Finding the Time

Well it has just about been a month at the new job.  It is going great.   The campus doesn’t look like this yet, but it won’t be long before it does.

It has been very nice to get a reprieve from job hunting.  I don’t remember the last time I used Simply Hired and it has been weeks since I rewrote my resume in order to send it out.  The news on the job market seems to be getting better.  I hope that when this 6 month position is done, I will be entering a hot job market.

I have been approaching this job in two ways.  The first way is as a 6 month interview—a way to fully bring what I can do to the job.  And then with that understanding, they can make an informed decision about whether I would be good fit for the organization.  I have been cramming to learn all I can as fast as I can to make a good impression.  Since I have been riding the bus to and from, I have been using this time for studying.  It’s been nice being able to devote this extra time.

 

The second way I have been approaching this is as a way to improve my resume, so I’ve been trying to shape the projects that I’m working on to improve my resume for when I do begin looking for a job again.  I have also been trying record every accomplishment that I make, no matter how small, thinking this will help out when it comes time to use it in my resume.

The last month has meant a lot of learning on the personal side.  We are having to change everything about keeping up the home.  We are learning how to get the shopping done, the house cleaned up, and the dinners made.  We are all much more constrained time wise, so the small improvements we make are appreciated. 

It has even been a task for me to learn how to commute using the bus.  Learning how to time the buses.  I never even rode a bus to school, so before this month, I think I could count the number of time I have been on a bus using most, but not all of my fingers. 

Tomorrow will be the first day since I started that I will be driving into work.  I have a meeting after work at Seattle U. and need to drive straight there after work.  So today I learned about parking at the U. 

There has been a million little things, like getting my desk set up, that have take time.  After a month of learning and becoming a bit more efficient, I think my schedule is finally starting to level out and calm down a bit.    The lack extra time has kept me from writing here, which I have missed.

I have also been constrained trying to keep up with my current with and increasing  my networking contacts.  I have been trying to send out a few emails to say hello and see how things are going.   I hope that I will be able to do more of this as my schedule starts allowing more time.

I decided that I would take at least a couple months off from looking for work.  It would be nice if this job turns into a permanent position, but with the looming budget concerns of the UW, I not holding out a lot of hope that my timing will be right for this.  So I will need to resume the search before the 6 months is over.  I hope to be refreshed and rejuvenated and heading into a much improved job  market, with recent work and with improved skills.

For my friends that still looking, hang in there, it is getting better and it is just a matter of time before that prefect position comes along.

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