By George, I Think She's Got It

I have been at my new job in Chicago for over a month now (almost two months, which is so weird to say because the time literally flew by).

I'm not gonna lie, this whole new job thing was a huge adjustment. Despite the fact that I grew up in Illinois, moving back and adjusting to the new(ish) lifestyle here has been hard. I still don't have a clue where I'm going...ever (north, south, east, west, WHAT?!). The L confuses me to no end, and I make a silent prayer every night that I will wake up and the straight lines of the NYC subway will have replaced those loops and turns. And sometimes, I even miss hearing the incessant police car sirens (I can't believe I just said that).

And adjusting to a new company is difficult. You have to learn the lingo and jargon. You have to memorize names and complicated webs of who manages who. And worst of all, you have to make all new friends.

Friends. Ugh. I forgot how much work is involved in this task. I mean, at my old job, I think it took me a good 6 months to make actual work friends. And while it did take me a while, I did manage to finagle myself a great core group. We ate lunch together almost everyday (except during Biggest Loser at work when I practically starved myself so I could win a spa trip...which I didn't end up winning womp womp). We would whine and complain about work. We would share useless information with each other throughout the day (and inapporiate work humor of course).

I still miss my old work friends every day. Especially since I've been eating alone at my desk everyday since I started this job back in December. But I knew I had to muddle through and make some new friends.

And by George, I think I did it.

Last week, while at the event I put on in Atlanta, I had to spend a considerable amount of time sitting at a registration desk. Mainly the desk was open for anyone who had a question during the event (you know - room issues, food issues, lost alarm clock issues), but the desk was only open during breaks so during the "off" time when I wasn't running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I got to spend some time hanging out with my co-workers who were also working the event. I also got to try out Wii Fit, which told me that I am off balance and that I need to go the gym. Tell me something I don't know Wii Fit! 

I met two people who I really hit it off with - and they share my love for cheesy reality TV (like The Bachelor). That's when you know it's true friendship by the way, when they love the same TV as you. 

And while I still haven't sat down and had lunch with either of the girls I met at the event, I do know that I'm on my way to having real work friends again.

I also learned of a clique within our company. A new friend and I have nicknamed them the High School Musical clique since they are all relatively young and of course they also love to break out into song intermittently throughout the day so the nickname was obvious. They love to eat lunch together in our little cafeteria (if you can call it that) and go to meetings in a foursome pod. 

So far I've gotten along with a majority of the HSMusical clique, but I think for now I'm going to stick with establishing my new friendships with my reality TV bff's. Because if you can't form a solid relationship around your shared love of Rock of Love Bus then what can you form a relationship around? 

*Sidenote: Thanks to everyone who voted for us in the 20sb awards! Working Girl is the new "Best Career/Occupation Blog" of the 20sb! We are thrilled to say we are among the winners, because some of our serious blog crushes are on that list of winners (you know - the kind of blogs you are scared to comment on because they are like the cool, popular senior girl in high school that you worship from afar). So thank you readers!

Ch-Ch-Changes

And I'm back in the game! After a horrible experience with Comcast, I decided to get cable from a different provider who came out the next day to install! How great is that? So I finally have the Internet in my new abode and therefore am back to blogging. Sorry for the hiatus, but I think it was good for me to have a teensy break as I have been uber busy. 

It has only been two weeks since I left New York and so much has changed. I moved into my new studio apartment, which is fabulous. I seriously feel like this place was made for me. I have the perfect sized kitchen with all new Electrolux appliances (and a dishwasher!). I have a washer and dryer, a jacuzzi tub, a fireplace, and a sick patio that I intend to use once it's warmer than 19 degrees outside. My dad was instrumental in helping me A) find the place and B) furnish the place so I can't tell you how grateful I am to him. Without my dad, I would have a bed...and that's it. Below is a picture of my new studio (except it's an old picture from when other people lived here)! I'm in love <3 

Speaking of my dad, that is also something that has changed. I used to talk to my dad maybe twice a week when I lived in NJ, but now my dad lives approximately 6 blocks away from me so I see him at least 3-4 times a week. I've already had dinner at his place twice and he is addicted to my washer/dryer so I expect to see him a lot more which I couldn't be more thrilled about. 

