I am a very wealthy man

From the eyes of a newbie meeting a very wealthy man.


My first apartment was in Chicago's most successful neighborhood, the Gold Coast. I also worked in the area as a server waiting on Gold Coast residents for three years gaining some rather interesting stories. 


Not everyone in the area was wealthy, but everyone was peculiar. My building in particular must have housed the most interesting characters in the area. There was a man that lived on the fourth floor who stored large black garbage bags filled with styrofoam heads in the laundry room. Every night around 7:30pm he would drag them from closets into the elevator and load them into grocery carts, bungee cording them in place. He would then pull the two carts down the street to a destination that I never knew. He was a nice guy, would sing a lot, but smelled and looked very dirty, I don't know if he even rented an apartment or if he just stored the styrofoam heads in the hallway closets and laundry room. 


Anyway, yes peculiar characters for sure, as well as contradicting lives. The Gold Coast area has many dogs, and fur coats, a lot of homeless & lower class next to million dollar mansions. But one man from the Gold Coast gave me a piece of advice that put this neighborhood into perspective and changed the way I think of "class." 


A regular to the restaurant I worked in, ordering the same thing every time, tipping excessively, and a staff favorite, had high expectations, as well as high rewards. He would bring in many business partners, was always smiling, and loved to talk. One night after a couple of drinks his chattiness increased as he talked about his work, his personal life, and his past. In this conversation I asked him, "So what was the secret to your success?" He replied,
           "Success.......well.......luck. I was in the right place at the right time throughout my career, it is not something I could have planned, it was luck. Everyone has million dollar ideas, but it is who hears them that makes them successful, the right people heard mine at the right moment. Do the best you can and always be happy at every point in your life, that should be your focus. Being successful is not being wealthy, remember that."


He slipped me $50 and walked away.


So there it is, the Gold Coast is not the most successful area in Chicago, most likely not the happiest, just the most expensive zip code in Chicago, and probably home to the most interesting characters as well. 


Hailey Schultz

Joy to presents?

From the eyes of a newbie singing joy to presents?


When I was younger we would always sing "Joy to the World...." in school, church, I heard it on the radio... Now when I hear Joy I think of "Joy of toys" which is a respected charity that donates toys to children in need. I sit here on Christmas Eve as my little brothers drool over the mound of presents covering our living room floor. The excitement is overwhelming as they take turns in time-out and sway moods from laughing to crying within seconds throughout the day. It is impossible to stabilize their mood with the big boxes covered in sparkles waiting to be ripped open.


I love buying presents for people and my credit card shows it! But how long will these presents give joy to those I love, my guess is one week, maybe two, but then all will be forgotten and the new wish will be for summer vacation. 


Although the Joy of Toys is a wonderful program, how long will these toys bring the children in need joy? There is a better way to celebrate Christmas than thousands of dollars under the tree. Tonight when the unwrapping begins presents will be ripped apart, children will turn into savages quickly opening all of their presents as fast as they can and throwing them to the side until they are all exposed. They will then look over and analyze all of the goodies, pick the best one and leave the others until morning when Santa comes and the presents all become a huge pile of stuff, nothing is special, they expect even more, and when Christmas is over they will be reminded by commercials of what they did not receive. 


This is not the children's fault, we are the ones who continue this tradition. There is a better way to celebrate Christmas, but every year will be a battle to fight the mass and go against the grain of America's Christmas. 


Hailey

When you feel like....what?

From the eyes of a newbie when you feel like crap.


A common saying these days is "I feel like crap." You feel like what? 


You mean to tell me that you feel like....




Someone chewed you up with pointy bones and pushed you down a slimy clostorphobic tube that threw you into a pit filled with acid that slowly broke you down into pieces. Then you were shoved into an endless curving pipe for hours where you are turned into a pile of mush and then flung into a huge pool and flushed down yet another pipe that lead you into a dark underground smelly swamp were you would live for an undetermined amount of time.


