No one's interested in something you didn't do

The Long Winding Road

2012-04-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hey guys.

I know it's been way too long since I last updated the blog. As such I've most likely lost a lot of people who were interested in it (the hoards adoring fans). The reason for the absence correlates directly with the intensity of my job hunt. I understand this is a really weak excuse, but the fact of the matter is that I had to prioritize, and unfortunately the blog got to ride in the backseat, while a lot of new developments started to materialize.

The last few months have been, and not to exaggerate, RIDICULOUS. I experienced everything from a solo 50 hour drive across North America, sleeping in the mountains in Montana, MANY amazing conversations with family and friends, and currently, I'm comfortably settling into a new city with the help of many close friends.

As I mentioned in a previous post, in order to put myself in the best position for success, I created a plan which would involve physically putting myself where the action was. After a bit of contemplation, I decided the city in question would be Toronto. I spent the last few weeks in California contacting everyone I knew, so that when I arrived in Toronto, I'd have a few meetings and interviews set up. And without any sort of tangible opportunity, or incoming income, I packed up my bags, loaded them in the car, and took off. I only mentioned this to a few people, but now that I'm a few weeks removed, I think it's alright to admit that I was completely terrified. I mean, come on... moving to a brand new, EXPENSIVE city, with extremely high standards of where I wanted to be employed was incredibly intimidating. I kept telling myself that this was the best decision, and while the idea of warm weather, family, and a comfortable routine was enticing, that's what it was: comfortable. It was time to jump out of the safety net, and start walking the tight rope, 20 floors up, above hungry sharks (felt the imagery would help put in perspective the ulcers growing in my stomach from uncertainty). I understand EVERYONE has these stressful periods in their lives, and it's clear to me now, how they deal with it, and the support they receive is the difference between succeeding and falling short.

The first week of my arrival in Toronto, I had six meetings/interviews. I used everything I had learned and spoken about in this blog. I had the tools and the know-how to succeed, it was just about executing, and getting a little lucky. I set up some great relationships, and really targeted the opportunities that I was most interested in. The most important thing I learned during this process, was to give everything a fair chance. Most of the time I was surprised how much I enjoyed talking and learning about jobs I didn't think I'd be interested in. I had done all the necessary research, and prepared myself as well as I could have, and as a result, each meeting went as well as possible. After a round of thank yous and follow ups, it was time to get back to searching for new opportunities...as always, hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.

After a few days, I heard back from one of the prospects that I was very excited about, with really good news. I had landed an amazing position, at an incredibly interesting company. Now I can be ignorant, and say that all that time spent re-doing my resume and writing cover letters was a waste of time, but it's clear it wasn't. As I've pretty much said on repeat, I learned more about myself, my objectives, and my ambitions during this period, compared to any other time in my life. It's easy to look in retrospect after you reached the end of a long journey. I started to look back at the decisions I've made that got me here; both good and bad. I think it's human tendency to dissect each move, and over-analyze every step along the way, but at the end of the day, it's about how much you really want something, and what you're willing to do to get it. The risks, the fails, the successes, the bad ideas and the good ideas, all combined, are what got me here today. I had to have to learn to TRUST myself. I know I've said this one hundred times before, but part of the reason I say it so much is to convince myself of this as well. It's easy to get lost in your worries, the stress, and other people's opinions, but it's about shutting all that out, and moving on.

Another recurring theme throughout this blog that I once again wanted to stress, is my complete appreciation for all the support that I've received. It's clear to see that everyone is busy. Everyone has their own schedules, responsibilities, motives, ambitions and objectives, which is why it makes it all the more humbling when they take time out of their day to simply ask how things are going. A small gesture like that goes a long way to someone who may be in a little bit of a rut. To those people, ALL those people, a big thank you is in order.

This is by no means the end of the road. I think of it as another gateway into more uncharted land. The hard work doesn't stop here; more than likely, I don't even know what hard work really is yet. All I can really do is continue preparing myself as best as possible, ask as many questions as I can along the way, and keep rolling with the punches. The journey really starts now.

Passengers Seat in Life

2012-01-26T14:41:00.000-08:00

If I had to sum up the last week in one word, it would either be 'delay' or 'waiting'. I feel like I've done nothing but wait on others, which is quite frustrating, but sometimes it's the only thing you can do. I do however, have this overwhelming sense that I have not done enough this week. Unfortunately, as a result of all this waiting, there isn't anything major to update you on.

Earlier in the week I had a tele-meeting scheduled with the founder of a company in Ottawa. Going in, I assumed it was going to be somewhere in between a job interview and an informational interview. I prepared for it the same way I've done for all the rest; researched the company, the employer, the employees, ETC. and it went really well, in fact, I was amazed how confident I felt throughout it. After about six to seven interviews, I think I'm finally starting to really progress. With a complete shift in my demeanor, tone and aggressiveness, I felt like I was able to communicate my skills and abilities much better than I had before. I still hate telephone interviews and meetings, but hopefully I'll get to a point where I can visualize how the person on the other side is reacting to my questions and responses.

