Well I can't believe it's March!
Things are going well at Speedy. We have been really busy this week and I have had little time to look up from my computer screen. I also got PAID! Wahoo it feels good to have income again!
In other news, I'm speaking to three classes of 9th graders at the Jr. High next week. I'm going to be discussing graphic design and my experiences. I'm really pumped to hang out with kids again, it's been a while.
Speaking of kids - I have some exciting news! Ready?
I'm going to be a YOUTH INTERN AGAIN! That's right - one more summer of GLORY before the real world sucks me in. If I haven't settled into a professional position before May, then I will be the next female intern for Argyle Church of Christ in Jacksonville, Florida. My fellow guy intern is Derek Nichols, and we've been friends for a few years. I anticipate another glorious summer filled with mud pits, creek walking, painting houses, slip-n-slides, teaching and building relationships with teens. We're going on a few mission trips stateside while I'm there too. I couldn't be more eager to intern again. I also think it's hilarious that God brought this opportunity my way because I recall saying to Him "I am NOT going back to the state of Florida". He loves to do that, but hey, every state deserves a second chance.
Everything else is going well here. I'm just marching along and continue to search for a professional job. I have had little luck, but hopefully I'll have some more interviews this month. I also got in touch with Harvest Creative. They aren't moving into their new office till August, so perhaps something can work out after my internship. "All shall reveal itself in due course" (100 points if you can name what movie that quote is from).
Well I've got to go clean, and as always, thanks for stopping by!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Something New
Hey everyone!
Ah well I do have a little news to share with you. I have taken a full-time job with American Speedy Printing here in Auburn. I started last Wednesday so it's all very fresh right now. I thought it would be a good idea to work in the print side of things so that when I do find my professional job I will be able to realize how the printing processes play into design.
So far it's been a mix of doing small design tasks (similar to my work at Relevant of filling in numerous templates or recreating documents) and repetitive manual labor such as sticking seals on thousands of birth certificates or making copies. I'm thankful for the opportunity and I'm enjoying seeing how design goes through the various printing processes. They run a few old-school presses and ones with plates so I hope that I might get some more experiences working with those.
In the meanwhile I'm still searching for a professional job in the South East. I just took up some contract design work with Adventures in Missions so I am very excited about that. I continue to apply to anywhere with a working email address and check search engines like SimplyHired or Monster at least a dozen times a day. I still have some hope for the Harvest design firm in Memphis, but they won't have the space to add anyone on till at least June.
That's all I have for now! Oh and my parents got a crazy little fuzzball of a kitten we named BOO - she's adorable and fierce as most kittens are. Everyone have a lovely Valentines day and as always, thanks for stopping by.
Ah well I do have a little news to share with you. I have taken a full-time job with American Speedy Printing here in Auburn. I started last Wednesday so it's all very fresh right now. I thought it would be a good idea to work in the print side of things so that when I do find my professional job I will be able to realize how the printing processes play into design.
So far it's been a mix of doing small design tasks (similar to my work at Relevant of filling in numerous templates or recreating documents) and repetitive manual labor such as sticking seals on thousands of birth certificates or making copies. I'm thankful for the opportunity and I'm enjoying seeing how design goes through the various printing processes. They run a few old-school presses and ones with plates so I hope that I might get some more experiences working with those.
In the meanwhile I'm still searching for a professional job in the South East. I just took up some contract design work with Adventures in Missions so I am very excited about that. I continue to apply to anywhere with a working email address and check search engines like SimplyHired or Monster at least a dozen times a day. I still have some hope for the Harvest design firm in Memphis, but they won't have the space to add anyone on till at least June.
That's all I have for now! Oh and my parents got a crazy little fuzzball of a kitten we named BOO - she's adorable and fierce as most kittens are. Everyone have a lovely Valentines day and as always, thanks for stopping by.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Metaphorical Filing Cabinets
These days as I hear the lovely g-mail chime I can already read the messages looming in my inbox.
"We have no available positions at the moment but we will keep your resume on file should something become available in the future. Love, Kisses, and Rainbows - HR"
Okay so I made the last part up, but really in this drowning economy those automated responses tend to flood my inbox these days. Sometimes I sit around and wonder if those filing cabinets truly exist or if it is HR's friendliest and most professional form of rejection. What has become even worse than the typical automated rapid-fire responses are silent rejections. Those are the ones that simply refuse to dignify your inquiries with a response.