I truly hope no one ever feels like this.


Hailey

2250 hours

From the eyes of a newbie and my first 2250 hours.

This year I will work 2,250 hours, like most workers in the US. The next 30+ years I will have put in approximately 67,500 hours into my career!

Everyday I hear a soft cheer around 5pm as I stay at my desk to finish up the days work. Lately I have been putting in 11-12 hours a day which makes me feel productive, but wipes out any chance to get the dishes done. 

Yesterday behind the 5 foot walls of my cube I heard a women say, "5 o'clock, I am out-of-here, finally!" and another women replied, "I know today lasted forever!"  My first thought was that 5pm came too early for me with the load of work I have at my desk, and then I realized...if I am going to spend the next third of my life working, I don't want it to fly by. I would rather everyday go by slow. Not only that I want my days to matter and what I do to make some sort of an impact or what a waste of a person I would be to this world. 

I would consider where I am now a prelude to where I want to go. But if I am going to spend 2250 hours plus at my desk this year I am sure as hell going to make it a good experience. 

First Step: I brought an exercise ball in for my seat

Second Step: I have made all my collegeues my good friends and we laugh a lot, that way I am spending thousands of hours with people I actually like

Third Step: Yet to be determined, I am thinking of a soft fluffy rug to make my cube more comfortable and inviting

Hailey

Where is my auto pilot?

From the eyes of a newbie where is my auto pilot

When I drive long distances, take a shower, bake chocolate chip cookies, or fold my clean clothes my mind switches into auto pilot and my thoughts don't have to think.

Just a couple months ago I used to serve at a restaurant for three years and auto pilot was used quite a bit. Now having this new job where is my auto pilot? Sometimes I just want someone else to do the listening, the decision making and the thinking. I wish someone could climb into my brain and take the wheel, just for a little while.

Being new at a job you learn many things everyday. My ears always need to be opened and my mind sharp. Unlike college, where I could tune out in class and figure out my homework later, there is no book or internet site to look up questions for what I do. I can't pull my studious classmates over and have them outline the last hour, or look at their notes. There are no notes, no books nor reference, just me and my tired brain waiting for the day auto pilot will surprise me.

Hailey

one of thooooose days...

From the eyes of a newbie one of thooooose days....


I love when I wake up Saturday morning around 8:30am well rested and with a list of things to do and a productive attitude. This was me this morning, but things did not go as planned...


After talking to everyone I know on the phone I was an hour behind schedule as I walked out my front door. With lunch plans two hours away I had time for only one quick run to Macy's. I rushed into the department store on a mission to buy some make-up, but after waiting 20 minutes without being helped I locked eyes with a worker, snarled, and walked out to the parking lot empty handed, uhhhh. Late to lunch, my terrible sense of direction flipped me around so I was driving towards Cincinnati. Now behind schedule, now late, now another annoying event this morning to start my day.


Ok, so lunch is now crossed off my list, time to relax and regroup, just as soon as I remember how to get home....Finally I make my way home after a detour, a couple U-turns, and running one red light, I walk through my door, stub my toe, drop my coat on the hairy carpet I was suppose to vacuum this morning, let my dog loose in the lobby as I grip my throbbing toe and slam the door behind me. I go to get a glass of orange juice when it comes to my attention there are no clean glasses, nor any orange juice. This would call for a stress relieving work out, so I grab my comforter to throw in the wash before I head to the gym when I realize I don't have any quarters I throw it back on the bed angrily and look for my tennis shoes. Of course I can only find one shoe, and at this point my hear rate is so high I want to scream at the top of my lungs when I remember on the third noise complaint you get a fine so I bit my tongue until it bleeds and I collapse on my dirty hairy comforter.


Now, sitting in Starbucks with a chocolate chip cookie, green tea, my hairy workout clothes and two different tennis shoes I have realized that everything in life is ridiculously annoying and hard and I should expect that. When things work out smoothly I should be surprised and thankful.