The topic of today's post is something that has been brewing for quite a while, and not only something that I've noticed, but after speaking to many others in similar situations, a trend. This period of finding out what journey/path you want to take is truly an exercise in self-reflection. You have to look within for the answers, as it's the only place they exist. However, with the input, anxiety, pressure, and advice coming from every single angle, it's easy to unknowingly silence that inner voice, and proceed the way you think others would like you to. It's important to not confuse this type of presence with support. I have spoken to a few people in similar situations who understand where they want to be, know exactly what they have to do to get there, and have a systematic approach accomplish it; however, in order to please the desires of everyone else they take an alternative approach which usually leads them in a completely different direction. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE, has an opinion of exactly what you should be doing, but this isn't the issue, the issue is that more often than not, everyone's opinion is completely different. What ends up happening, as the title of this post insists, is you take a back seat to your own life (at least during this period of it). It's clear that everyone has valid points, and that they only offer their point of views because they really care, but it can be overwhelming. At the end of the day, the person who knows best is you, and only you. It's a very simple concept, but similar to the interviews and tele-meetings, there is an injection of self doubt and depreciation, which are two things you absolutely cannot have during this process. Through all the external clutter, it's imperative to simply appreciate that while you may not have all the answers, you know what's best for you, and where you want to be and possess the audacity to take the risks to get there, and when necessary ask for help when you need it. I speak out of personal experience and interactions with a few others, so while this sounds familiar to some, I'm sure this isn't inclusive for everyone.

Again, I wanted to reiterate that the prior is not to be confused with support. The staggering amount of support that I have received during this process has been surreal and humbling. I appreciate every last bit of it, as it's been one of the major contributing factors that has helped me move forward.

Thanks for listening,
Rob Baral

Youthful Ambitions

2012-01-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

As promised, here is the second part of the previous post. I'm doing my best with a computer that keeps randomly turning off, so if this post seems a little fragmented (more than usual), it's because I started a thought, the computer turned off, and then I tried completing it twenty minutes later.

I still haven't heard from any of the companies that I interviewed with. I'm getting a little antsy, but as I mentioned, I'm moving on, and already have had some solid results. Starting back at square one is definitely tiring, as I feel I've been here before, but I have to learn to expect set backs. After this experience, I've decided that I need to take a different approach, as I'm two months down the road with this one and haven't had the success that I was aiming for. After a lengthy conversation with a friend, I agree it's time to shake things up, and start attacking more directly. My anxiety levels may skyrocket, but it's time to get off my ass. More to come on this in later posts.

Just as a side note, I was sent a very interesting link on informational interviews which explains the strategy and objectives that you should have going in. It's long, but if you're interested (and like me, don't know a lot about them), it's a worthwhile read. http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/how-to-use-natural-networking-to-connect-with-anyone-including-the-exact-email-scripts/

The topic of this post, which has been sort of a recurring theme throughout the blog so far, is ambition. I'm reminded of one of my favorite television quotes (please don't judge which show it's from),

"I guess it’s because we all want to believe that what we do is very important, that people hang onto our every word, that they care what we think. The truth is: you should consider yourself lucky if you even occasionally get to make someone, anyone, feel a little better. After that it’s all about the people that you let into your life."

I think back to high school, and even further, my childhood, and remember some of my goals and ambitions. I'm pretty sure we all had aspirations and dreams of changing the world. Whether you wanted to be a firefighter, an astronaut, or the Prime Minister/President, the goal was to help out as many people as possible. I think we still strive for that throughout our entire lives. Unfortunately, what I'm finding out while I spend time talking to people, working, and interviewing, is that slowly, but surely you're forced to compromise these initiatives to succeed. I hate to say it because it's incredibly cliche, but it's a dog eat dog world.

It's all about beating out your competitors. It's all about winning. When was the last time you saw someone sacrifice a job, a position, a promotion or even a spot on a crowded bus (or any form of transportation) for someone else because it was simply 'the right thing to do'. That's not to say there are no kind acts anymore, but it's rare to see someone minimizing their own well-being for someone else. I've been asked to talk about the merits of a thick skin in the workplace, nurturing a win-at-all cost mentality and having an I in team mindset. I genuinely hate these topics, but unfortunately this is how it is. If you don't beat out the competition, you probably won't get into the school you want, get the job you dreamt about, or even get the girl you're interested in. I'm not here to talk about girls, or schools, but I wanted to make an example. The 12 year old version of myself who wanted to save the world, would once again be kicking my ass. But as the quote above says we can't think of ourselves as any different or more important than anyone else. To change the world, you need to succeed in what you do, and to succeed in what you do, you need to be better than your competition. Everyone wants to change the world, but that's just not really possible anymore, at least at the early stages of your career. It really is about the people you let into your life, the people that support you, and the people you support, as they will inevitably have more of an effect on your future then anyone else. As always, I'll do my best to stay optimistic and hope that somehow in the future I'll be able to succeed and save the world at the same time.

