I’m not asking for a job
The trouble with resumes, cover letters and portfolios is they don’t give you an accurate picture of the candidate. Sure you can see my GPA, internship experience and the clubs I’m a member of, but the best of my skills and abilities lie between the lines. I’m not asking for the job, I’m just asking for the chance to prove that I am much more than my resume. So here are 5 reasons why you should give me an interview.
1.) I have more drive than an Indy 500 winner.
When it comes to things that I want, I always go full force and don’t stop just because I’m unsure about how to get there. When a class assignment tasked me to come up with an advertising campaign for a leading condom brand, I dove right in. Research showed 1 in 4 people contract a sexually transmitted disease before the age of 25. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact the statistics were so high for something so preventable. I created a concept called the “Relationship Timer” to educate the under 25’s about the dangers of unprotected sex and the importance of communication. My professor and her colleague loved the idea and encouraged me to create a prototype. While I’ve never created a digital prototype, I could not let the idea die and reached out to my network to get tips on how to make this happen. Thankfully, two developers at my previous internship were so impressed with the idea they helped me to create it. Fast forward a few months, and now I am actively reaching out to groups that promote safe sex to use my prototype as an educational tool.
Although it would have been much easier to take the “A” in the class and move on, my passion drove me to go all in and see the idea to the finish line.
2.) But I’m also lazy.
While laziness may not be a positive quality to most, but to me the laziness forces me to come up with creative and inventive ways to get something done. The zipper on my favorite jeans would not stay up and it was becoming a hassle. Although I could have purchased a new pair and ended the need to constantly pull up the zipper, I also did not want to leave the couch to go to the mall or spend my precious cash. Instead, I attached a keyring to my zipper and hooked it around the button of my jeans to keep the safe and fastened. Problem solved. My laziness fuels my creative thinking (and really only pertains to the physical activities, not work ethic).
3.) I’m fearless (with the exception of scary movies and Ferris wheels).
Something I’ve noticed about a lot of my peers, is that they are afraid to ask questions. While fear of hearing the word no may be a common phobia of the so-called “snowflake generation” I am apparently apart of, I am fortunately cured of it. I have created so many opportunities for myself because I have had the fortitude to ask. When my media history professor assigned us to choose an event in American History and interview a person who lived through it, I knew just who to call. When I got my mom’s answering machine, I left her a message asking how she felt watching the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team win the “Miracle on Ice.” Too impatient for her to call back, I decided to reach out to the captain of the 1980’s team, Mike Eruzione instead. Mike also did not answer so I left a message explaining who I was and the purpose of my paper. I mean why not? There was a chance he’d call me back before my mom. All joking aside, I knew the worst he could say was no, but I did not let that hold me back. Here is a picture of when I got to meet him after we had a phone interview.
4.) I’m insanely dedicated (or dedicatedly insane, I’ll let you choose).
As you can probably tell from the above assignment, I am a huge hockey fan. The fandom grows into obsession when it comes to my school, Quinnipiac. To truly understand my dedication, you need to know that I have sat in the same seat, section 110 – row 1 – seat 3 for all 4 years of my college career. Doing this has been no easy feat. In order to stake the claim on my seat, I arrived 2 hours before each home game to ensure I’d be the first in line for general admission. And if there was ever a time where I arrived late, I made sure to bribe one of my friends to be there and save the spot for me. When I decided to study abroad, I made sure to go in the fall season just in case the Bobcats made the NCAA playoffs. (Fun fact: They went to the championship that year). As if arriving excessively early to every game wasn’t enough, for 3 years in a row, I was the very first person in line to enter the arena for our biggest rivalry game. Each year I waited in line for a least 7 hours just to be able to get my seat. People were shocked I showed up that early, but senior year when I explained my dedication to the hockey team (and my seat), they were so impressed that they actually reserved the seat for me. My loyalty and dedication are like no other, I will do everything possible to be able to achieve a goal (or first row seat).
5.) I’m always chasing the next high.
Before you go and drug test me, let me explain. Throughout my life, I have been told more than enough times I couldn’t accomplish a goal or have had to deal with people who just did not believe in me. While others may find that treatment discouraging, I used it to fuel my already raging fire. The feeling of proving someone wrong and accomplishing my goals is like no other. When I first started college I was telling a someone all about how I could not wait to go back and start the next semester. They looked at me and said, “Huh, I really didn’t think you were going to make it past week one.” Well guess what? I’m graduating as a member of the National Honors Society. Boom. *Mic Drop.* My determination is something that makes me thrive. No matter what I will work my hardest just to prove to you that I can do something and do it well.
So if you’ve read this far thank you! My tenacity, creativity, determination, dedication, and motivation are all traits I can bring to the table, and that is a promise. I’m just someone who needs to be given a chance to show you what I’ve got!
Here is a link to my portfolio with my resume and contact info.