I also have seen my girlfriends from high school quite a few times, which again is a huge change. I used to come back to Chicago maybe 3 or 4 times a year for holidays and maybe a visit in the summer, and I would see the girls once the whole time I was home maybe for dinner and a few drinks. But now I get to see them every moment I want to, which is amazing! 

And work is out of this world different. In some good ways and some bad. 

This week is officially my third week at my new company and I'm still getting adjusted to all the differences between my old job and my new job. And since there are quite a few (and since this blog is all about working), I thought I would list the great new things about my job and some of the not-so-great (quite yet) things about my new job. 

SO GREAT I COULD SCREAM

1. My benefits are the bomb. At my old job, I just had health benefits (and they weren't even that great). At my new job, I have health, dental and vision. Yes, vision! Which means I can get a new set of frames yearly! How cool is that? 

2. My new desk is ginormous. Yes, I still sit in a cubicle, but it could practically be an office it is so large. I finally have enough room to stretch my legs, enough room to hold every file of every project I will ever work on, and still have room to have a impromptu dance party (I mean you never know). 

3.  My boss is maybe the nicest man alive. Every person I have met so far at work has told me that I am the luckiest person to be working for him. Unlike The Boss, he seems to just care about the work you do, not what time you get in the office. And he offers to get me coffee, not the other way around. And to top it all off, he has known me about two weeks and he gave me a bottle of wine as a holiday present! 

THINGS THAT MAKE ME CRINGE

1. Everything starts earlier in Chicago. It is a large understatement to say that I am not a morning person...just ask anyone who has lived with me. I am cranky and about half dead when I wake up. And in order to be in work on time, I have to wake up at 6 am on a daily basis. At my old company, we didn't start work until 9 am, so I usually woke up around 7:30. It is a rough adjustment. 

2. I have to look good all the time. My new company has a stricter dress policy than my old company. In New York, I wore jeans about 4-5 times a week, but at my new company we dress up. I have almost run out of outfits, which I guess means I have to go shopping (what a shame). Also, the fact that I need to look nice all day also means that I have to wake up earlier to do those girly things like straighten my hair and apply make-up. These are things I really do enjoy, just not at 6 am. 

3. I am already out of this world busy. In the next two months, I have a conference and a sales trip (to Key West!) to plan. And last week I had to be at work at 7 am (again, I am not a morning person), to work on another event we had going on. Although I am happy that I have just been thrown into things (since I learn by doing), I also wish I had gotten somewhat of a grace period to ease into things. Instead, I am in bed most nights by 10 pm. 

Overall, I am still adjusting. There are a lot of other things going on that of course are stressful - like a little thing called Christmas. I still haven't done any of my shopping. I'm also broke. So, I'm taking things one step at a time. 

But to be cheesy, I am loving being back in my sweet home Chicago.

On A Teensy Tiny Hiatus

Dear Working Girls,

Man oh man. I think these have been two of the busiest weeks of my life (driving a U-Haul in a blizzard, moving into a new job & apartment...oh yea and I had no heat for about two days). Not to mention the fact that I have no Internet connection at my new apartment quite yet (UGH).

So in short, I am on a teensy, tiny hiatus from Working Girl. Just until I get the Internet installed in my apartment. Which fingers crossed should be this coming Monday!

But I just want to let you all know that despite the snowstorms and gross weather in Chicago, I am loving everything - the apartment is sensational, the job is going smoothly, and it's great to be back with my family and my friends.

From work with love,
WG2

I'm Outta Here!

As I write this, I am on the couch of my Hampton Inn hotel room in DuBois, PA (obvi with the TV on because the Britney Spears documentary starts in a half hour and I want to hear her excuses for why she a) married K. Fed, b) dated that paparazzi dude, and c) went crazy and chopped off her hair). 

So, today has been a helluva day. I woke up early this morning, walked to Jersey City to pick up my U-Haul, had my movers come to put my shit in said U-Haul, drove (almost) halfway to Chicago in a rainstorm, got stuck in traffic, and have finally stopped off for the night in a pretty nice hotel room (which is most likely the size of my new apartment). 