As a last note, I would definitely appreciate if you guys started leaving some comments at the bottom of the page. One of the reasons I wanted to do the blog was to get some other opinions on some of these topics. What I write in these posts are just reflections of what I have experienced in my very short career so far. I know that there is a lot to be learned, so I would like to hear what other people have encountered. If you think back to your childhood, would you say you are where you thought you'd be 10-15 years ago? Do you act and treat competition in a way that you're always proud of, and if not, why?

As always, thanks for listening.

Rob Baral

Facing the Interview

2012-01-15T21:54:00.000-08:00

Where should I begin? Well, I think I should start with the standard apology for taking so long between posts; I've been traveling and just came home. I'll get better at this, and in return you guys can keep reading. I think it's a fair trade.

Since there is a lot to update on, this post will only feature the happenings of the past two weeks. I will have a follow up post either tomorrow, or on Tuesday, which will touch on an important realization that is starting to set in 2-3 months in the search.

As I just mentioned, I spent the last two weeks traveling across North America via LONG bus rides, airplanes, subways, trains, and cars. Lots of amazing times, but I'm definitely excited to not have another 10 hour bus ride on the horizon. I'll focus on the latter half of the trip (Toronto), as I can't imagine you guys are overly interested in Sushi dinners with my family.

A whirlwind of a trip, which was scheduled due a second interview with one of the companies that I interviewed with in November. When I first spoke to this company, I casually mentioned that sometime in January I'd be visiting Toronto (with no solid plans to actually do so), as I thought it could possibly better my chances, even if just by a minuscule amount. A week after the first interview, I got an email saying they wanted to see me in Toronto the first week of this month. With the help of my family, we did everything possible to get me to the interview (see: two 10 hour overnight bus rides).

I prepared by reviewing pages upon pages of strategic planning notes, reading other blogs on the topic, and having conversations with people who knew a lot on the topic. Even though I felt very prepared on the day of the interview, my nerves started kicking in, starting with (don't judge), what I was going to wear. I arrived at the building 45 minutes early, and decided to stroll in 15-20 minutes early. I don't know if any of these factors (how early you arrive, tie/no tie, carrying a notebook or not, etc.) really matter in the long run, but for some reason they seemed important. I decided to bring a small notebook, which definitely helped as I was able to take some notes on the position, and make some small reminders of things I wanted to touch on. The interview was pretty standard, although, I was barely able to bring up any of the topics that I had spent the week prior learning, and understanding. This was slightly frustrating, as I really think it would have helped my chances if I had the opportunity to talk about them. The silver lining is even though I didn't get to use the knowledge this time, it may come up in the future, and I'll be happy that I'm familiar with it. The toughest question in the interview was surprisingly a question that I had been practicing and rehearsing for since I started interviewing. I don't know why it fazed me as much as it did, but I've never been asked it point blank like that. The million dollar question: "Why should we hire you?" So simple, but so complex at the same time. In past interviews, I've been asked similar, easier questions, such as "what are your strengths?" or "what makes you good for this position?" 'Why should we hire you' brings up other factors like comparing you to your competitors. Either way, they couldn't have asked another question that I was more prepared for, and that caused me the most difficulty. After a few interviews now (my very modest experience), I've come to the conclusion that the questions you ask at the end is one of the most important aspects of the interviews. They have the ability to leave a lasting impression, and also start some really good discussions about the organization. I left feeling pretty good about the whole experience, and they advised me that I'll know whether or not I got the job this upcoming week. In the meantime, it's back to the grind, looking for new opportunities and new contacts. Comparing my first interview to now, there has been a drastic change in how comfortable I feel. Conclusion: people are right, the more you do the easier they become. I think it's impossible to completely calm your nerves, but knowing what to expect makes things 100% percent easier.

Another highlight in Toronto was my first informational interview. In one of the first posts, I mentioned how I was briefed on the importance of 'informational interviews'. I was told that if you wanted an effective way of expanding your network, you should contact employees at companies you were interested in, and ask them for some time to sit down and converse about their careers, what they do on a daily basis, and how they got a job at the company. I have to admit, I'm still not 100% on the strategy of these meetings, as I've been told that you're not supposed to ask for a job at these meetings, only more contacts. I decided that my time in Toronto would be best served by arranging a few of these meetings. The most beneficial interview I had was over the phone with an owner of a consulting firm. She advised me that I had 15 minutes, so I dove straight into a list of questions that I had prepared. Reflecting on the experience, I'm not sure if our 15 minutes got me any closer to getting a job, but I definitely got to listen to someone who really knew her stuff, and gave me some new material that I may be able to bring up in a future interview.

Toronto was a great learning experience, and I'm starting to make some important decisions (if I don't get this job), which I'll touch on in the next few posts. Again, the more interviews that come and go, the better I feel I perform. Hopefully, I get some good news this week, but if not, I just have to make sure that I don't get too discouraged, and just keep moving forward.

