[Sooshii]

Let's see, I currently work part-time at Spencer Gifts in my local mall. I've been working there for over a year.
For the most part, it's a pretty decent/cool job. They don't mind how many piercings or tattoos we have or what kind of funky hairstyle we choose to have. So that's at least an awesome thing, because I really like being able to express myself visually.
Overall, it is a retail job, and retail can suck really hard at times - especially during the holiday season.

I'm also a hairstylist. I graduated cosmetology school with my diploma in 2007.
Doing hair is really fun because I like being able to give people the look that they really want and seeing them leave happy.
I also enjoy doing makeup, but for now, I'd like to concentrate on doing hair before I decide to start putting together a makeup kit and freelancing. I'd like to take some Special Effects Makeup classes in the future, though.
I'd be more than happy to share parts of my portfolio with you if you ask. n___n

People have asked me in the past, at what point in my life did I decide I wanted to do hair?
It was decided during the last two years I was in High School. I had signed up for a duel enrollment course to take cosmetology during my senior year in high school, and then an additional year after I graduated. Unfortunately, I was rejected, which ended up being a blessing in disguise. After I graduated High School, the following Autumn, the school I ended up enrolling into, though more expensive, gave me a better education than the first school would have in the long run. Instead of going part-time for 2 years, I went full-time and only ended up having to be in school for a year. Yay~

[the_red]

hi everyone.

i need some of your pieces of advice/opinions.

so i went to this job fair without the mindset of absolutely getting a job since i'm not graduating from my ms in electrical engineering anytime soon. for my thesis, the first half is on antenna work. i didn't do a very good job in writing my resume as i had written it 2 nights before the job fair without the advice from more experienced peers. i sent out resumes to a few companies and never got a phone call back till about a month later.

finally, a renowned company called to see if i was interested. then i fixed my resume, as advised by a friend, and sent the revised copy to them. i had my first (face to face) interview yesterday and found out i got accepted. i'm quite pleased, shocked and overly ecstatic about this. this is totally unexpected.

now i'm torn between two options. working for this company is a great opportunity and they do real engineering work and it's not a clerical job, which was what others ended up doing even after the engineering degree while working at say, lockheed. but at the same time, i'm considering doing phd since research could be fun sometimes. but the problem is, the higher my qualifications are after getting that phd, i might get overqualified and it will make it harder for me to find a job, especially since i don't come from a school like georgia tech, mit, etc. but as a research group (the one i currently work with), we've been making lots of progress and have impressed people/companies we're working with. i really like where i'm working right now. so i will have 3 or 4 years being a poor grad student if i do choose this path. lastly, i could consider doing both at the same time but it's just overkill to work full time and study at the same time, especially when i go back to doing research again for dissertation.

so if you were in my situation, what would you do?

[avant-garde]

What does your list look like?

Regards

[the_red]

^thanks for the reply. well here's part of my resume

Research Assistant
• Broadband VHF antenna with matching network for SAW device with 28% fractional bandwidth (215-285MHz), centered at 250MHz, whose input impedance is highly capacitive and non-uniform throughout the frequency band (currently i'm matched at 215-270MHz at SWR of 3 or less)
• SAW Reflective Transducer to be used as an interface for a sensor
• DXF File Converter for use for mask layout program
• I only have 2 publications due to contributions to antenna experiments; i was only a co-author
Teaching Assistant
• Electronics 1 aided and graded lab experiments that covered the following topics: rectifier, clipper, clamper circuits, Bipolar Junction Transistor AC and DC amplifier circuits
• Integrated Laboratory aided and graded lab experiments the covered the following topics: digital signal processing (programming done through Visual Application Builder), communications (AM and FM) and power electronics

I've taken some classes in dsp, rf, communications, microfabrication, surface acoustic wave devices.. Of course, I've forgotten some of the stuff I studied before but I believe I can review and understand the theory again without encountering major problems. Equipment I usually use in my experiments is the VNA and I could use mathcad and matlab fairly well, if required, for simulations. I can use hfss and ie3d, software packages essential to antenna design.

but for my thesis on the antenna stuff (i have another part to the thesis), i used a previously available design, which is a disk monopole, for broad bandwidth. then i matched my device to the antenna myself and that took me a whole week to finish since i had to this by hand. simulations and calculations weren't so reliable due to component tolerances.

but the reason why i was interested in doing phd is that i wanted to be able to do a novel antenna design and eventually become an antenna expert with full understanding of electromagnetic theory. i've only taken em theory 1 and there's more to learn about the subject. my problem is my advisor is not really an antenna expert. he's a surface acoustic wave device and semiconductors expert and for the most part for my thesis, i've only relied on myself to get the antenna work done. never had an antenna mentor in my group which could be why i took a long time to figure out that 250MHz antenna design but it also shows that i can work on my own. but he does have some rf background. he already has a list of tasks for me to do relating to antenna design, if i do choose to pursue a phd.

i've only applied to 1 fellowship (nsf). i don't know what my chances are given my experience. i have good grades but i didn't turn in a gre score since i didn't do well on that exam when i took it. i only took it once and never bothered to take it again since i'm preoccupied with other stuff.

and the company i applied to and got accepted is motorola, which is a 3 hour drive from where i currently live.

[Zeta]

Hello all,

I'm currently just starting out in the IT field and I've been a System Analyst for 2 months. I got a BS in Biology. Yes, I know, totally different major. I think I'm underpaid but I like the job that I'm doing and the people that I work with. Anyways, I've want a side job as a free lance graphic designer. Any advice on how to get started as a free lancer? I can do anything from Photoshop for web graphic to Indesign for print.