And I can't help but get this ohmygoshthisisreallyhappening feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I pass a sign that says "50 miles to [insert town name here]". It has finally hit me that the moment is here. I am moving to Chicago and there is no stopping me. 

It's a bittersweet feeling. Because of course I'm excited, but this past week I had to say goodbye to a lot of things that I'm going to miss. I had to say goodbye to my friends - the girls (and guys) who have been there for me for the past six years. WG1 planned a fab going-away partay which included a beautiful dinner at Jane, lots of hardcore drinking, and of course lots of dance-offs. I may or may not have even pushed good looking males off the dance floor so WG1 and our friend K, could do a super rendition of "Womanizer" for the whole bar. Two of my friends even came into NYC from Boston and Hartford for the occasion!  I can't say anything about these girls without getting teary-eyed because they supported me, listened to me, and loved me when I needed it the most. For that I will always be grateful and that weekend meant a lot to me.

And of course I'm going to miss NYC. Who wouldn't? It's a mecca of all things amazing - nightlife, fashion, Broadway, food! I'm going to miss it all. I'll miss my favorite bars like Swig, Wicker Park, and Joshua Tree. I will of course my favorite lunchtime meals at places like Blue 9 Burger, Barbounia and Mozzarelli's. I'll even miss Hoboken - how most of the people in my neighborhood knew me and would wave and smile each morning on my walk to the PATH (though I will not miss the PDA on my morning commute). 

And since this is a blog about working, how can I not mention my former job? My last day was last week and it was sad to say goodbye. My going away happy hour was the bomb and my company even paid for all the drinks and appetizers! Yay! And though I have complained endlessly on this blog, I am going to miss my job. Maybe I'm not going to miss a lot of the aspects of it but I am going to miss my core work friends, the comfort levels I had with all my co-workers, and the daily camaraderie. 

But while I'm sad to leave things behind, I'm also looking forward to all the new things in my life. New job, newfound relationships with my family and old friends, new city, new restaurants, new bars! So it's bittersweet. I can't wait for the new, but I'm going to miss the old. 

All right, time to lay down my weary and tired head. I have a long day of driving to accomplish tomorrow! Not to mention moving in, setting up cable, and of course a trip to Target! 

P.S. I know some readers were worried that since I was leaving behind the Big Apple that I would stop blogging. Have no fear, I will continue to regale you with my Working Girl stories - they will just have a different setting and new faces. I'm addicted to you guys so it would be pretty impossible to stop blogging now. Unfortunately, you are stuck with me for a little while longer :) 

The Best (Interview) Day of My Life: Part 2

In my last post, I regaled you with my giant dilemma. A dilemma, I admit, that doesn't seem so bad from an outsider's point of view. I had just found out that I had gotten into Northwestern's journalism graduate program after being on the wait list for three months.

In addition, I had just flown from New York to Chicago and had a wonderful interview with a great mid-sized company (not to mention, I met Hanson). And after I had boarded the plane to go back to NYC, they had called to ask for references. 

I was blown away. Things like this don't happen to me. Often times I will get lucky and some things will just fall into place, but never multiple things at once. I get a job, but have no apartment. I get into college, but not my dream college. You know the drill. 

So I had to sit down and make a choice. And it was a really, really hard one to make. Especially when HR called and offered me the job with a pay increase and benefits that didn't make you want to cringe (like mine at my current job), but instead made me weep with joy.

I sat down that weekend after Halloween and thought long and hard about what I wanted, what I needed, and what I could afford. 

Graduate school was what I wanted. I have wanted to be a writer ever since I was a little girl. I used to write short stories about eleven sisters and their parents - the Que family (which I was convinced would make me the next Ann M. Martin). My more grown-up dream was to write for a glossy magazine and Northwestern's pricey $80,000 dollar education could help me achieve that dream.

