It's ME. I'm Next.

Today I officially received an offer from Lois Paul & Partners; and I accepted (OBVIOUSLY!).

Words can't express how I feel; all my dreams are coming true ( WOW, didn't think this post could get any cheesier, but It just did).

On a serious note. I couldn't be any happier... and it's not even a full-time job (What?!).

It's a paid internship, 40 hours a week, and it's the opportunity I have been looking for. A real boot-camp internship where I can LEARN all the fundamentals of PR, at a prestigious company in BOSTON, but small enough where you are ACCOUNTABLE and NEEDED on a day-to-day basis. That extremely long sentence consisted all of the underlying values I looked for in my future employer. LP&P exceeds every one of them.

Patience is a Virtue.

Not to mention, there is a high success rate for those interns who do well to become an Assistant Account Representative, which includes salary and benefits. If the opportunity doesn't occur, (which it will!!!) I am confident that the experience will be a crucial stepping stone in my professional career path. It is a foot-in-the-door in Boston, the industry, (they specialize in IT/health- care/clean-tech - a huge market in Boston) and I will be truly qualified for whatever comes next.

Ironic as it may seem, #thejobhuntcontinues. As one of my interviewers from LP&P said, "Work for the job you want, not the one you have" and I know I will be working plenty hard to earn my spot there.

A Light Bulb Just Went Off - (Or On)

Yesterday around 5pm, a light bulb simultaneously was ignited by not only electricity but also an epiphany.
After going Five whole days without power, running water and cell phone service, I was feeling disconnected. both the world and myself.

A lot can change in a week huh? To get everyone up to speed. Following the freak- of -nature earthquake on the East Coast, came Hurricane Irene (said to be in the top 10 deadliest hurricanes to hit the US ever). Rhode Island was fortunate enough to not get hit dead on with the old broad, but the storm that radiated off her caused 60% of the Ocean State without electricity, and some still won't expect it until Labor Day Weekend. Of course it could of been worse, at the end of the day you realized what's important, your family and friends- and life basically - but still... it was TERRIBLE.

Not only did Irene come abruptly, so did a a job opportunity. A friend of mine gave me a lead to an opening at Konnessi, (a company he's been helping while finishing his MBA). The lead turned into a interview, which then lead to a second interview, which then lead to a job offer and a " See you on Tuesday at 9 and we will get started."

For those who have been keeping up with this blog, have most likely gathered the following: I am determined to get out of RI - want to have a career at a prestige agency - and have a career in Public Relations or Marketing. On the contrary, this job opportunity is in RI - is a small start up- and is a sales position. To my surprise all my determination for a goal I have been tirelessly working for was being thrown out the window, and I was beginning to entertain the idea of this new career path. After all this market is unforgivable, I don't have any planned interviews or ins at the moment, I am young and everyone needs stepping stones, and time is passing faster than sand in an hour glass.

I weighed the pros and cons back and forth. I would be excited at one moment as I envisioned a day working for this company, and the responsibility I was accountable for, and overall dominating the human race. The excitement would then be replaced with anxiety and second guessing. The salary being offered was "peanuts" as my father said. Granted in sales, the sky is the limit to make income, but there was an undeniable risk here for what seemed to be an extensive demand for a more than 40 hr work week.

But in the end, it wasn't the amount of work being asked that bothered me, nor the pay check. It was my vision. Life throws you windows of opportunities at random times and there will always be a risk in taking them- that's the only way you get anywhere. But the one thing I hold dearly is this vision, well- you all read it in the first post. And this wasn't it. As Khiara puts it - "do you feel like you have exhausted all your options?" - and I don't. The fight in me is not even close to being tarnished.

So what did I do? The unthinkable for an inexperienced college grad living in this economy. I said I respectfully declined.

As I sat in the living room with my father, as I internally made my decision ...A sign from God, Buddha, or just the right tilt of the earth in this universe - The electricity I was lacking all week fired back on literally and figuratively all at the same time.( I am not even lying.) Not to mention Khiara was back in town and I finally had a phone that was charged long enough to be able to fill her in. After talking to her I felt grounded again...so as of today we are both officially signed up for a marketing conference in Boston in two weeks and it looks like the #jobhuntcontinues.

