Monday, July 24, 2006

Its all in a name

I've been submersed in the job search song and dance. First, I find myself a humble and sometime self denegrating sort. So, using "power words" to describe my talents and experience takes a bit of getting used to. I shake my head and hope that ego tripping is not a prequisite - for any employement opportunity. I'll giggle at my own odacity...and lately, I have had to edit some of my self hype down. "My employment record is rife with a plethora of highly skilled and remarkably intelligent skills..."

It is also a good thing to realize that the teaching gig was boardering on abuse. The department mismanaged and nurtured a poisonous work environment - enough crap to spontaneously induce bitterness. Come on, I know better than to openly berate or complain about a past employer. I cannot help but wonder if the most astute or adept human resource managers can translate the double-speak.

I say "There was no possibility for growth and promotion in my past position. My long employment history enabled me to develop a wide range of skills and abilites, and I feel the need for professional growth ..."

Human resources manager translates "The professors in my department went crazy last year, and I am no longer interested at working for paltry wages to provide an excellent service and be slapped in the face in return. I am also tired of dealing with tenured egomaniacs who have the tendency for moral certainty and hypocracy."

Who knows.

I also had my nose pierced a couple months ago (fulfilment of a desire that was planted in graduate school...I was even a poseur in grad school and wore a clip on!). I like to wear a ring, and I think its fabulous and all. I bought some subtle studs. I have recently discovered that capture ball rings are a bitch to put in again. I can't wait until I have signed my future contract and I no longer have to worry about the strategic nostril ring switch. Yeah, this should go over really well in the job search. Good thing its not a septum ring eh? I meant to ask my employment councillor about this thoughts on this. Except he is blind, and I felt really tentative about asking this. I am not trying make fun of my employment councillor, because he rocks. Its just a current conundrum I can contemplate.

And finally, I am back in the mode where I am awkwardly trying the label myself. Oh yeah, back at THAT game again. No sooner did I shed the title "Wanton University Instructor", immediately created a need to find a new one. What the hell do I call myself now? Now, some of my more idealistic readers my feel the need to pat my head and say "tut tut, no need, just be you...". I have realized that in order to FIND a decent job, one needs to identify the employment title. I have been learning that I like the sound of Project Designer, Instructional Designer, and the like, but shit, I have no clue about MySQL, and other forms of compu-speak.

Thus begins my search. I think I got a bit ahead of myself deciding that I needed to go out and find a job. I need to go out and find a new moniker.

2 comments:

Hotboy said...

Thank God I'm far too useless for anyone (else!) to employ me! But I'm sure you'll get something. Funnily enough, hadn't imagined you with piercings! Hotboy

TrudyJ said...

Good luck to you. I loathe job hunting with a deep and intense loathing, and thinking up all the happy verbs to sell yourself is one of the worst parts. Funnily enough, in my current job (which I got after a summer of intensive job hunting, and ended up getting hired by people who knew me because I'd interned with them, which is the only way I EVER get a job) I am expected to do the odd bit of advising students on career planning and job searches -- to which all I can say is, "Do like I say, not like I do ... and try to cover your tattoos."