Thanks for listening,
Rob Baral

Stepping Stones

2011-12-30T16:28:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned last time, this post will be the last in the 'education series'. It will include my response to the previous post, and then we will get back on track with an update on the current situation and a brand new, extremely exciting topic.

For simplicity, I will be referring to the author of the last post as Z (I'm sorry I wasn't able to come up with anything more clever than that).

The hardest part about writing this response, is even though Z's post was very cynical and presented a very gloomy image for the future of our generation, I don't completely disagree. There is one glaring difference, and while I maintain Z's notion that we're left unprepared for the future after graduation, I disagree that our generation is lazy, and unambitious.

I'll start with the first part, the part that I agree with. It was right around the middle of March 2009, a month before graduation, when I started to get the feeling that I wasn't ready to leave the bubble that school had created for me. I started to apply for 'real jobs' (still haven't really come to a constant definition for that term, so excuse the changing use of it), and I started to realize that my rock solid education, and the piece paper that I was about to receive, which proved my intelligence, wasn't going to cut it. All of a sudden, a number of people in my graduating year, including myself, found ourselves in a grey area between school and our future careers. I have to admit, looking back, I was probably a little more anxious than I reasonably should have been (which I'll touch on later), but I remember talking to Engineers (who really expected great jobs out of the gate) who were still unemployed 4-5 months after graduation. We worked (what we thought was) very hard, to get great marks and were still left with few options after graduation. I'm not suggesting that I have a more effective way of preparing graduates of what to expect, but I agree with Z that what we expected and the reality we faced, were miles apart.

I do, however, think that there is a double effect of these expectations, regardless of whom implanted them in our minds. As I mentioned, I was probably much more anxious and nervous right before graduation, because I was expecting to have a nice, well paying job lined up. The problem is that while we have these expectations, there are also these expectations put on us. The truth of the matter is, I was so stressed out because I didn't have that job, that I felt that I was letting down people who pushed the hard work good grades school good job model. This was the model that had worked for so many people before me, so why wasn't it working for me?

We are an interesting generation; a generation that really began the transition to the Internet, and being connected. Not that this is really relevant, but I remember growing up, typing in the address to a web page, leaving the room for 4-6 minutes, and coming back to it being half loaded. Now, we get upset if it takes more than 7 seconds. I disagree with Z's statement that we are ignorant and lazy. I believe that we quickly get complacent with whatever we are doing, and there is a looming sense of anxiousness and anxiety that follows. We have been taught to not wait for things, to have a killer instinct, and to expect the best and only the best. Now obviously, my argument, and Z's argument have major exceptions, and clearly do not speak for everyone in the generation, but I argue that the reason we possess a sense of entitlement is because we have been taught to expect it. Similar to how we get frustrated waiting a whole seven seconds for a web page to load, we are defeated if success doesn't come quickly and easily. We lack the ability to deal with failure. This deficiency, I believe, is due to everything happening at warp speed compared to the way it did two + decades ago.

Even though things are moving so quickly, the hard work good job model has so many more stages and stops along the way than it did for previous generations. Therefore, it's unfair to compare our model to the one of the past. The formula for success is constantly changing (fundamentally, on the changing definition of success, relative to past generations). There is a whole new set of standards expected of us, and a whole new set of standards we are taught to expect of ourselves.

Wrapping up, it's the fact that we have been trained to expect success without hitting any obstacles, combined with our generations transition to rapid speed, that presents the image of ignorance. Instead, I think we're just trying to find stability, in a previously uncharted present and future. First, we'll have to learn how to deal with delays and obstacles on the road to success, and also realize that success doesn't come at the drop of a hat or possibly even when we believe we have earned it. Once we learn to scrap the standards of past generations and learn how to integrate a new set of standards, to this period of innovation and speed, we'll be able to re-write the formula for success. I believe, that once we learn this, the gap between our expectations and our reality will cease to exist. At this rapid speed, it's possible that all we really need is a montage and not the whole movie.

-Rob Baral

The Superstar Slacker

2011-12-22T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is part two of the last post regarding education. As I mentioned, these posts would work a little different. The following is written by a close friend, for a new perspective (as it's probably nice not hear mine for once). Hopefully, this will fuel some debate on the topic, but either way, the post that follows this one will be my response (slightly less cynical and discouraging, just in case you feel a little down after this one). If anyone else would like to write a post on a certain topic related to the blog, I would definitely be happy to post and debate.

Finally, one last thing before his post, I would like to extend a big thank you to the author of this post. Many of you will probably be able to figure out who it is, but in any case, I appreciate the time he took to write this. Enjoy.
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Alright, I already have a job, so I’m not sure why I am contributing to this blog. I guess I am just extremely opinionated and enjoy challenging the opinions and beliefs of my friends and family. What that really means, is I really take pleasure in arguing with people. This tends to both annoy and frustrate people, as I get pretty passionate. A blog, on the other hand can’t get annoyed; worst case scenario is people will just stop reading it. Luckily, this isn’t my blog so I guess it’s a win-win for me.