Thanks,
-zeta

[Pogichinoy]

^Do you have any examples of your work or what you're capable of? If so, publish it online as a portfolio that you can present to clients. If not, get started.



Regarding being underpaid, since you're a graduate you may get the standard graduate package.

[Zeta]

^Do you have any examples of your work or what you're capable of? If so, publish it online as a portfolio that you can present to clients. If not, get started.



Regarding being underpaid, since you're a graduate you may get the standard graduate package.

Yes, I have some samples.

What I really wanted to know is how do I find clients? I also heard that the graphic industry can be very dirty. In terms of people copyrighting your graphics and selling it for much more. For example I heard of a case where one of my friend sold her graphic for $50 and the guy who bought it off of her sold it for $100 claiming that it's his work. Know what I mean?

[gummybummy]

Hello all,

I'm currently just starting out in the IT field and I've been a System Analyst for 2 months. I got a BS in Biology. Yes, I know, totally different major. I think I'm underpaid but I like the job that I'm doing and the people that I work with. Anyways, I've want a side job as a free lance graphic designer. Any advice on how to get started as a free lancer? I can do anything from Photoshop for web graphic to Indesign for print.

Thanks,
-zeta

I have a friend who is a freelance graphic designer and he says networking is the key if you want to work as a freelancer. Also set up your own webpage that showcases who you are and your work. Post in sites and forums for the targeted market. Good luck

I'm also wondering how did you end up in IT? I always here about people who end up in a different job field then what they actually majored in.

[Pogichinoy]

Yup asgummybummy mentioned, post it on relevant sites. Contact and send your portfolio to graphic design or marketing companies. Advertise as much as you can.

Do your best in protecting your works, but you can only do so much.

[YUNA!]

I just got a job offer in Fort McMurray, AB...
For lodging, one of my friends, the ONLY friend i know there (and who offered me the position) lives with five other guys in an apartment and he offered me a room. Although I've known him for years and years (we basically grew up together until I came back to Vancouver), living with four other guys is kinda.... =/

If you were in my position, would you still take it?
Good pay, good hours, great colleagues... only problem is the lodging part.

Not sure if I'm ready to be a caretaker of the jungle~ Lol~~~~

[the_red]

^ congrats on the job offer.

if you're uncomfortable with the idea of living with them for good, you could live with them temporarily until you find another place to stay. i'm sure you don't want to miss this great opportunity unless you have another job offer in the near future or right now.

if i were you, i'm leaning on taking that job if it's only lodging that gets you a bit discouraged. just think of it as something temporary.

[nagel]

Im currently in college. Im trying to look for a part time job.. that hopefully pays decent but i cant decide.. any recommendations? ; )

[Tuxedomask]

Im currently in college. Im trying to look for a part time job.. that hopefully pays decent but i cant decide.. any recommendations? ; )

Any job where you can leave with a smile knowing you just made some $. A job in college should never EVER add on stress.

I'm being a hypocrite because my job adds more stress than school haha.

[tinasarangg]

Serving.
I work sat nights and sunday mornings and I average ~160-200 a weekend.
It sucks though...but its good money.

[Prot]

Im currently in college. Im trying to look for a part time job.. that hopefully pays decent but i cant decide.. any recommendations? ; )

Check in your college campus. There are quite a number of jobs on campus (mainly info desks and library) where you literally just sit at the desk and you can study and do your own work, and working only when prodded to or if you are at an info desk and someone has a question. Also check flyers, some people around the community look for assistants for sorting, help in so and so, etc. and they generally will post job offers on flyers on campus.

[Donnerschlag]

Anyone live in Hawaii and know any places that are looking for techs? I am currently working at University of Phoenix in Arizona but will be moving to Hawaii in 2009. The only positions they have available at our campus there are counselors and I dont really want to do that. I am looking for a help desk or anything else that is technical. I dont have that great of a resume but but I want to try something new. I was looking at cruise lines but they are wanting a degree for the technical departments.

[sohothot]

any you guys know how job benefits work...

like if my job benefit ppl say i can get my teeth pull out and they'll pay for it.. but after my job got pull out.. and 3 weeks later.. i quit..

will my job benefit pay for my teeth or are they gonna make me pay for it..?

[koneee]

Goodness gracious. Took me a month before I could find a nice PART-TIME job. Good gawd, the economy is horrible that even finding a simple part-time RETAIL job is difficult .
I'm so glad I was able to find a job after a month+ of job hunting. It was very difficult and slightly depressing, especially because I almost got scammed into a fake "job" out of desperation, and I thought it was reaaaalll :'(.

[negitoro]

any you guys know how job benefits work...

like if my job benefit ppl say i can get my teeth pull out and they'll pay for it.. but after my job got pull out.. and 3 weeks later.. i quit..

will my job benefit pay for my teeth or are they gonna make me pay for it..?

Generally when you sign the contract they'll list it out in the terms.

My old job, benefits didn't kick in until probation ended (6 months) and it was also pro-rated per year. So if you left after one month, you were only entitled to 1/12th of the yearly allowance. If you went over, they withheld the amount from your last paycheck when you left.

[sohothot]

Generally when you sign the contract they'll list it out in the terms.

My old job, benefits didn't kick in until probation ended (6 months) and it was also pro-rated per year. So if you left after one month, you were only entitled to 1/12th of the yearly allowance. If you went over, they withheld the amount from your last paycheck when you left.

my job benefits kick in after 9 months... but i use up all of it this year. 6 months later.. i call them and ask if i got my job benefits back up again.. they said yeah and tell them i need get my teeth pull out.. i ask if they gonna cover for all of them.. they said yeah.

what im afraid is that after i get my teeth pull out and 3-4 weeks later.. i quit.. you really think they gonna make me pay for teeth since they said they gonna cover for them..?