American Girl in Paris April 9, 2009

Well, American Girl in Rouen…but it just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

I’m excited to announce that I was accepted into the Teaching Assistantship Program of the French Embassy. I will be teaching English to students in Rouen, France starting in October of this year.

I will leave for France mid-September, and will come back between April and June, depending on the specific program I am assigned to.

Rouen Fun Facts:

- Where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake

- Birthplace of Gustave Flaubert (author of Madame Bovary)

- 80 miles from Paris, 233 from London (across the English Channel, of course…aaaaand I just figured out why it’s called the Chunnel)

- There’s a museum devoted entirely to blacksmithery: Musee Le Secq des Tournelles. Basically just locks and keys…how exciting!

 

 

I can’t wait to start this new adventure. I still plan on returning and eventually working in marketing/advertising, this was just an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. And don’t worry, I’ll keep blogging from France!

Mattel Marketing Gives Dora the Explorer a Makeover March 31, 2009

Earlier this month, Mattel released a new and improved Dora the Explorer. The new Dora was welcomed with criticism from parents and consumers who demanded that Dora remain the same lovable young character.

Mattel defended the change by stating that they would not replace the old Dora, but simply wanted to appeal to an older demographic of young girls who could relate to this more mature Dora.

The new Dora has long hair down to her waist, a short dress with leggings underneath, and bears little resemblance to her predecessor. It appears she is more dressed for a shopping mall than exploring the outdoors.

The uproar from the parents is not surprising. No one wants their child to grow up too fast. However, no one can blame Mattel for wanting to keep up with a growing demographic who is catered to by Bratz dolls and Barbie dolls with tattoos (but that’s another blog post).

The more important issue is that young girls have a good role model. In my opinion, the new Dora will still be that. If Mattel wants to target 5-8 year old girls, I see no harm in the new Dora. She’s still a young, bilingual girl that children can learn from.

When I was a little girl, we had Barbie dolls and Polly Pockets, as well as the Spice Girls and Britney Spears. Today it’s Bratz dolls and Hannah Montana. I think Dora the Explorer should be the least of parents’ worries these days.

What do you think? Is marketing letting kids grow up too fast? Or are we just responding to what the kids want?

Holy *$#!, I’m Graduating. Now What? March 25, 2009

I know this may seem incredibly obvious (it is what this blog is about, really) but I am graduating in less than two months. I think it just hit me.

Sure, I’m excited. I’ve worked hard to do well in college, and now it’s all going to pay off with that diploma. But I’m now having that holy-*$#!-what-now?! feeling. When you graduate high school, it’s pretty much assumed that you will go to college. K. I did that. Check. Now what?

Now someone is supposed to tell me what to do again. Parents? Professors? Advisors? Tell me what to do. I went to college. Now I’m supposed to get a job? Start paying for things like health insurance? What about Spring Breaks, house parties, and random road trips? I’m never going to have a summer vacation again, not really. You could call this a Peter Pan syndrome breakdown. You’re right, I’m not ready to grow up. Especially in an economic recession.

Well, unfortunately for my graduating class, and for 2009 grads across the US, getting that first real job may not happen. I read in the Public Relations Society of America’s PRSAY, in an article titled “Would You Trade Places with a 2009 Graduate?” that employers are expected to hire 22 percent fewer grads this year than last year. The article also goes on to give advice on what to do if that first job just isn’t coming your way. These tips are valuable, things like having informational interviews with companies that interest you, and to be proactive with your resume and cover letters.

I think the frustration comes when you do have everything together- you have a high GPA, relevant internship experience, excellent interview skills, reliable references, and you are a perfect fit for the company…but they’re just not hiring.

Or you apply for a job that 234 other people applied for (who are probably more qualified than you) so you get a big fat rejection letter.*

The thing is, this isn’t our country’s first economic recession, and it won’t be the last. Others have gone through it before us, and eventually the economy will turn around. I think the panic sets in when you realize not only do you not really know what you want to do in life, your options are severely slim. It’s expected of you to get a job now. And reality sets in when you realize there are people out there who have been in the industry for 5, 10, 20+ years who have been laid off, and are now competing with you for the same job.

