Making Myself More Marketable.....

One thing they say, in order to get a job today is to "Make yourself more marketable" by taking classes and learning new thing's. You might not even have to pay for that new training or classes.

For example, learning new thing's in the company you're already with. If you're lucky enough to be working with a company that has training, you should really take advantage of it. It's just like working overtime. Usually, that's only for a short period of time. That's extra money that you could put into your savings account.

In the long run, the training won't just help you with your current job, but you'll have experience that you might be able to use elsewhere somewhere down the road should you happen to change jobs. And, all the software and experience's are good to add to your resume.

If you take classes, you should take classes in something you enjoy doing. If you enjoy what you're doing, it won't seem like work. Most people find that to be very true!

TWO ASSOCIATE DEGREES

Currently, I'm seeking a great job opportunity with a good company where I am allowed to take ownership of my job. I have two Associate degrees, one in Graphic Design and the other in Office Administration Technology-Executive Secretary.

I think that sometimes, to get employment, it doesn't really matter how many degree's you have or what degree's you have. It all depends on what skills and knowledge you already have. It for sure also depends on the company and the person doing the hiring. Do they feel you have what they're looking for? Are they willing to give you a chance to show what you can do? Are they willing to hire you and assist you with more training?

One thing I just don't understand is, how some people have the job's they have and they don't even know how to correctly format a business letter, they're not organised, etc. In past job's, I've seen letter's, mailing's and more go out that I thought "How can they send that out?" I sure wouldn't, but I have no choice. Because, when I've said something, they're like, "ehhh, just send it out"...Ughhhh!!! Anyways.....

For most any job, I do feel you should have knowledge (at least the basics) with MS Office no matter what field you're in. Especially Outlook, Word and maybe some Excel. Also, you should have some knowledge in whatever software that relates to whatever your field is. Once you've been hired, most companies will teach you their software and will give you the chance to learn other software's they use.

WHAT JOB'S DO I WANT TO DO?

My first pick for a job is a Graphic Design opportunity. I really want to design and create ads, brochures, postcards, flier's, etc. I want to see my work out there in magazines (although, I have had ads placed in trade publications in past positions), in newsletter's, etc. Maybe even someday on TV. Utilizing my Adobe CS2 knowledge to the fullest is what I want to do.

My second choice a Marketing Assistant position similar to my two past position. They were more like a combination of Graphic Design/Marketing Assistant. I was able to do graphic design as well as assist with trade shows, etc. My MS Office skills were used to work on and/or create Word, Excel and PowerPoint document's and slide shows.

Finally, my third choice would be an Administrative Assistant position. I have a big administrative background. I've temped in the past with some big name companies. I maintained executive calendars, scheduled conference rooms and meetings, did internet research, etc.

While I don't mind being an Administrative Assistant, I just don't like the types of jobs where a majority of the job is on the phone, like, Receptionist or Customer Service. I mean, like, a position where you're the front person. That's just not my thing. I don't like spending all my time on the phone. I want and like to do computer work. Let me work with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Adobe Acrobat.

OTHER WORK

I'm not a pro, but 0ther work I can do (but, I don't think I would get hired) is home construction. It would be cool to build houses. I also like the interior decorating part of it too. Of course, as you know, that field is not doing very well right now. But, I think it won't be long before things get going again with the home construction field.

In the past, I have put up drywall, put down floor tile, taken down and put up ceiling fans, tiled my bathroom walls, etc. I like using all kind's of tool's like hammer's, screwdriver's, power tools, etc. My very first job out of high school, in fact, was on an assembly line building toaster's. There I used screwdriver's, hammer's, rubber mallet's, screw's, nut's, bolt's, etc. Even before then I'd use tools to fix things at home.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is one of my fave shows. I also enjoy practically anything on "HGTV" except the gardening shows and stuff like that. Gardening is just not my thing.

I'M MARKETABLE

Yeah, there's other stuff I need and want to learn. But, right now, looking for a job feels like I have no time for anything else. I want to take some classes, but without a job I have no cash to pay for my classes. So, I'll have to wait a while.

You can bet, once I have a job, if the company that hire's me has classes that I can take or if they pay for classes, I'm certainly going to taking advantage of it!!

Even so, I think I'm pretty marketable in a few fields. All I need now is for a company to see I'm an excellent worker and that I have the skills and knowledge they're looking for...LOL

Do They Really Read Through Resume's?

It is now the month of February, the fifth day to be exact. So far, this year I've had two phone interview's and one actual interview. I always wonder "Do recruiters and employer's really read through a person's resume? It sure doesn't seem like they do.