In Rob’s last post, he brought up the subject of university, and the expectations that many people have regarding the impact it will have on our lives. For our parents, the formula for success and happiness was simple; hard work good grades school good job. For the most part, that formula worked and it seemed like a good model for past generations to use in laying out the path to success for our generation. However, something has changed since our parent’s time that has caused this formula to be insufficient as a blueprint for well being. Today, it’s clear that an undergraduate degree is not what it used to be. You’re still better off having one than not, but the days where a degree guaranteed you a decent job are long gone.

The value of an undergraduate degree is not the real issue to me. The issue I’m concerned with is us. The kids who grew up in 90s (myself included) are all for the most part a bunch of slackers. We are entitled, ignorant and lazy. We were all told that we were special; that we can do anything we wanted. “Follow your dreams!” our parents supportively told us as they handed us a participation trophy for coming in 7^th place. Pop-culture taught us to cheer for the underdog, that no matter how unprepared and unworthy you were that you could still be a superstar. The villains in our favorite movies were usually smart, successful well-prepared people who worked hard and stood in the way of a lazy hero (Billy Madison, the Mighty Ducks, any Judd Apatow movie, etc.) simply by existing and doing well for themselves. Aren’t those “villains” a better example of the type of person that we should be idolizing and cheering for?

An education is a terrible thing to waste. Unfortunately, I see a massive portion of my generation doing exactly that. At its core I don’t believe the formula to success has changed all that much. Rather, it is our standards have changed. Knowing that we’ll get a pat on the back, or a passing grade even for a mediocre effort, it seems like most of us (not all) are just coasting by until the part of the movie where we bust our asses in a montage leading up to our ultimate redemption. An undergrad degree may not be what it used to be, but ultimately we have only ourselves to blame.

Questioning School

2011-12-20T15:26:00.000-08:00

Another week, another few major life altering events (being a little dramatic). To quickly sum up, I finished up the last few interviews that I had planned, got food poisoning (no details needed) and wrote my GMAT exam. Of course, the only time I've gotten sick in the past few months would be the day right before I write one of the most important exams I've written in a long time. Murphy's Law. Sometimes it seems that as much as you work, study or prepare yourself there is always something unexpected that comes along and completely derails your plan. I've learned this the hard way, but it's important to just go with the punches. It's impossible to prepare for those kinds of factors, and there is no reason to dwell on it for too long. Either way, it went alright, and I made it out alive.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the interviews. I'm trying to stay as positive and optimistic as possible, but I need to continue looking for different opportunities. This is a little different for me, as I'm used to getting the job I interview for. It's a small blow to the confidence, but I was warned this would happen. I was told not to expect the first, or the second or even the fifth job that I interviewed for. The best thing I can do right now is just to forge on and look for more opportunities that fit what I'm looking for. Even if I don't hear back from the companies I interviewed with, there are still two things I can take from this. The first is a new list of connections/contacts. I plan to stay in contact with these companies, and everyone I spoke with, in hopes that it could potentially lead to information about new jobs. The second is everything I learned from these interviews including, but not limited to, what I need to improve on and what I did well. My fingers are still crossed to hear back though (hasn't been too long).

Now to the main topic of the post. This post and the following one are actually going to work a little differently than the typical ones I've posted before. I was having an interesting argument with a friend recently, (sounding a little like a broken record machine) and asked him if he would write a little post regarding it. Being the fiery, young professional he is, he kindly obliged. I will introduce the topic in this post and then the next post will be his take on the topic, written by him, and then I will follow that up with my response to it.

It all started one afternoon, after watching yet another 'legitimate' university's advertisement on television. More promises that if you attend their school, you will graduate, get the job of your dreams, and live a long very successful life. As many of us have come to know about these schools, they don't quite come through on these promises, as they most likely spend more on advertising than on anything else. While cracking a joke about one of these schools, my friend remarked that many, if not all schools make these same very promises and fail to come through. I mean when you look back on your undergraduate degree, are you satisfied with what you got from it? I remember being told that when I graduate, the sky was the limit. This message wasn't only coming from the school itself, but from a number of sources including, friends, family, and society. While I know there aren't many other wise options other than to go back to school after high-school, I start to question if school, upon more school, upon more school is truly the most efficient way of getting to where you want to be or if this is just what has been pounded into our heads over the years. Without getting too far into my opinion, where I am right now in life, it seems that many more companies are looking for people with years of specific experience, experience I could have probably gotten after high school, while I was in university. I'll continue on my opinion in my response to the cameo post. I'm definitely interested in everyone's opinion on this, as I feel that most people reading this have very strong feelings on the topic.

Thanks for listening,
Rob Baral

You Are Who You Know

2011-12-12T22:27:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, I would like to apologize for the length between posts. The last couple days have been pretty wild, but without resorting to using excuses, I'll just say I'm sorry.

As I mentioned, the last few days have been pretty exciting. As many of you know, I have been studying for the GMAT for nearly three months. It's been pretty exhausting studying for, but the end is near. I have signed up to write the exam this Saturday, and with a little luck, I'll be able to invest 100% of my attention to the job search starting Sunday.

