The Mad Grad

In college, pretty much every night was a celebration. There was Taco Tuesdays, Wacky Wednesdays, Thursday college specials Downtown, and keggers on the weekends (can’t exclude Sunday Fun-day). Now that you are thrown into the real world and have 9-5 jobs it’s hard to turn off this party mentality. Especially if you move to a new city and are going out to meet new people and take your mind off of work and how much you miss college. 

Drinking during the weekdays may seem doable for you- that is until you experience your first hangover at work. You meet some new people for cocktails at a fun new restaurant at a city and start with a nice glass of wine. However the wine decides it wants another glass of wine.. and then the two gang up and decide they want a cocktail.. and the next day you wake up very confused with a tattooed arm from the bar stamps, a scratchy voice from singing Journey, and an episode of Fragile Rock taking place in your head. A year or two ago you would have just skipped class, but workdays are like finals- if you miss it you fail the class, (aka your fired). If you do make it,  your concentration, performance and communication with clients and coworkers inevitably suffers. Here’s some tips we’ve learned here at the Mad Grad that while not scientifically proven, allows you to have a geat time at Trivia night while avoiding being demoted to the basement with Milton the next day:

Limit yourself to one drink an hour. Seriously. Alcohol tends to get bossy after a couple of drinks, so don’t let it takeover. Instead of focusing on the drink, focus on conversing with friends and take small sips.

Hit up the happy hours: Whoever invented these must have experienced a hangover at work and realized if they start drinking earlier than they do on a weekend, they can go home earlier and be more rested for work the next day. (They also must have been living on an entry-level salary and found tremendous joy in 2 dollar specials)

Stay hydrated: If you feel yourself getting a little drunk, have some water. Have water before you go to sleep, and the next day when you wake up. It might sound excessive but it will save you from a monster headache the next day. 

Eat Something: We all know what happens when you skip dinner and race to the bars to meet a friend: you feel like a 80 pound girl, getting wasted after 2 drinks. Before drinking have carbs, fats or sugars which slow the absorption of alcohol. 

I’m hungover, now what?: If you are still drunk, do not go into the office. Take the sick day. If you go in, have a huge glass of orange juice (vitamin C helps speed up the metabolism of alcohol), a big breakfast with protein and carbohydrates, drink water like its in your job description, have a multi vitamin (with B vitamins), have a banana, and avoid coffee which further dehydrates you. If you by some miracle wake up in time to shower, high five your alarm clock, as this will wake you up and wash away the lingering alcohol and smoke smell. If you don’t have time for this, wash your face with cold water and use some cover up under your eyes. In this scenario honesty is not the best policy- bosses have a lot more sympathy for pneumonia, flu and food poisoning than they do for too much Jack Daniels. Make yourself look as great on the outside as possible and if all else fails.. blame it on last night’s sushi dinner.

How many of you have heard something like this before:

“You’re so good with children, you should be a teacher!”

“I can really see you going into sales, you are just so outgoing!”

The truth? Just because you love children, doesn’t mean you want to pursue a career as a teacher, and there’s more to sales than having an outgoing personality. As we graduate and face so much uncertainty and opportunity we are told to take advice from as many people as possible. We are like two year olds again.. sponges absorbing information from people eager to impart their wisdom and life experiences on us (guilty) However, when is it okay to throw the bottle.. get up and walk on our own??

Advice is great to an extent- it is always helpful to hear from friends, family members and others who have been where we have and know what it’s like to struggle with finances, jobs and housing. However, when it comes to your career- only YOU know what is best for you. If friends and family see you in a career that is making you outwardly stressed, sick and a mess then it is okay for them to step in and suggest a career change. In the end, you are the one that will be on the computer all day, in front of the classroom, speaking to clients, traveling to meetings, or writing your column. So when it comes down to deciding what you want to do, sit down by yourself and instead of thinking what others want you to do or what looks good on paper, think what you would absolutely LOVE to do at work everyday. 

As Dr Seuss put it… “YOU have brains in your head. YOU have feet in your shoes. YOU can steer yourself in any direction YOU choose!”

  Before I graduated college I had no real knowledge about what a temp agency was, but now that I have been to almost every one in  the city of San Francisco, I consider myself somewhat of an expert. These can be great resources when trying to find a job, but there are some important things you should  know.

Temp and Job agencies work with companies who usually pay them commission to fill job openings within their companies and so they will advertise the jobs through them and then you can come in and they will evaluate you and your resume for the positions that they are trying to fill.

There are some key things you must know and consider before going to a temp agency:

Find a good match: Make sure that the place you are going to work with is the right type of angency for you. There are many agencies that deal  specifically with companies and or industries, so make sure that the temp agency you go to works with the field you are trying to get into.

Consider your attire: Even though it is not exactly a formal interview, you still need to dress appropriately considering the person who is trying to get you a job will take you more seriously and be more inclined to help you if you are as professional as can be.

Be Honest: Many Job agencies get commission from getting you a job, but it is very important to be honest with the recruiter, otherwise they will just place you in any job that you are qualified for. Make sure you give them a list of jobs you will absolutely not do, so then they won’t even consider you for those positions.

