Serving up Excellent Coffee: Part-time blues in a major key

Working two part-time jobs is a plausible solution to a job drought.  I am now on the path to earning health insurance benefits in six months while increasing by 98% my retail service experience.  Both part-time jobs that I work have industry respect, and flexible scheduling.

What are the disadvantages to working 2 part-time jobs as opposed to holding out for that full-time, full benefits career?

Joe Helper's part-time job is beyond stocking shelves, filling orders, smiling and saying, "Thank You."  I predict store managers will begin to request, and then demand, digital social-connection between part-time retail workers and customers.

My job at the coffee shop is going to bleed into, with life-giving and interesting blood, my off-the-clock time as I am asked to promote the brand.  Just like my full-time counterparts in distribution, marketing, and roasting, I'll be answering email and carrying on conversations via text all day long.

And at my part-time job as a software trainer?  I am going to push for more marketing with a highly educational tone.  We need a blog, a daily twitter tip for Excel, Word, and Outlook, a giant and effective bank of helpful links to internet resources and smart-phone apps.

For a recent graduate, two part-time jobs is a decent solution to the seemingly insurmountable task of finding full-time work.  I am not going to be one of the 6.7 million without work for 26 weeks or more, and I have follows--8.8 million who would prefer full-time employment.  And, I am actually getting a really brilliant, real-life education in retail and software, not to mention free coffee, tea, and scones.

Creative Cover Letter

Today, I emailed a cover letter to a fledgling social networking site for writers.  Here is my attempt at a creative cover letter (note the clever metaphor):

When my third grade teacher peered at me over her bifocals, all I could think to say was, "a writer!"  Then, I turned back to the window and imagined I was tunneling into the snowdrifts, away from my boredom.

After several miles of tunneling through stories of pubescent beavers saving his classmates from a post-earthquake collapse, carrot-craving bunnies, and other pre-adolescent failures do to a broken muse, I've seen the light and arrived at the brighter future of academic writing, anthropology, and blogging.

I want to be a part of your team because I am convinced the future of "the author" is in connecting with thousands of people, collaborating, and feeding creative insight through social networking.

The truth is, I really do want to contribute to the growing necessity and power of social networking: especially as it becomes more and more practically linked with careers.

• Wikipedia's useful list of social sites
• Next Month's reading

Keyword: Yes, I may bite the bullet

Though much of my own research (for pleasure, in college) dealt with a horrifying but freeing Post-modern perspective on knowledge and education (get my white paper), I have bit the proverbial bullet, and here is a start to my humbling research about machines coming between humans.

"Employers' use and eventual dependence on keywords to find the job candidates they want to interview has come about in recent years because of technology " --Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

What job's for me? An entry-level position in a respected office --in law, music copyright, or legitimate market research.  What keywords do I need in my resume? Via Job-search-engine.com I found three relevant listings.
1."Advertising and Marketing Firm is hiring Entry Level

•  Keywords: fast-paced; aggressive; highest level service; extraordinary; professionals; long-range career; stimulating; challenging;

• Comments--these keywords are focused on marketing to young people looking for a starting job.  When I pull up the website, my suspicions are confirmed, because it is geared toward acquiring workers rather than clients--a backward marketing method unless employee turn-over is rough for the company.

2. Assistant Analyst, Movie and Game Research

• Keywords:  market research; analyzing; negotiating; writing; casual; entrepreneurial; devise; design; monitoring; questionnaire; intellectual curiosity; media.

• Comments--this list is full of active verbs, real challenges for the employee, leading me to think this is a more legitimate position in a company that values employees that think and learn well.  I'll apply!

3. Sales Manager Entry Level

• Keywords:  guests; caring; attentive; service; quota; research; potential business; fast-paced

• Comments--a shorter description that is much more vague, and leaves me wondering what the actual compensation will be.  But, I'll give it a try!

My next step is rewriting my resume in order to fit the keywords I predict will spark the interest of the prospective company's hiring manager.



Here is an example (with questionable formatting) devised from keyword list #2:


PROFILE

     An entrepreneurial professional seeking to design and evaluate research in a fast-paced climate
      that values intellectual curiosity.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts Degree, Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa May 2010

Program: Secondary Education GPA: 3.97 on 4.0 scale
            Major: Spanish
            Minor: Kuyper Scholars Program (Independent Researcher)
            13 Semester Credits – Media/Marketing

Merit Scholarships

      Dordt College Distinguished Scholar
      Dordt College Kuyper Scholars Program Scholarship
      Dordt College Vocal Music Activities Scholarship

EXPERIENCE

     Student Teacher, Maranatha High School, Pasadena, California

Jan. 2010 to April 2010

           Designed learning experiences in a ninth grade Spanish level one
           classroom.
           Monitored student progress by devising tests and questionnaires for
           periodic student assessment.
           Communicated clearly with multi-media, presented daily instruction.

     Learning Communities Assistant, Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa

            Sept. 2008 to May 2009

           Modeled good study skills for academically at risk college students.
           Mentored 9 students in study-skills and goal setting through weekly
            meetings.
           Designed peer study groups and analyzed results.

     Resident Assistant, Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa

Sept. 2007 to May 2008

          Guided 40 students toward community living.
          Supported students with accountability and prayer.
          Designed and implemented periodic social and educational events.

     Camp Counselor, Camp Tecumseh YMCA, Brookston, Indiana

May 2007 to Aug. 2007

          Mentored campers from ages 12 to 16 during week-long camp experiences.
          Instructed ceramics and high ropes classes.
          Served as lake front lifeguard.

Additional Activities

      KITA Student Media-Video Camp                                   Feb. 2008
      Dordt College Concert Choir                                          Jan. 2007 to May 2009
      Dordt College Kantorei                                                  Aug. 2009 to Dec. 2009
      Dordt College Student Forum Representative               Aug. 2006 to May 2007
      PLIA (Putting Love Into Action) Spring Break Service Mar. 2007

I count 15 keywords in my resume.  I'll post if I get any results from the application.