwIPzQ">Great Pumpkin</a> will bring me something nice this weekend to make things a bit easier.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-26398126685706098432010-09-23T14:37:00.000-05:002010-09-23T14:37:00.283-05:00Ch-ch-ch-changes!A lot has been going on since I last blogged.<br />
<br />
Work at Peak has been interesting to say the very least. My coworkers have been amazing both at work and beyond. It's great to have found a group of people to help me get used to a new city. Despite that, I have recently resigned from my position. There were too many expectations that were nothing close to being met and too many differences in work style between me and my supervisor. <br />
<br />
I've been job searching for both something temporary and something more permanent and higher ed related. After a few months of employment (aka not having to search for open positions on a daily basis) I'd almost forgotten what it was like. Not for long though... I've hit the ground running and completed applications for 13 schools and a handful of local options.<br />
<br />
So, now that I have a bit more free time, I'm hoping to be able to update more. Heck, I've gotta give potential employers something interesting to read about myself, right?Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-46344598916902322092010-08-17T22:03:00.002-05:002010-08-17T22:11:00.011-05:00I fully admit that I've been a terrible blogger for the last month or so and I'm willing to apologize profusely!!<br /><br />However, my personal laptop is broken and I don't like using my work laptop for too much personal stuff. So, I'll keep this brief.<br /><br />I'm settling into my apartment and Dallas very nicely. It's definitely a place I could get used to living. My job is another story entirely. I'm not exactly unhappy with my job, but I know that I will not stay longer than I must. It's kind of a major adjustment from the super organized world of orientation (at least it appears to be most of the time) to what is somewhat unreliable, poorly managed, and last minute (if at all) world in which I find myself. I'll save the list of complaints and solutions for another day or just make mental notes.<br /><br />I just want to say that I'm happy, generally, and very much ready for the coming months which include my birthday, a ridiculously affordable concert with Kalan, Lizzie and Amanda and a trip to Atlanta with Mary Ellen to see Kyle, Jake and Stephen as well as LSU's first game of the season.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-10000614529575258362010-07-20T23:34:00.002-05:002010-07-20T23:36:54.095-05:00I spent my first day on campus today and I really enjoyed it! My official title is "Academic Research Administrator," but we're still trying to work out exactly what that means. So far, I've been able to keep a great deal of variety in my routine which definitely will keep me on my toes! We've got a short overnight retreat this weekend so I should have more to talk about on Sunday. Just wanted y'all to know that I'm doing well and getting settled in.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-88423749821652381722010-07-18T22:41:00.008-05:002010-07-19T00:16:21.035-05:00Tomorrow morning I have new employee orientation at one of the other schools Uplift operates. I'm ready for challenge of making it to work on time without knowing streets well yet. I've been driving around all weekend to get better acclimated with the area though it's been mostly running errands and picking up essentials. This is going to be an interesting week while I'm waiting for the rest of my furniture and things to arrive this weekend.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-76086824190540803202010-07-15T12:51:00.002-05:002010-07-15T12:58:06.497-05:00I'm starting the move to Dallas this evening though it will probably take a week or so to get all of ,y things over. Tonight, I'll stop in Shreveport to stay with Chandler so the I can hit the road bright and early tomorrow. I'm not sure when I'll have real access to the Internet again so I figured it would be best to post something now. Look for updates periodically as I may post things from my phone if necessary!Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-35957325150223484542010-07-06T23:02:00.002-05:002010-07-06T23:22:49.894-05:00Full CircleIn celebration of my 100th post on this blog, I decided to share something about my new position that relates back to the reason I began Tiger2Tiger in the first place-Auburn.<br /><br />When I started at Auburn last May, I was promptly informed that I had a new name. One of Camp War Eagle's Head Camp Counselors was named Chris, so to avoid confusion, I became "Landry." Apparently, they voted and I lost. It actually wasn't terrible and I came to like it since it was a definite change from the nickname I've had since 1999...<br /><br />This morning, I visited Peak Preparatory to meet my new supervisor, get acclimated with campus and make sure that everything is in order for my official start date. After a very productive meeting with Teresa, we had Thai for lunch with one of the other administrators. Lo and behold, his name is Chris, and they'd already voted. I lost again...<br /><br />Despite the craziness of the last few weeks (really months) today has been a complete success for me. I started unofficially working today on some special projects to get me ready for July 19th. I also set up my apartment; it's in a great location and is pretty roomy.