In my last post I mentioned that I had a few interviews lined up, which now have come and past. It's been an amazing experience just being interviewed. For some reason it reminded me nothing of the interview process of my last job. One of the interesting things I've noticed is how much more nervous I get if I really want the job. I tend to get lost in the added pressure of the situation, and get to a point where my brain just doesn't want to cooperate. I've now had a few phone conversations with different companies and gotten to the point where I try to convince myself that I actually don't want the position, hoping that I can trick myself into becoming more relaxed, and allowing myself to perform the way I know I can. The one piece of advice that I can give from this experience is BE PREPARED. Understand what the company does, who they tend to hire, what their market share is, who their competition is and whatever else you can dig up on them. All the information is on the internet and is available to anyone willing to put in a little leg work. I can guarantee it will pay off. I've recently followed this piece of advice myself in different ways, including the job search, but also finding out what makes a candidate stand out to business schools. Just another way to get a leg up on the competition.

Another thing I've noticed has changed about the job search is the approach people use. A few years ago (in my own experience), and definitely over the past few decades, whoever could demonstrate they had the best skills for the position would get the job. I'm not saying we've completely abandoned this method, but it's definitely fallen by the wayside to nepotism and connections. People tend to be very passionate about their side of this argument. There are people who say it doesn't matter who you know, the best candidate for the job will get the job. I say these people are naive. (It's important to note, that while I do believe your connections are very important, it won't be the only factor for getting a job). I was recently talking to a successful venture capitalist I had been connected with, and he was quite critical of how I was going about my search. He told me that jobs that are posted on websites are rarely given to people who just apply, and advised me get out 'there' and start meeting people. I started wondering where 'there' was. He advised me to look where your friends are working, or who your family knows etc. From this connection, stemmed two more, and so forth, until I had myself a modest start to a network. A solid piece of advice one of these people gave me was to never leave a meeting without getting at least another contact that may be of use.

I've concluded that my connections and not my strengths/abilities will most likely be the reason I get a job. I may be wrong, in fact, I hope I'm wrong. I believe that the best applicant for a job should always get the job; I just don't think that it's realistic to think it happens that way. I've tried to amalgamate the two approaches, in trying to find positions that really sound interesting and then network as much as I can within that company. It all starts with researching everything about that company. At the end of the day, it's all about proving your value and having someone listen.

Rob Baral

Generation Useless

2011-12-02T18:40:00.001-08:00

Now before everyone gets up in arms about the title of this post, I think it's important to note, I don't think we're completely useless...just somewhat. But first an update:

What I've learned about the job search is that it's all about quality over quantity. It's very easy to answer ten or more job postings a night by re-using the same cover letter and not following up. It's a LOT more effective to really take the time for each one, write a unique cover letter, and follow up directly with whoever posted the job. It's easy to imagine how many applications and resumes each posting gets, so unless you do your best to stick out it's hard to imagine you'll get noticed, even if you have a spectacular resume and an inspired cover letter. Another important thing I've learned (even though I was told to do this right at the start, I was arrogant, so I dismissed the advice) is to keep track of everything. Remembering someones name, or knowing the date you applied for the specific position can be crucial information later on. This stuff worked for me, and while it may be obvious to some, whatever you can do to give yourself a better chance, you should be taking full advantage of. But that's enough preaching for this post.

One final thing I wanted to express before we get into the topic of today's post, is my gratitude for all the support. It's been amazing. I love getting messages from people who are in the same position, facing the same struggles, and learning the same lessons as I am. It's why I started this blog, and why I will continue writing. I'd love to hear any suggestions, tips, or critiques you may have, so please share. Comment below or email to robertjbaral@gmail.com.

Today's topic is how technology has made me completely useless. For the past few months, including time at my last job, I knew this was the case, although I didn't want to admit it. I consistently found reasons to delay or completely bypass any face to face interactions, finding much comfort in sending an email instead. This fear of face to face conversations slowly evolved into a fear of phone conversations as well. I would be happy to talk to friends, family and even clients/potential employers as long as everything was pleasant and light. The second there was any confrontation, it was right back to email or chats. The sad part was, I was so delusional that I didn't see this as a problem until about two days ago; when I was planning on a routine follow up call to one of the jobs I applied for. I knew exactly what I was going to say, and what questions may be asked of me. I picked up the phone, started to dial the number and then a sudden wave of hesitation and doubt came over me. I hung up the phone, and went straight to the computer and opened up my email. What if he asked me something I wasn't prepared for, or what if rambled on without answering the questions? It was at that moment I realized that with my complete reliance on technology, I'd lost my ability to think on my feet and I had a serious problem. There is another factor in this, and that is the fear of rejection. Not only is it a lot easier to send bad news over email, than it is to do it face to face, but it's also easier to take rejection. I'd be embarrassed to write this, if I didn't know that a lot of people in my generation have the exact same reliance on email as a method of dealing with anything remotely difficult or displeasing. I've started to make strides to change my ways, but as we all know, it's difficult to change a habit, cold turkey. Every time I write an email now, I take a second to think whether it would be more effective to call or show up in person (if possible). It's important because it could potentially be the difference between getting a job and not getting one.

