Woo! Well done on hitting/exceeding most of your goals this week!
I’m glad that you’ve found networking opportunities, which (hopefully) should be fun. Keep up the amazing work, and thanks for the updates!
<3 Tuna
PS: More volunteering? Cool! If you’d like to share in your next update, what are you adding – more of the dance stuff? Sound exciting!
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 8
Interviews: 0
Contacts: 5
Hours: 14
Education: 1.5
Service: 10
Getting more done! Still need to get more practice interviews in and adjust my expectations for education hours. I did go to a Women in STEM conference on Saturday which helped lift my spirits in my job search, and made at least one good contact. I just need to narrow down which job position(s) at her company are the best fit and let her know.
The extra service hours came from a church building cleaning assignment for the next two months and an extra dance workshop over the weekend.
This week is already busy. I spent the afternoon at two job fairs (that’ll be part of next week’s metrics), and tomorrow and the next day I volunteered to teach vintage swing dancing at a high school. Hoping that I’ll be able to remember which companies from the fairs I wanted to check in with.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 15 (already about 10 from the job fairs)
Hours: 10
Education: 2
Service: 15 (so much dance teaching)
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 3
Interviews: 1 practice, 1 phone, 1 onsite
Contacts: 14
Hours: 13
Education: 3
Service: 15
Surprisingly, I got a second interview by phone from the company I’m most interested in. HR asked some logistic questions, and it is possible that I could get an offer this week!
I also survived my busy week, but feeling tired today. Last night, I couldn’t find my iPad an hour after getting home from dance team practice, thinking that I must have left it at the studio, but then I found it on my bed. I don’t even remember going in there when I got home! I must be stressed and need to take it easier this week.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 3
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 4
Hours: 8
Education: 3
Service: 6
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1 onsite
Contacts: 4
Hours: 10
Education: 1
Service: 10.5
I haven’t heard back from the company I had a second interview with; I sent a check-in email yesterday.
I am getting discouraged again. Contributors include not hearing back from the job I think would work very well, not feeling like I’m able to put full-time effort into job searching, and practically destroying my sleep schedule with the new Zelda game. I have been going to therapy every other week, but I’m not sure the therapist quite understands that I’m still trying to find the balance between limiting time with distractions and avoiding autistic burnout.
This next week, I’m going to try to maintain the same metrics with more efforts for education because I checked out a book on leadership that I haven’t started yet. I might need some emotional boosts this week too, so any suggestions would be appreciated.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 5
Hours: 10
Education: 5
Service: 6
Hi there @tromboness,
Thanks for the update! Sorry; it’s been a while since I last replied here, but I’m impressed with all you’ve done over these last three weeks. This looks wonderful, and it seems like you’re doing a good job setting realistic goals for yourself and staying in-touch with how you’re feeling about the process.
The feeling of not getting any information after it feels like an interview goes well sucks (pardon my French) – the disappointment can really sting. I feel for you; that’s never fun.
I hope you’re getting a little boost from relaxing with Zelda, and am wishing you the best in your continued job search. I believe in you!
<3 Tuna
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 1
Interviews: 1 practice
Contacts: 1
Hours: 7.5
Education: 5
Service: 6
Been a tough week. It started okay, then it seems some emotionally related things brought me back to burnout. (Some dance team drama related to the previous president removing someone from team the day made me the new president a month ago. I guess having hard conversations is part of being a leader, and I hope I can be better at putting my words together.) Still recovering from that and need to do so many chores to prep my apartment for my mom to spend tonight here.
Looking forward to all the extra live band dance events that happen during the summer including a performance this weekend!
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 3
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 3
Hours: 8
Education: 3
Service: 6
Heya, glad to read your update!
I want to give you big props for working on multiple areas of life - that sounds pretty challenging (especially having hard conversations).
Still rooting for you!
Hi there @tromboness,
Thank you for sharing with us here. Dance team drama sounds so tough and I’m sorry to hear that you’re getting caught up in that; while these sorts of things tend to be part of leadership, that doesn’t make them fun. Good job working to handle that situation! I also particularly want to commend you on lowering some of your objective criteria to reflect how much energy you can put into the job search for the next week.
Have a great performance!
<3 Tuna
Weekly Update! (One day late)
Resumes: 6
Interviews: 1 practice
Contacts: 1
Hours: 10
Education: 0
Service: 12
I did get the chores I needed done that day! Dance things are going well, even with some last minute scheduling to learn the routine our choreographer made for us!
I did finally hear back from the company that I had two interviews with, and they are no longer hiring for that position. Just feeling a little lost in knowing where to focus my job searching right now other than just applying to the ones that the volunteer at the employment center sends to me.
I think I’m almost recovered from my latest burnout.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 3
Hours: 10
Education: 3
Service: 6
Hello @tromboness,
Thank you for the update! I’m impressed with all you’ve been putting into your job search, persisting after nearly three months of serious effort; that’s so impressive. I’m also glad that you’re feeling less burned out this week.
I also know how disappointing it can be when we don’t get the offers that we were hoping for, so I’m sorry that those interviews didn’t end in an offer – that’s never fun and I’m proud of you for keeping the effort up, despite the demoralized feelings that can come with these events.
I love your goals for next week and hope you keep us updated. Wishing you the best in this job search!