The flip side of the dream, is the harsh reality. My father always made it clear that if I were to go to grad school that I would do it on my own and with my own money. Money, which I unfortunately do not have. Money which would need to come from loans since I don't have time to apply for scholarships or grants since I would start school in a mere two months. Unfortunately, the problems don't stop at the money. Once I graduate, the hope is to leave with a degree that will make me more money in a higher position. This is of course not guaranteed. And I could potentially wind up broke, in debt, and without a job come January 2010. Not to mention that print journalism isn't faring too well in this economy. 

The job offer on the other hand offers me the opportunity to save money (and with my raise and living in a cheaper city - I might actually be able to save for once!), the opportunity to grow and be successful in a career path that I hadn't considered at first but now have grown to enjoy, and I still have the opportunity to live near my family and Chicago friends. Not to mention I will have kick-ass benefits and get to travel! And more importantly, get paid to do so. 

I think you see where I am going with this. When I got the call last week that I had officially received the job, I told them I would think about it. But ultimately, I have decided that this job got me just as excited as the idea of grad school did. So I called them and accepted the offer and I start my new job as Project Coordinator on December 3rd. 

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am. I've started looking at one-bedroom apartments in the Wrigleyville and Lakeview areas. My friends in Chicago and I are planning wine exchange parties and Christmas parties and yoga classes on Saturday morning. My dad and I are planning dinners together and movies on Sundays. I'm excited to be back in my hometown. 

And don't worry, I don't plan on giving up on my dream of writing for a living. Those stories about the Que's were where I started my writing career and I think it's about time I got back to my roots and start writing fiction again. My first order of business (after filling my craving for a Corner Bakery sandwich) when I move back to Chicago is to enroll myself in a creative writing course. I would love to keep writing, but on my own terms. 

So as of last week, I gave my two week's notice at my current job and am going to be sending a letter of deferment to Northwestern (because a grad degree may be in my future - just not the immediate future). 

I am on my way to living my dream and I couldn't be happier. 

The Best (Interview) Day of My Life: Part 1

I have a confession to make. I have been withholding information you guys. Before you start coming at me with pitchforks, let me explain. After I didn't get the last job (or should I say jobs) that I interviewed for back in September, I was convinced I had jinxed myself. So any other leads or opportunities that have fallen in my path I have tried to be vague about. I didn't want to jinx myself again. 

Well, it seems the curse has lifted my friends because for the last two weeks I have felt like I'm in a cheesy rom com where everything seems to fall into place and the main character now has to make a really difficult decision between two really great opportunities. Apparently, I'm playing the lead character. 

Right after I got that sketchy e-mail from my last interview telling me that they were going to keep interviewing for the position, I received an e-mail from a company in Chicago asking if I was still interested in a Project Coordinator position they had open. The HR rep had thought that since I was from New York that I must have applied the wrong position on their website. I immediately called back and explained my situation. From there, I had four phone interviews each with a different person in the company. 

After the fourth call, they offered to fly me out to Chicago for an in-person interview. I couldn't believe my ears. None of the other interviews that I had gone to had offered to pay for my flight and I was convinced that this was the real deal. They seemed really interested in me! 

So I told The Boss that I was taking a personal day to go home to see my dad and on Halloween, I woke up at 3:30 a.m. to catch a 6 a.m. flight out of Newark to Chicago. Bleary eyed and with major butterflies in my stomach, I boarded the plane and walked to my seat. When I got to 29F, it seemed that someone else was in my spot, so I sleepily sputtered, "Excuse me, are you 29F because I think you're in my seat?"

The seat stealer had a hat on, so I didn't realize until he looked up at me that the guy I spent obsessing over for hours and hours on end as a thirteen (and even at sixteen) year old tween was on my plane. I had just told Taylor Hanson that he was in my seat. And asleep behind him was Isaac Hanson (oh how I pined over him). 

"Oh, no, I'm 30F. I think that is your seat," Taylor Hanson said and pointed at the seat in front of him. So with no grace whatsoever, I flung myself into my seat and texted my sister (who is also a true Hanson fan), WG1, and our Fabulous Project Manager that Hanson was on my plane.

