"Women, Work & The Art of Savoir Faire"

Thanks to one of my Public Relations Society alums, I was handed down the book "Women, Work & The Art of Savoir Faire" (meaning, how to do it well, in French) by Mireille Guiliano. I am what you would call - a bookworm. Give me a book and I'll spend the day with my nose in it until it's done. However, I took my time with this one. It has been the perfect guide this summer as I endured my job-hunt. It is only fitting that I started it when I graduated in May, and finished it as the season changed as I enter this next phase of my life. It is inspiring, motivating, and educational. Unlike other dry "how to get the job" books, it encompasses a greater scope of information that is valuable to any person, and more specifically women. As the author says " ... That's why I dare to talk about style and clothes and food and wine and entertaining and LIFE in a business book. We don't work in a vacuum. Our work is part of the rest of our lives."

When beginning your professional career it is imperative to find a mentor. The book touches on the mere fact that women, for one reason or another -( jealously or what have you), don't reach out as often as men do to be a true mentor. As a young professional myself, I appreciate all the help that I have received, and vow as I continue my journey to help those following in the similar footsteps. My advice? READ IT. And do what my fellow alum did, pass it on!

It's a Rhode Island Summer

I have been busy busy, editing, changing, researching and organizing but I can't help catching myself time and time again daydreaming about my awesome start of July. Despite the June gloom, July has really kicked off the summer with a bang... For starters my graduation party. Over 200 people attended, including my Boyfriend who flew over from Cali for the 3rd time in the past month, my former roommates all through college from Mass, NY, and Philly, and the old throw back friends I grew up with - It was a blast! There was endless amount of food, beer, and music. Well maybe not endless, considering there were no left overs and the 3 kegs were completely kicked. Only a result of a good time. (Which reminds me I have too many thank you letters to get to!)

And then there was the Fourth of July. Naturally any Rhode Islander or graduate from the state, knows that Block Island is the place to be. It was my fourth time going and man did the good times there catch word. I have never seen so many people as I did this year. The Town beach is usually the first stop and like always crowded with a sea of young people. Later in the day, we walked down to Ballards, where we enjoyed some mudslides and some serious dancing to classic rock. And of course the ferry ride home was a story in itself.

We finished off the holiday weekend by taking a trip down to the Charlestown Breachway. My boyfriends parents loaded their truck with the kayaks and we spent the day cruising through Ninegret park checking out the sights. We did the usual canal path, found our little island, brought our kayaks to shore and watched the waves roll in on East Beach. Then like any other Rhode Islander, on our way home from our adventurous day, we stopped at Iggys to grab some clam cakes and New England Chowder. YUM.

I might be in a hurry to get out of here, but let me tell you, there is nothing like a Rhode Island Summer.

Ready... Set... Elevator Speech

It's Mid-June. (When did that happen?) And I feel as if I have gotten no where and so far at the same time. After getting in a little argument with my Boyfriend, (also a URI alum who now works for APC in Costa Mesa, California) - I was frustrated.

I Keep on talking about my Senario 1, ( read 2nd blog post) all day, everyday, even in my sleep. I am very enthusiastic and self-assured about my future life. I'll spare the trigger of the argument, but as it escalated low jabs start blowing ...

"You can't be making all these plans Gessenia, these things cost money" - "You need a job to live there"- and even worse-"What the hell have you been doing? Where have you even applied too?"

Talk about a supportive boyfriend. I was mad. Mad that he was being so insensitive, and mad because he was right. The jobs I have applied to thus far can be counted on one hand. But here I go, acting like I have it figured out, that I know it's going to happen, yet I have little to show for it.
An hour goes by and I'm over it. Know why? because I have been doing something. Even though it's June 19th (crap) I have been working a lot towards my goals in other ways. Off the bat, the golf course. Yes, for the obvious reason I am making money (and saving) for my scenario 1 life. But it's more than that, I have been making opportunities out of the available resources I have. I started a Facebook group for the restaurant end and even wrote a press release for a charity event we do every year. Not to mention I just made another Facebook group for a Charity Foundation, Kenvo Foundation (Okay Okay it's my parents) nevertheless I am taking the skills I've learned and applying them. Learning. And I am networking. So it might not be a CEO's BBQ, but I am on Twitter, on LinkedIn, and shaking hands with anyone I meet.

Take for instance, at the Kenvo Open on Friday, I introduced myself to a women who works for Bank of America, I remembered to shake her hand firmly, flash the pearly whites that I have gotten so good at doing at the golf course, looked her in the eye and repeated her name. - I got her Business Card and she has a potential job opportunity to share on direct marketing and social media.

Or today, making small talk with the employees who work at Beaver River. I shared my awesome time at the Bruins Parade (that deserves a whole post in itself - my crazy boyfriend flew 300,000 miles to be in Boston for 24 hrs, literally) but I continued to tell Dave at the Pro Shop how much I love the town and what I want to do, and how I will get there. - He tells me to to connect with him on LinkedIn and he knows a guy that works at an agency.

So- Do I have job prospects? technically no, but it's in the works. As the saying goes, Luck happens when opportunity meets preparation.

The First Step

I sat by my pool today and talked about life with my girlfriend in between complaints about the heat. We were taking in the 102 degree weather while letting out our usual stresses, triumphs and inspirations. Its been almost 20 days since I walked across the stage at Bryant University- for her, the University of Rhode Island and we are now both back home and settling into our usual routine. Every moment we've spent together since our "big day", we've attempted to nail down an answer to the text we simultaneously sent to each other on May 22nd:

(401): Now what?!

Did we solve the mystery today? Hardly. However, this blog was the result. We have big dreams and are more than determined to make them a reality. "Looking for a full-time job is a full-time job in itself" and we are willing to put in the hours.

With that said, we also know how to make the most of what could potentially be our last Rhode Island summer and will not leave out those details on our journey with a #GraduateSwagg.