Job hunt

I'm sure that I once used the phrase "bowels of grad school" to describe where I was figuratively climbing out of. Since then, I've redefined the limits of my mind and body as a grad student. Late nights, very early mornings, very poor sleep in between--typing until carpal tunnel and computer eye sets in--eating a strict diet of convenience foods involving shredded cheese and canned beans--living from latte to latte, paycheck to paycheck (though if I'd cut the lattes, maybe less so)...

The point is that I'm reluctantly moving from the bowels of grad school to the underbelly of the job market. My first round of applications went out recently. Several to the Middle East, and some to Myanmar, and none to anyplace that my grandma would approve of.

I even had an interview!

Well, besides my inability to use Skype properly on a MacBook (something that I recommend trying out before an interview, by the way), I think the interview was, if not a success, at least a learning experience.

The interviewer, I found out, got an advanced degree from NAU (small-ish world, huh?) and was curious about my NAU connections. I've never been in an interview where I am seriously under-qualified for the job at hand, so it was interesting to field questions that addressed by lack of teaching certification and teaching experience. I tried to cover my insecurity with a big smile (somewhat useless because I couldn't make my webcam work) and a lot of enthusiasm for Myanmar.

The job application process is tedious. It's like setting out a hundred fishing poles that all have the same hook, but a different bait. It's sometimes hard to know what to say in the cover letter, or how to frame yourself, and it takes a lot more time an energy than I expected.

Time to get back to the hunt.

Here's hoping for a great job in the near future!