As I try to let the most annoying day ever roll off my back I hope his is one step closer to that thing call patience-maybe a glass of wine can help relax my nerves tonight.


Hailey

Dear Auto Insurance,

From the eyes of a newbie and my letter to auto insurance.


I have never received a ticket, I have never been in a crash, I have only been pulled over by a cop once for my license plate light being out, I now own a hatchback, oh why do you triple my premium?


Don't waste your breathe to explain insurance company, apparently if you miss a payment on your student loans because of financial distress you are not trusted on the roads. I need no explanation because there is no linking these two, what a waste of $150 a month. If it wasn't illegal I would take my chances and never have auto insurance again, they steal my hard earned cash that could have been used to buy Christmas presents for my four brothers, instead I will reluctantly hand it to the auto insurance dictators.


What a waste.


Hailey 

A double trailer UPS semi passed me

From the eyes of a newbie a double trailer UPS semi passed me.

I was one of those lucky teenagers who got a car for my 16th birthday. I loved my white 96' ford contour, I would wax it, vacuum it, buy air fresheners & new interior rugs...it was my little baby. That is until it got its first flat tire, and then the battery died, then someone spray painted my hubcaps white, and then the alternator when out and my savings depleted to zero...then I sold it to a friend for $500 and moved to the city (Chicago) so I wouldn't need a car.


Now that I have a car after three years without one, I am starting to remember the little quirks of driving, such as "the flow of traffic" is actually 15mph above the speed limit, getting gas sucks in the winter, and semi drivers rule the interstates. I also have found out that the crazy drivers that speed 25mph over the speed limit, have the most road rage and flash their brights at you are early 90's doge caravans. Those are the crazy drivers and if you own one, you know you are! 


The best thing about driving for me is the feeling of pulling into a familiar place. The landmark right now that hits me the most is the US Bank building on the south side of Chicago, when I pass that I know I am at the edge of my favorite city. 


Hailey

Forever Missing

From the eyes of a newbie forever missing.


When I say home, what do you think of?


I think of my mother's house, where I grew up, and the security I felt in high school. I also think of my first college dorm that was about 8 feet by 10 feet, I think about how much I miss my Lakeview apartment in Chicago with the wood floors and smell of coffee brewing. I really miss my gym with the tall climbing wall, granite counters and hot showers, and the best coffee in the world at Cafe Cito. I never thought I would miss the CTA, but I do, I also never thought I would miss Chicago winters, but I do...


Recently I realized that from now until the day I die I will always miss something from the past. Something people have always told me is to cherish the present, but how can I when the past has so many more memories?


Hailey

Getting into Trouble

From the eyes of a newbie getting into trouble.

It has been about one and a half months at my new job and I am feeling more settled in, confident, and comfortable. I actually can see my effort helping out the group, and I pop my head over other cubes to ask questions less everyday. But when I step back and look in at myself working...

You know that age around 3 to 4, that age where they know just enough to get themselves into trouble, but they don't know enough to stay out of trouble? I have a brother who is 3.5, right in that stage and what a little.... well, 3.5 year old boy. He thinks he is helping when he lets the dog loose in the neighbors yard to go potty, he thinks he can carry the basket of freshly clean clothes up the stairs until he drops it upside-down on the dirty floor. He brings you your laptop and trips over the rug, he brings you your coffee until he spills it on his hand and screams out in pain... he shuts the car door for you, but your finger was not out of the way...

I feel like I am a 3.5 year old at this office. They are entrusting me with a piece of their company, I interact with their customers, but am I ready? They don't seem the least bit worried that I will "slam their finger in a door," or "drop their clean clothes all over the floor." They give me projects and trust that I will do them right, on time, and I won't mess it up. Perhaps I am fully equipped, and I am second guessing my skills for no reason. I wonder how long it takes to feel completely confident in your work and in your career?

Hailey

Toilet Seat Covers

From the eyes of a newbie & toilet seat covers.

