One of the things I've been meaning to do ever since I stopped working for my mother after I quit putting up with her tyranny was update my resume. Just to make it more refine and professional. Extra fancy and extra nonsense that employers just eat up. This piece of paper I'm trying to sell myself with.

I've been working since I was 14 and I honestly still don't know where to begin job hunting, especially my first few jobs. I haven't done as much networking as I should have, so most of my previous jobs were mainly just luck and personal connections that lead to references such as my job at a housing/mortgage company along with various retail jobs. It's no surprise I don't have a huge network to help with employment since that's whats college is the mostly for. I've missed out.

The only card I had up my sleeve was that I've done a lot of interning (some which turned into jobs and others were part time paid programs) during my high school years since I transferred to an alternative school. I built up my nonexistent resume from there. Working at The Museum of Modern Art, Fashion Institute of Technology, Senior Center, Social Workers office, Law firm, Animal Clinic, Hospital Nursing Department, Department of Consumer affairs and a private art gallery.



My first approach to job hunting was those job search sites that just make you browse in circles but have no real results. Most of the classifieds were outdated and it seems the poster themselves does not keep up with it. Then there is the applying online via the company's website. I don't think they actually even read the applications submitted. I've never gotten a response, acknowledgement or rejection from any of the direct applications for careers on company websites.



My best friend mentioned craigslist. I seriously live under a rock and didn't even know what the site was and if it was actually effective. First impression: "Isn't that the site where guys post pictures of their penis all over the place." Yes, I checked what seemed to be oddly interesting sections first. I wasn't convinced craigslist job ads actually worked but I tried anyway and I went to open calls advertised on the site. I probably mailed out about 30 resumes during my previous attempts at answering to job ads. Out of those, I got called back by 3 places I applied to. None of which worked out. I was gunning for waitress, secretary, or customer service rep positions since I just needed a filler job between my break from school.

I've always wanted to try working in a fine dining environment. Most of the places I sent resumes to completely shut down the possibility of hiring me since I don't have "minimum 2 years NYC fine dining experience". If no one hires or trains new people, how will there be any employees to circulate around that field? Bastards. I admit though, my resume wasn't very well written or convincing at the time. Especially my cover letter. I pretty much half assed it. I'm not sure if it was the lack of motivation or I just wasn't enthusiastic about it.



I've been mentioning in a few of my entries that I've been splurging a lot recently. Along with my online window shopping and my lack of self control to compelling but completely useless items- I realize I waste too much money, therefore I should make more money to waste for the time being. Also, I plan on drive soon so I should probably keep up with my savings again. I'm not sure how this is going to work out if a miracle happens and my applications actually get accepted for the spring semester (I seriously hope it does though). Whatever, they don't need to know. I'll probably just go part-time then.

So I finally got my ass to revise my resume. Add some sugar and spice and everything nice. I remember complaining to my friend that none of those craigslist ads actually work or serve its purpose. Then she shut me up and said she actually got her new job as a Barista at some chic bakery near Williamsburg on craigslist. What was her secret? Add a recent head shot to your resume. "Just do it, it helps." I listened and so I did. No, not nudes you assholes.

Today I sent out about 8 resumes on craigslist this time, with my recent photo included. I actually got 2 replies within 20 minutes of sending them out for interviews, training and whatnot. The first place is a fine dining Thai restaurant, it has a pretty chic interior design and the second is a modern Japanese place. Anyway I was told to go in Monday and Wednesday to each place. Hopefully they'll like me enough to actually offer competitive pay and good work hours. I'm going to bring the highest quality bullshit and all fake smiles I got. Or whatever I can muster without feeling like a dirty whore. Phony it up. It's Halloween all over again. Well, just going to see how it goes. Not going to think too far ahead and get my hopes up.


Aside from resumes, paperwork and job hunting- I've been working on my wishlist for future references. AHH FML all the things I can't have. They're either unreasonably expensive or all out of stock online. I bet some small indie UK or Japanese boutique are carrying them. I hate living here. My life is incomplete but I'll get to it eventually. I'll take it as motivation to work. Oh, my mom called me today and said we're going shopping tomorrow as "pre-Black Friday" shopping. People who actually camp out on black Friday til midnight and shop until the sun rises is fucking psycho...and super hardcore. I'm the worst shopper ever in person. I shop for everything online. I can already imagine cat fights, elbowing and hair pulling for the cheapest coach bags or whatever goes down at those places.

Another temptation to spend money. I need news black shoes. I've been wearing my bright green Korean style skater shoes a lot but you just can't wear that to jobs, professional environments or it's hard to match sometimes. But, damn they're comfortable and.... swaggaaaaaaaa. Those are the only pair of wearable flats I own right now since I donated everything. The rest I kept are just foot murdering but stylish stilettos and tall boots with heels. The torture I put myself through to compensate for being so short- inferiority complex... Seriously, money is my nemesis. Plus it's so fucking dirty. I always have to wash my hands after handling money or coins. It's the plague that infects every life.

Labels: job, money, resolutions, shopping