I believe my favorite rejection email to date is from Skirt Magazine in Memphis that stated "We have filled the position. - Skirt"
Wow. Down to one sentence. That's a keeper because of it's blunt honesty. I have enjoyed the emails from various places across the South East that try to sugar coat their messages with "We liked (or enjoyed) your work, but we aren't looking to add anyone to our team". That's basically like saying "Hey at least you have a cute personality..."
I have to warn you - it's not smart to pray dangerous things like "God close the doors you don't want me to walk through". I think sometimes we forget that God will actually DO what we pray for! Well, I forgot and now He's reminding me in His own way.
So for now, I will continue my quest. If you have any suggestions of what I should do while being here in Auburn until...well...who knows how long, I'd love to hear 'em. As always, thanks for stopping by.
"We have no available positions at the moment but we will keep your resume on file should something become available in the future. Love, Kisses, and Rainbows - HR"
Okay so I made the last part up, but really in this drowning economy those automated responses tend to flood my inbox these days. Sometimes I sit around and wonder if those filing cabinets truly exist or if it is HR's friendliest and most professional form of rejection. What has become even worse than the typical automated rapid-fire responses are silent rejections. Those are the ones that simply refuse to dignify your inquiries with a response.
I believe my favorite rejection email to date is from Skirt Magazine in Memphis that stated "We have filled the position. - Skirt"
Wow. Down to one sentence. That's a keeper because of it's blunt honesty. I have enjoyed the emails from various places across the South East that try to sugar coat their messages with "We liked (or enjoyed) your work, but we aren't looking to add anyone to our team". That's basically like saying "Hey at least you have a cute personality..."
I have to warn you - it's not smart to pray dangerous things like "God close the doors you don't want me to walk through". I think sometimes we forget that God will actually DO what we pray for! Well, I forgot and now He's reminding me in His own way.
So for now, I will continue my quest. If you have any suggestions of what I should do while being here in Auburn until...well...who knows how long, I'd love to hear 'em. As always, thanks for stopping by.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Want Ad
In recent weeks most of my job leads have turned up as dead ends. I have quickly realized just how unfriendly the economy is right now, especially if you just graduated college.
So consider this a want ad.
I am a graphic designer, searching for employment, preferably in the South East. If you know of ANYONE with a business or church or hot dog stand (ew I hate hot dogs, but you get my point) that would be interested in hiring someone for their design needs PLEASE contact me at meforrester@gmail.com
In the meanwhile, I will be searching for some kind of part time employment here in Auburn so I don't begin to "crawl the walls" or go "stir crazy" as my Dad puts it.
Also, even more than contacts of people you might know that are hiring, I would like to ask for your prayers. It never hurts to petition the one who created the idea of "work".
Thanks again, and I will be sure to keep you posted as the search progresses.
So consider this a want ad.
I am a graphic designer, searching for employment, preferably in the South East. If you know of ANYONE with a business or church or hot dog stand (ew I hate hot dogs, but you get my point) that would be interested in hiring someone for their design needs PLEASE contact me at meforrester@gmail.com
In the meanwhile, I will be searching for some kind of part time employment here in Auburn so I don't begin to "crawl the walls" or go "stir crazy" as my Dad puts it.
Also, even more than contacts of people you might know that are hiring, I would like to ask for your prayers. It never hurts to petition the one who created the idea of "work".
Thanks again, and I will be sure to keep you posted as the search progresses.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Job Hunt Continues
Hey everyone!
Well I feel that it's way past due for an update around here. Yes, I did officially graduate from Auburn. I have the paper to prove it! Since then I have begun my epic quest for employment which continues to be a rather elusive entity. Last week I visited Memphis, TN and had a few interviews.
The first was at Speak Creative. Unfortunately they are not hiring, but I had an "informal introduction" which went well. I think if something should develop there I would learn quite a lot about the industry. They did advise me to continue to learn as much as I could about web design because that is where they are growing the most.
The second interview was for a part-time design job with White Station Church of Christ. It went very well from my perspective and I was very comfortable answering the questions that they had for me. I am not sure how this one could work out seeing that it is part-time, but you never know!
The third interview was with Harvest Creative. I have to say out of my other interviews (including the one in Birmingham in September) this one was the most enjoyable. I really clicked with the staff there, and they were very complimentary of my work. I am expecting a follow-up call at the end of the month after they decide where their new location is going to be.
