Job Searching Saga

We all go through the experience of making a professional change at least once in our lifetime. Things used to be different when you would start working in a factory at 18 and spend all your work life there. Now, once out of the shadow of the communist regime, we have to challenge ourselves and discover our strongest points in order to identify our place, reach our limits and find "the perfect job".

My saga started with a New Year's resolution for which I've been basically just waiting for the right time to make. I used to have a great international job, where I really blossomed into a professional, and my biggest proof is the fact that my new job is simply awesome, and I wouldn't have gotten it if I didn't develop my experience before. Unfortunately, things changed a lot in the past year at my previous job...what can I say...Romanians are a special nation :)

I decided to basically announce my resignation before actually finding a job. I've been called crazy for this, but I like to be fair. I wasn't under any pressure financially and I wanted to play the cards right. Extra to that, I wasn't looking just for any job, but a really good job and this basically meant having time to sort things out. 

Starting January I went to 1 - 2 interviews/ week. My goal was to have at least 1 interview/ week...and if I didn't get a job, at least I wanted to make sure that everybody knew I was looking for one. So, my main channels were: my friends, job portals and any social media available (FB, Linkedin and my blog of course). I tried to connect and interact with as many people as possible especially via Linkedin. Not everybody replied, but to my surprise more that I expected did.

So, considering all the above mentioned efforts I went to about 10 different companies for interview and rejected about 5 invitations...so January - March = 15 interview invitations. With some of these companies I went to "second base", but fortunately they were not the place for me. I've been rejected, and I also got to reject a few offers myself...I had some very professional interviews and some very, very bad, totally unprofessional meetings.

I have a pretty strong background in the recruitment industry and I know a bad interviewer when I see one...and when that interviewer is a lot likely to become your next boss...you don't want that. To my surprise one of the worst interviews were with a Communication agency, a pretty big one I would say. Totally unprofessional...they had me waiting for 45 min. and I've only been told bullshit during the interview such as: "are you a volunteer just because it's cool to have that in your CV?" or "you've done all these internships without "knowing" anyone?...I can't believe that". These are questions that cannot be argued, because only very frustrated people could imagine and give voice to such thoughts. A lot of people would give a positive answer to both questions, I know, but an interviewer never puts the problem like that, especially without knowing the person they're talking to.

My second worst interview I have to mention was with a Canadian telecommunications company (not very well known one, but very promising). I can't even comment on this experience. All I can say is that I wanted to get up a couple of times, and just leave the room. But I just didn't do it out of common sense. I did self withdrew myself (if that exists..well I did it :) from that recruitment process...I would have never wanted to have anything to do with that company.

The most professional interview I had was in a very large pharmaceutical company. It was super sharp...the only thing is that I never got any feedback from them...though that's what they said...

I'm not claiming to have been the perfect candidate. I was probably not a good fit for most of the jobs I applied for, or the companies I went to. To my surprise, though I have been an interviewer myself in the past ,and I know the "rules", I was nervous before every single meeting :) 

As you can see it was a great experience!

I never thought, but always wished, to work in a communication agency. This is a like a super dream coming true. I will work in a Romanian - German team of professionals and will contribute to organizing international events for the company's biggest client in Europe. I am the happiest there is and can't wait to begging this new chapter. I will work together with professional, creative people and will have the opportunity to push myself to an edge where I always wanted to be. 

This experience proves again that when you truly want something, it will happen, and experience is the key to everything....you can learn as much as you want on a topic and be super enthusiastic about it, if you don't experience it and it doesn't really attract you...well then all the studying is in vain. You don't have to "know" the right people to find a job. At the end, I got my job through a simple job portal add. You just have to hang in there and never stop trying...and I have to admit that having all my "recruitment world" friends around me helped a lot, but not because they were arranging job interviews for me, but because each of them are great motivational examples...and in such situations you need your friends and family's support for sure.

So...my holiday is over...I really enjoyed it, but I hope I don't have to take it again for a while :)

Sometimes saying nothing says everything

"Sometimes saying nothing says everything..." could be my new motto. If I was to learn anything from Dale Carnegie's teachings it would be the fact that it's better to silence yourself willingly than damage yourself by opening your mouth. I've opened my mouth to bitterness one too many times, so I decided to take a step back, and unless I have something interesting to say than it's just better to listen. People will not consider you stupid if you don't open your mouth to random words that make you seam smart...I am sure that it would be the other way around.