Currently, I'm seeking a Graphic Design, Markting Assistant or Administrative Assistant position. Or, a combination of Graphic Design/Marketing Assistant (which I did at my last two positions, although, my title was Marketing Assistant). Or, since I have an administrative background, I'll take an Administrative/Executive Assistant position. Anyways...

MY INTERVIEWS

My first phone interview was through a recuriter. The job she had was for a Graphic Designer, but the client also needed the person to have web design experience with Dreamweaver and Flash. Even though, I do have, on my resume, that I did a bit of web maintenance for a couple of my past postions, I do have a Work Skills section and NEITHER of those programs is listed in my work skills area...LOL The only software program listed on my resume for web design is Microsoft FrontPage. If I should ever gain some Dreamweaver and Flash skills, they will be added to my resume.

My second interview was with a company located in downtown Chicago. The job sounded really great except, the owner of the company wanted someown who could really write. I told him "How much writing is involved? I'm not really a writer but, I can do all the other things." He said that at least 85% of the job was writing. My resume does not say anything about me writing this or that. I mean, yeah, I write here and there and sometimes have to come up with copy for ads. But, what he was looking for was a "writer".

My actual face-to-face interview was just this week. It's a Marketing Coordinator/Graphic Design position. In a way, it's similar to my last two positons, but it does involve a bit more on the web side. For this position, there are second interview's to go through. If I get called back for a second interview, WOOO HOOO! The only thing I'm scared about is the competency test...LOL I hate test's!...LOL

HOPING FOR MORE

Well, it is practically the beginning of the year. I have applied at quite a few places all through Career Builder, Monster, Craig's List, etc. Besides that, I'm trying to get some freelance graphic design projects. So far, I've gotten none this year. Looking for a permanent, full-time job almost leave me no time for much. And, I'm trying to get myself to learn some Dreamweaver AND I'm going through my Photoshop and Illustrator Classroom In A Book to practice.

Well, at least I got some calls and I got to speak with someone regarding their postions. So, I am greatful for that. I just hope more calls and actual interview's are not too far away.

Job Hunting Except on Holidays, Nights & Weekends...

I really despise holidays, nights and weekends because it's time lost seeking employment. I mean, yes I still keep applying to positions that I feel fit me, but company's are not really working that hard (during those times) to gain new employee's and recruiter's are not working hard (during those times) to place people in temp or permanent employment.I'm a Graphic Designer (Print)/Marketing Assistant/Administrative Assistant with basic HTML knowledge looking for a permanent, full-time job or, in the meantime, I will work temp/freelance assignments while I seek permanent employment. I have two Associate degrees along with a Vocational Specialist Certificate and five Basic Vocational Specialist Certificates.

1. August - 2001: Office Administration Technology-Executive Secretary
2. May - 2007: Computerized Graphic Design with Honors

How come, when (if you're lucky) you get called in for an interview, the interviewer does NOT know how to interview? It's like, they don't know what to ask and it's kind of uncomfortable when there's all this silence. When that happens, I try to ask as many questions as I can, but there's still that silence. Also, I've had interview's where I don't even get a chance to ask questions...LOL

Playing by the rules... Rules? What rules? From now on, I'm NOT playing by the rules! For example, you're not supposed to ask about salary. Forget that! I'm asking during the phone interview or by e-mail, "What is the salary range for this position?". That way, I won't waste their time or mine. 

COLLEGE

At one point, I was looking for an office job, but no one would give me a chance because I'd never worked in an office. Before I actually went to college, while I was laid off from my seasonal job at a warehouse touching up frames, painting and drivning trucks, I started classes at the old high school that was across the street from my house. They had FREE Office Procedure classes so, I thought I would go ahead and take advantage of those classes. That's where they stated to everyone to look into getting a degree from the community college.

I started community college in 1994 while in my early/mid 30's. Right after high school, my parents could not afford to send me and my three brother's to college. Instead, I went straight to work in a factory once I turned 18 (I graduated high school at the age of 17. I didn't go to kindergarten. I went straight to first grade to a Catholic school and didn't go to public school till third grade). My parents got me the job in the factory where they worked.

The only reason I got to go to community college was that I qualified for financial aid (It pays to be poor somtimes...LOL). It took me a long time (13 years) to get my two Associate degrees because I was going part-time nights after work. And, at times, I had to re-take classes like business math (I'm not good in math. Finally passed it the third time), accounting (passed it the second time) and other classes here and there. Or, classes would get cancelled due to low enrollment. So, I would have to scramble to try and find something to fill in the blank...LOL. Otherwise, if I didn't have a certain amount of credits per semester, financial aid would not pay.

