Take me For What I am, Hire me, Or Leave Me! #1

52 Ways to Land a Job

Dear Twitter,

 I would like to take a moment to thank you for being created. At first, I thought it would be IMPOSSIBLE to engage with others in 140 characters or less. However, you taught me to convey my thoughts creatively by using less fluff and more honestly. At times 140 characters seem appropriate when communicating but has taken over my life.  When responding to others I find myself constantly checking how many characters I have left! Don’t worry ,I will be sending you my therapist bill!

On a more serious note, you have helped me connect with my first love; All My Children. For those of you who DON’T know what All My Children is, I suggest you Google Susan Lucci. After that, if you  STILL don’t know … then  shame on you!

Anyway, you nearly gave me a heart attack when Chrishell Stause ( Amanda from All My Children) responded to my tweet!  I would have also sent you my hospital bill!

Ok, ok, I am getting to the point of 52 ways to land a job, just bare with me. There is a secret  to my madness, I promise.  After attending a conference I was introduced to the #SAchat  ( Student Affairs chat) community. A community on twitter who eats, sleeps and breathes Student Affairs almost all day long! For a graduate student who is starting her first year of grad school, this was like winning the lottery. Yes folks, this community is more amazing then happiness money could EVER buy. Wait.. let me take that statement back. I would like to have money buy a plane to  travel the world to meet these amazing people  IRL (in real life!)

So, Twitter, how have you helped me possibly land a job in 52 ways? Well I will tell you!  Last year I started a project called #52in52, have you heard of it? No? Great! Let me tell you about it.  One night  after completing a class assignment where I had to interview three professionals within the division of Student Affairs at my university, I thought it would be empowering to interview professionals at other universities.  But I wasn’t sure how I was going to accomplish this. Then, I realized I had the perfect tool to make this happen. YES! YOU dear Twitter. I would use you… again, ( I hope that you are ok with me using you to my advantage all the time.)  to engage and build relationships with other professionals from around the world.  

( Yes, I’ve made some awesome Canadian friends, eh?)  I wasn’t sure how the #sachat community would take to this ridiculously  fabulous idea, so I sent out a tweet asking if anyone would be interested in being interviewed. Within minutes a dozen people who I didn’t even know wanted to join in on the fun. After a few  interviews people were helping me spread the word. Before I knew it I was conducting 2-3 interviews a week. Wait.. I forgot to explain to you how the title #52in52 came about.  Well, I wanted to interview 52 professionals in 52 weeks  

( hence #52in52) but I finished this project in four months.  I still can’t believe the support I’ve received from this community.

I have spent the last year getting to know these professionals and building relationships with them. They are no longer strangers, but friends, mentors and I even found my soul sistah.  They have watched me grow as a person and young professional and I am excited to have them on this journey we call job hunting. 

So, thank you Twitter for giving me the opportunity to possibly land a job this spring, without you my chances were slim to none!

Until next time!

P.s. I plan on writing these blogs  from my heart, with no hidden agenda…. What you read is what you get. With that I will leave you with one of my favorite songs:

“ take me for what I am who I was meant to be

and if you give a damn take me baby or leave me” (“Take me for what  I am” By Rent)