<br /><br />To end this post, I want to continue looking forward and provide some goals that I have for this position:<br /><ul><li>develop a better understanding of secondary education to better serve me in higher education (basically- where are students coming from before they start college)</li><li>create a better system of information distribution to pass on to my successor</li><li>continue to expand my professional network with NODA and beyond</li><li>save a bit of money to be able to travel more and see my friends that have moved away</li></ul>Here's to many more posts as I continue my journey... Thanks for reading!Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-78914002070529876712010-07-01T00:37:00.002-05:002010-07-01T00:39:34.707-05:00Forgot to add a bit of interestingness that is exactly how my life operates more often than not. Within 2 hours of accepting the position at Peak, I had a call for a phone interview at Texas Tech. Then, on Wednesday (about 26 hours after accepting the position), I was contacted by Western Kentucky about my application there.<br /><br />Oh, life!! I'm moving forward and making the most of this decision.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-64602123274615370102010-06-30T20:50:00.002-05:002010-06-30T22:24:02.416-05:00Thankfully Employed, Part Two<span style="font-style: italic;">*And now the thrilling conclusion of my current job search journey.*<br /><br /></span>Between my on-campus at FGCU and my non-interview interview with Teresa from Peak, I had a lot to think about, hypothetical decisions to make so that when it came time to make the real ones, I would be prepared. Hey, I fully own up to the fact that I'm a planner.<br /><br />A few weeks passed with lots of action- thank you letters were mailed, follow-up emails sent, more extensive research was completed. I busied myself helping with LSU's orientation leader training a few times, catching up with friends and regaining my mobility! Needless to say, I had a lot on my mind as well as a great deal of things going on around me. Luckily for me, both schools had similar timelines and planned to have an answer within a few weeks<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>.<br /><br /></span>As it became more clear that the position at Peak was definite is I was interested, I contacted FGCU to see "where I stood in their process."<span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>I received an email fairly quickly that essentially said that they had offered the position to another candidate and were waiting for a confirmation. It was a bit of a surprise; I felt that this was my best interview to date though I knew that the school and program needed someone with more professional supervision experience. I'm still waiting for official confirmation of the hire to inquire with the director about areas of improvement for future interviews.<br /><br />The same evening, I met up my friend Meghan as she passed through town on her way home to New Orleans and mentioned the news. When I got home from dinner, Teresa had emailed me to check-in on the process. Though she swears she didn't, I think Meghan may have had something to do with the timing. Either way, I was thankful.<br /><br />My decision then became more immediate and shifted a bit in focus - should I take the position in Dallas or keep holding out for something in higher ed? If I don't wait for another position, will it be impossible to get back into the field? Can I make the job at Peak transfer more easily to student affairs?<br /><br />I talked to a lot of people, both in the field and out of it, to gather some input and help decide. Ultimately, I relied on what I knew would make the decision up for me - I made a color-coded pros and cons chart. After some back and forth with Teresa about the "official" next steps to the unofficial process, I was offered and accepted the position.<br /><br />My new title is Executive Assistant and I'm working with Teresa to better provide coverage and increased presence on campus and within the community. There's also a bit of research and programming to keep me busy though there will be a lot of changing responsibilities and evolution as we both become more comfortable with one another and the position.<br /><br />My start date is July 19th which is very, very soon considering I've got to find a place to live, relocate and acclimate to a new city and new school system in a matter of weeks. Oh, did I mention that I'm having another surgery on my ankle on July 13 - yep, 6 days before I start a new job. To make things a bit easier, I'm going to Dallas (with a relaxing stay-over in Shreveport with Mary Ellen and Chandler, maybe a trip to San Antonio to see my whale-training buddy, Jake, and an engagement party for Chris and Heather in Houston on July 10) next week to get an apartment, fill out any necessary paperwork, and get away for a few days.<br /><br />So, there you have it and I have a job! It's been an exciting journey with a lot of ups and downs, but I'm very, very, very ready to begin this new chapter. I plan to continue this blog (for those few of you who still read, haha!) to chronicle my experiences as a new professional.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-74798129759217878622010-06-30T02:28:00.003-05:002010-06-30T02:55:17.761-05:00Thankfully Employed<span style="font-style: italic;">*Note: I'm starting this MUCH later than I anticipated so I may post it in pieces if I start rambling or nodding off to sleep.*<br /><br /></span>After nearly a full year of job searching, I have found a job in a most unexpected place. It may take a bit to explain so let me start near the beginning. Hopefully, you'll see why it's been a while since I've posted anything of relevance.<br /><br />At the start of June, I completed a on-campus interview with Florida Gulf Coast University. I really loved the campus and felt that it would be a good fit for me to utilize my experience as well as further develop professionally. Unfortunately, they felt that another candidate more strongly suited their needs. However, while I was in transit to Fort Myers, I received an interesting call from one of my friends.