It is a very strange feeling, the idea that I'll get more done once I get a job.

But hey, my new job starts tomorrow.

Looking forward to it.

It occurs to me that I'm really good at quickly coming up with and executing a reasonably successful plan using limited resources and under serious time constraints.


Therefore, my perfect career is that of a character in an 80s television show. Anyone know if the A-Team is hiring?

Of course, I'm behind on my job, just barely caught up with school, but only suffering a minor freak out about my schedule being more or less fixed for the next four months, and the next five months after that. But hey, it's school! And I have a job! And I can buy stuff and pay back stuff and fix stuff!

And eat! And pay rent! And learn!

Yay!

I'll probably ask you to shoot me in about two months!


p.s. Boston next weekend.

I should not be awake and already in Boston this damn early. At least there is coffee.

"Relevant account information" is much different than "revenant account information."

Every so often, it occurs to me that maybe I put all my points in the wrong skills. Proficiency in boffer fighting and Performance: Larping aren't all that useful when it comes to getting a job (not that larping isn't on my resume... "interactive, improvisational theater" for the win), so I wonder what it is that I can do, sometimes. I mean, I have the full range of office skills, but every so often (like, all the time), I come across job postings that have long lists of arcane requirements, strange specializations that read like gibberish to the uninitiated. Like programming languages or business development programs.

And it strikes me that these are the real skills. The fact that I have four dots in Microsoft Office is good, but if I don't understand what "customer relations with the GSA Alliant SB PMO, the PCO, and customers" means, I'm not going to get the job. The jargon is there as an additional barrier to keep people away, even if the actual skill is rather useless compared to the ability to use a computer effectively.

So, Dr. Eljay, in the current market, what are those real skills? If I were to go back to school, take classes, or pick up a book, what should I be learning in order to get a job in a business or tech field? What skills do you find useful in your job, and what do you do?

And if you think you know me well enough, what do you think I'd be good at?

Today is my first day of real American "work" in over two years.

Oh, boy...

So, I'm looking for a job. Likely, I'll be starting temping in a few days, just to bring in some money, as I'm nearing the state known as broke. People have been asking me what I "do", and it's better to say what I am interested in. I've "done" a lot of different things, after all. So what am I interested in?

Technology, Computers, and Communication
Marketing and Advertising
Corporate Social Responsibility
Environmental Organizations
Non-Profits

I'm pretty good with a computer and the usual Microsoft suite of programs. I've used Dreamweaver and other programs to create webpages. I've edited technical documents, research papers, annual reports, manuals, and 3,000,000 Euro grants. I've done technical support for a whole office, worked trade shows, facilitated Peace Corps projects, served on a development committee for a non-profit, raised funds for a village bakery, ran plot on three larps and organized monster camp for two, moved boxes, made games, sold books and toys and clothing, and even helped build a booth at a ren faire.

So... Job hunting. I've been accessing the Peace Corps resources, checking out Craigslist, and working on my LinkedIn profile, but I feel like I'm missing something. Like there's something that modern Americans do to find jobs that I'm forgetting about.

If you have any cool resources to toss my way, I'd love to read them. I'm also interested in whatever good temping experiences you might have had, and with what company. I'm only really familiar with John Leonard and Spherion. And really, any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.