Since returning to Auburn I have continued to apply for various openings in the South East and have yet to hear back from anyone else. I know that the economy isn't very friendly right now, especially if you're new to the "real world", but something will turn up.
So you might be wondering what I have been doing in my spare time. Well to answer that inquiry, I have taken up several freelance projects. I am in process with the following: Map design for the Alabama Historical Association through the University, t-shirt design for the site Politics4All (I actually have a meeting with them tomorrow morning), t-shirt series with the organization called Loveless based on India (I'm SO excited about this one, I love their apparel!), edits for the Sound of Hope so it can go to print soon, a logo design for a consignment shop in Tampa called "Fresh Threads", and a few others that I can't recall at the moment.
Through my interviews I have decided to listen to the advice of those in the industry. Web design is growing and the need for web designers is becoming very essential to secure employment. I have decided to sit in on a web design class while I am still in Auburn. Granted I did take this class in the past, but I need it again because I didn't catch everything the first time through.
So that's where I'm at for the moment. I want to go ahead and apologize if I twitch a little should you ask me the question "Do you have a job yet?" because I don't have a solid answer for you. I appreciate the inquiry though and I will be sure to keep you updated as I continue to search for work.
If you know of anyone in need of a graphic designer please contact me at: meforrester@gmail.com! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Well I feel that it's way past due for an update around here. Yes, I did officially graduate from Auburn. I have the paper to prove it! Since then I have begun my epic quest for employment which continues to be a rather elusive entity. Last week I visited Memphis, TN and had a few interviews.
The first was at Speak Creative. Unfortunately they are not hiring, but I had an "informal introduction" which went well. I think if something should develop there I would learn quite a lot about the industry. They did advise me to continue to learn as much as I could about web design because that is where they are growing the most.
The second interview was for a part-time design job with White Station Church of Christ. It went very well from my perspective and I was very comfortable answering the questions that they had for me. I am not sure how this one could work out seeing that it is part-time, but you never know!
The third interview was with Harvest Creative. I have to say out of my other interviews (including the one in Birmingham in September) this one was the most enjoyable. I really clicked with the staff there, and they were very complimentary of my work. I am expecting a follow-up call at the end of the month after they decide where their new location is going to be.
Since returning to Auburn I have continued to apply for various openings in the South East and have yet to hear back from anyone else. I know that the economy isn't very friendly right now, especially if you're new to the "real world", but something will turn up.
So you might be wondering what I have been doing in my spare time. Well to answer that inquiry, I have taken up several freelance projects. I am in process with the following: Map design for the Alabama Historical Association through the University, t-shirt design for the site Politics4All (I actually have a meeting with them tomorrow morning), t-shirt series with the organization called Loveless based on India (I'm SO excited about this one, I love their apparel!), edits for the Sound of Hope so it can go to print soon, a logo design for a consignment shop in Tampa called "Fresh Threads", and a few others that I can't recall at the moment.
Through my interviews I have decided to listen to the advice of those in the industry. Web design is growing and the need for web designers is becoming very essential to secure employment. I have decided to sit in on a web design class while I am still in Auburn. Granted I did take this class in the past, but I need it again because I didn't catch everything the first time through.
So that's where I'm at for the moment. I want to go ahead and apologize if I twitch a little should you ask me the question "Do you have a job yet?" because I don't have a solid answer for you. I appreciate the inquiry though and I will be sure to keep you updated as I continue to search for work.
If you know of anyone in need of a graphic designer please contact me at: meforrester@gmail.com! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
IT'S A CELEBRATION!
This is the song I'm singing because...
I'M DONE WITH COLLEGE!
I completed my final final today.
Celebrate good times come on!! Yahooo!
I'M DONE WITH COLLEGE!
I completed my final final today.
Celebrate good times come on!! Yahooo!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
A New Chapter
Hey there everyone!
I apologize for the lack of posting for the last month or so. Due to my slacking, I have plenty of updates to relay so here we go!
"Ahhhh" - that my dear friends is a sigh of relief for I have, indeed, successfully completed my Senior Project. If you don't believe me, because I had doubts myself, then visit this page to view my project in its glorious entirety. I was very pleased with the end results as were my professors and Ericka Bennett from Adventures in Missions. They are planning to use the materials and begin printing them as the funds become available! It's very exciting to see my work be put into use instead of collecting dust in a portfolio.
