Tuesday, July 5, 2011
I've moved my blogging over to a Tumblr site at http://neatlyinshambles.tumblr.com 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.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Quick (and Overdue) Update
I'm staying busy in Dallas and still waiting for a new chapter to start in life.
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.
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).
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 Great Pumpkin will bring me something nice this weekend to make things a bit easier.
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.
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).
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 Great Pumpkin will bring me something nice this weekend to make things a bit easier.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Ch-ch-ch-changes!
A lot has been going on since I last blogged.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
I fully admit that I've been a terrible blogger for the last month or so and I'm willing to apologize profusely!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
I 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.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Tomorrow 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.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
I'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!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Full Circle
In 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.
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...
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...
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.
To end this post, I want to continue looking forward and provide some goals that I have for this position:
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...
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...
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.
To end this post, I want to continue looking forward and provide some goals that I have for this position:
- develop a better understanding of secondary education to better serve me in higher education (basically- where are students coming from before they start college)
- create a better system of information distribution to pass on to my successor
- continue to expand my professional network with NODA and beyond
- save a bit of money to be able to travel more and see my friends that have moved away
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Forgot 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.
Oh, life!! I'm moving forward and making the most of this decision.
Oh, life!! I'm moving forward and making the most of this decision.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Thankfully Employed, Part Two
*And now the thrilling conclusion of my current job search journey.*
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.
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.
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." 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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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." 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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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