Every workplace has its quirks, and at my work everyone uses Rest Assured toilet seat covers.  "Pull up then down, place on seat, then discard," the directions for this crazy invention. To tell you the truth, I never have even noticed these covers except in the Union Station restrooms in Chicago. I have never used a toilet seat cover or heard of anyone using a toilet seat cover, so when I noticed that those sitting next to me on the toilet were using them I was surprised to say the least.

Every time I use the restroom I hear in the stall next to me the sound of crumpling tissue from the seat covers, and all I can think of is that I hope they don't slip off the seat. Should I be using these seat covers? Am I the only one who has never used one, and I am sure the people who use them at work think I am unsanitary for not using one. 

Every time I use the restroom I wonder what happens to these seat covers after they are used, the garbages in the stalls are empty, so do they flush them or carry them out and throw them away with the paper towels?

I am interested in trying one out but I am not sure what to do with it after it is used. So I just stare at the box glued to the door and listen to others struggle to pull out the cover, place it on the toilet, and carefully sit down. 

Hailey

Living in a new state

From the eyes of a newbie living in a new state.

Many people have told me starting fresh is a rejuvenating experience.
They tell me you can find yourself and grow within. This may be true, but to tell you the truth I have done this quite a few times the last couple of years. When I moved from high school to Judson University in 2005 I started fresh, when I moved from Judson University to Chicago, attended Harrington, and moved three times in Chicago with a new job I had a few fresh starts, when I moved from Chicago back home, and then from home to Indianapolis I started fresh, and really my conclusion is that I loose a lot of close friends, I loose a lot of furniture, money, and experience extreme exhaustion and frustration.

There is a sense of excitement in this experience, but regardless of the benefits that people tell me I will intake, I hope that I can find a place to call home for an extended period of time rather soon.

For the last two weeks I have been sleeping on a blow up bed with a TV and movies, no cable, a full closet, empty refrigerator, a vacuum but no furniture, books but no bookshelves, dirty laundry and no washer, a car with a full tank of gas but no where to go... this is my deffinition of living in a new state. 

Hailey

My first paycheck

From the eyes of a newbie and my first paycheck.

My first paycheck, I had been waiting for this moment way too long! The same day I picked my paycheck up from HR I drove to the nearest Bank of America, a few hours away, and cashed it. What a relief, my account went from cents to thousands in a matter of minutes. 

The only other time I have cashed a check this large was last years tax return which went straight from my bank account to an apartment deposit. It was actually stressful to have a paycheck with that much money, I didn't know what to do with it. My first paycheck sat in my bank account untouched for over a week as I ate egg sandwiches everyday and rationed my orange juice intake for the next few days. Finally after 12 missed calls from CitiBank Tuesday night, I made my move. As fast as the money went from my hands to my bank account, it went into the devils hands, loans. Now I am back to where I started a week ago, but I know another check will soon be in my hands and I will make my trip to Bank of America and a never ending cycle will have started, making  money and giving it all away to evil American Banks who steel money from the poor, I need to find my Roobinhood and move to Utopia.

I don't regret the choices I have made, going to college or having to pay for it, but really, $100,000, five years, yelling professors, thousands of hours of papers and homework all leading to my first paycheck.... was it really worth it? 

Hailey

The Chain of Power

From the eyes of a newbie and the chain of power. 


With my seventh day completed, I finally feel a little more at home, I now know the important things such as where the bathrooms are, how to brew a new pot of coffee, which security officers are friendly, and where not to park...


I am still very new, and everyone is aware when I can't get the front door open so a stranger from the other side must open it for me. But who runs this company that I work for? Was it the president who just opened the door or a colleague? I only know the few I talk to on a daily basis, and a few people above me. And although I know where the 'important people ' are, I do not know their faces or names. The power in the company is downstairs blocked off on all sides with big wooden doors and offices with windows overlooking the interstate and a parking lot. One of the perks of being an important person in this company is that you get great parking, right in front of the door. Everyone else has to park on the side of the building and when the temp drops and my heels are on, I better watch out for ice. 


