Will work for food

It seems like one of the most popular questions I’ve received thus far from friends, family and faithful followers is: “How’s the job hunt coming along?”

I don’t want to say it has been back-burnered — working is far too important to me and will be a major topic on this blog — however, as of late, it has not been on the front burner.

Currently I am still fully employed and writing remotely for Starwood, just as I did in Orlando from the corporate office, and I’ll continue in this capacity for a couple more weeks.  Knowing this, I made a loose mental agreement with myself that after we returned from our weekend trip to Florida, and once we unpacked our boxes and felt settled, I would jump in full force to find a great job.  The time is nearing …

During the past few weeks, I’ve taken a look each day at the communication opportunities in San Francisco that are posted for all to see online.  I was told that Craigslist is a hot spot for job postings in the Bay Area, and there are quite a few decent roles available there.  However, as a savvy marketing and writing professional, I am well aware that your next great gig comes from a connection, and the most coveted jobs are not always publicly available.  That is probably why I’ve delayed the active hunt, because I don’t have any connections yet and am hoping to make some.

I know I’m a good writer.  I know I’m great with clients.  I know I enjoy learning the ins and outs of brands and becoming a brand ambassador.  And, I know have some pretty excellent presentation skills that can keep the attention of the conference room.  However, I also know that there are tons of other Bay Area professionals who think the same things about themselves.  So, if I find a job opportunity that I really want, how can I differentiate myself?

Perhaps I should pull a move from the arsenal of one of my husband’s previous coworkers and send a delivery of warm pizza along with my resume to the hiring manager.  Perhaps I should visit the office and hand-deliver my portfolio of work on a DVD along with some Peet’s coffee and warm pumpkin bread.

Or, instead of planning my show-stopping application, perhaps I should step back for a minute to try to appreciate the free time I will have during my job hunt.  This is free time that I have never had before as a busy working professional.  It is time I need to get our home life in order, during which I can continue to write each day, continue to explore the city on foot, teach my group fitness classes (which have not started yet) and pray that a fabulous opportunity will jump right out and present itself to me when I least expect it.

Stranger things have happened.

Beware, if it doesn’t go my way, this little blog might soon ask for small donations to keep the lights on.