On Caffeine, Job Searches, Online Resumes

It's weird getting a gmail chat from one email address you have (and share with others) to your personal gmail account. As Casey said "its kind of like being schizophrenic". Yes, a bit.

I need to learn to regulate my caffeine intake. I object to paying $3.50 for a coffee, that sucks. However, it is kind of nice to get a buzz off caffeine - and I mean a buzz like I can feel it affecting me, like my insides (and my attention span) are buzzing. Its interesting, though, because I will get about 20 things done - just in 5 second increments. I can't believe how much espresso I had when I was in France. I miss the automatic coffee dispensers from UTC though - they need to have one in Siebel. Yes, I realize Siebel has its own coffee shop, but its not open all the time. I was in the Undergrad for the first time EVER - it was crazy. They have an espresso royale AND automatic coffee dispensers. I'm jealous of LAS - what's wrong with me? (No offense to LAS intended, but usually ENGR has more money and nicer ammenities).

On Online Resumes
GRRRRR. Agilent has the best online app of any I've filled out so far - very simple. Honestly, why can't more companies just LET you fill in the school, major, etc field instead of having a "generic" drop down menu? Really, there are too many majors and whatnot for all of that. Agilent was the first one I think that didn't puke at me that I'd entered something wrong. Sometimes (often) what I want to fill in isn't defined by your stupid drop down menus. Maybe drop down menus aren't how I want to represent myself. Maybe I don't fit in any of those categories. I spend time putting my resume together to present myself the way I want to present myself - let me upload the frickin' PDF version I spent time on. I'll upload a text version, too, if that makes you happy but gosh darn it I already have most of the information on that in more detail than your little 50 letter boxes can handle.

On Job Searches
I am SO tired of talking to a company rep and getting "yeah, apply online for this position" and then going to the website and not seeing that job title ANYWHERE in site. Also, when you apply for jobs online, you have no idea if anyone actually looks at your resume if you aren't applying for a specific job. Maybe I'm looking at your company like "hey, you're really cool, please let me submit my resume and you tell me where I'd fit well." On that note, at my mentoring class yesterday, there was a rep from Boeing who has done a lot of recruiting/interviews. A lot of companies aren't allowed to pass resumes anymore. Which basically means, unless you know someone inside the company anyway, its really hard to get your foot in the door. Your resume has to trigger those keywords for the electronic searchers that screen text resumes, and if your GPA isn't high enough - SOL. Even if you are the perfect match and have other qualifications that blow you out of the water compared to everyone else - tough luck. You're probably not going to get to a human being, much less one with an appropriate job for you. BAH!