I might not work directly with the offices downstairs, but I want to germ my way into their radar. I am all ears at work, observing as much as I can to learn the ins and outs of this business, and just the other day I caught half of a story about a woman who was taken off salary and placed on an hourly pay. This sounds like death to me, and perhaps it was a wonderful thing for her, I am not sure. But this situation never even entered my mind, I have been working so hard the last few years to get a salary and get off hourly that the thought makes me cringe. 


So my question to the public is, How do you get to know the power people? And is this a good idea to get on their radar?


Hailey

meeting coworkers.

From the eyes of a newbie meeting coworkers.
Being the new one around the workplace it is hard to know my boundaries, invitations, and whatever else I might run into. I have a little cubical to call my own with two huge computers, a swivel chair, and the basic filing cabinets and such. I have been to a couple of other peoples cubs where I learn things about them such as whether they have a special someone, if they are having a baby, if they travel, I get a peak inside of their lives away from work. 


My first day I heard some very peculiar conversations. From the other side of my cubical  I heard a woman who sounded just like Kristen Johnston on Bride Wars haha! And another person who I learned a lot about what they do and don't like, and work was not a like! This person intrigued me because I couldn't figure out if they were male or female. They had stated their name a couple of times but it could have gone either way, and their deep raspy voice that used such lines as "hey girl, you'll be fine" just contradicted themselves. I can't believe I know so much about this person except their gender! I have never met them, or the woman who sounds like Kristen, but we are inches from each other everyday with just a five foot fabric  wall between us. 


I have a lot of people to meet and it is kind of stressful. Every time I go to the coffee machine I have to introduce myself again and as they introduce themselves to me I might as well not listen because there is no chance in the world I will ever remember their name. I am learning so much it is exciting, but my brain is on overload and a person's name won't fit. I forgot about starting to work at a new place, half of what you learn is for the company, and the other half is social. 


Hailey Schultz

first day.

From the eyes of a newbie's first day.

Today, September 7, 2011 was the first day of my career. Last night I didn't sleep very well, I kept waking up thinking I had overslept, and then left and hour early for work to make sure I got there with plenty of time. 

Because Indianapolis is a new city to me I am staying with my mothers friends parents old friends of 22 years. They were gracious enough to take me in. Everything seems too good to be true right now, I keep thinking that I will walk into my new job and suddenly wake up from a heavy sleep. Until I do wake up this is a pretty amazing dream, exactly what I had been blogging about for quite some time.

Personally I thought that the first day would be more monumental, don't get me wrong it was a good day, but it felt just right and ordinary. I think this is a good thing, everyone who works there is extremely nice, so inviting, and I got to work on a project my first day which was exciting. When I got back to my mothers friends parents friends of 22 years I felt satisfied, unstressed, and I couldn't wait to go back. 

Finally I feel comfortable and wanted by a company, and by such distant connections that have taken me in. I love Chicago, and I will always miss it as long as I am away. But Indianapolis, so far, has brought a warmth to me, and I hope to bring something to it.

Hailey Schultz

as I walk out my front door.

From the eyes of a newbie as I walk out my front door. 
All my bags are packed, toll money in a cup, a check from mom in my purse, a bag of snacks in the passenger seat, and my last night at home as a resident. 


Tomorrow is a big day. When I step out of the door and walk towards my new 2004 Toyota Matrix, I know that this will always be Mom's house, but my life has officially detached and re-rooted in Indianapolis, IN. Life is full of memorable first steps. When I was seven months old I took my first step, rather young I know (my mom actually would tell people I was nine months when they saw me walking because she thought people wouldn't believe her). I actually can't believe I made it this far, when I was five days old I got my head stuck in between a fan and a coffee table, when I was one year I pulled a TV on my head, when I was five I swore there where sharks swimming up the bathtub drain trying to eat me, when I was ten there were whales in the Holiday Inn public pool, and when I was eleven there were killers who always came into the house and tried to kill me. 


