The Job Hunt is On!

30Jun06

I finally finished my resume and got it uploaded it to Monster last week. I also gave copies to my family and friends to pass out when they could. I had a lead with a local engineering company last week, but HR never called me back. I left voicemail messages several times, but I’m sorry, they may want someone who is willing to keep on calling them HUNDREDS of times (maybe a slight exaggeration) until they finally get a person on the line, but I won’t do that. If someone looking for a job doesn’t make the follow-up call, there’s no chance that s/he will get called a second time by the potential-employer! Do I sound cynical? Hope not! But there’s a reason people go around concerned about making a good first impression, and not just in person.

Mrs. Kelly was my first grade teacher at Coffin Elementary School in Maine, and I will never forget the phone etiquette leasons we had. We had plastic toy phones that were kind of shaped like this…

I’m not sure how often we had these lessons, but they were often enough to make a lasting impression with me. I still answer the phone politely and take messages nicely… I’m amazed by the number of people who answer the telephone, “Yeah?”. Good grief, just say “Hello”! I know that extra syllable is hell to get off the tongue for some people. And here in the South, natives add multiple syllables to the tiniest word, so it wouldn’t really take any longer to say.

Sidenote: I used to be called Sammy or Samantha by family, friends, teachers… When my family moved to the south, I immediately became Sam. I’m convinced it’s because of the extra syllables added to every word – it just would’ve taken fore-evah! to say my full given name!

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about phones lately. I have a fascination with the different styles and sounds they make. Not the new phones, or even the touch-tone phones. Nope, I’m talking about good ol’ rotary phones! I love the sound they make when dialing, and really, the receiver is so much more comfortable than the portable handsets, too!

A few years ago I saw a phone in a box at a local junk store that I really wanted. I didn’t take that phone home with me, though, as the price was just too much, but I continue to look for one on eBay – some day, my phone will come!

Filed under: Personal, Randomness, Work   |  1 Comment