<br /><br />Meghan has been teaching 3rd grade at Peak Preparatory in Dallas for a year now through Teach for America. She always talks about how much she loves the school, staff and students and how comfortable she feels working with the administrators. While flying, she called and texted me and seemed to have something important to pass along. During a layover in Atlanta, I called her back and found out that there was a unique position being developed at Peak that she thought I might be interested in pursuing.<br /><br />Essentially, one of the principals was taking on a new role as Executive Director for the entire K-12 school and was looking for an assistant to help balance out her workload. Meghan knew some of my work experiences (we've worked together in a variety of roles so she's got a great idea of what I'm capable of as well as areas of growth for me) and offered to contact me with the possibility that it was too far out of my interest level to appeal to me.<br /><br />I've mentioned on here a few times before, but lately, I have had a hard time facing the reality of not finding a job in higher education just yet. With that in mind, I decided to at least take time to contact Teresa, the new Executive Director, to get a better idea and make a more informed decision. After a bit of phone tag, we finally connected with one another and had what I still can't classify as an interview - it was honestly more of a conversation focused on filling the position.<br /><br />Teresa mentioned that though she had an idea of what role this position would take, it was fairly fluid based on the needs of the school and the person who is hired. I discussed my concerns about coming from an entirely different background and needing a supervisor who is willing to help acclimate me to the new area. After nearly an hour and a half, most of my fears were allayed and it seemed as though hers were as well. Well, I had collected a great deal of information about the school, staff, position and Teresa which left me with a lot to consider in addition to a great deal of time to wait out the process.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Okay, that seems to be a good stopping point for this evening. I'm hoping to finish the rest of the story tomorrow sometime!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-583183962644155272010-06-29T12:40:00.001-05:002010-06-29T12:40:23.842-05:00I OFFICIALLY HAVE A JOB!!!! More to come later tonight!Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-18985049492204231282010-06-19T15:19:00.002-05:002010-06-19T15:31:39.943-05:006 Months in Review<span style="font-style: italic;">"And finally, the job search continues perhaps more intensively than ever before. Perhaps it's that whole, having nothing to do during the day without a job or school. I'm trying to not be extremely picky though I want to find something that I'm at least vaguely interested in and that I can see myself working for at least 3-5 years." <a href="http://tiger2tiger.blogspot.com/2009/12/life-update.html">(December 24th)</a><br /><br />"On a slightly different note, unemployment has provided me with a bit of spare time that I've tried to capitalize on though it hasn't always worked out well. I have been cooking more than usual and trying some new dishes. I've also been reading much more for leisure than before including an entire book in a night!" </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://tiger2tiger.blogspot.com/2010/01/job-search-update-and-more.html">(January 11th)</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I've built a good network here and know that there are great things to come for this area. So far though, only 6 of my 16 jobs are in those states and 4 of those have the potential to be in my areas of interest. Honestly, and this is something that may be totally mental for me, I simply don't know how ready I am for this inevitable change." </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://tiger2tiger.blogspot.com/2010/02/applications-completed-16-applications.html">(February 9th)</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I've really come to value the connections that I've made with student affairs professionals over the last few months. It was great to talk to people in Louisville especially those that have or may have job openings at their institutions. It's also exciting to hear from friends randomly about jobs that are available or will soon be available. It's glimmers of hope like this that make waiting for the right position worth it." </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://tiger2tiger.blogspot.com/2010/03/friends-in-higher-ed-places.html">(March 28)</a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"She also asked how I broke my ankle in the first place. My response, though not as descriptive as the whole truth, is still an honest statement- "I was in a restaurant and lost my footing. My ankle rolled and broke in 2 places." Technically, the place is a restaurant a much greater percentage of the time than it is considered a bar or club. And yes, I was dancing when I lost my footing, but it was lost nonetheless." </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://tiger2tiger.blogspot.com/2010/04/complete-honesty.html">(April 5th)</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"There were a few jobs that I consciously chose not to apply for because they were out of my geographic or skills comfort zones or because I honestly shouldn't settle for much less that what I'm qualified to do. This may not be the best policy; however, I feel pretty strongly that I can find a great job that offers me a great opportunity to move up without having to start at the absolute lowest level of the higher ed hierarchy. </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://tiger2tiger.