Dating and the Job Hunt - Same Thing

Today as I anxiously awaited a phone call from an organization I want to work with (which I did NOT receive, so it will be more waiting tomorrow), I realized that there are numerous similarities between dating and looking for a job.

In each case, you are looking for the perfect fit. For some, it is an easy match, it is as though the answer just falls into their lap. For others, it requires some searching and a deal of rejection before the right fit comes. Its all just one disappointment after another, until finally, FINALLY someone that you want wants you as well.

The way you go about finding is similar as well. You must use various methods, and you'll never quite know which one will work out in the end. In the job search, most people secure their jobs through networking. In dating, its called having mutual friends. Rarely do you find the blind dates working out, but they do happen, as you sometimes find those people who really got a job simply by sending out their resume without having met the organization first.

Going back to the rejection aspect, the rejection can come in the same way as well. In some cases, its a direct rejection. Within 48 hours of submitting my resume to the FBI for a writing editor job (which I wasn't terribly in love with, so this didn't hurt too much), they told me I didn't meet their requirements. Good. Easy. I was able to get over it fast. A week later I got a rejection letter from a food bank I had applied to the previous MONTH, saying that while they were impressed by my qualifications, they had offered the position to somebody else. You know what that really meant? They really weren't impressed enough to even meet me or interview me, but they wanted to let me down gently. Plus, I had to wait a long time to receive that rejection; they could have just ignored me and pretended they didn't get my resume, I would have been fine with that. Does this sound like the dating game to anybody? Yes, rejection can come directly or indirectly in BOTH arenas.

And there are the times you get your hopes up. You submitted your resume, you know you fit. When will they call? You figure out a time frame in your mind of when they should be done reviewing the applications, calling your references, etc. You have it narrowed down to a 2-day window. You wait anxiously by the phone. . .no call. Did you read them wrong? Did they not see what an amazing fit you are? You think to yourself, should I call them, ask about their timeline? If I call, they will realize I'm interested, but if I call too much I'll appear like a stalker. However, they might be one of those organizations that only calls if you call them first. How do I know which type of organization they are? All this debate over whether or not to place a phone call.

I also was pondering which rejection cycle I would like to get out of first. Because I am an established expert at the dating rejection, and I am becoming quite adept at the job rejection. I'm pretty sure dating. Yup, I'd like the dating rejection to stop. But a job would be nice, too. Because I like food. So, if you know someone who wants to buy me dinner, or who wants to pay me so I can buy myself dinner, send them my way. I'll even give you my resume if that would help.

A Request

Dear Christian Bale,

Would you please sing in your next movie? It would make my decade.

With kindest regards,
Emily

Maybe I'm a real adult now

Today, it hit: adulthood. I still feel immature, and I'm pretty sure with my ponytail and sneakers today I still can pass as an 18-year old, but it's true. I am officially an adult. That's because today, I had to sign up for my own personal insurance (yup, my parent's insurance let me stay on until my 26th birthday, which I realize is longer than most, but I wasn't about to complain). Granted, I had to have my mom help walk me through the sign-up process, and until I have a steady income, my mom agreed to put it on her credit card and just add the amount to the debt I already owe her, but still, there is an insurance policy out there with my name on it.

I also received a phone call from my university asking for money. I wanted to say "not right now" and hang up, but last semester for a class assignment I had to go and observe the people who call on these capital campaigns, so I felt sympathy for this girl. (I would have felt true empathy, because I was supposed to actually do some calling, but because I had lost my voice due to the swine flu and pneumonia, I couldn't talk. Which ended up costing me 50 points, which might have been the reason for my A- instead of the A I was shooting for. But that's not the point of this story). Anyway, I listed to the schpeal the girl gave "to graduating seniors" (I'm not a senior! I'm a 2nd year grad student! Its very different). Then she asked me to give some money back to my school, as part of the "Choose to Give" campaign. I have a hard time saying no to requests for money, but BECAUSE I sat in on those phone calls, I now know their secret. Her goal is to get me to commit to give money, and my goal was to get off the phone and back to playing the piano. Well, I remembered that they can give pledge forms, which would mean I wouldn't have to give my credit card, and I could send money once I actually HAVE money. So, I told her to send me a pledge card, which I promised I would send. I just didn't say when.

We also completed our census. It was kind-of fun to fill out my own section, because last time a census happened, I was in high school and could care less that a census was happening. Filling out the form was over in about 30 seconds, so the exhilaration was fleeting, but it did serve a momentary satisfaction. And it again reinforced that I am an adult. An adult who still feels very dependent upon her parents, and still loves eating her fruit snacks (I got Star Wars fruit snacks for my birthday! So fun!), but an adult nonetheless.

I want to be a Jedi Knight

My roommates are saying its time for a new blog post. Which lead to the question, what have I been up to the last month? The answer: Disneyland and dressing up like a princess. Your typical month, I know. My friends and I did the Disney Day of Service, which meant for the price of 2 blankets donated to needy children, I was able to get into Disneyland. Pretty sweet deal. We had a large group go down from the MPA program, and wore matching shirts and everything (they were almost hot pink, but the store ran out of that color in bulk and we had to go for blue and green instead. I was extremely grateful.)














What did I learn there?
1)Some boys should NEVER wear do-rags.















2)It is possible to not spend a dime in Disneyland, especially if you just mooch food off your friends.
3) The 80's cover band at Disneyland is definitely worth listening to. And dancing your head off to.
4)If this whole Public Administrator path doesn't work out, my next best option is to be a Jedi Knight in Disneyland. Because I don't think I'm tall enough for Darth Vadar, nor do I think I would like the costume. But a Jedi Knight would be sweet.














So, the weekend after I got back from Disneyland, my ward had a Cinderella Ball, where each girl put in a shoe, and each guy picked a shoe, and whoever had your shoe was your date for the dinner portion of the evening. In preparation for the ball, I went to my parents house to get a dress. I learned that the way to be the coolest aunt for my nieces is to put on a pretty dress and dance with them. And the way to be the cool aunt to my nephew is to act like a damsel in distress (except, rather than being the prince saving me, he wants to be the dragon attacking me. Oh to be a five-year old boy).

So the dance was great, my date was one of the nicest guys in the ward (he even was willing to pose for the oh-so-cheesy Cinderella picture).



















We had a great time in the dinner, and then the dance was pretty good. Its pretty fun to be dress in a pretty dress for an evening, it reminds me that I really am happy being a girl.