After I got my first Associates, I saw that core classes were good for 10 years. So, I decided to go for the second Associates and mainly, because the government kept giving me the money. I took advantage of it. I really busted my butt to get my degrees and where has it gotten me? UGH!! :-( There were a few time that I couldn't wait for it all to end. Now, I miss going to classes (except for the homework...LOL).

Besides working full-time (while going to school nights), there was tons of homework to get done, I was a single parent taking care of my son, there was a house to keep tidy, laundry to do, dishes to wash, sweeping, mopping, dusting, mowing the lawn, breakfast, lunch and dinner to make, errands to run, etc. To all those now in this situation, hang in there!

Hopefully, one day soon, everything will all have been worth it. It's great having a ton of education, but it sucks not having a great company where I can utilize my knowledge to the fullest! I plan to keep on learning to keep up with new stuff that comes out in my field. In today's world, you have to! They say, the more you know, the better job and salary you can get. Surrrrrrrrrrrrrrre! 

INTERVIEW

For example, I had one company this year (2008) who really wanted me to work for them as a Graphic Designer/Marketing Assistant/Administrative Assistant. We (the guy and I) spoke quite a few times over the phone for a couple of months or so. He was working on getting a requisition approved (which took awhile to get approved). When the requisition was finally approved, I finally got to meet with the main boss (the guy was there too). The main boss asked me questions and near the end, the guy said the pay was $25,000. I said out loud "$25,000?", "$25,000 a year?" Thinking to myself "Do you see STUPID written on my forehead? I have four years of experience and a pretty good portfolio"...LOL I was feeling kind of angry because all this time that was the pay...LOL I said to them "No! I want to go forward, not backward". Well, maybe I was stupid for not asking up front what the pay for the position was.

Seriously, what the heck is up with that? If I was a high school student who had just graduated, was still living at home and was interested in gaining experience in graphic design and marketing, I would have then said yes to $25,000 a year. I'm way past that range. And, with a mortgage to pay, after taxes and paying tolls to get to and from the job, I would hardly have anything left. I most likely would have been making some $6 or so an hour. Well, this guy (the one from the paragraph above), saw my resume and my portfolio. I'm not like the best designer out there, but I feel I do great work. Many months later, the guy saw my resume posted out there on a site and sent me an e-mail that he and his partner had moved with another company and they would still like to have me work for them. This time, the salary had gone up to $30,000. Sheesh! I wrote him back and said that each title alone (depending on experience) can earn at least a salary in the Mid 40's to Low 50's. Of course, I never heard from him again. So, that's why, from now on, as mentioned earlier, I'm asking up front "What's the pay range for this position?"...LOL 

RECRUITERS

In my experience, it's really hard to find good recruiter's to work with. Many of them don't really care (in general) about you. They only care about making money for themselves. Although, I've had a recruiter or two who were great (but are no longer with the staffing firm) who really helped me out and always kept in touch with me.

I've answered ads posted for a position, then have an interview with the recruiter only to find out that the job has been filled...Yeah, right! I know all they want is to fill their data base. I hate when they do that. It seems that most of the time, you (in general) are wasting your time with them.

Even though I don't care too much for recruiter's I still apply for jobs through them. Working with recruiters is like gambling. There's a 50/50 chance that they may land you your next big, exciting position. You just don't know for sure. But, then again, I hate wasting my gas to get there and time I could be doing something else when they DON'T really do anything for you!

FINDING JOBS ON MY OWN

May of 2009, I will have five years of graphic design experience. How exciting!

I can't wait to get a job! I'm so glad when/if I'm able to find a job on my own and not through a recruiter. It seem like most design jobs are for web design. Even if they're looking for a graphic designer for print work, they want you to know some web design too. It used to be you were either a PRINT designer or a WEB designer. I guess I have to get myself on it and learn Dreamweaver and Flash.

One thing I want to do is go back to school and/or at least take a class on the basics of Dreamweaver and Flash. In the meantime, I look stuff up online and through my Dreamweaver book (I do have the Dreamweaver software). Now, I also just need to get the Flash software.

One other thing, I wish I could afford a new PC or, at least a bigger harddrive because, I can't fit anything else on my harddrive now. My PC is about some six years old now.

Most company's want you to do it all for nothing! And, they boast about how much they make like, millions or billions and they don't want to pay their employee's? Yes! I know that it's always been like that, you have to wear many hats. Well, time's have changed! You want me to wear many hats? Gladly, just pay me what I'm worth!

I'm also trying to find freelance graphic design jobs to do on the side. But, when I do get someone that needs something whether a flier, ads, business cards, etc., and I give them a quote, they're like, "Oh, it's too much!"...Puleez!!

Anyways, If you're interested, you can view my online portfolio here:

My Online Behance Portfolio 

My Online Coroflot Portfolio