Here are some places I have been where I had a positive experience and good results:

Smith Hampton & Devlin, LLC Placement Specialists: This company got me an awesome job at a really fun advertising firm, they are very adament about finding you the perfect match even if it means more work for them. You also meet with all 3 owners when you are there so they each can get a feel for you and your goals in case an opportunity comes up they can all reach out to find you the perfect placement.

Innovations: The woman that worked with me here (Anne) was amazing and brutally honest about everything from what I was wearing to how to carry and present myself for the interviews she got me. Although I didn’t end up getting the position that she set me up with I still feel I learned a lot. She was always available and called to check up after each interview.

The Job Shop: This is a much smaller less corporate type agency where you are required to take a lengthy computer test (which is kind of a pain) but then it helps them get a better idea of your computer related ability. The recruiter here really helped me tweak my resume according to the field I was trying to get into, and this actually made a huge difference of the amount of interviews I got after that.

Most importantly remember to keep an open mind, getting a job you really want could take a lifetime, but by reaching out to experts who are connected and can offer advice and help is always a good idea!

As hard as it is to admit, I spend about 75 percent of my time at work staring at my computer screen. (okay fine 85 percent) This is why I’m always on the hunt for fun and interesting wallpaper to spice of my computer a little bit. However when I find a photo or artwork that I want to use, it generally isn’t the right size or looks funny on my computer screen. I find the sites just for free wallpaper remind me too much of the babushka dolls I used to play with as a child. By the time I click through the layers of pop-ups I forget what I was looking for in the first place. Thankfully, Jen (fellow Mad Grad author) told me about realsimple.com’s inspirational wallpapers. They’re cute, visually appealing, professional and have wonderful quotes on them to inspire you as you work. AND they have different sizes so it won’t look stretched out and weird on your computer. Click here to get one for yourself!

“What is the recipe for successful achievement? To my mind there are just four essential ingredients: Choose a career you love, give it the best there is in you, seize your opportunities, and be a member of the team.”- Benjamin F. Fairless

I’ve never been a fan of tests- (22 years of class sort of wore me out). However, still unsure what to do with the rest of my life, I thought I’d give some career and personality tests a try. My two major requirements were ”Free and Simple.” My overall opinion? I think there’s no replacement for experience, and the best way to know if you have an interest in something is to try it (volunteer, do temp work or a full time position). However, these tests do help you realize what you excel in and enjoy the most, not as you read their report or assessment, but as you discover your own pattern as you answer the questions. Here’s some of my favorites:

The Princeton Review Career Quiz: It’s hard to imagine how choosing between a History Professor and Account Manager will give them an accurate assessment, but it was free, short (25 questions) and pretty right-on in their description.

HotJobs Career Tests: There are 3 tests: Career Interest Profile, Career Values, and personality Index. You get a basic report overview for free but for the full assessment of your results you have to pay 14.95 (no thanks but could be helpful if you have the money for this). These tests were a bit longer but the questions were short and only took about 10 minutes per test. I learned what I enjoy doing from simply taking the test, not as much from the assessment. I like how it narrows it down for you, in the first section I eagerly clicked yes to liking music, but as it narrowed it down to “musician” in the next section.. I knew this would only be a side hobby.

The Career Interests Game: This is more of a thinking exercise than a test. The directions are simple- you walk into a party and which of the 6 types of people would like like to associate with? Gives great insight into the type of work environment you would thrive in, and also got me interested in researching the Holland Code more.

“My job is not to represent Washington to you, but to represent You to Washington”- Barack Obama

No matter who your candidate of choice is for the 2008 election, this quote by Obama should make you think about what you want from any candidate. Whether it’s your Senator, Governor or Mayor it is so important to vote for someone that will have your voice heard. When we vote for candidates we have to think not who will deliver the State of the Union Speech best, and let us know every now and then how the economy is doing. We want someone who is going to listen to what we have to say and fight for changes that we as everyday Americans believe in. This is important to remember for all of you recent grads that may for the first time be voting in an election that you really care about. (Myself included) Look for a candidate that not only is smart and keeps you informed, but really listens to what you have to say.

Okay, so you got a cute new bulletin board for your home or desk and you can’t wait to put up pictures of your loved ones and friends. Here’s the problem: You don’t want to put holes in your prized pictures or postcards! 

Thankfully, OXO, realized this problem and invented MagTacks. Now you can put up all the photos you want and not have to worry about turning them into a pair of Ambercrombie and Fitch pants. And they’re not too expensive-7 dollars a pack (well worth persevering your memories)

We are “generation green” if you will and recycling seems to be the one word off the tip of everyones tongue these days. Could it be easier? Well I guess if there was a machine that automatically recycled your items in your house and reproduced them for you! (you never know we are getting closer each day). For now, we actually have to take the time to learn and separate our items out into the famous blue bins. Many posts and articles I have seen about recycling are threatening and telling us all the negative effects of failing to recycle. Well I am aiming to do the opposite, so below you will find all of the wonderful things you are doing for the planet when you take the time to toss those cans & bottles in the proper bin!

