Continued Confidence

Here I am. Once again at the library, continuing my relentless quest to secure a job. After six weeks and two days from my graduation date, I have persistently applied for an array of positions. Through my efforts, I have submitted applications for the following positions: program coordinator, program associate, marketing coordinator, Web content coordinator, online communications coordinator, digital media planner, assistant media planner, media associate, marketing coordinator, assistant director of web marketing communications, membership coordinator, Web analytics analyst, and public relations coordinator.

Reluctantly, I have arrived at a point which I hoped to avoid. I am considering sales positions. Many positions are in some way, shape, or form sales positions, but none of the positions have been undeniably sales oriented. A friend of mine quit his radio sales job last week; he says that times are tough. But nonetheless, whether I should or not, I am feeling a bit pressure to land a full time job… This time, in between my undergraduate years and the rest of my life, is considerably difficult to navigate, and I am coming to accept what I had not considered before – i.e. sales positions. Time will tell if I actively attempt to land such positions, but as things currently stand I may be moving in that direction.

With the amounts of mud that I have thrown to the wall, only several pieces have stuck. One glob has fallen off, while two more are looking like they could stick, for now, but both are obviously delicate. Of the two chunks that are still on the wall, the interviews are this weekend (Friday and Monday) in Chicago, and I am preparing as much as possible. I am reading and re-reading the job qualifications. I am devouring all content that I find, in newspapers, professional and academic publications, bound books and virtual books, in the hope that I will learn something important or that I will gain additional insight which will help me in the interviews.

All in all, job hunting is about as much fun as moving. It can be exciting, but the actual process is enough to warrant a top ten placement on a list of least enjoyable things to do. My continued confidence that I will land a job is acceptable, appreciated (by me), and necessary as I would certainly fall short of success without it.

Life After Undergrad

As my undergraduate graduation date nears, I am becoming increasingly concerned with my plans for the future. Surely this is natural and normal, but I can't help but contemplate. College has been good to me..I have had time to develop. My goals have evolved and my interests have changed but I am in this state of continuing unsettled anxiety. Though this is probably just a personality trait, I wish I could feel completely content in my life.

Currently, I am interning at a digital marketing agency in Indianapolis called Firebelly Digital, which spawned from its parent company Firebelly Marketing. With one month under my belt, I really enjoy the work. The company is great, the people are great, everything is great with my internship. Brand development, designing and implementing web strategy, and of course the consistent flow of business analyses have really captured my interest and have kept me busy. My interest in web development came from my own personal inquiries into the Internet. The Internet will change the way society works, it will change the way in which communications occur. This is why I think the Internet is incredible. Creating content on the web is something that is particularly intriguing. What is a web page going to look like in the future? Will the virtual environments that exhist in Second Life be normal? Will I plug bestbuy.com into my address bar and visit their virtual store to learn about their products in a virtual environment?

We can already see the changes occuring with the advent of web 2.0. Web pages are changing and the ways in which people interact are evolving as well. At times I wonder if all of the available technology is really benefiting society. I don't question medical technology. For some reason, I want to live as long as possible... But the social implications of new technologies might have significant effects on how I interact with the actual world around me. I mean, I don't even know my neighbors. Is this a result of technology? Why is it that I would drive to the local grocery store if I needed a cup of milk instead of asking a neighbor to spare a cup?

For now, I see the positive impacts of technology on society. I see very real, and lasting, impacts on society and when I speak with clients I understand how I can help them find their own identity, their own voice. Will this opporunity as an intern turn into a job? As it stands right now, I would really like to obtain a job developing the web. As for my plans for the future...I haven't really figured that out yet..I will continue to explore my options and hopefully I will one day be content with the path I am taking in life.