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-spent-better-portion-of-today-off-and.html">(May 24th)</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"One interesting thing to come out of the interview was how one of the staff members described me - as a </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conduit">"conduit."</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> After hearing my present and meet for a bit in a small panel interview setting, she gathers that I have a tendency to channel the thoughts and emotions around me to move the creative process." </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://tiger2tiger.blogspot.com/2010/06/i-con-du-it.html">(June 6th)</a>Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-24455888926248676662010-06-15T21:22:00.002-05:002010-06-15T21:57:21.775-05:00I see your True ColorsOver my time as a student and working in higher ed, I've had a lot of opportunities to take personality assessments and work style inventories. Two things have become fairly apparent - I've definitely grown and developed over the years and I have a tendency to stick to the middle of the road.<br /><br />With those tests that I've taken more than once, I almost never score the same thing more than once. Most people would attribute this to a change that allowed me to grow further as a leader or professionally. It's good to see that laid out and charted whereas it's often hard to pinpoint progress in progress. On some, particularly the Bird Test (which very similar to True Colors), I've been all of the possible outcomes.<br /><br />That brings up the other commonality that I've seen. On most assessments, I tend to score nearly even on most levels or near the center of the grid. I think it's because I don't like the wording of some of the questions.<span style="font-style: italic;"> No, of course I don't ALWAYS respond to a situation in this way </span>or <span style="font-style: italic;">I can't say that I NEVER react like that.</span> Darn you <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Likert_scale">Likert scales</a> and your lack of flexibility!!<br /><br />The reason, I bring this up is that on my recent on-campus interview the students were very excited to have taken the <a href="http://mytruecolors.com">True Colors</a> test as part of their training. They asked what my color was and, honestly, I had no clue. I had taken a test based on True Colors years ago and was sure that I wasn't the same anymore. I took it online tonight and scored fairly evenly across all areas. My strongest color was Gold followed closely by Blue and Green. Orange was the lowest, but not by much. Right now, I'm reading through the information packet that came with my results and thoroughly enjoying finding out more about myself and how I operate!<br /><br />I really hope to be able to use this assessment in the future and definitely encourage everyone to try it out. Let me know what your color is if you do!Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-39047391371453825222010-06-06T21:13:00.002-05:002010-06-06T21:31:41.249-05:00I Con-du-itI've been back for a few days from my interview in Florida, but I'm going to hold off on my feelings about it for a bit. I will say that I felt very comfortable and relaxed throughout the day and left with knowing that it was my best interview to date.<br /><br />One interesting thing to come out of the interview was how one of the staff members described me - as a <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conduit">"conduit."</a> After hearing my present and meet for a bit in a small panel interview setting, she gathers that I have a tendency to channel the thoughts and emotions around me to move the creative process. I took it as a good thing (and I'm not just saying that because she stumbled upon my blog during her prep work for the interview.)<br /><br />Regardless, I appreciate the description and will gladly adopt the analogy for the future. It's an easier way to discuss my observant nature without it seeming negative or a hindrance to productivity. All in all, I'm happy to have had the opportunity with someone who was able to get such a read on me and describe what I haven't been able to quite put my finger on myself.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-62833486610441060482010-06-01T13:25:00.002-05:002010-06-01T13:40:58.953-05:00A ConfessionI must admit that I have a bit of a ritual following an unsuccessful job search. It's not quite an obsession, just my curiosity getting the best of me at times. For whatever reason, I really want to find out who the chosen candidate is. So far though, only 2 of my 4 on campus interviews have led to announced hires--one school is re-opening the search and the other hasn't updated their website in some time. Oh, and it's great to run into the new hire at conferences and such... makes for an interesting introduction. I guess I just want to see what qualities employers are really looking for, beyond what they list on job descriptions.