streamlining part deux
more on streamlining...
i had time to kill between attending 2 workshops earlier, and i had originally intended to spend that time in the computer lab, looking for jobs. but instead i went back to this awesome shop i discovered the other day. i LOVE my neighborhood.. i know, i realize this 2 years after living here. i've found great yoga studios in the area, it's accessible to subway stations, and various other places i've discovered. amazing. anyway, stumbled upon this shop.. was just on my home when their display window caught my eye. they have a great selection of incense, ayurvedic products, wide selection of books on spirituality. basically, things that i would've otherwise ordered online could be found just a few blocks from my place.
ah, my topic.. i held back from buying every book that caught my eye, remembered my goal of streamlining, and in the end, left with just one book. felt good. i am also testing out this paring down method on another area of my life, but i'd rather report on it when it proves successful.
on the workshops.. the first was on 'how to ace an interview.' feels weird using the career center as an alum- honestly, i don't think i'm even supposed to, but whatever, my id card (sometimes) still works. it was a good comprehensive workshop, i learned a lot of helpful tips, but it's also increased my anxiety about the interview process. before i just had my blinders on, and now that i've been made more aware of the subtle and blatant signs that tip me off as a good potential employee, i'm a bit more self conscious.
the second workshop wasn't v helpful. i learned a few important things, but mostly i learned that the interview process is highly subjective, v gut-driven. this one, while sponsored by the school, was given by a hiring guy from a music company. he just seemed a little wrathful, 'out to get you' kind of hr person. he drove the point that we (applicants) are not smarter than the hiring people, and can never afford to be arrogant. he went on to give a specific example where he was quite ruffled by an interviewee who posed a demanding question (the wording was just off, in my opinion). and then the speaker said: i didn't hire him, and if i ever see him again, i will make sure that he never works. OUCH.
idk, i felt a little bad for the rest of people in the room (mostly undergrads i think), and wished someone from the career center was there to monitor and say 'take everything that he says with a grain of salt, kiddos!' bec really, line up hiring people and they will say different things- this person said: no more than a page of resume. (true, that is a rule of thumb, but there are exceptions.) don't send your resume in *.pdf, send it in *.doc, in our office we use windows 98 (well, sucks for you.)
but again, all in all it was still pretty helpful. i wish though that if people were truly kind, they wouldn't be truly mean, too. it's as if growth in one direction (kindness) necessitates development in the other (meanness). no doubt, the speaker was a nice guy. for example, he takes pride in the fact that he's 'one of the people he knows that actually refers candidates to other places.' ok, but to hold a grudge and to wish that someone never finds work just bec the applicant inadvertently made you feel that you had to defend yourself? doesn't seem so fair to me.
anyway, enough. tomorrow, is workshop day again, this time about legal matters.
i had time to kill between attending 2 workshops earlier, and i had originally intended to spend that time in the computer lab, looking for jobs. but instead i went back to this awesome shop i discovered the other day. i LOVE my neighborhood.. i know, i realize this 2 years after living here. i've found great yoga studios in the area, it's accessible to subway stations, and various other places i've discovered. amazing. anyway, stumbled upon this shop.. was just on my home when their display window caught my eye. they have a great selection of incense, ayurvedic products, wide selection of books on spirituality. basically, things that i would've otherwise ordered online could be found just a few blocks from my place.
ah, my topic.. i held back from buying every book that caught my eye, remembered my goal of streamlining, and in the end, left with just one book. felt good. i am also testing out this paring down method on another area of my life, but i'd rather report on it when it proves successful.
on the workshops.. the first was on 'how to ace an interview.' feels weird using the career center as an alum- honestly, i don't think i'm even supposed to, but whatever, my id card (sometimes) still works. it was a good comprehensive workshop, i learned a lot of helpful tips, but it's also increased my anxiety about the interview process. before i just had my blinders on, and now that i've been made more aware of the subtle and blatant signs that tip me off as a good potential employee, i'm a bit more self conscious.
the second workshop wasn't v helpful. i learned a few important things, but mostly i learned that the interview process is highly subjective, v gut-driven. this one, while sponsored by the school, was given by a hiring guy from a music company. he just seemed a little wrathful, 'out to get you' kind of hr person. he drove the point that we (applicants) are not smarter than the hiring people, and can never afford to be arrogant. he went on to give a specific example where he was quite ruffled by an interviewee who posed a demanding question (the wording was just off, in my opinion). and then the speaker said: i didn't hire him, and if i ever see him again, i will make sure that he never works. OUCH.
idk, i felt a little bad for the rest of people in the room (mostly undergrads i think), and wished someone from the career center was there to monitor and say 'take everything that he says with a grain of salt, kiddos!' bec really, line up hiring people and they will say different things- this person said: no more than a page of resume. (true, that is a rule of thumb, but there are exceptions.) don't send your resume in *.pdf, send it in *.doc, in our office we use windows 98 (well, sucks for you.)
but again, all in all it was still pretty helpful. i wish though that if people were truly kind, they wouldn't be truly mean, too. it's as if growth in one direction (kindness) necessitates development in the other (meanness). no doubt, the speaker was a nice guy. for example, he takes pride in the fact that he's 'one of the people he knows that actually refers candidates to other places.' ok, but to hold a grudge and to wish that someone never finds work just bec the applicant inadvertently made you feel that you had to defend yourself? doesn't seem so fair to me.
anyway, enough. tomorrow, is workshop day again, this time about legal matters.