I have spotted celebrities before. In fact, my sister would say that I attract them. But I live in New York so while you may be surprised to see Keanu Reeves sitting behind you at a movie theater in Union Square, it's not exactly impossible. I've also recently spotted Penn Badgley on the street and ran into Starr Jones at Victoria's Secret. 

But Hanson on my plane sent me into a tizzy (just an fyi, Zac was no where to be found). I told WG1 on the phone later that I could have died happy and I wasn't lying. Those boys were my childhood in a nutshell. My obsession was ridiculous. I only ate red candy for a while because Taylor Hanson's favorite color was red. Wow, big confession there. 

I took this plane ride as a sign. Chicago was where I was meant to be and this interview was going to go flawlessly. 

The interview did go well. I spent two hours chatting with the Director of Sales, the current Project Coordinator, and then got a tour of the company's two floors. Since it was Halloween everyone was dressed in costume (my favorite was a full-on cracked out Amy Winehouse) and they had had a pumpkin carving contest the day before so all the pumpkins were on display in the front hall. My favorite was the pumpkin carved like a hamburger complete with real lettuce, tomatoes and mustard. 


All of the employees went out of their way to be nice to me and I had a great time. Not to mention the job description (event planning! travel!) didn't sound too shabby. I left the interview feeling confident but cautious because we all know my history with the jinx curse. My dad and I met up for lunch at Blackie's where I ate a scrumptious burger and fries. 

Then I jumped in a cab back to O'Hare airport and boarded my plane back to New York. Since it was Halloween (and I had already bought myself a costume), I jetted on over to WG1's apartment where I got drunk on champagne and had a great night out with my friends from college. As usual we ended up at some dive bar on the UES and I spent most of night dancing to Jordin Sparks and Lady Gaga. 

Monday morning I was still on my "I met Hanson" high and couldn't be brought down. I had met the loves of my life and had a stellar interview. And then I received a voicemail. 

Not as scary as it may seem. I mentioned a while back that I had applied to graduate school and had gotten placed on the wait list. The voicemail was from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern asking me to call them back. My first thought was that they must be desperate to get some bodies to commit to their upcoming Open House. 

So I called him back really out of sheer curiosity and was greeted with, "Congratulations! You've been accepted for winter admission!" 

I had just been greeted with the news of my dreams, but after the best interview ever I didn't know anymore if I wanted that dream to be a reality.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Waiting is the Pits

I am officially in the limbo stage of trying to find a new job for my new life in Chicago (or rather old life that I'm trying to resurrect). I am in the Waiting Room - that little room that companies put you in after you interview and they are "thinking things over". It is pure torture.

I might pull out my hair from the sheer stress of waiting.

As you might be able to tell, I am finally back in New York after my four day trip back to Chicago for my interviews (yes, plural!). The first interview took place on Thursday afternoon and it was in the 'burbs. Which I discovered wouldn't be that rough to commute to everyday even though I had at one point last week referred to it as "reverse commute hell". The traffic getting out of the city wasn't too horrible. It was actually a breeze and I arrived an hour an a half early for my allotted time to interview. Whoops. Luckily for me this little 'burb had just built a new strip mall with all the stores a girl like me can entertain herself with (Ann Taylor, White House Black Market, Victoria's Secret). Ah, how I love Illinois and its large expanses of prairie that allow for large outdoor strip malls.

I think the interview went well. I hope. I pray. Fingers crossed that it went well. I say this because I feel like I was somewhat ambushed. Meaning when I arrived for my interview I was informed that I would be meeting with not just one friendly interviewer, I would need to meet with 5. It was a sort of round robin. All the interviewees came that day and we all got juggled between the 5 interviewers. It was intimidating and also weird that I had to see my competition. Not that I will ever know, but I'm pretty sure Nate will not get the job. He was a sweaty mess of nerves. Sorry kid, maybe next time.

There are some things I said that I wanted to pat myself on the back for, and there were some things I said that I instantly wished I could take back. I do this after every interview I've ever had though. Scrutinize my every move until it makes me sick with worry. Which is what I've been doing ever since I left that office 3 hours after I arrived (a very intense 3 hours). That kid Nate has nothing on my nerves now. I am a wreck.