I have a few PHONE calls (yes I know, I'm freaking out as well) scheduled with the aforementioned companies, so I'll most likely write a review of how they go after they are all done.

Rob Baral

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Under The Cover of 'Professionalism'

2011-11-28T16:17:00.001-08:00

A note before we get into today's topic:

Another week into the job search and we (you are now all part of my job search whether you like it or not) have FINALLY struck some progress. My definition of progress has largely changed since graduation, hell; it's changed since only a few weeks ago. I've learned that the definition of the word tends to correlate with the amount of patience you have while performing the task at hand. As I was forewarned by many people who had been in this situation before me, I knew it was going to be a relatively lengthy and trying process, so my expectations have been tempered. Progress used to mean getting from point A to point B, quickly and efficiently. Usually there was one way of getting there and the route was pretty straightforward. Now it seems, the road from point A to B has several stops, a few forks in the road, and the GPS that I'm using to find my way was bought when Ace of Base was still big. I have to say it's refreshing to get somewhere. Even though I knew this was going to a tough process, it's still important to move forward, if for nothing but to stay motivated. I think it's important for anyone who is currently or about to job hunt, to understand that the road is long, and sometimes a small victory is hard to come by, but to keep pushing, and treasuring whenever the wins come along. I'll hopefully touch on this a little more throughout the next few posts.

I also wanted to clear up another quick thing. This blog is not about getting a random job simply for income. I'm looking for a job that emphasizes intellectual stimulation, creativity, professional growth and invokes an interest in work in me, that I didn't know was there. A job that I am excited to go to every day, where I can contribute to something real and meaningful. I'm reminded of one of Karl Marx's theories (trying to not sound too pretentious, but it seems impossible when bringing up Marx in a blog). The predicament of working to live or living to work is a battle that many still have trouble solving. Many people are now combining the two into one, where work and personal life are intertwined and indistinguishable from one another. I think the reason for this is that more and more people, similar to me, are trying to find work they can be passionate about. Work in which people can carry over interests, and elements from their life outside of work. The reason I bring all of this up (other than to try to bring the level of intellectuality in this blog up) is to let the readers know that I am on a specific job hunt. There are many things, as I mentioned in the last blog, I am not interested in. I truly believe that anyone can find a job. It's a lot harder to find a job you actually want.

Now, finally we get to the actual point of this post. As you'll see, I get most of my ideas for posts in conversations that I have with people. This one is an argument I had with a friend who will actually be contributing to this blog one of these days. We had this conversation a few weeks ago, at the beginning of my job search. I've since changed my opinion on the matter. We were reminiscing about our childhoods, and the adolescent, juvenile fun we had. I found it intriguing that he referred to the younger version of himself, as the "old me". I found this interesting, as I saw many similarities between his self-declared 'old self' and the guy I was talking to. Of course, he was referring to the distinction between his professional life and personal life. Even though I argued that you can still be the same person that your friends and family know and love, in a professional setting (work, interviews, meetings etc.), I have to say I am slowly reneging on my opinion. Everyone has gone through the same transition. It doesn't need to be a full lifestyle change (which I think he was arguing for), but everyone changes into their professional self when it is called for (at least those who have no trouble holding on to jobs).

I remember one of my good friends coming into my last place of employment and saying that he didn't even recognize me. I honestly didn't know what to think, I was confused, slightly offended, and even little embarrassed, even though I continued to act that way. To think that you have to completely change who you are in a work environment (or in my case, phone conversations, emails and interviews) is pretty troublesome. But similar to my friend, I understand that you need to establish yourself as dependable, professional, serious, and an intellectual when working. The only thing I'm having trouble understanding is why we think we need to put on a facade to translate that to employers, customers, co-workers, etc. Why do we need to change our vocabulary, demeanor and attitude when trying to communicate these characteristics? It's even scarier to think that the monotone, white bread, tone-downed version of me may start to edge itself into my everyday life. I haven't encountered this complete change yet, but every time I'm on the phone trying to get a job, I know I'm being someone I'm not. I also know that if I try to be my genuine self, my chances of getting the job are largely diminished. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with confidence, or if that's just the way it's done. It is the way we were taught in school to treat interviews, and jobs, so maybe that's just the way it is. Ideally, I'd like to change that. I applaud anyone (if there really is anyone) who stays true to themselves, and removes this cover.

As a final note, (as this post is way too long for people to maintain interest), I am not saying that you should go into an interview in sweats, and start discussing your weekend indiscretions with your potential employer, but really find a compromise between the two extremes. Somewhere in between the person you expect your boss wants to hire, and the person you see in the mirror every morning, because at the end of the day, the only person you can't lie to is yourself.