After recovering from the television incident and fighting off whales, I believe I can take Indianapolis head on. I will probably have a panic attack or two and maybe a few tears, but this is what society tells me my end goal is. After this I think I am suppose to get married, have a boy and then a girl, buy a house with an open layout and drive a minivan. But first, I will work on the job part.


Hailey Schultz

I wish I could fast forward two months.

The new blog title is now relevant to my current status & will continually change based upon what life puts on my plate.


From the eyes of a newbie I wish I could fast forward two months.
It is rather overwhelming to know that starting Wednesday my life will never be the same. I will be at work before 8am and leave for home at 5pm. I have been able to dodge rush hour the last five years as I took night classes, morning aerobics, and worked as a dinner server, now I am part of this long line at Starbucks slash massive traffic jam slash suppose to be helping the economy. 


This is a huge step in becoming more grown up, and I couldn't be happier. Although I love challenges and new experiences this is more overwhelming than I thought it would be. A lot has to be done the next two months and quite honestly I wouldn't mind if I could skip it all. 

I love blogging about my thoughts because it is a wonderful release, and that way those who want to hear what I have to say can read it, and all of my friends and family can be sparred, or read it on their own time...I hope you join me on my journey through life as a newbie.


Hailey Schultz

your moment will come.

!!!The hunt is over, I have a job. What a relief!!! I felt amazing for about one hour....then the clock started ticking and I realized I had one week to get a car, find a place to live, pack up all of my stuff, get a drug test, finish my freelance project, mentally prepare, and sign my life over to Indianapolis, Indiana. 


Even after this amazing success, I still have no idea what it is that appeals to employers. What I did notice with this job is that it felt right. The interview went smooth as butter, I felt comfortable talking with the employees, and most of all I felt I could be a part of their team. When I drove away from my second interview, my stomach dropped, I really wanted it. This was not just a job that would pay the bills or that I would stay at for one year and move on, this was THEE job, thee job I had dreamed about and it fit like a glove.


It was a long haul, exhausting, and brutal...but it showed me how valuable a job like this is. I believe that all of my searching will help my work ethic and my drive. So in the end my only advice is to keep applying, try to relax, and be persistent. 


It might be a busy week, month, or couple of months, but a new blog title is in order, maybe something like "The New Worker...." or "In the first year...".....we will see.


Hailey Schultz

the clock stands still.

Minutes go by slow, but weeks go by fast. I am not sure why this is, but I can't believe I have been bored so long. It is funny how when I have nothing to do all day the clock stands still. But when the week is over I feel like it flew by and I got absolutely nothing accomplished. 
I am anxious and fidgety.
Ready for a full plate, I am ready for work and lots of it. 
My brain is oooozing and dripping with design.
Freelance has some amazing qualities. I really like it. But it is hard to work at home with four brothers, two dogs, my mother, and grandmother, and although I love them very much, it is cramped quarters around here. 
The couch has my imprint.
My mother is very nice to let me crash on the couch but my back is taking a toll and the couch is getting pretty tired of me sleeping on it. Sleeping on a couch doesn't allow for efficient RPM's. 
One Bathroom
We have a rather small house and with only one bathroom and four young boys, need I say more, it would be more sanitary to go in our yard at this point.


So tomorrow starts a new week. The minutes might go by slow and the week fast but I hope by my next Sunday blog I can say it was a productive and satisfying week. 


Hailey Schultz

don't forget about your weekend.

I love shopping! I also love HGTV, I love cooking, traveling, 

playing with my dogs Sam and Max,

I also love coffee, but most of all I love to laugh. These last 

few weeks there has not been a lot of 

laughing on my part. This is very discouraging. I see the 

wrinkles between my two eyes getting 

deeper by the hour. Every time I leave the house I put a thicker 

coat of make-up on and a huge pair of 

sunglasses, really is my life so stressful at 24 that I need to be 

using a type of anti-aging cream? 

