Where Did Summer Go?!

True fact: If you had asked me earlier today when was the last time I'd updated this blog, I would have sworn to you that it was only two weeks ago. Instead it's been over 5 weeks, and I have no idea how the time went by without my notice. It is true that I've been busy; between trying to find a job and working my internship, plus trying to have something that resembles a personal life, I seem to use up all my time every day doing something.

I realized today that Labor Day is just around the corner, and since that is the day I always equate with Summer being officially over (mainly due to the fact that I've lived so much of my life in academia), I feel like I've lost a lot of time somewhere between July and now.

Things of note since my last post: I received my degree in the mail, so I am now officially Alice M. Weaver, M.S., and an alumni of Colorado State University's Graduate School. I have tweaked my resume several times, for all of its incarnations (Administrative Personnel, Communications Specialist and Technical Communications), and I'm still working on the resume that I use to apply for government positions.

I've finally found some good jobs on the website of the temp agency to which I am a member, so I'm hoping that one of those that I've applied for will bear fruit. I'm also still in the running for a position within the nearest hospital in town; my fingers are fervently crossed that I get an in-person interview!

Work at my internship has changed a bit, and I still enjoy working there. It's nice to have a little shake-up of responsibilities, as it keeps the job fresh and entertaining.

I will keep my head up and my thoughts positive and hopeful as I continue to search for work.

Cheers,
AMW

Mid-Summer Rundown

I have confirmed that I will be earning my Master of Science in Public Communications & Technology from Colorado State University at the end of this semester. So now I just have the task ahead of me of getting a job.

I am still working as an unpaid intern at Beet Street, and my writing portfolio has expanded considerably. I even had a small series of articles printed in the local newspaper (though Beet Street was credited with the writing). So things are looking far better as I look toward the end of the year compared to last year.

I am going to start taking online tutorials in CSS and Javascript, as I have come to the conclusion that my knowledge of HTML isn't enough for companies to pay attention to my resume. I may also take a few tutorials in C++ and maybe Linux or Unix, depending on how well I adapt to the language. I remember learning HTML was super-easy, and while that was almost eight years ago, I still know enough to make a webpage without having to cheat and look up codes. I will see how it goes, and if I really like it, I'll try to check out some advanced courses.

If you'd like to see what kind of writing I'm doing for Beet Street's Arts Incubtor of the Rockies (AIR) initiative now, you can go to: http://airartsincubator.org/blog.

If you'd like to read the articles that were printed in the Fort Collins Coloradoan, here are the links to the last two articles (all the others went to the archives):

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20120621/ENTERTAINMENT/306210001/Streetmosphere-showcases-work-HalfMoon-Arts-youth

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20120628/ENTERTAINMENT/306280003/Avery-House-hosts-Streetmosphere-Fourth-July

As this is Monday, I will wish you all a good week!
-AMW

Writing Means Researching

It is Memorial Day, and I would like to thank all the people in our armed forces for their service, past and present. I have several men who have served in the armed forces in my family, including my dad, and so I deeply respect those who are willing and able to join the fight to keep our country safe and free.

Now, since I have a free day, I decided to take some time and update the blog. First of all, I have successfully defended my thesis, which means I am going to get my Master of Science in Public Communications and Technology, and I'm officially done Summer Semester 2012!!! Huzzah!

Secondly, I have been super busy with Beet Street, writing for them and researching in order to do more articles. I've also had my responsibilities augmented so that I'm writing for Beet Street's AIR and their Streetmosphere programs. So far, I have done two blog posts for AIR, and as of this blog, one article for Streetmosphere, which is in the Coloradoan, though more will be published over the course of the coming month. I have a lot of things to look into prior to making blog posts, which is fun, and I'm discovering a lot about Colorado and the art scene here that I didn't know beforehand.

