Candidate #0000 - Post 1
108 days until graduation.
Music I’m currently listening to: Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson
Mood: contemplating
It’s past midnight and I’m still sitting at my computer staring at the screen. My goal for this weekend was to write at least a first draft of my cover letter. But now it’s Sunday night and all I have is a blank document saved under the name “Cover Letter Spring 2005.” And instead of coming up with remarkable paragraphs that would make anyone want to hire me, I’m singing “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson at the top of my lung. Maybe I should become a singer instead of a Hall Director. LoL. I guess, in spite of the writer’s block I’m currently experiencing and my growing anxiety, I got a better chance of finishing this cover letter and landing some on-campus interviews at ACPA’s Placement, then becoming the next American Idol.
This Cover-Letter-Writing thing is definitely giving me a headache though. I just don’t like talking about myself. Either it feels like bragging or I’m selling myself short. Writing my resume was so much easier. You follow the format; you write down what you did; and then you have someone from Career Services or a supervisor or faculty member (or all of them) look over it, make it sound much smarter, and suddenly you have this great summary of your accomplishments of the past few years. Well, it wasn’t all that easy, but unlike my cover letter, it’s all done and ready to be sent out. Why didn’t I do my cover letter before winter break like I planned?
Somehow, it still seems so unreal that I’m really 23-years-old, in my second year in a Master’s program for Higher Education and Student Affairs, and about to go out into the real world. These past few months have been quite the emotional roller coaster. One day, I can’t wait to finish graduate school and finally start working full-time. I started counting down the days until graduation last semester already. I spend hours daydreaming about the job I’ll have next year, where I’ll be living, what my daily life will be like. But then the next day, I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about having to apply for a job. How do you deal with all this ambiguity? Not knowing where you’ll be next year, what you’ll be doing. What if I don’t get a job? What if I don’t get the job I want? And worst of all, what if my visa gets denied and I have to go back home and work at McDonald’s? (I’m an international student from Austria and currently here on a student visa. So even if I’m offered a job, I’m still going to have to worry about getting a visa to be able to work in the United States.) AHHHH…I can’t even think about it anymore. I’m going to drive myself crazy with worrying. I have to take a deep breath, maybe turn the music up a little louder and just start thinking “happy thoughts.” It’s all going to work out somehow, right?
Music I’m currently listening to: Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson
Mood: contemplating
It’s past midnight and I’m still sitting at my computer staring at the screen. My goal for this weekend was to write at least a first draft of my cover letter. But now it’s Sunday night and all I have is a blank document saved under the name “Cover Letter Spring 2005.” And instead of coming up with remarkable paragraphs that would make anyone want to hire me, I’m singing “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson at the top of my lung. Maybe I should become a singer instead of a Hall Director. LoL. I guess, in spite of the writer’s block I’m currently experiencing and my growing anxiety, I got a better chance of finishing this cover letter and landing some on-campus interviews at ACPA’s Placement, then becoming the next American Idol.
This Cover-Letter-Writing thing is definitely giving me a headache though. I just don’t like talking about myself. Either it feels like bragging or I’m selling myself short. Writing my resume was so much easier. You follow the format; you write down what you did; and then you have someone from Career Services or a supervisor or faculty member (or all of them) look over it, make it sound much smarter, and suddenly you have this great summary of your accomplishments of the past few years. Well, it wasn’t all that easy, but unlike my cover letter, it’s all done and ready to be sent out. Why didn’t I do my cover letter before winter break like I planned?
Somehow, it still seems so unreal that I’m really 23-years-old, in my second year in a Master’s program for Higher Education and Student Affairs, and about to go out into the real world. These past few months have been quite the emotional roller coaster. One day, I can’t wait to finish graduate school and finally start working full-time. I started counting down the days until graduation last semester already. I spend hours daydreaming about the job I’ll have next year, where I’ll be living, what my daily life will be like. But then the next day, I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about having to apply for a job. How do you deal with all this ambiguity? Not knowing where you’ll be next year, what you’ll be doing. What if I don’t get a job? What if I don’t get the job I want? And worst of all, what if my visa gets denied and I have to go back home and work at McDonald’s? (I’m an international student from Austria and currently here on a student visa. So even if I’m offered a job, I’m still going to have to worry about getting a visa to be able to work in the United States.) AHHHH…I can’t even think about it anymore. I’m going to drive myself crazy with worrying. I have to take a deep breath, maybe turn the music up a little louder and just start thinking “happy thoughts.” It’s all going to work out somehow, right?
posted by StudentAffairs.com at 8:44 AM
3 Comments:
I understand your concerns about the visa issue. I am a Canadian and facing the same dilemna. Good luck with your job hunting !
I completely understand what you are talking about when you don't like talking about yourself. I don't either! When I apply for a job I know I can do it that is why I am applying but when it comes to cover letters and interviews I fail to "sell myself," and sound like the perfect candidate. Like you said I also feel like I am bragging and I think to myself "if only they could see me in action they would know I am the perfect candidate," but I guess this is not how this process works. Good Luck and you'll be fine! I always end up being ok...
Thank you for the comments and good luck wishes!
Keep reading my blog and you'll find out how everything works out for me. :)
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