One Way to Keep Yourself Busy - Look For Simple Side Jobs

Hey sorry it's been a while, things have gotten a bit crazy around here. 


Quick update: Alex finally got a job and starts next week.... YAY! He will be writing in soon to talk about the experience. Also I have talked with a couple of friends that are in different working situations, and some have agreed to write in with any pointers they may have or stories they want to share, so stay tuned. (I also promise to start writing in more regularly since everything is calming down) So here we go on one of the things that Alex and I tried to do while we were still unemployed (some we are still involved in).

If you are still looking for work or you need a little something extra, take your talents and put them to good use.

Before we moved to NYC, Alex used to (and still does over the phone) help his friends with computer, Internet, and electronics problems. They didn’t normally pay him much, and a lot of the time it wasn’t with money, but it kept him busy and it would bring him something.

I wish I could say I used to do something like babysit on the side, but I was not blessed with the “motherly” gene. Instead while I was in college (already working two jobs and taking a full course load) I used to tutor for extra money. Some kids really needed it (mostly those party animals) and it worked out where I could help them in between classes.

Since being out of school and in the working world, I’ve more recently thought about getting a certificate to be a wedding/event planner. Ever since working at my dad’s flower shop when I was a teenager I’ve been fascinated with it. I helped my brother and my sister-in-law plan their wedding; it was a lot of work, but a lot of fun (for me hehe). I’m very organized and I like to negotiate. I honestly feel it could be a good side business to start (especially in NYC).

Side jobs should be skills you already have (I guess unlike my idea), but it can make life more interesting to branch out and see what you can do.

I read an article in Time Out New York about earning extra money where it listed a bunch of different ways to make some extra cash (TONY). You should check it out.

Anther thing to do is to start a blog and write about what you know, or post pictures and or music you like. Like Alex said before, it is important to stay sane while job hunting and its always nice go earn some extra cash while you’re waiting for you big break.


-K

Event Marketing Job Postings

If you are interested in marketing, and you search for jobs online you will most likely see postings for “Event Marketing.” I would be very cautious when approaching these.

“Why?” You may ask, well I’ll tell you… right after college I was determined that I wasn’t going to live with my parents for long, so I started applying to many different kinds of jobs, not just in the music industry. I figured using marketing as a keyword could find me an enjoyable job seeing as I minored in marketing. I saw a few postings for “Event Marketing Management Training” and just “Event Marketing.” I was naïve and thought what have I got to lose? I am not going to lie I thought it was like a planning company that other companies outsourced to help them plan marketing campaigns that would eventually lead up to an event. I have always been interested in event planning so it could be a good fit. I applied to 4 or 5 of these ads, and the next day they all called me to come in for interviews the next week. So I made a schedule and a game plan – printed out directions to and from each of them (I did schedule 2 in the same day as to save me money with gas since they were all at least 2 hours away from where I was living). I was most definitely prepared for these interviews.

I showed up to the first interview, they explained how the process worked: you are an Associate for a few months (I believe it was three), then you move up to Junior Manager for another three or four months or until the partners believe you are ready and you move up to Manager and you are able to run your own campaigns and events. Now it sounded interesting especially when they asked me for a second interview, which was “in the field observing.” Every company asked me to go on a second interview; however I only went to one – believe me I couldn’t take much more than that to know it wasn’t for me. The person I “shadowed” was setting up an event for Bobby Brown cosmetics outside under a pop up tent in front of a DSW in Glensdale, NY (Long Island). I was meant to observe and absorb everything they were showing me, but I was not allowed to do “selling.” After which they “quizzed” me about what I observed and then I was called back to the office for the third and final interview, where I was offered the job on the spot. It was solely commission base on how well you “marketed” the product, which really meant how annoying you could be like the kiosk people at the mall trying to sell you useless junk that doesn’t work anyway. I told the woman I would need a few days and after I got home that day I called her and the other three or four companies back and told them I was not interested.

It just seemed off to me. And after a lot of thought I realized it had to be some sort of a scam, the job postings didn’t really give a good description of the job and you had to guarantee them like three years of your service. For me this didn’t seem to be a legit option especially since I wanted to be taken seriously when it comes to my work.

This is a case where I did research on the companies, but nothing of was how the jobs and companies really were. Unless you want to be one of the annoying kiosk people you see in the malls or on the sidewalks, this is not a good opportunity.


-k