The important thing to remember is that even if you don’t have a job the day after graduation, it doesn’t mean you won’t have one a week or a month after that. It doesn’t mean you should stop looking, stop applying, stop handing out your resume, stop networking. Eventually things will turn around, a job will open up.

Until then, I suggest moving in your parents’ basement and practice saying, “do you want fries with that?” Only kidding, I doubt McDonald’s is hiring either.

• not that it happened to me or anything, just saying…

Not Afraid to Fly, But Afraid to Fall March 19, 2009

I’ve never been afraid of heights. However, I am afraid of falling.

This fear is fairly new to me. I think it began last spring. The night before I left for Paris, France for spring break, I had a horrible dream that the plane crashed. Upon sharing this nightmare with my father, his kind words of advice were: “Did you know most airplane crashes happen in the first 13 seconds of take off  or landing? Do what I do, count to 13 once the plane is off the ground.” Well. That was helpful.

So now I sit there. Frantically counting to 13, keeping my eyes squeezed shut, my fingers digging into the armrest. I’m sure I look absolutely insane, but I don’t care once I reach 13. I can finally breathe, and I’m alright until the last 13 seconds of the flight.

See, it’s not really that I’m afraid of flying. I love to travel, and I’ve been on a plane numerous times. I’m not afraid to look out the window and see the tiny houses and cars below me. I’m just afraid that something will go terribly wrong, and the plane will go spinning out of control and crash into the ground (or water as the case may be).

And I know all the statistics, like how you’re more likely to get struck by lightning than to die in a plane crash. Statistics like that mean nothing to me, because I’m pretty sure if it were to happen to someone, it would happen to me.

And I know what you’re supposed to do if the plane does go down. I know you should remember how many rows you are away from the exit, so that when the lights go down, and there is smoke everywhere, you’ll know where to go. I know you’re supposed to actually pay attention to the flight attendants, and plan your exit strategy so you don’t sit there in a frozen panic instead of trying to escape.

I think the hardest part for me is letting myself fly, and not thinking about the fall. I think this is true for me professionally as well. I have a lot of dreams, and I know they will take some risk to be able to achieve them, so I have prepared myself to fly. I like adventure, and I’m ok with some risk. It’s that little piece of me that is worried about falling, about failure, and about not succeeding. I am good at letting go of certain fears, and going for what I want. But how do I know I won’t fall?

The ‘I Would Rather Stab Myself in the Leg’ Theory March 10, 2009

I have often wondered how many people actually get up in the morning excited to go to work. As the old saying goes, “if you love your job, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” I think this could also be called:

The ‘I Would Rather Stab Myself in the Leg than Go to Work‘ theory.

I first discovered this feeling when I worked at Victoria’s Secret for about a minute* during my freshman year in college. I remember donning the black suit, spraying on a little ‘Very Sexy’ perfume (which to this day, makes me gag), and getting ready to head to work for an evening shift.

On that particular afternoon, I distinctly remember saying to my roommate/cousin, “I would literally rather stab myself in the leg than go to work right now.” And I honestly considered it. It was my thinking that by stabbing myself in the leg, I would certainly not have to go to work that night.

Now this is nothing against the company, but it was how I felt about that job at that point in my life. I was just starting college, and my top priority was socializing.** I wanted to get to know as many people as possible, and I didn’t have time for things like “jobs” that took away from that.

Now, I have somewhat of a reputation for having had many jobs in my day. Mostly only by close friends/ family, as my resume only portrays relevant work. But here’s a brief history of my non-relevant, non-internship positions:

Hornbacher’s- Grocery store clerk***
American Eagle- Sales associate
Victoria’s Secret- Sales associate***
Division Office- Secretary***+
Minervas Restaurant- Hostess
Nanny
Target- Cashier***

Yikes. So, in retrospect, I have had quite a few jobs I really did not care for. But overall, good or bad, I’ve had valuable work experience that has taught me a lot about life, and what I want to do.

So what are your favorite job experiences? Do you have any not-so-favorites that fit my theory? Feel free to share!

