top 10 things i learned while i was looking for a job.

You guys, I finally got a job. It only took 8 months, but I finally did it.

10. Trust your gut. 

You don't HAVE to take the first job you're offered. I got offered a job and for some reason I just had a nagging feeling that it was wrong for me. I wasn't excited about the news. It felt more like a punishment than an accomplishment.  If it doesn't feel right, if you don't see yourself fitting in with the employees or the environment, say no. You have to go to work every single day. You should at least LIKE it.

9. Ask questions. 

Because if they ask you if you have any questions and you say "nope!" then it just looks like you didn't listen to a single thing they said. Also if you're going to take this job it will be a huge life change. You're going to spend the majority of your time at this job. HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. (but actually think them through. there are such things as dumb questions in interviews.)

8. Research the Company. 

I mean ya they tell you this in school because “it makes you seem interested in the company” …that’s obvious. But for other reasons? I went into an ad agency once and they asked “Which of our clients is your favorite?” Had i not researched the company i would’ve been sitting there like DUHHHHHH IDK U GUYZ. And I would’ve looked stupid. Nobody ever wants to look stupid.

7. Send thank you notes.

 Because you’re supposed to. That’s all I have to say about that.

6. Put your social media on LOCK. 

This is so important, especially in the journalism/media/business industry. IF EMPLOYERS CAN FIND YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND CAN STALK YOU, YOU BETTER BELIEVE THEY’RE GOING TO DO IT. So yeah maybe you went to that party in college and had half a beer and called it a night by 11pm. If you’re in a Facebook picture sitting at a table with a million red cups and handles of vodka, employers get a REALLLLLLL different impression. You hate miley cyrus and tweet about it regularly? What if the person who wants to hire you is a die hard miley fan. Like it or not, if he/she found all these “i hate miley” tweets, don’t you think a part of them whether they like it or not is going to lean toward a different candidate rather than you? Google yourself on the reg, protect everything, and try to be as politically correct as possible.

5. Follow up. 

I HATED DOING THIS SO MUCH BUT YOU HAVE TO. I always thought “well I don’t want to email them again because what if they’re like ‘omg she’s so annoying I’m not giving her the job’ THEY CAN’T BLAME YOU FOR BEING PERSISTENT. Also if they don’t give you a job you’re qualified for because you annoyed them then you probably don’t want to work there anyways. Every email I got a response to was one I wrote to supplement my original message. People like to see that you are thinking about their company and that you want to work there and that you’re motivated and persistent. Ya. They get all of that out of how many times you email them. Also if they’re super busy people sometimes they need a reminder. Hey dude! Still here! Still watching netflix for a living! Give me something to do so you have more time to read and reply to emails!

4. Be early. 

Use your GPS thing in your phone to figure out how to get to an interview, and leave yourself a lot of time to DEAL WITH PARKING. Usually interviews are in the city and parking in any city ever is impossible. Leave time for it. Because if you’re late and you say “I couldn’t figure out where to park!” That’s your own damn fault. You’re an idiot for not allotting time for that, the guy interviewing you makes a note you have poor time management skills. Whoops.

3. Use your connections.

I was always like “no I don’t want any favors. I want to get a job on my own merit without any help.” Okay well that’s still a thing, but you DO need the connections to do that. Having someone help get you an interview is not them HELPING you get a job. You still have to do that  on your own with your own sparkling personality. But it definitely helps to have someone in the company who can put your resume at the top of the pile and get you a CHANCE to show how awesome you are. They aren’t kidding when they say its not about what you know, it’s about who you know. Annoying as it is to admit…it’s true.  

2. PAINT YOUR NAILS A GROWNUP COLOR.

No black. No royal blue. No every single finger a different shade of blue. Maybe I did that, maybe I didn’t. But by that I mean I definitely did do that. Not to a job interview, but you know me. If anyone can get away with having her nails be every shade of blue there is, it’s me. JUST NOT TO A JOB INTERVIEW. One time I even had a BRAND NEW MANICURE of black polish. Like it looked perfect and was polished and clean. If you run into that situation I would research the company culture. If they’re a trendy jeans type of place maybe you can get away with it, but if it’s a suit and briefcase kind of place I think probably not in the black polish department. Your best bet is to pick a good nude color to have on hand like Essie Ballet Slippers. You shake people’s hands in job interviews. If you have some chewed up chipped gross fingernails then that’s not good.

1. Your mom is right. 

Straight up. All the time. You’ll save yourself HOURS (ok fine, MONTHS) if you just listen to what she has to say right off the bat. My mom told me everything on this list needed to be done in MAY when I graduated. Of course I was too proud to take her advice and I had to do things on my own. Had I just listened to what she said I probably would’ve found employment a LOT faster. So ya k fine. You win mom. You were right.