At the same time, I realised how important it is to always stay true to yourself (at least) and not accept those that damage you...even if it leads to a lonely life. Sometimes loneliness is healthier than a life full of people that damage your self-esteem while feeding their sneaky egos. But never worry about loneliness, if you have the right attitude towards life, and you keep yourself real and grounded, you will never encounter it.

The more I know myself and the more I interact with people, the more I realise that my values get stronger. I am a grudge holder, I admit that...especially towards people whom I respected at some point in my life, tried to help and was there for them (even if sometimes not the way they wanted me to)...and this also extends to those who hurt my family or my friends. All that comes from my injustice wound - L. Bourbeau's theory says that to hide my wound I wear the mask of rigidity...which makes perfect sense.

A lot of things make sense once you discover your wound and your mask...for example I take my love for animals and involvement in animal protection campaigns as a manifestation of my injustice wound focused towards those that can't speak and express their pain and frustrations. Same goes towards people, especially children, with mental disabilities...

Everybody is so keen with this "personal development" thing. It sounds so cool and interesting, it makes it sound like your elevating yourself and becoming a wise monk...but it's done wrong by so many people. When you just add layers you will end up with a big piece of crap...I'm interested in most of these theories and the science as a whole, but I'm only interested in discovering myself...yes, discovering not changing.

So yes, I proudly admit that I am a very honest grudge holder with who you should not be surprised if one day you no longer speak to or see :) I accept my rigidity mask and embrace it...but will willingly speak less and listen more!

Never grow up

Saturday, the 2nd of March, was a special day for my skin. I had my third tattoo done...a tattoo I have been waiting for and planning for a long time. This time it was Peter Pan's turn. I love the "never grow up" motto...and not in a schizophrenic way. Most people forget they were young and forget how wonderful and free their life used to be. They get lost in the daily drama of an adult's life and turn out unhappy and depressed human beings...and all that because they forget to be a child.

I made a tattoo of the flying scene, where Wendy and her brothers first head to Neverland and learn how to fly by thinking of happy things :)

So...from now on...whenever in doubt, I'll remember to think of happy things...

My first tattoo, the star on my neck, was made in 2007 as a memory of me, the human symbolised through the star, reaching a dream land - San Francisco, USA. Since this is a tattoo that's always exposed to the sun...in all these years it changed its colour, so I decided to also redo this one. Still its memory remains back in 2007...

Spring fundraising :)

Starting with March 1st I am enjoying for the first time the benefits of unemployment...free time :) I needed a break and I needed a change. My job hunting campaign is going rather well, I have to admit I am playing a bit with my new situation, because it's a once in a life time opportunity when I don't have to care about money that much.

I love my free time and I am using it wisely to develop myself and do more for the animals I love so much.

That's why, this week, I attended two fundraising events. One of them was related to the part of the annual income taxes we all pay - or at least we should - the 2% that every employee has the opportunity to donate towards a NGO. Not many people are aware of this possibility, and not many choose to redirect their money for a noble cause. If these money aren't redirected then the state has the right to use them as it wishes...and when you live in a corrupt state like Romania, you don't want that to happen. The state, of course doesn't have any campaigns encouraging people to redirect these 2%, so this is where us, as NGO representatives, step in.

Only recently, big companies stared getting involved in this, and included such employee campaigns in their CSR activity. One of those companies in Romania is Petrom, the largest oil retailer on the market...and as you can imagine their CSR campaigns are pretty generous. For the 2% donation, they basically did a one day round of several NGOs covering different sectors, offering them the opportunity to present their activity and their plans to the company's employees...while encouraging them to responsibly redirect the 2% from last year's income tax.

Another great fundraising event I attended is SSCG, a tradition among animal lovers. The event is a "garage sale" with things donated by people...clothes, accessories, books, shoes...etc. The event takes place every month and even if it was hosted in different locations in the past, now we hold it a very special place...a dog training school and pet hotel :) There's a lot of work in putting everything out for display and the at the end putting them back together, but it's the only time that gives us (people from different animal associations) the opportunity to come together and exchange ideas, cases or experiences we have. It's really nice to interact with people with who you share a passion...