<3 Tuna
hey tromboness! I’m just now discovering your post and your journey through this and I have to say I’m feeling incredibly inspired reading through this. The fact that you have a detailed plan and goals in your job hunt is remarkable and an amazing approach. It makes me want to map out my goals for the things I’ve got going on in my life. I guess what I want to say is to keep up the good work, keep your head held high, and keep up the good energy. Good things will come 
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 6
Interviews: 0
Contacts: 3
Hours: 10
Education: 2
Service: 6
I have a phone interview scheduled for Thursday! The skillset needs PCR experience which I haven’t done since biology as an undergraduate, but I should be able to refresh myself on the procedure with online study.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 3 (one phone and one practice scheduled)
Contacts: 5
Hours: 11
Education: 6
Service: 6
Weekly Update! (One day late)
Resumes: 2
Interviews: 1 practice, one phone
Contacts: 2
Hours: 10
Education: 3
Service: 8
I think my phone interview went well enough. I should have heard back by now if I was selected for an on-site interview, so I don’t know if they’re are behind or I’m not selected.
I’m having the problem this last week of having a few postings that I want to read up and apply for if I think they fit my skills, but I don’t think that I have the “spoons” to actually sit down and do it. This is leading me to stress out about what if I’m not able to get a job by the deadline I made for August.
If anyone has any input on knowing the difference between not wanting to put forth the effort and not actually having the effort available to do the things that would build the life I want, that would be appreciated, particularly as it relates to high-masking autistics.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 3
Hours: 11
Education: 4
Service: 7
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 0
Interviews: 0
Contacts: 2
Hours: 9
Education: 1
Service: 7
I haven’t been as productive as I planned this week, so I went back to using the MS To Do App to keep track of the things that I want to have accomplished in a day, including basic self-care.
No word still about that last phone interview, but I did email their talent team to see about an update. I also saw one of my contacts over the weekend, and he said that a company he knows would be interested in meeting with me and that he would send my resume along to them.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 3
Hours: 11
Education: 4
Service: 7
Weekly Update! (couple days late, thanks Independence Day for throwing me off)
Resumes: 3
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 3
Hours: 10
Education: 4
Service: 7
A little better than last week. At last week’s therapy session, I did have a break down because I have the belief that I don’t have the ability to just sit down and do the things that I need to do to get a job. I get so easily distracted which probably comes from wanting immediate feedback, to feel connected to people, and to seek mental stimulation. Maybe I need to be better at connecting to myself so that I can see that all the little things I need to do are beneficial to building the life I want to live. I’m tired of feeling there isn’t any point in doing these things because nothing is working out.
I have a few job postings that I’ve been sitting on. Hopefully I can get past the struggles in task initiation and start applying for them today.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 3
Hours: 11
Education: 3
Service: 7
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 3
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 2
Hours: 6.5
Education: 1
Service: 8
I happened to see a couple potential listings in a local paper, so I emailed resumes for those. One company was on summer break for last week so maybe I should hear something back soon. The other company called me that afternoon for a screening interview. I didn’t have a Medical Laboratory Scientist certification for that position, but she was able to direct to another potential posting that I aim to apply to today. Third application was through a recruiter that said that the company would be interested in a higher degree, so I’ll see if I get selected for an interview.
I’ve been anxious about dance team stuff which has been making it hard to be productive. Our choreographers that live in another state weren’t able to get us all the routine yet, and competition is less than two months away. Fortunately, our local professional dancers offered to teach us a team choreography which we started last night. I’m still feeling anxious about it, but we’ll have something!
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 4
Hours: 10
Education: 4
Service: 6
Proud of you for doing all this! You’re amazing
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 0
Contacts: 4
Hours: 10.5
Education: 5.5
Service: 6 plus hosting a sleepover with my nieces
I got most of my metrics met this week! I think using LinkedIn has been beneficial in both finding job postings and finding people at prospective companies to contact. One application I sent yesterday got back to me last night to schedule an interview next week, and I’m feeling good about it!
I’m going to have a busy Thursday for networking. Besides my usual active job search morning meeting, I’ll be meeting up with members from the meeting for lunch, attending a blood drive hosted by one of the local biotech organizations, and going to a women in tech networking event. And I still have time to make it to dancing!
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 1
Contacts: 8
Hours: 14
Education: 4
Service: 6
Fingers crossed! You’re going to crush this! 
Weekly Update!
Resumes: 6
Interviews: 0
Contacts: 11
Hours: 17
Education: 3
Service: 6
Thursday was busy, but I survived. I was able to connect with one person at the blood drive. Friday I was still exhausted, but I ended up that evening signing up for a program that helps PhDs get hired. I’m a little worried about affording the program, but the recruiter was able to cut the price in half and have a payment plan. This program should help me rework my resume and LinkedIn profile to gear towards industry and help me network into prospective companies. I’m still feeling anxious about that decision to join, but I signed stuff so I have to be committed.
Tomorrow, I have an entry level position at an analytical lab, so I’m going to do my prep today. The plan for this position is if I do get an offer, I should take it (keeping to myself that It’s temporary) and keep looking for an appropriate level employment.
I’ve also finished my current leadership reading that I’ve been using for education hours. I’ll be looking through LinkedIn Learning that’s offered through the American Chemical Society to see if any of those would be useful.
For the next seven days, I want:
Resumes: 5
Interviews: 2
Contacts: 5
Hours: 15
Education: 3
Service: 5