I need to have a weekend, no computer, no cell phone, just a

couple of days to relax without feeling

guilty that I haven't used the day to its full advantage. Am I 

entitled to waste one day of my life for

no reason, just for pure pleasure and maybe for a couple laughs?

Hailey Schultz

shuffle your deck.

About four months ago I started full-time job hunting, and I had a plan.
My plan was to:
*apply to my top 40 companies located in Chicago via Internet, 
*then choose my top 20 from that list, 
*then send a hard copy portfolio, resume, & cover letter to the top competitors,
*then call those 20 companies
*and reapply

Then wait until they all call me back and get many offers in which I could choose from.

This obviously did not work. 

Looking back, I should have shuffled my options. I put all my cards into one city, one major, and one type of company-the TOP 40 design firms in Chicago.

I am a huge card lover, Golf, Poker, Solitaire, BS, Blackjack, War...in almost all card games there are two options, you play it safe, or you are a risk taker. I take risks, I
throw all of my cards in one bet, I throw all of my money in with poker, I like to win it all
or loose it all. The problem is I used these same tactics job hunting as I did playing cards, but I lost all of my bets. You won't loose anything if you apply to a more broad spectrum, but you will loose the opportunities that you don't apply to. I was stubborn
and wanted my dream job downtown Chicago at my dream company with a huge salary
to support me.

Currently unemployed, I do not have any answers when it comes to finding a job, but I have a lot of advice and experience in failed efforts, so learn from my failures, and teach me how to better shuffle me deck.

-Hailey Schultz

Roast Watermelon.

I am in the midst of a bonfire, but after watching my brothers and their friends jumping over the fire and throwing sparklers and various things into it, I believe I need a break.

Kids are extremely creative, they will try anything because there is much to learn and experiment with. Sometimes I tell them it won't work, that is too dangerous, or I roll my eyes, but many times they do it anyway and I am proved wrong. This is very similar to design I feel. I tell myself all the time that ideas won't work before I even give them a chance to develop. Try different ridiculous ideas and watch them turn into your best design. Mistakes many times lead to new inventions and you must give them a chance.

My brothers, who are in middle school, started grabbing different foods from the house and roasting them over the smokey fire. When they brought down a watermelon I immediately looked over at my mom and we exchanged our skeptical smirks. They cut it up, slid a slice of watermelon on the skewer, and roasted it over the flames. The outcome, a warm slushy exterior and cold juicy interior, a surprisingly pleasant treat. I will take their example and use it in my life, wow never thought I would learn such a valuable tip from my annoying, exhausting, moody, messy, smelly, sassy, squirrely, almost teenage brothers. Let us all try roasting more watermelon in our lives and perhaps it will lead to another pleasant treat.

Hailey Schultz

find a rhythm.

Life revolves around repetition. It is healthy to have consistent waves through life, even when your life is spontaneous...right? Having interviews in various places, staying at friends houses, on the road sometimes, with my family other times...my life has no rhythm.

I can see that it is becoming unhealthy waking up and going to bed at different times, eating whenever I can grab something, and doing work in-between everything else. My patience is plummeting and I am not the most fun person to be around. Every time I wake up I have just fallen asleep, every time I try to go to bed my body thinks it's dinner, and during meals I should be working. I am having to adapt to others life styles but what about my life and my habits?

Next Monday I have another interview, and I will have to wake up around 4am to get there in time, then I will be driving around 12 hours home, and another day will pass that is completely different than any other. I will try to start Tuesday out as normal as I can, but most likely my patience will plummet, I will not be fun to be around, and I will yet again be forcing my body to conform to my families schedule. Schedules are imperative, but while in the job hunt...just go into survival mode!!!!!

Hailey Schultz

Breathe.