Luckily, my second interview went very well. It was with a staffing agency so I was obviously less nervous. The girl I met with said she was going to recommend me to her supervisor who would then present my resume to the medical journal that is looking to hire a temporary editorial assistant. My gig would be a temp-to-hire one, which means if they so chose to the company I was working for could hire me full time after my three months were up. Unfortunately, this means I would be getting paid hourly. But on the other hand, if I didn't like it I wouldn't feel obligated to stay after those three months were up.

I also had the opportunity to meet with our family friend who also lives and works in the 'burbs for a small local magazine. She gave me some tips. I got to see her kids (who are as adorable as Suri Cruise). And she bought me some delicious cookies. Yum in my tum.

All in all, it was a very productive two days. I got a lot done. I met with a lot of people. And now I'm just stuck in the Waiting Room. Waiting, waiting, and waiting for some answers.

Jinx, You Owe Me a Coke

I am highly superstitious. 'Things happen for a reason' is my mantra mainly because whenever I really, really want something to happen it never does. So the mantra helps me to believe that just because I didn't get what I want means I wasn't supposed to. That fate had something else in store.

Point being, I am leaving for Chicago again on Wednesday night for more interviews. I'll arrive around 7 p.m. central time, just in time to take a cab over to my dad's abode and watch ANTM (I am obsessed even though Tyra might have actually lost her mind last episode) and proceed to get a good night's rest. Because Thursday I have an interview. I have an interview with a legit awesome company for a job that on paper sounds like a dream come true...except for the fact that it's in the suburbs. 

But even though this job has 'reverse commute hell' stamped all over it, I can't help but want it. Badly. And I'm worried that by talking about, writing about, thinking about is going to jinx my chances of getting it (I am aware that blogging about it also lies in this realm of jinx). I'm sure I sound crazy. I sound crazy to myself. But I'm worried that if I want this job too badly that I'm going to jinx myself out of getting it. Jinx myself out of being able to move back to Chicago. 

I think my idea of fate is going to give me an early heart attack. 

So Working Girls, I'm hoping you can help ease my troubled mind (jinx is making the act of enjoying Gossip Girl very difficult - yes, it's that bad). Have you ever wanted a job so badly and gotten the job? And if you have, did you do anything special to snag it? I am enlisting your help. 

P.S. I just googled the word 'jinx' for an image to throw in here since this post was pretty bland in comparison to others and have found that the word 'jinx' is a popular name for goth girls and anime characters with pink hair. Which oddly helped calm my nerves. 

I Feel Guilty, Oh So Guilty

A few posts ago I had mentioned that the recent atmosphere at my place of work was making me want to to make some changes in my life. And I've been making a sincere effort on that front. And oddly enough my new job search has made me left with a bad taste in my mouth. I actually feel guilty. All the sneaking and lying to my bosses, oh lordy, it gives me ulcers just thinking about it. Not exactly the reaction you were expecting, huh? Nope, me either.

I guess my guilty feelings are leaking out from my recent glory. Ever since I got back from our big exhibition in Aspen I have been getting a lot of compliments on my work ethic. But while being appreciated is always a perk, I can't hide from the fact that I have horrible health benefits (no dental, i mean seriously??), I don't get paid enough, and I work myself to the bone. My new roommate Natalie had suggested talking the problems out with The Boss. I agree, something needs to be said for things to get better. And I have no doubt in my mind that if I told The Boss that I was thinking about quitting that she would offer me more money and maybe a promotion. But is that really what I want?

This has been my problem of late. What do I really want? Well, if we go back to the basics (bare bone basics if you will), I know I want to be happy. And I know that right now I am not happy. What will make me happier? This question poses more problems and many pros and cons lists. For a while now I have been trying to determine what will make me happy. I thought for a while moving into New York City would solve my problems. Or a new job - any job really. And when WG1 and I were shacking up in our shithole of an apartment, I thought the cure to my bad mood was a clean apartment with beautiful amenities.

I guess my recent unhappiness is really a combination of a few of these things. I truly hated my old apartment, I don't like a lot of things about my job (but do have to admit not all of it is so horrible), and maybe, just maybe I would feel better if I moved to New York City.