With that said, I am graduating on the 19th which would be in exactly 4 days and 12 hours. To go ahead and answer your question I would like to state "No. I do not have a job yet." I have applied and inquired with several places such as: Speak Creative in Memphis, TN Harding Creative in Memphis, TN Harvest Creative in Memphis, TN Midtown Church in Atlanta, GA to name just a few. Obviously I would like to end up in Memphis but I'm pretty open so, if you know of anyone in need of a Graphic Designer, please keep me in mind!
In the meanwhile I will be in Auburn until I secure some form of employment. Thankfully there's a grace period with my parents ha ha! To be honest it is slightly overwhelming trying to find a job and the state of the economy isn't exactly working toward anyone's favor who just graduated college. Even so, something will work out.
Also to update from previous posts I was accepted to be a Roadie for Invisible Children. Crazy, I know! But after several days of consulting about a dozen different individuals wiser than myself and plenty of prayer I concluded that being on the road for 6 months just simply wasn't where I needed to be. Of course it was very difficult to turn down, but I didn't have a peace about accepting the position. I also thought that I have been working for four and a half years on this degree and I am ready to put it into practice which I would not be able to do while on the road. Regardless of my decision, I still greatly support this organization and who knows - maybe some other opportunities will come my way that involves IC. You never know!
I have one more final left on Tuesday then I am officially finished with my college education. Wow. It feels like I just started my Freshman year and in other ways it feels like I have been in college for 10 years. Either way, a new chapter is opening up in my life and I have no idea what the pages hold. Really. No. Idea. Thankfully God knows and He has a plan which is a great relief even when I feel the pressures after answering "Do you have a job yet?" about 20 times.
In the meanwhile, I plan to enjoy some time during the holidays here in Auburn. I will also be traveling to Louisiana shortly after Christmas so I am very excited about that time we have planned. I will be sure to keep you in the know concerning my job quest!
As always, thanks for stopping by!
I apologize for the lack of posting for the last month or so. Due to my slacking, I have plenty of updates to relay so here we go!
"Ahhhh" - that my dear friends is a sigh of relief for I have, indeed, successfully completed my Senior Project. If you don't believe me, because I had doubts myself, then visit this page to view my project in its glorious entirety. I was very pleased with the end results as were my professors and Ericka Bennett from Adventures in Missions. They are planning to use the materials and begin printing them as the funds become available! It's very exciting to see my work be put into use instead of collecting dust in a portfolio.
With that said, I am graduating on the 19th which would be in exactly 4 days and 12 hours. To go ahead and answer your question I would like to state "No. I do not have a job yet." I have applied and inquired with several places such as: Speak Creative in Memphis, TN Harding Creative in Memphis, TN Harvest Creative in Memphis, TN Midtown Church in Atlanta, GA to name just a few. Obviously I would like to end up in Memphis but I'm pretty open so, if you know of anyone in need of a Graphic Designer, please keep me in mind!
In the meanwhile I will be in Auburn until I secure some form of employment. Thankfully there's a grace period with my parents ha ha! To be honest it is slightly overwhelming trying to find a job and the state of the economy isn't exactly working toward anyone's favor who just graduated college. Even so, something will work out.
Also to update from previous posts I was accepted to be a Roadie for Invisible Children. Crazy, I know! But after several days of consulting about a dozen different individuals wiser than myself and plenty of prayer I concluded that being on the road for 6 months just simply wasn't where I needed to be. Of course it was very difficult to turn down, but I didn't have a peace about accepting the position. I also thought that I have been working for four and a half years on this degree and I am ready to put it into practice which I would not be able to do while on the road. Regardless of my decision, I still greatly support this organization and who knows - maybe some other opportunities will come my way that involves IC. You never know!
I have one more final left on Tuesday then I am officially finished with my college education. Wow. It feels like I just started my Freshman year and in other ways it feels like I have been in college for 10 years. Either way, a new chapter is opening up in my life and I have no idea what the pages hold. Really. No. Idea. Thankfully God knows and He has a plan which is a great relief even when I feel the pressures after answering "Do you have a job yet?" about 20 times.
In the meanwhile, I plan to enjoy some time during the holidays here in Auburn. I will also be traveling to Louisiana shortly after Christmas so I am very excited about that time we have planned. I will be sure to keep you in the know concerning my job quest!
As always, thanks for stopping by!
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