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-48510225883885733742010-05-24T00:49:00.002-05:002010-05-24T01:09:24.474-05:00I spent the better portion of today (off and on for about 7 hours) job searching. I found as many position openings that I thought might be interesting and set them aside to apply for after some quick research. At the end of the day, I applied for 5 and have 4 more ready to be mailed as soon as possible. Today brings my total of active applications to near 35 and rejections to date to nearly 30. That's kind of a disheartening fact, but I'm hoping to be able to keep the first number higher despite the dwindling job market. There were a few jobs that I consciously chose not to apply for because they were out of my geographic or skills comfort zones or because I honestly shouldn't settle for much less that what I'm qualified to do. This may not be the best policy; however, I feel pretty strongly that I can find a great job that offers me a great opportunity to move up without having to start at the absolute lowest level of the higher ed hierarchy.<br /><br />Over the last few weeks, I've gotten a few reassuring calls from some colleagues regarding the feedback I recieved from Delaware and my job search in general. It's good to hear from the perspective of those that have worked with me. It also helped me to see that part of the concerns from the interview are simply parts of my personality that I have to work to overcome or deal with in that setting (particularly my observant nature coming off as shyness or discomfort).<br /><br />I've got a phone interview with a small school in South Florida on Tuesday for which I'm still preparing. I haven't heard from LSU still which, to be honest, isn't the best sign. I'm not comfortable contacting the department or chair of the searhc committee, so I'm just going to operate on that deduction. Hopefully some new interviews or information will come in this week as it's probably the last week before most school's get into their summer orientations.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-36911416652548190932010-05-13T15:20:00.003-05:002010-05-13T15:35:32.670-05:00All Quiet on the Southern Front...Not much has happened lately so there hasn't been much of a job search update necessary. I've interviewed with a few schools over the last couple of weeks and am waiting to hear back from them. I haven't seen many orientation, first year student, or family programs positions posted recently as many schools are beginning their summers (which is busy season for this field).<br /><br />I've never been one to give up easily, but I am a realist. I understand that I can't expect to stay unemployed for much longer (after I'm back on my feet) despite my goals. Now, I just have to weigh my options and ask myself the tough questions that I have maybe been avoiding for some time.<br /><br />Should I stay here in Baton Rouge or move closer to where I'd like to work and continue searching there? What can I do for work that is relevant and would offer strong, relatable, transferable experience to higher education? How long can I keep applying and job searching in this field before I need to look to something else?Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-17980522212118973362010-05-05T12:27:00.005-05:002010-05-05T13:07:53.655-05:00Hard Pill to SwallowI asked for feedback from Delaware and it was a bit difficult to hear that some of what I thought were my strengths didn't go over quite so well. I'm planning to use this and work on my interview skills as much as possible while I prepare for future on-campus interviews once I have time to thoroughly process the response. I'm probably going to have second thoughts about this later, but I want to share the constructive part of the feedback here and welcome any suggestions particularly from those that I've worked with in the past.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;font-size:11pt;" >In comparison to the other applicants we interviewed, you certainly seemed to have more orientation experience on paper, but in person I felt as though you didn’t share very much with us about your specific skills and more importantly specific examples of how you put your skills into practice. I think being able to give specific, concrete examples when answering interview questions is pivotal and shows the interviewers that you have actually done or put into practice the more theoretical concepts you’re talking about. At times, It also seemed as though you weren’t as prepared or polished as some of the other candidates we saw. I would recommend utilizing a mock interview with a career counselor if you’re able so that you can really observe yourself in an interview. It may help you to identify areas or question answers that you can strengthen. </span> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Also, the feedback I received from some of the people you met included reservations about your ability to multi-task and handle difficult situations/conversations. It may be that you were unprepared for their questions, but because so much of orientation work requires these two very important skills, I would recommend thinking about how you could provide more detailed explanations and examples of your abilities in these 2 areas. </span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">The student leaders really connected with you, but several of the professional staff commented that they didn’t feel you had much energy or charisma. I can appreciate that you may have been exhausted due to your injury, but I think your energy level may have affected the way you were perceived. Overall, you seem like a great person with really solid orientation programming experience, but I think you need to really sell yourself and have confidence in your abilities.</span></p>Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-18685308876984573292010-05-03T22:21:00.002-05:002010-05-03T22:39:19.518-05:00Job Search CountActive Applications: 25ish<br />Rejections: 18ish<br />Phone Interviews: 7 (and one on Wednesday)<br />On-Campus Interviews: 5<br />--<br /><br />This is not a fun process to go through the first time around. People say that it's much easier after the first time since "you'll have a job while you're searching." Being somewhat unable to get around easily (read: almost entirely unable to get around easily) doesn't help the situation much though it has given me more time to search each day.