Also, comments are very welcome, and encouraged. I really want to know what people are thinking, as well as any ideas for future posts.

Rob Baral

The Truth About My Dream Job

2011-11-22T16:16:00.001-08:00

Over the past few weeks I have looked through hundreds of different career opportunities. It's really amazing how the Internet helps and at the same time confounds the job search. Although this isn't the main topic of this post, it's definitely interesting. At any one point I have access to thousands upon thousands of job opportunities; whether those are actually available to me is a completely different thing. How did people find job opportunities in the past? On one hand, I'm sure there was a lot more personal interaction during those times than there is now, but on the other, within 40 minutes, I can apply to 3 different jobs (not considering time I rewrite my cover letter), and already have followed up to whomever posted the job.

Anyways, that will be a topic of a later post. With all these jobs postings and the ability to see how much they pay vs. how interesting and stimulating they actually sound, it reminded me of an argument I was having with a co-worker at my last job. For his privacy, let's call him Bill. Bill essentially did the same thing as I did, although he had a little more responsibility and earned a lot more as he had been with the company for over 6 years. Bill is in his mid 40's, has a wife and a six year old child. One incredibly slow day, we started discussing our goals, and aspirations for the future, while also looking retrospectively at the choices we had made to get us where we were. He wanted to be a screenwriter, and in fact, was in the middle of writing his first movie. However, even though he didn't necessarily get much satisfaction or mental stimulation out of his current job, it paid the bills, gave him a chance to spend quality time with his family, and simply made more sense than trying following his dreams.

The first thing I thought I had to do before starting my job search was list my priorities. What kind of job I wanted, what would make me happy, where I wanted to live, what duties I could perform successfully, and of course the reason you work, the minimum salary I'd consider. Where people rank these is completely individual, for some people, like Bill, it's a simple equation, whatever he could do to work the least and make the most amount of money, regardless of what he did was ideal. I've learned, in my humble experience, that I cannot reach my true potential in a position if my heart and passion isn't in it. While, I understand that some people don't necessarily have the convenience of having this choice, I'm going to make the assumption that most reading this blog do. While Bill was in a certain situation, where he had people who depended on him to make enough to support a family, he acknowledged that even if he didn't, he would make the same decision. While looking through the hundreds of jobs offered by the thousands of various companies, finding exactly what you want to do is like finding a needle in a haystack. Especially, when you are looking for a fat paycheck that comes along with it. As mentioned above, where I end up, and how much money I initially make while doing it comes secondary to whether I can take pride in what I do. If that means Iqaluit for 25,000 a year, for something I love, I'll see you there (I hear Nunavut is beautiful in the spring).

Will my priorities change in the future? Probably. Is there a chance they will change tomorrow? Once again, it's a possibility. But for now, this is the way I feel. The ideal situation is to do something you love and be compensated nicely for it, but I'm guessing that everyone either has, or will have to decide between the two at some point. Bill went with the money; I'm going with Nunavut and whale blubber. To each his own.

By the way, interesting video from the TED lectures which is kind of on the same topic (First 5 or so minutes): http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html#.Tsgb2_exq14.facebook

Rob Baral

The Beginning.

2011-11-18T00:45:00.000-08:00

"No one's interested in something you didn't do." A quote from one of my favorite Canadian bands, the Tragically Hip. An interesting, yet very true postulate. Who really cares what you could've done, or what you should've done or even what you can and will do until it's actually done. This currently describes how I feel about my current situation.

I am 24 years old, and while studying for my GMAT exam (with hopes to get a fantastic education and an incredible job, as advertised by many institutions...we'll get to that later), I'm currently unemployed. I quit my fairly well paying job a bit over 3 months ago, thinking it was going to be an easy transition into something I enjoyed a lot more. As some would say, I had a perfect job. I worked great hours, had a decent salary with incentives, and had December and January off, paid. The latter may not seem incredibly important, however, when you live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and you have the chance to leave for two months in the winter, you thank God and get out of there ASAP. The issue was I got complacent. I came in every day to work, tried my hardest, and was successful, but I reached a point where I simply wasn't learning anything new. It was that time I knew I had to get out and reach the next stage in my life.

I'm starting this blog for a number of reasons. I've now spoken to a few different people about this process, and find that I'm learning more and more about the politics in career hunting than I ever thought I would. Some of these things, I felt it would be nice to share. Secondly, I'm a standard recent grad, with a little bit of experience and a good amount of drive. I've read numerous accounts of people pulling amazing stunts to get their ideal job (stalking CEO's for one), but none that I could relate to. I will be talking about the things that I will go through, while trying to find my ideal job. The things that don't go on a resume, or application or cover letter, however, are probably much more of a mental and emotional test than I've had in a while.

Will you like it? I don't know. Can't answer that. I can't promise it will always be well written, or even coherent in some parts (pending on how tired I am). But hopefully some of you will be able to relate (if someone actually reads this). Hopefully it will spark conversations and arguments that will be written about...(see next post). And if no one reads this, then at least I have my own diary of this experience.

Rob Baral