Here’s a few of the many positives of recycling (from http://www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-benefits.html) 

• In the U.S., processing minerals contributes almost half of all reported toxic emissions from industry, sending 1.5 million tons of pollution into the air and water each year. Recycling can significantly reduce these emissions
• Manufacturing with recycled materials, with very few exceptions, saves energy and water and produces less air and water pollution than manufacturing with virgin materials.
• Every bit of recycling makes a difference. For example, one year of recycling on just one college campus, Stanford University, saved the equivalent of 33,913 trees and the need for 636 tons of iron ore, coal, and limestone.
• Recycling and composting diverted nearly 70 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2000, up from 34 million tons in 1990-doubling in just 10 years.

Here are some helpful resources to boost those recycling skills:

• Don’t know what can & can’t be recycled? http://www.obviously.com/recycle/guides/common.html 
• My friend Emma’s blog about being environmentally conscience: http://trashedsf.wordpress.com/ 
• Your city doesn’t recycle for you? No problem! Find a recycling location near you:  http://earth911.org/ 
• Learn about compost too! http://www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/ 

Recycling doesn’t have to be complicated!  As Denis Hayes put it, ” Listen up you couch potatoes: each recycled beer can save enough electricity to run a television for three hours.” 

If you’ve seen You, Me and Dupree you may be familiar with this line when he goes for an interview: 

“I’m a people person, very personable. I absolutely insist on enjoying life. Not so task-oriented. Not a work horse. If you’re looking for a Clydesdale I’m probably not your man. Like I don’t live to work, it’s more the other way around. I work to live. Incidentally, what’s your policy on Columbus Day?”

As hard as I laughed during this line, it goes without saying that this is not the ideal description of yourself to give to a potential employer. Even if you have graduated from an Ivy League and have a stunning resume, there are several mistakes that can make or break you during an interview (and leave you sleeping on your roommates couch):

1. Being Silent Bob: There’s bound to be a couple questions that may surprise you and you may not know the answer for, but whatever you do, avoid saying “I don’t know” or worse nothing at all. Take your time answering the question, and do your best to answer it in the best way possible. Anything is better than not answering it.

2. Dressing like Britney Spears: While your new sparkly tank top may have gotten a lot of applause from your friends the night before, it will most likely be frowned upon by your interviewer. Dress as professional as possible, and never wear jeans, shorts or capris. If there was ever a time to take Mom’s advice and be “well groomed” this is the time. Brush your teeth, wash your face, if you are a girl wear minimal makeup, comb your hair and trim your nails! Remember, you are a walking reflection of their company if they choose to hire you. (And easy on the cologne and perfume, deodorant should be sufficient)

3. Boss Bashing: Okay so your previous Boss was crazy. She made you work weekends, bring her coffee every morning at a specific temperature and left you with nothing other than a prescription for anxiety medication and rogaine. However, your potential boss does not want to hear this. As bad as it was focus on the positive. Instead of saying “She was flat out crazy,” go with, ” I learned how to remain calm in stressful situations and stay organized to meet strict deadlines.”

4. Weak Sauce:  It’s the dreaded question that we all know is coming in every interview.. “What are your biggest Weaknesses?” Even though terms such as “Disorganized, procrastination and bad temper” may immediately pop into your head, DO NOT SAY THEM! This is one scenario where honesty is not the best policy. If you have superpowers, than you may answer “I do not have any weaknesses.” But for the rest of us, saying “I have no weaknesses” will get you an instant ticket to unemploymentville. Instead, think of something somewhat positive, “I’m sometimes too hard on myself, but I’ve learned to do the best I can and be proud of it.” Or say something you learned at your last job that you would like to focus on in the new one, “I didn’t see the importance of filing, and grew frustrated with it, but now I realize how important it is to keep an easily accessible record of all files and hope to improve this in my next job.” 

Motor Mouth: While you may have a lot to share about yourself, keep your answers short and to the point. If they ask broad question like “What did you do at your last position?” answer with three to four sentences in a way that relates it to the position you are applying for. This is where being prepared comes in handy, because if you are nervous and haven’t done your homework you may tend to ramble on for longer than necessary.

Name Dropping: As much as you want to tell them that you are currently on the new committee to develop a new interface for the iphone.. this will most likely scare than impress them. It is okay to say you worked with high profile companies and give specific examples but try not to give the names. Easily sharing confidential information about past employers will make them think you will do the same with their company, and who wants to hire an employee they can’t trust?

The Me Me Me Trap: You are going to be asked a lot of questions all about yourself, so they can determine if you are a good fit for their company. But this is also a time to see if they are a good fit for you. Always come prepared with questions. This shows you have researched their company and are showing interest. If not, it’s like a bad date where the other person talks about themselves for the whole time, leaving you unimpressed and extremely full.

Not bringing enough Treats for everyone: You never know how many people will be interviewing you, which is why it is always important to bring several copies of your resume. Also, bring a pen and paper in case you need to take notes, and personal identification, money (no not to bribe them.. what if they ask you to join them for lunch after?), and any letters of recommendation.

Gum Smacking, knuckle cracking, pencil tapping, hair twirling and any other bad habits must be left at home. 

And one more thing.. Please Silence your Cell Phones