If you want to read the two blog posts I've done for Beet Street's AIR, you can go here:
http://airartsincubator.org/blog/p?=432
http://airartsincubator.org/blog/p?=438

If you want to read the article I've done for Beet Street's Streetmosphere, you can go here:
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20120524/ENTERTAINMENT/305240002/Expect-experimentation-from-Matt-Smiley-Streetmosphere?nclick_check=1

I do have to say it's rather neat to have a published bit of work in a newspaper; I don't get writer's credit because I am but a lowly unpaid intern, but I do get to add it to my portfolio of writing samples. I am hoping that all of this writing will help get me a really good job by the end of the summer, if not earlier.

Cheers,
AMW

Internship Acquired & Countdown to Degree

I am now an intern at Beet Street in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am primarily writing articles for newsletters and blogs for the Arts Incubator of the Rockies (AIR) initiative, but I get to help with other things in the office as well. I finished my first "week" on the job (I have a 10-15 hour work week) yesterday, and it feels fantastic to be useful again.

http://www.beetstreet.org
http://www.airartsincubator.org

In other news, this coming Thursday I am defending my thesis. I have a Prezi just about finished and I have plans to make cookies as refreshments are generally served with the presentation. So hopefully this time next week I will have attained my Master of Science in Public Communications & Technology.

Things are definitely looking up!

Cheers,
-AMW

Job Fairs

Today I'm getting ready to go to a job fair. I have my resume all up to date, I have business cards, I am dressed and groomed. I figured I should update the blog today, not only because it is overdue, but because the web address for the blog is on my business cards.

To the employers, consider this a very short writing sample or cover letter:

Hello again! I'm sure that if I gave you my business card and resume, then it was a pleasure to meet you, and I am interested in working for your company. My luck finding a job on my own has been less than stellar, despite the fact that I've been working on finding a job whenever I'm not working on my thesis. My work ethic is solid and I like working to earn my keep, I just need a foot in the door. I am willing to shadow a person on the job to learn the ropes for your particular office/workspace, and I learn quickly.

Please use the contact information on my business card and/or resume if you would like to interview me for a job. I can do marketing, some PR or journalism, or general office duties. I work well solo as well as with a group, and I have leadership experience.

Sincerely,

Alice M. Weaver

P.S.: If you would like to check out my profile on LinkedIn, here is the link:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alice-weaver/37/63b/498
-AMW

UPDATE: The Musical!

The thesis is written and turned into one of my professors for the first round of edits!

In other news, I'm still trying to acquire a job by sending out a healthy amount of resumes and cover letters, as well as going through application forms online.

As for the title of today's entry, I find that listening to music is a good way to keep myself motivated when I'm getting the silent treatment from possible employers. I'm not going to give up or despair just because I don't hear back from a business I applied to for work. There are too many people out there who are much worse off than I am at the moment, so I'm going to keep my head up and my eyes locked on my goals: to get my Master of Science and to get a job.

I applied to 10 different places yesterday, all "entry level" positions save for one that would have me flexing my managerial skills more than my writing abilities, but it's technically in the veterinary industry, so I'm rather partial to it. All the other places would have me in the medical industry (for humans, not animals) in some capacity, usually administrative, which is fine because I'm familiar with a medical office set-up.

All in all, this past month or so has been good to me (stressful, to be sure, but good).

Post-Holidays Update

Hey Everybody,

Sorry I've been radio-silent (blog-silent?) for two months; between the holidays and such, I've been super-busy.

Good news: I have ALL of my data for my thesis collected, and I've already input all the information into chart form. I have 26 pages worth of charts! Once I have all of my appendices printed out, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have about 75 pages of content, not including my actual thesis. I'm also on target for defending my thesis and getting my degree this semester!

Bad news: Unemployed again. The part-time job I had finally gotten by my last post was great for a week-and-a-half, and then there were timing and scheduling issues within the company and I was laid off. I was paid for my time, and the boss told me that she'd love to have me back when she got the call center back up if I was still available. I still haven't heard from her, even though I did call this week and left a message telling her I was available. I also haven't been able to garner an interview anywhere else, either.

So, I have my work cut out for me, but I know I can finish my thesis on time and get a job; I just have to keep believing in myself.

-AMW