Breathing is a funny thing. Your body does it without you giving an effort, except when you are stressed!

I had an interview in Indianapolis the other day for an amazing job (cross your fingers) in which I planned extensively for. I printed directions, I got a full tank of gas, stayed the night at a friends with a Starbucks right across the street, set my alarm on LOUD, I brought clothing that would not wrinkle, all of my resumes and my portfolio were on my drivers seat...but there are always snags. My commute was 3.5 hours so I left 5 hours early just in case. The just in case happened when I looked down at my phone, my face turned bright red. I entered a time zone change and lost a whole hour!

I am notorious for getting lost, I have no sense of direction and pretty much every time I get in a car I am instantly on the phone with my mom as she 'google maps' my location. Having only 30 minutes to check in and get lost forced all of the air out of my chest as I hyperventilated and slammed on the gas. Fortunately I was there ten minutes early, perfect.

The year I took off of my life for worrying was not worth it. You will run into snags most likely every interview. But looking back it worked out just fine and there was no need to get worked up, so next time, I will just breathe through it.

Hailey Schultz

You will travel.

I love to travel, and for the past five years I have dedicated myself to college and work, so traveling took a back seat. One of the nice things about job hunting is if you apply in various locations you have a great excuse to travel.

So far I have been able to make various trips to Chicago, new places that I have never been to such as Romeoville, and states I have never been to like Indiana. It is a little expensive to make these long trips but it is a great opportunity to relax during this stressful job hunting chapter in ones life. My applications are out in New York, California, and Florida, so lets make this a part of my job search... ;)

Hailey Schultz

Making yourself visible

It is a hard fight to make yourself visible in the job market today. For years I have googled my full name and for some reason none of my information ever popped up. I was lost in the web and had no presence. I would usually find others who share my full name and their Facebook pages Linkedin pages, Twitter accounts or YouTube videos.

I am not sure why, but now finally I am number three! My Linkedin page is the third option and I am proud. It is quite odd that I have a blog, a Facebook account, a gmail, college email, yahoo account, Linkedin, website, Creative Hotlist portfolio, Twitter account, and of course all of my online banking, loan, and billing accounts, and out of all that my Linkedin account made the mark.

What comes up when you google your name? And how do I make prominent Me, rather than the other me's facebook accounts that take the number one and two spot?

Hailey Schultz

Unknown callers

Don't you hate answering the phone when the numbers blink on your screen instead of a familiar name? Whenever my cell starts to ring I get a shot of excitement, maybe someone interesting is calling me, but when I glance down and see it is a random number 123.456.7890, I cringe. It could be a potential job offer, or it could be my ex, it could be a long lost friend, or it could be a salesperson, or worse yet, Sallie Mae.

I admit it, I am tens of thousands of dollars in debt and I just can't pay the $1,000 bills coming in monthly. I pay what I can and that is the end. It keeps the collection agency away, but the calls keep on coming. This is a common situation that people in their twenties are facing. 

Note to loan companies, calling won't get you your money, but helping me find a job will.

Hailey Schultz

Internships

My focus today was applying on Creative Hotlist which is an extremely user friendly website for designers looking for work, probably my favorite website so far, and it is free to join. You choose your job search "designer," and then you have a few other options if you would like to narrow your results, but my favorite option is "level."

My first pick was the junior level, and then I downgraded to internship, after applying to every junior level entry. Having my preconceived assumptions of what would pop up, I wasn't surprised when about 50% were unpaid and of course hundreds of miles from my location. I was, however, surprised to find the requirements for internships:

-knowledge of company's productions
-1+ years of professional experience
-past experience with CMS frameworks
-compensation dependent on experience
-design degree required
-Benifits: large discount on store products
-unpaid 40 hours a week, with potential overtime

Wow, seems like internship is another word these days for "taking advantage of the newly graduated, unemployed, young America with student loans twice as much as our parents house costs."


Hailey Schultz