Didn't get that one.

"The people who can drive themselves further once the effort

gets difficult are the ones who will win."

 Just got off the phone with Aveda. I didn't get the internship. They gave me the feedback that I was over qualified and I was late. Both true. 

I feel terrible about being late. I had plenty of time to get there, but ended up going down the wrong street. I guess it doesn't really matter, if I am too qualified then they wouldn't have given it to me. I am disappointed. I really liked the guy who I interviewed with and was looking forward to working with him. On one hand if the internship wasn't going to be challenging than it's good that I am not doing it. I saw it as a good way into the company. I guess I should look at the positives.

Positives:

HR and my interviewer said I had a strong CV.

They had a chance to meet me. I am still very passionate about working for Aveda, hopefully I would be considered if something were to come up.

I know that I am too qualified for internships and work experiences.

The experience has moved me one step closer to finding a job that I will love doing.

I have to admit that I feel knocked back. I really wanted this internship. I choked up when I was talking to the woman from HR on the phone, but I am only human. 

I sent the HR person and the interviewer an email letting them know that I would still love to work for the company and that I would keep in touch. I did enjoy everyone that I met.

I wish I could say that I wasn't upset, but I am. I did learn from the experience. I was unsure of myself before regarding experience. I had been hearing that I should try to get some experience here. So I tried that, but it doesn't seem to be the right path. I have to got to rock the experience that I have and remember that I do have a lot. My major at MCAD is a lot different than most and I gained a lot of experience from the course and the internships that I have done.

I will move forward and focus on that.

Aveda....where are you?

It's Monday morning. I had an interview last week with Aveda for a marketing internship that I am really interested in. I went in for two interviews and they seemed to both go well. I was 15 minutes late to one of the interviews. I wasn't very happy about that. I have never been late before for an interview. I second guessed myself with regards to reading the map and ended up going the wrong way. The guy interviewing me seemed understanding. I just hate hate hate being late for anything like that.

My main interview was on Wednesday and I was told I was going to hear something back by Friday. I didn't hear anything, which according to people isn't too unusual considering it was the Friday before Christmas break. I was of course disappointed. I am excited about this internship. So I am going to give a call and see if anyone is about, which I hope they are. It's the lunch hour now so I am going to ring around 1 p.m.

I got some good feedback from Matthew's aunt yesterday at dinner. She thinks that I shouldn't be marketing myself as a recent graduate considering the experience that I have from the US. I guess recent graduate here usually is equated with someone who has very little experience. 

Today I am going to be getting ready for Christmas, lots of stuff to do around the house and wrapping presents. I can't believe that this is my second Christmas in England.

About Me, About my blog.

I have always believed that attitude is everything. Your outlook on life is what you make of it. I have been spending this past week in London doing a lot of thinking about my life. I have also sat down to update my blog, but haven't done it. I was a bit up in the air about what I wanted this blog to be about it. On the one hand I started it because I wanted to have a personal record of my experience looking for a job and starting a career in London. Then I thought that maybe I could write it in a way that could help other people. Students back at MCAD who wanted to come to London. I thought that the blog could help me get a job. I could write about things of interest, connect myself to blogs that people thought were important. I was spending time worrying about what I should write, how people were going to perceive it. What kind of image was I going to portray. The more I thought about these things, the less I wanted to write about anything. I am done with chasing after "important" people.

I decided that I was going to define what I wanted my blog to be about, not what I think it should be about it. I want to blog about the thoughts and feelings I have while living in London and trying to find a job and start my life here. I want to write about the good, bad and the ugly without worrying that I am sounding too negative or coming across in a certain way. I want to openly share what I am going through so that I can look back in five, ten years and see how far I've come. I am interested in helping others who may be going through a similar experience.

MCAD I love you

I heard the mail come through the slot today and I ran from the living room to collect it. I am still waiting to hear back from one last graduate scheme that I applied for. Instead was a letter from MCAD asking me to donate money. Oh dear. What bad timing. I had just got done putting all my loans on deferment. My loans are pretty hefty, I am hovering around 65,000.00. It was well worth it. At least I know I am not the only one out there with huge MCAD loans. My husband gets a kick out of shocking people with how much I owe. University used to be free in England and even though they have to pay for it now, it isn't considered expensive. My student debt doesn't really get me down, because I believe in the education that I received at MCAD. It was money well spent. More accurately money well borrowed and spent.

I can't wait for the day when I can start contributing to MCAD, but it might be a few years. I hope they accept the check for 5.00 and know that I would give more if I had it. I have been lately getting emails from students who are interested in studying in London and I look forward to helping them. In that way I am giving back to MCAD. I feel good about helping fellow students from MCAD, especially the people studied with. I had an amazing experience as part of the BS:Visualization program. There were some amazing people and I am happy to say that we all seem to keep in touch.

photo credit Photograph ©Erin Nicole Johnson for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Monday Afternoon

I went to the downtown St. Paul public library yesterday. I love being at the library. For me it’s a great place to get inspired. After being dropped off I decided that I would need a little snack before getting going. I walked over to Mickey’s Diner. I love that place. I didn’t get a chance to take Matthew there the last time he was here. Next time. I had a wonderful grilled cheese with crispy bacon and tomato and a bowl of chilli. I just like being in there sitting at the counter. I love hearing all the thick Minnesotan accents. It was just a cozy place to be. They keep your coffee cup full, what more could you ask for.

I went back to the library and spent most of the day in the business library. I like to go through the trade magazines. I flick through the magazines and make lists of things to look up. Of course my main goal is finding a job, so I was having a look through Brand Week, Creativity, Exhibitions, Ad Age. I love how there is a trade publication for everything under the sun. It was good and I got some ideas. So I have things to look up and I am feeling a bit more optimistic.

I was also having a look through some career books. After this week being home I am going to have let go of my frustration and just get on with it. For me the hardest part is starting over. Having to cold call, setting up informational interviews and endless networking. All things I generally like, well except the cold calling. I just did all those things for four years. It was something that I was really proud of. I started building my network day one while at MCAD. I conducted almost 75 informational interviews. I had seven internships, belonged to professional organizations. I knew people.

I am afraid to contact people in London and ask for informational interviews. I ask myself why I would be afraid. I certainly wasn’t afraid to do it in Minneapolis. I think I perceive things to be so cut throat that people wouldn’t want to give me the time of day. I guess it’s also because I feel like I don’t know the rules. Should I phone someone up directly, or send an email. I just have to remember that I am going to have to face rejection. I am finding myself facing a lot of it lately and getting used to it. I am just going to have to get over it and I know that I will.

I am going to allow myself to kick and fuss for the time being and then once I get back to London I am going to accept that I have to start over and quit moaning about it. It feels like I’ve run a 30 mile race and I have come in first place except that they’re not going to give me my medal. Instead I have to run it again….