While I’ve been working hard at my new job for over a month now, it appears I never properly posted about how I got my job, even though that’s what this blog has been about for over a year!
As I was interning in a search marketing job that I found intriguing, but knew wasn’t for me long term, I was having a tough time applying for jobs, and especially going on interviews. Since I had started interning full time, with the potential to be hired as a salaried employee, I didn’t want to take time off for the company to think I wasn’t interested in working there or that I wasn’t working as hard as I could. So I had to turn down a few interviews, or get really creative about when I was going to them.
I had taken Sept 1 off to move, then, since I had the day, I decided to take two interviews in different parts of Boston back to back early that morning. While it wasn’t easy to prepare for two big interviews and to move all in one day, I made it work!
Both interviews went really well, and ultimately, I received offers from both. It was a very tough decision, but I believe I have made the right choice for my first job.
I had applied for two jobs already at the agency I work for now, where I was not chosen to move beyond the initial phone interview because of my lack of agency experience. It is difficult, in trying times, to differentiate yourself when there are specific requirements in mind (and lots of people fit them). But I kept at it, and after some discussion with a friend of mine, she figured out that she knew someone that worked there. She contacted him for me, and eventually when they were hiring people for social media, he reached out to her and I sent my stuff direct to him to go to the hiring manager, instead of through HR.
The hiring manager, now my boss, turned out to be friends with Chris Brogan, the publicity maker from an earlier post. Therefore, besides seeing my resume and blog, she knew Chris endorsed me, which turned out to be the icing on the cake for a candidate she already thought would be a good fit for the team.
I was able to showcase all of the skills I have talked about and built up over the last year through our phone interview, in person interview, and presentation in front of the team before I was hired. I felt that I had presented my best self that day and I was happy with my interview.
So getting my job wasn’t one trait of mine, or even Chris’s endorsement, but a combination of my skills, passion, and personality which showed I was a great fit for the position, team and company.
Now I’m proud to say I work in a job doing what I want in a city I love!