I attended the Hyphen meeting last night, and I felt I contributed, considering it was only my first meeting. I now have an assignment which I'm really excited about. I'm raring to go. I can offer something to Hyphen, I'm not really sure what that something is yet, but I'm going to be ready, whatever tasks lie ahead.
I just submitted some picks for the Guardian, so I'll be sure to post the links on here when they're out next week. How ironic that I originially interned for the SFBG as a news intern...and now I'm writing music and writing picks! The format challenges me, because I have to input as much information as possible into maybe 100 words. But picks provide great writing practice, force me to keep my ear to the ground, and help me give props and publicity to musicians, performers, and lecturers.
I need to get a calendar...a journalism teacher, John Marvel, once told his class that he keeps a whiteboard (bulletin board?) of all of his assignments, with all of the due dates, so he could keep his deadlines straight. I don't have that many obligations, but I have just enough to keep me slightly frazzled, so I may have to take that advice to heart.
I turned in six or seven applications last night, so apparently I can still produce some resumes, even with all of this freelancing chaos going on.
Unitl next time...
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Yeesh
In short, the cold visit turned out to be meaningless. I told the secretary about my intentions to visit the person in charge of applications, the secretary went back in the heavily guarded and fenced office area, and returned a min. later. "I'm sorry, (insert name for person in charge of application) isn't here, but I did talk to somebody, and she said that they sent out e-mails for the first round of interviews, and that if you haven't been notified, then you haven't been selected."
Ouch, and I know the secretary didn't mean it to sound so matter-of-factly, but it came out that way. I'm not angry at the secretary though, I'm more mad that (insert name) lacked the guts to come out and tell me straight up. It was obvious (insert name) was there, the stress on the secretary's voice and the glint in the eyes made that plain to see. And I doubt that if (insert name) hadn't been there, the secretary would have known to ask someone else about my very specific inquiry. Maybe I underestimate the secretary, but if I was a betting man, I would bet (insert name) simply sent the lackey back out to regurgitate verbatim the aforementioned statement.
I think I'm bitter just because I wanted this gig pretty badly, it seemed really interesting, and it was a freakin' internship. If I can't even get a freakin' internship, how in the world am I going to get a job? Ouch, reality check for me.
Suddenly, all the effort I put out, the resumes and cover letters, the clips and attachments, doesn't seem quite so fruitful at the moment.
At least it's Saturday... :)
Ouch, and I know the secretary didn't mean it to sound so matter-of-factly, but it came out that way. I'm not angry at the secretary though, I'm more mad that (insert name) lacked the guts to come out and tell me straight up. It was obvious (insert name) was there, the stress on the secretary's voice and the glint in the eyes made that plain to see. And I doubt that if (insert name) hadn't been there, the secretary would have known to ask someone else about my very specific inquiry. Maybe I underestimate the secretary, but if I was a betting man, I would bet (insert name) simply sent the lackey back out to regurgitate verbatim the aforementioned statement.
I think I'm bitter just because I wanted this gig pretty badly, it seemed really interesting, and it was a freakin' internship. If I can't even get a freakin' internship, how in the world am I going to get a job? Ouch, reality check for me.
Suddenly, all the effort I put out, the resumes and cover letters, the clips and attachments, doesn't seem quite so fruitful at the moment.
At least it's Saturday... :)
Friday, July 20, 2007
Cold Visits
I'm about to go visit a publication here at Berkeley...I'm going to call it a "cold visit" because it's like a "cold call" but in-person. I'm not really into cold visits, but I figure I have no job and I don't really have anything to lose.
I don't really consider myself an outgoing person, which is part of the problem. I'm not the type of person to walk up to somebody random and strike up a conversation. It's just not me, although I have been trying harder to break out of that shell. People who know me know I can be quite talkative, it's just under what context, what type of situation I'm in. I think that's why I like to write so much, I can express what I'd like to say without having (as many) reservations. I'll put it all out here, you think about it, then respond.
Problem is, writing is just not as spontaneous or as improvisational as a face-to-face conversation. Which is why I'm making this cold visit. I can express things in-person that I simply cannot through my resume or cover letter.
I made a major mistake though on Wednesday. I actually called the job coordinator of this publication, but bungled the message I left on her voicemail really badly. I was just like, "Hi (insert name) this is Kevin Lee, I hope your search is going well (what the hell does that mean?), you don't need to call me, just e-mail me, hope to hear from you soon, buh-bye."
Hahaha, ridiculous right? You ever have a time in a bar when you approach a girl with a complete gameplan set up, then you get to the girl, and your mouth turns to mush? That's basically what happened. I got lost in the situation.
For all you job newbies out there (including myself):
1) Leave a number. Who cares if they don't call you. The point of this is that you're checking up on them. Put the ball back in their hands. Really stupid of me not to do that. What do I have to lose if I do leave my number?
2) At least leave some means of returning the call. I said "just e-mail me"...but then didn't leave an e-mail address! Just because I submitted an e-mail, doesn't mean she's actually looked at my resume and actually extracted the e-mail address from it! As applicants, it's our jobs to make the job search as easy as possible for the coordinators. Give them as many ways as possible to contact you. Don't give them an excuse not to.
3) Make sure you're in the right of state of mind to make a call. Know what you're going to say, then say it. I had a lot on my mind when I made the call, and I wasn't really focused on what I needed to say to the job coordinator, and it showed.
So now I'm going to set up a game plan for the cold visit.
1) Re-iterate my interest in the job. "Your publication seems like a great place to learn about journalism because..." "The subject matter in your publication interests me because..."
