Day 28 – Church was good today. There was a nice crowd, and Rev. Jones preached from one of my favorite scriptures – Proverbs 3:5-6. It holds special meaning to me. It discusses trust and believing in the Lord. My mom also made a great dinner – baked pork chops! It was a nice sunny day and I again resisted the urge to attend the State Fair and gauge on FAIR FOOD. I’m really trying to make this weight loss journey work. It was not a good day for me in Fantasy Football. I am losing by about 80 points in one league. UGH!
Day 27 – Weight Watchers Weigh-in: +1.5 lbs. UGH!! Okay, so the Sonic weakness I had yesterday didn’t help me. I have decided that I will not go to the State Fair. I was only going for the FAIR FOOD – corn dogs, funnel cakes and lemonade. That might not be the best decision today. Instead, I went to the Argenta Fall Foodie Fest. Good to get out the house. I saw @ARFoodie and tasted great dishes. I did, however, have catfish for dinner which means I have to take it easy (on the bad food) for the rest of the week.
Day 26 – Finally a sunny day in the area. I was tempted to go to the State Fair, but decided against it. I spent time at the Department of Workforce Services instead. I found a few jobs to apply for next week. I hope this will be a fruitful venture. Wonder if they have workshops on job search techniques. On my way home, I drove through a part of the city that I hadn’t been to in a long time. It was nice to see the changes and glad I didn’t get lost!
Day 25 –The Arkansas Advertising Federation meeting went well last night. I met new people and learned about “Social Media before Social Media was Social Media” from Neal Stewart. He gave great tips and excellent information on finding and using brand influencers. He also mentioned field marketing. Note to self: check this out! I met Brant Collins who put a new idea in my mind – doing a presentation on multicultural marketing at a future ArkAF meeting. He said people would value what I had to say. There are so many different cultures that the ArkAF members don’t understand. I am seriously considering it!
Day 24 –I reached out to the local Adecco office to schedule an appointment. As usual, I was pushed to the website for more information. UGH! Odio (I hate) when people tell you to go to the website. It’s like trying to break into Ft. Knox to get a conversation with people sometimes. UGH! So, I will do as suggested…check the website and apply for a job. I tried asking if I will get a call even if I’m not deemed an ideal candidate for the position I apply for. She couldn’t provide an answer. I don’t think she understood the question. #FAIL
Day 23 – I registered for virtualvocations.com. We will see if there is anything fruitful from this venture. I also attended a WOMMA webinar again. This one was interesting and focused on measuring social media. Note to self – read the social media handbook. I will add that to my plans for next week. I am also considering working with a career coach/resume writer based in Florida. I called to get more information. We will see what happens. I also realized that my unemployment will run out in TWO WEEKS! Time to move or lose it. Hopefully, it will be extended. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 22 – I sent out more follow-up emails to jobs that I had applied for in late September. I read that it is always important to follow-up and express your continued interest in the position (even though you haven’t heard anything in a few weeks). I hope this strategy is fruitful. I also got information on a new website for positions from my sister-in-law. I plan to check this out as well. Rainy days are here again.
Day 21 - Phone interview was successful. I got more information about the job and I was able to speak intelligently about the job responsibilities and the value I bring to the table. The interviewer was impressed by some of the things I said. Next task: Thank You letter. I plan to send this by noon tomorrow. I have a few other things on my list to do this week. Making a few contacts via email and I have an event to attend on Thursday. I’m excited to meet members of the Arkansas Advertising Federation chapter. It should be fun.
Day 20 – Went to church and things were fine. It was a dreary day, and I spent the afternoon relaxing and preparing for my phone interview tomorrow. I followed my weekly Sunday ritual of Fantasy Football and NFL games. I have spent the better part of pre-season and most of the season trying to explain the concept of Fantasy Football to my father. I wonder when he will finally get it? He is confused about using players from different teams in the fantasy league. He’s a diehard fan of NFL TEAMS (as a whole) while Fantasy Football is about following individual players.
Day 19 – Pilates before Weight Watchers. I felt good. Down 2 pounds this week! Here’s to eating nothing but salad on Fridays. I also need to ramp up the exercise regimen. I gotta get motivated. I celebrated my weight loss with a hearty breakfast from Waffle House. I know. I know, not the best decision. But, hey! I have a week to lose it.
Day 18– Friday was a day of rest. It stormed most of the day and I took full advantage of the lazy, stormy weather. However, there was good news delivered…I got called for a phone interview for a job I applied for earlier in the week. The position is a great opportunity to combine my sports marketing experience with my nonprofit/cause marketing knowledge and work. The awesome thing is that the position is in a new industry! YaY, for broadening my horizons. The talk is scheduled for Monday. First round with the Talent Acquisition Team. Updates to follow!! Wish me luck.