*exaggeration, I really worked there about 3 months
** and, so my mom doesn’t have a heart attack, studying
*** this was a prime example of a job that I would rather stab myself in the leg than work at
***+ really, this job was only bad the summer I worked there and had to wash the stairs with a rag and a bucket

They’re Just Not That Into You. March 3, 2009

I recently saw the romantic comedy “He’s Just Not That Into You.” This film showcases what women do wrong (and sometimes right) when it comes to men and relationships. These women are ignoring the fact that the guys they are interested in are ‘just not that into them.’ It’s easy to make excuses: he’s just really busy right now…maybe he got hit by a taxi…maybe he’s gay.

It got me to thinking, in a professional setting, what signs are we not seeing or what excuses are we making? What are we not doing to get the job we want? Why are they just not that into us?

Resume = Making the first move

Submitting a resume to a company for the first time is like asking a guy out, or even letting him know he likes you. You want to make a good impression, but you don’t want to reveal too much too fast. You want to print it on the prettiest paper, and choose just the right font. You don’t want to include anything from your past that might be a turn-off…even that 3-month stint at Victoria’s Secret. Or especially that.

Interview = First Date

The first date is key, as is a first interview. You obsess over what to wear, and  attempt to come across as intelligent, but witty. You strive to make good eye contact. You want to appear eager, passionate, but not overly excited. You don’t want to seem needy, just available.  And what happens if the exchange is awkward? If the chemistry just isn’t there?

Follow Up

The follow up is the most important piece of the entire job search process, as well as in the search for love. At the end of the interview, typically the interviewer will give a deadline in which they expect to contact you. But what if they don’t? You wait, wondering when and if they will call.

And if they don’t call? When is it an appropriate time to call them? And if you do contact them, how long do you wait? A few days? A week? The hardest part is wondering if you will cross the line of simply appearing interested into crazy stalker interviewee territory.

Technology

One last important piece to note, is how technology today affects the job search. I think the movie said it best…

“I had this guy leave me a voice mail at work, so I called him at home, and then he emailed me to my BlackBerry, and so I texted to his cell, and now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. It’s exhausting.”

I have personally experienced this new age phenomenon, when it comes to the job search anyway. I’ve received rejection letters in the mail, by email, by phone,  and fortunately not by text…yet.

I guess what I’m learning is that when it’s right, they will call you. If they really are that into you, they will make the call, and you will get the job. Until then? I guess keep on waiting, obsessing, and making excuses. Works for me anyway.

Pitt…”wow! any relation to Brad Pitt?”….enger. February 26, 2009

It was my New Year’s resolution to write more, and now that it is almost March I am following through on my resolution.

A little background about me…

My father is a United Methodist pastor, my mother an elementary school teacher.  So I have lived all over South and North Dakota starting in Arlington, then Harrisburg, SD after which I made an exciting move to Minot, then Fargo, ND only to return to Sioux Falls, SD for my undergrad education at Augustana College.

I’m studying Business/Communications and French. I’m interested in going into the marketing/advertising industry, specifically in the areas of PR, account service, and copywriting. I’ve gained a lot through my education at our private, liberal arts college…but even more so in the internships I’ve had. I’m excited to graduate, and to find a job during this recession. Woo!

I’m fairly fluent in French, have visited France a couple of times, and I hope to go back soon. I don’t know if I will ever use it in the professional world, but can’t hurt, right? I love to travel, meet new people, and whatever adventure I can find in this world…

A little more random facts….

• I’m sarcastic about 75% of the time, which I realize may not translate well on a blog, so bear with me
• I drive a Scion XA, which is similar to driving a Go-Kart (aka awesome)
• I was the youngest of 3, with 2 older brothers, and I think it shows in my personality
• I’m interested in fashion, photography, film, French culture
• I love old movies, classic novels, advertising prints from the 50′s
• My favorite colors are black and white

I’m hoping this blog will become a mix of my personal thoughts/ideas and my experiences delving into the professional world as I graduate and leave behind my college days. I want to ask questions and receive advice from people who have been there, and shed a little light on what it’s like to be in the position I am in now.

For more random ramblings, follow me at twitter.com/kristenpitt