gwendolyngrace (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
gwendolyngrace) wrote2009-12-09 10:54 pm
gwendolyngrace) wrote2009-12-09 10:54 pm
Entry tags:
Week so far....
Yesterday I voted (after remembering that our polling place has changed!), then tried and failed to enroll in Unemployment. I got to the first place and learned that there were 39 applicants that morning and they weren't taking anyone else that day. I went to a second office to learn that they only accept new applications on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Since I was in the Burlington area, I went to Patterson's and found two new leotards, which I've been needing, and then went over to Off-Broadway shoes and didn't buy sneakers, and then got lunch (during which I was able to read over one short story), and did a little more unproductive Christmas shopping but I did buy two pairs of leggings (again, for dance at rehearsals) and a stocking stuffer.
Then I made it to the grocery store and home. By then it was after 4.
Today I went to my 9:00 headhunter appointment. I like the model they use, but I'm not sure I can invest their fees right now.
So basically - the way it works is that they demand a 10% commission on your first year's salary once you find your job - and then they ask for part of that down, which pays the hourly rate to help you put together your portfolio and train you to market yourself. There are 10 sessions in which they help you discover exactly what your personal value proposition is, where you want to work, and then navigate their network for connections to the companies where you will fit well. There's a whole spiel about finding your goals and the milestones to those goals, how to perfect your elevator pitch (for yourself), how to quantify your skills, and how to by-pass the resume meat grinder so that you're not spinning your wheels.
The big problem is the initial outlay. They're basing the contract on $50K, so 5% would be $2,500. (Oh, and they help you negotiate to the highest signing salary you can get - again, because they collect a higher amount when you make more that first year.) After your hire you get 6 months to pay off the remaining. (So, say I put $2,500 down and get a job for $75K. I'd have 6 months to pay them the remaining $5,000.)
With the economy the way it is, with the really difficult niche I'm trying to fill, especially looking for a jump in my level... is this a worth-while gamble? I have the contract to consider and I've got a follow-up with them on Monday, by which time I have to have a decision.
Anyway, got done with that a little after 10. Changed in the building restroom and headed out to Natick. In the yuck, by the way. Went to Michael's, didn't really see anything earth-shattering. Browsed through Burlington Coat Factory. First thing that struck me was that there was no music in the store. It was silent. As much as I get annoyed at incessant musak, especially the Christmas music this time of year, it was really weird to shop in a huge store with no background noise. It was freakin' eerie.
Well, I wandered around plagued by "I don't know"-itis, decided that I really didn't have a clue what I wanted to get, and so left and headed to the mall.
I had to pay my JC Penney bill - I'm a little annoyed because I didn't realize that JC Penney still had my New York address on my bills, but mostly because my mother didn't take one look at the envelope and figure out that it had to be a billing statement! - it was over a month overdue. I had customer service call the central billing office and changed the address, then they waived the late fee while I paid the balance.
Puttered through the mall. Found a gift for Joel's stepfather and part of a gift for his mom. Tried to find something to supplement for his mom but couldn't within price range. (Sephora is $$$!) Ditched the mall for REI and found more stocking stuffers. Then post office to drop off my Netflick. By this time it was getting on 3:00, and I hadn't really eaten. I wanted to go to Target but was wimbling and getting tired and hungry. I did go to Target, because I figured I could get a snack and that would help the hunger headache. Well, it did and it didn't, and I found myself standing in the aisles of Target plagued with yet more indecision-itis. I decided to bag it and go home.
Got home a little after 4 (again) and took Tylenol and proceeded to conk out for 2 hours!
Made dinner at 8. Getting headachy again, but it's almost the end of Top Chef and I can get to bed. I want to get up early to do Unemployment by phone while I get myself in gear on the crap I meant to do this week.
ETA:
So, my third choice won. I should be used to that by now. But it's true Kevin had a bad day, and it's true that the margin among all three of them was razor thin, and I can also see that the chefs' panel likes edgy, and Michael is edgier than Bryan. Oh well.
Since I was in the Burlington area, I went to Patterson's and found two new leotards, which I've been needing, and then went over to Off-Broadway shoes and didn't buy sneakers, and then got lunch (during which I was able to read over one short story), and did a little more unproductive Christmas shopping but I did buy two pairs of leggings (again, for dance at rehearsals) and a stocking stuffer.
Then I made it to the grocery store and home. By then it was after 4.
Today I went to my 9:00 headhunter appointment. I like the model they use, but I'm not sure I can invest their fees right now.
So basically - the way it works is that they demand a 10% commission on your first year's salary once you find your job - and then they ask for part of that down, which pays the hourly rate to help you put together your portfolio and train you to market yourself. There are 10 sessions in which they help you discover exactly what your personal value proposition is, where you want to work, and then navigate their network for connections to the companies where you will fit well. There's a whole spiel about finding your goals and the milestones to those goals, how to perfect your elevator pitch (for yourself), how to quantify your skills, and how to by-pass the resume meat grinder so that you're not spinning your wheels.
The big problem is the initial outlay. They're basing the contract on $50K, so 5% would be $2,500. (Oh, and they help you negotiate to the highest signing salary you can get - again, because they collect a higher amount when you make more that first year.) After your hire you get 6 months to pay off the remaining. (So, say I put $2,500 down and get a job for $75K. I'd have 6 months to pay them the remaining $5,000.)
With the economy the way it is, with the really difficult niche I'm trying to fill, especially looking for a jump in my level... is this a worth-while gamble? I have the contract to consider and I've got a follow-up with them on Monday, by which time I have to have a decision.
Anyway, got done with that a little after 10. Changed in the building restroom and headed out to Natick. In the yuck, by the way. Went to Michael's, didn't really see anything earth-shattering. Browsed through Burlington Coat Factory. First thing that struck me was that there was no music in the store. It was silent. As much as I get annoyed at incessant musak, especially the Christmas music this time of year, it was really weird to shop in a huge store with no background noise. It was freakin' eerie.
Well, I wandered around plagued by "I don't know"-itis, decided that I really didn't have a clue what I wanted to get, and so left and headed to the mall.
I had to pay my JC Penney bill - I'm a little annoyed because I didn't realize that JC Penney still had my New York address on my bills, but mostly because my mother didn't take one look at the envelope and figure out that it had to be a billing statement! - it was over a month overdue. I had customer service call the central billing office and changed the address, then they waived the late fee while I paid the balance.
Puttered through the mall. Found a gift for Joel's stepfather and part of a gift for his mom. Tried to find something to supplement for his mom but couldn't within price range. (Sephora is $$$!) Ditched the mall for REI and found more stocking stuffers. Then post office to drop off my Netflick. By this time it was getting on 3:00, and I hadn't really eaten. I wanted to go to Target but was wimbling and getting tired and hungry. I did go to Target, because I figured I could get a snack and that would help the hunger headache. Well, it did and it didn't, and I found myself standing in the aisles of Target plagued with yet more indecision-itis. I decided to bag it and go home.
Got home a little after 4 (again) and took Tylenol and proceeded to conk out for 2 hours!
Made dinner at 8. Getting headachy again, but it's almost the end of Top Chef and I can get to bed. I want to get up early to do Unemployment by phone while I get myself in gear on the crap I meant to do this week.
ETA:
So, my third choice won. I should be used to that by now. But it's true Kevin had a bad day, and it's true that the margin among all three of them was razor thin, and I can also see that the chefs' panel likes edgy, and Michael is edgier than Bryan. Oh well.