Day 17– The #LRTweetup was nice tonight with a nice, intimate crowd. I met several that folks I follow on Twitter and enjoyed The Second City show. It was great to get out of the HOUSE! My parents are away and things are finally calm for a few days. The newest debate in my life: How to follow up with people after you’ve sent a resume.I’ve read several blog posts and everyone has a different opinion! I’ve tried the intro email. It hasn’t worked to my benefit yet. I’m going to wait it out and find a different follow-up method.
Day 16– I conducted research on possible places to relocate. First stop was the Denver Chamber of Commerce.I found great information along with job listings. Once I heard that it snowed in Denver today, I re-thought my decision to move (just for a minute) and realized that falling snow makes a beautiful backdrop to life. So, my Denver research quickly continued. The biggest challenge is finding a local recruiter. Know of anyone?Next place to research – Dallas, TX. I would be close to home and an easy drive away. That would be an adjustment. I normally FLY home, not DRIVE.
Day 15 – Today was full of webinars. I am becoming a real “webinar guru” as I attend at least once a week. Today’s topics included using Facebook for Business purposes; finding work that you love; and building solid relationships with reporters. I followed each webinar via Twitter, which was cool! I found several other folks to “follow.” It’s great to connect with folks online. I also applied to more jobs today. I am learning that I am attracted to positions that involve sponsorships/events. Maybe I was clouded by my thoughts of consumer/trade marketing positions.
Day 14 – More of the same. I applied for a few jobs and I’m committing to working out more this week. My plans are to do yoga at least 3 times this week and walk when I can. I am making plans to attend the LRTweetupevent this week. It will be nice to meet other Twitter-istas in person. The event will also feature an attendance of The Second City show at The Arkansas Rep. This will be a sweet reunion for me as I once interned at The Rep. Also, my brother studied at Second City in Chicago.
Day 13 – I realized the other day that I have been unemployed for SIX MONTHS. The time really flies fast. At this point, I am really looking at my situation and evaluating the next steps in the job search. I am considering some professional career assistance. I want to make sure that my money is spent in the best place. I hope to make a decision by the end of the week. TWO: I applied for two jobs today. One position I spent extra time retuning my resume and adding links to writing samples. I hope my extra effort will pay off.
Day 12 – Weight Watcher weigh-in (+ ½ lb). No more Friday night pizza buffets for me. I was able to speak with a connection today. He provided great information and offered to help point me in a better direction for employment with his organization. I found a job of interest in Dallas. I also sent my application for a position in Colorado. Cross your fingers for me! Another yoga session…with my dad, no less!
My effort to change my life in 99 days continues. Each day a post of my efforts in 100 words or less.
Day 11 – Cities on my radar – Dallas, Denver, Northern California and Florida.I reached out to people in Dallas for recruiter info. I have others to contact. I found several great jobs to apply for with nonprofits in other areas. The teleseminar on “How to Finish What You Write” was enlightening. I enjoyed it. My parents suggested pizza for dinner. Now I’m nervous for my weigh-in tomorrow. In a side note, I have a new dream car – the Lexus ISC 350 Convertible – LOVE IT! I plan to have one by early 2012. Drop top for a reasonable price.
Day 10 – Wow! It’s October, already! Today marks the end of 6 months of unemployment. The job market is tough. I’m trying to stay positive, but each day gets harder. I’m beginning to realize that this geographic area may not be the best place to find the marketing positions I am looking for. The unemployment rate here is much lower than average and the available jobs are scarce. My new thinking is that I will most likely need to move to get a position. My new mission is to decide on the cities and seek local recruiters who can help.
Day 9 – More research and effort on the job front. I signed up for a teleseminar on “How to Finish What You Write” by Coach Marla Beck (@MarlaBeck). I am writing a short story for competition, and I have less than 60 days to complete it and submit. I also tried yogatoday. It was a great session; it calmed me down. I followed the Feast On Good conference via Twitter today. I learned a lot about nonprofits using social media to raise money. Great example: @CharityWater. I forwarded a video to select Women’s Sports Foundation staff. Hope it helps.
Day 8 – Totally not productive. I registered for a few more webinars on the job search. I garnered a few more followers on Twitter and found a new way to find jobs on Twitter. I also connected with a sorority sister seeking employment in Atlanta. We are hoping to help each other out with the job search. I found more jobs to consider and have a shitload of positions to review and decide on whether or not to send my application. Back to the grind again tomorrow.
Single female with things to say! Welcome to my world. I am a thirty-something (year old) marketing professional experiencing life and the challenges thrown my way.
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