<br /><br />I interviewed at LSU last week and think it went well although I'm not the best judge of how these things go. Also, I heard via email this morning that the Delaware position went to something with "a stronger interview overall" and more professional experience. How can I gain professional experience if I can't get a job?!? Oh well, later this afternoon, I set up an interview with the University of Arkansas for Wednesday. Apparently, one of my close friends and soon-to-be-fellow-former-Orientation-GA, Ryann, is interviewing for the same position. She's amazing and is much more qualified for this position so it will be very interesting to see how this plays out.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-30735688857747304182010-04-27T22:44:00.002-05:002010-04-27T22:46:44.552-05:00I've got an interview at LSU tomorrow and a phone interview with the University of Texas at El Paso on Thursday!! I'm just ready to move beyond the interview phase and start working somewhere. Seriously... I'm a great employee.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-49125992633608813512010-04-22T21:31:00.003-05:002010-04-22T21:32:16.485-05:00Forgot to mention something that really made me happy and has made this whole, frustrating experience worthwhile:<br /><br />350 people applied for the position that I interviewed for last week. I was one of four candidates brought to campus.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-37805121588813894592010-04-20T19:04:00.002-05:002010-04-20T19:22:43.046-05:00I'm back home from my interview and getting settled into my routine. One thing that I picked up in Delaware and during my travels was a keen appreciation and respect for those who use wheelchairs on a daily basis and those that work with them.<br /><br />Honestly, there would have been no way that I could have gotten around the airport, let alone through the entire experience without the help of my sister-in-law who graciously accompanied me. She helped smooth things over when I needed assistance in the airport and hotels. On that note, most of the flight attendants, airline representatives, hotel employees and people we encountered were very accommodating and helped to make sure that I was as comfortable as possible.<br /><br />During the interview, the professionals and students all seemed to be very willing to help get me around campus. Without that, I don't know how long my arms would have held up-it was already hard enough pushing myself around in a suit on a warm day! I think the interview went well though I've got some concerns mostly regarding my physical condition as it relates to their timeline. The position itself seems to be very much a learning opportunity and would be a great first position.<br /><br />Despite our best efforts, we missed our flight home on Friday evening. Since there is not an airport near the University of Delaware, Cathy had to drive us to and from the Baltimore airport in a rental car. We hit Friday afternoon traffic along the way, had difficulties returning the car and using the shuttle and simply didn't make it to the counter in time to check our luggage. All in all, it wasn't a terrible thing though I think we were both frustrated due to the lack of sleep.Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-19301287763310613712010-04-11T23:16:00.003-05:002010-04-12T20:08:01.260-05:00What would Dela wear?I've got an on-campus interview this Thursday and Friday and I may possible be in a bit of a sticky situation. I'm worried that my suit pants won't fit easily or comfortably over my bulging ankle cast. We're going to my apartment to pick up my suit of choice tomorrow and hopefully it will fit well.<br /><br />Student affairs folk, would it be terrible to wear something nice that isn't a suit? I'm not sure exactly what that would mean just yet--maybe nice khakis and a blazer. We'll see tomorrow evening exactly what's going to be possible.<br /><br /><br />EDIT: Suit fits well!! No worries!Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944078540386336976.post-90179008578320928282010-04-05T13:55:00.003-05:002010-04-05T14:08:41.859-05:00Complete HonestyIt's not usually a struggle to be entirely honest, but there are times when I wonder if I should hold back. For example, I spoke with the director I'm interviewing with next Friday to update her on my condition.<br /><br />We discussed how I'm getting around and the possibility of having a caregiver along with me just in case I have difficulty outside of the interview times with luggage and the hotel. However, I also mentioned the strong possibility that I'll still be on pain meds during the interview and that I'm not entirely sure how I will react on them just yet. Was that too much information or just a necessary precaution?<br /><br />She also asked how I broke my ankle in the first place. My response, though not as descriptive as the whole truth, is still an honest statement- "I was in a restaurant and lost my footing. My ankle rolled and broke in 2 places." Technically, the place is a restaurant a much greater percentage of the time than it is considered a bar or club. And yes, I was dancing when I lost my footing, but it was lost nonetheless.<br /><br />Where does one draw the line between tactfully sharing relevant information and withholding the truth to make the story seem better than it actually is?Chris Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293320443715213902noreply@blogger.com2