Anyyyy Day Now Would Be Nice

It's August 11th and I'm trying with everything in me to not let the stress take over. I'm leaving for Oklahoma (yes, I said Oklahoma) in less than two weeks (a trip I was sure I would have to rebook) and it looks like my grandparents will be squeezing these cheeks right on schedule.

I'm giving myself the next 30 seconds to be discouraged- because let me tell you, it's getting harder to say, "I'm unemployed" with confidence that an opportunity is around the corner. I have made great connections, talked to the right people, and I'm losing count of all the hands (and in-boxes) my resume has been in, yet I'm nearing a dead end. What more do you want from me?!? I guess I need to start thinking outside of the box.

...and TIME.

Unknown Number

"Always keep your phone charged and answer every unknown number." Words of wisdom from who else but my other half. Our day at Sophies is already paying off! I just received a call back from Jack Morton in response to my request for an informational interview. #ThereisaGod I couldn't be more ecstatic. I'm all about experiential marketing- and if there is one agency that rocks at it, it's Jack Morton. Follow them on Twitter to check out their latest work- In the mean time, I have some preparing to do.

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.

Making Room for the New Me

I finally started transferring all of my belongings from the foyer into my bedroom. Yes, it has now been three weeks and I still have not given my mother the relief she has been begging for. Every morning I wake up to:

"Rise and shine, sweetie! So...will today be the day?! Can we please make some sense out of your stuff down my hallway?"

"It's a process, Mom." I always reply with a smile.

I decided to give her some hope a few days ago and managed to get a few bags of clothes together to donate to the Salvation Army. I was feeling good until I started setting up picture frames on my dresser and my dad mentioned additional shelving he would make for me in my closet.

"Yeah! That would be great, thanks Da-"

No. This is not happening. How long do they think I'm going to be back here for?! I immediately texted my other half: Sophies in the morning? She knows the routine.

At 9:30am the next day we grabbed our iced coffees and sat at the table closest to the outlet. With the exception of our what-word-am-I-looking-for-convos, we sat in complete silence. Before long we finished our cover letters and continued applying to our list of potential careers. For her, the focus of the day was Racepoint Group and for me, McGarry Bowen. We swapped some fun facts about the companies: Racepoint Group was the first agency to follow her on Twitter and McGarry Bowen recently acquired the Burger King account- does that mean free fries for life?! and then as usual, drifted off into our dreams for the future. We wrapped up our Sophies date by shaking our hands wildly in excitement and left with big smiles knowing we were one step closer to our dream jobs.

My mom has been patient long enough so I promised her the hallway will be cleared by tomorrow... however I'm sure I can get away with keeping  at least one bag packed.

Here and Now vs. There and Later

I'm in downtown Boston, wearing my new tailored jacket, hot coffee in hand, waiting for the T. Excited, because my new new Account Executive position at my agency has lead me to three new clients, whom I have meetings with throughout the day. It's a Friday, and the Sox are scheduled to play the Yankees, and because of a friend of a friend in my office, my roommate and I have tickets to tonight's game...

REALITY SAYS

I'm on the golf cart, fanny pack strapped on, serving beers and Powerades to old men, for yet another summer. As far as scenario 1- A rough draft of the life I will be living come this Fall. In the meantime I am putting in my hours at the same golf course I have been bartending and driving beverage carts for the past four Summers. Yes, there comes a little sting when I engage in those generic "What are you doing now" conversations, as I explain that I don't have a "real"job yet, that I am still at Beaver River and still rockin the same khaki shorts I bought when I was 18, as I endure my job hunt in Boston.

But To be frank, the sting is minuscule. A very similar version of Scenario 1 WILL happen. Not to toot my own horn, but I have the "smarts" and even more, the conviction. So, I'll flash these pearly whites, do the fake laugh, pull out the same one liners that I have ever year.."I'll catch ya on the back nine,"... "Another Bud Don?"..." Who's buying this round?"..etc etc... and even more, I will deposit all those ones and SAVE, because, God knows that apartment on the skirts of Boston won't be cheap.

So for Now- It's a Friday, it's Hot, I am 21 years old in Rhode Island-the world is my oyster. And more importantly there is a DJ at the Coast Guard House tonight and my gf and I have yet to find the perfect Summer drink.