2) Tell why I'm a good fit for the job.
3) Offer ideas of suggestions for the publication to show you've been paying attention.
4) Keep things friendly and open. Offer contact info. again.
I'm going to approach this like an interview, and if it goes well, and if it doesn't...well the search goes on.
Wish me luck!
I don't really consider myself an outgoing person, which is part of the problem. I'm not the type of person to walk up to somebody random and strike up a conversation. It's just not me, although I have been trying harder to break out of that shell. People who know me know I can be quite talkative, it's just under what context, what type of situation I'm in. I think that's why I like to write so much, I can express what I'd like to say without having (as many) reservations. I'll put it all out here, you think about it, then respond.
Problem is, writing is just not as spontaneous or as improvisational as a face-to-face conversation. Which is why I'm making this cold visit. I can express things in-person that I simply cannot through my resume or cover letter.
I made a major mistake though on Wednesday. I actually called the job coordinator of this publication, but bungled the message I left on her voicemail really badly. I was just like, "Hi (insert name) this is Kevin Lee, I hope your search is going well (what the hell does that mean?), you don't need to call me, just e-mail me, hope to hear from you soon, buh-bye."
Hahaha, ridiculous right? You ever have a time in a bar when you approach a girl with a complete gameplan set up, then you get to the girl, and your mouth turns to mush? That's basically what happened. I got lost in the situation.
For all you job newbies out there (including myself):
1) Leave a number. Who cares if they don't call you. The point of this is that you're checking up on them. Put the ball back in their hands. Really stupid of me not to do that. What do I have to lose if I do leave my number?
2) At least leave some means of returning the call. I said "just e-mail me"...but then didn't leave an e-mail address! Just because I submitted an e-mail, doesn't mean she's actually looked at my resume and actually extracted the e-mail address from it! As applicants, it's our jobs to make the job search as easy as possible for the coordinators. Give them as many ways as possible to contact you. Don't give them an excuse not to.
3) Make sure you're in the right of state of mind to make a call. Know what you're going to say, then say it. I had a lot on my mind when I made the call, and I wasn't really focused on what I needed to say to the job coordinator, and it showed.
So now I'm going to set up a game plan for the cold visit.
1) Re-iterate my interest in the job. "Your publication seems like a great place to learn about journalism because..." "The subject matter in your publication interests me because..."
2) Tell why I'm a good fit for the job.
3) Offer ideas of suggestions for the publication to show you've been paying attention.
4) Keep things friendly and open. Offer contact info. again.
I'm going to approach this like an interview, and if it goes well, and if it doesn't...well the search goes on.
Wish me luck!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Welcome!
I'm kind of in a rush (what freelancer isn't?) so I'm going to say a few words about what this is about...then potentially delete it and write up a more detailed synopsis...
My name is Kevin and I recently graduated from Cal with a B.A. in sociology. Cal is a great school, good standing, nice people, all that happy stuff.
But Cal alone won't get you a job. Correction: A major in sociology at Cal won't get you a job.
My interest is in journalism, the fourth estate, the public watchdog, the marketplace of ideas. That's great and all, but I'm more concerned about getting paid and paying rent.
So "freelancer" means that I am trying to write my way into some sort of permanent journalistic job, but it also means I'm throwing myself out into the job market and seeing what sticks.
The primary purpose is to share some of my silly vignettes as I interview for jobs and check out places to sublet.
I almost forgot; this is my current situation:
Crashing at my friend's place for an undisclosed amount of time.
No permanent job.
Little less than $2000 in my account.
No support from parents ("It's for your own good.")
I must admit, I am from a middle-class background and I do have a wonderful, doting family. I know people have done much more with much less, and I do not mean to grandiosely brag about any success I happen to achieve. I just want to profile what life is like for a young person who just graduated from school and is now looking to enter the job market, bright-faced, naively optimistic, and ready to shake a few hands while shaking up the Bay Area.
So if you'll indulge me, check back every few days, and see what silly mistakes I'm going to make as I venture out into the world. And if you want, share some silly vignettes of your own about entering in the job market, I'd love to hear some feedback.
Enjoy.
-Kevin
My name is Kevin and I recently graduated from Cal with a B.A. in sociology. Cal is a great school, good standing, nice people, all that happy stuff.
But Cal alone won't get you a job. Correction: A major in sociology at Cal won't get you a job.
My interest is in journalism, the fourth estate, the public watchdog, the marketplace of ideas. That's great and all, but I'm more concerned about getting paid and paying rent.
So "freelancer" means that I am trying to write my way into some sort of permanent journalistic job, but it also means I'm throwing myself out into the job market and seeing what sticks.
The primary purpose is to share some of my silly vignettes as I interview for jobs and check out places to sublet.
I almost forgot; this is my current situation:
Crashing at my friend's place for an undisclosed amount of time.
No permanent job.
Little less than $2000 in my account.
No support from parents ("It's for your own good.")
I must admit, I am from a middle-class background and I do have a wonderful, doting family. I know people have done much more with much less, and I do not mean to grandiosely brag about any success I happen to achieve. I just want to profile what life is like for a young person who just graduated from school and is now looking to enter the job market, bright-faced, naively optimistic, and ready to shake a few hands while shaking up the Bay Area.
So if you'll indulge me, check back every few days, and see what silly mistakes I'm going to make as I venture out into the world. And if you want, share some silly vignettes of your own about entering in the job market, I'd love to hear some feedback.
Enjoy.
-Kevin
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