But I think deep down the root of my problem is loneliness. I miss the passion I used to have. I miss having a purpose in life. I miss having something to dream of. I feel like somehow I have lost all of that and it all makes me feel lonely. My last solution of applying to graduate school was more of a non-solution. I found out recently that I got wait-listed at my number one choice. And when I didn't get in, sure I was disappointed. But I think what I found I was most disappointed about was the fact that I wouldn't be able to move back to Chicago. For the first time in a long time, I am homesick.

I miss my dad, my sister, my friends from high school, and I miss the city of Chicago. Most of all, I miss the person I used to be when I lived there. Sure, I was wide-eyed and had my head in the clouds. But I feel like that is what I need right now - back to that feeling and to be surrounded by my family who love and can take care of me. It's just what I need right now. I need to get back to my roots - quite literally.

So my new goal is to make myself happy. Part one of that goal is to find a new job and not just any job. In my new job search in the Windy City I have only applied to jobs that seem like they interest me and challenge me - jobs that involve more writing. Even if these jobs might mainly be in marketing, I'm trying to apply for ones that seem more writing based. Making the jump from marketing to editorial isn't the easiest thing in the world so I'm not expecting miracles.

Part two is to move back to Chicago (and get myself a studio apartment). It's hard to believe that I haven't lived at home since I was 18 years old. And it's not like I make frequent visits back to the motherland often. Truly, I maybe get home for two holidays a year. And it hit me that I don't really have that close of a relationship with my dad and sister. Because a phone relationship just isn't cutting it. Family used to be so important to me and I miss being near that unconditional love and support. And that studio apartment. Let's just say I think it's time for some serious "me" time.

Speaking of "me" time, I'm thinking I should get back on the creative writing bandwagon which is going to be part three. Maybe take some classes at night and make an effort to get back to the WG2 that had passion. I used to have passion. And I used to have family. I want those back and this is my big decision in an effort to make myself the happy person I used to be.

Of course all of this lies with the hope that I will be able to find a job in Chicago. I think it would be silly to leave my paying job right now to just pick up and move home with no prospects. I don't want to end up in a new city with no job living with my father. It would be a small nightmare.

I have begun my job search and even went on a very, very last minute trip to Chicago this past weekend for an interview. It went terribly. The company was a joke and the position itself was not something I would be interested in. But the trip itself wasn't a bust. Without a doubt, I realized that I was making the right decision. Being back made me feel different - more light-hearted I suppose. It was also great to be back with my dad and my friends from home. We had a great time catching up (and getting drunk and watching pianists duel).

But for some reason even though this is what I know I want to do (finally after many months of confusion), I still feel guilty lying to The Boss. She thought I was in Chicago to look at more grad schools so I felt even more guilty when she asked me about my search this morning. Even though I don't love my job and my company isn't the best in the world, if I do end up leaving (because really you never know what will happen - I could be here for many more months) I will miss all the friends that I have made.

And yes, I will probably miss The Boss even if she is off her rocker.

A Working Girl in the Windy City

'A Working Girl in the ...' is a post written by a contributing writer that appears on Working Girl twice a month. This week's post was written by a Working Girl from Chicago, Illinois about her career as a junior copywriter. 

My days are filled with working on farming equipment, fighting with super-heroes, and searching for just the right words to explain how Facebook on your Blackberry is like having peanut butter with your jelly. I'm a junior copywriter and I get paid to be creative (in other words, I write copy for ads - not copyrights as my uncles still seem to think).

I’m a Midwest Working Girl born and raised, and now I'm working in my Sweet Home Chicago, where the winters are never-ending, the Cubs are the talk of the town (this is our year!) and where you can strike up friendly conversations with anyone on a bus, in an elevator or even on the street. Though just a word of warning, be careful of the creeps...especially on the bus (a story for another time).

Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a writer but when I went to college in the land of cheese and obese Packer fans (don’t even get me started), I discovered and fell in love with the wonderful world of advertising. When I declared my double major in advertising and public relations, it was a no-brainer to me to choose copywriting as my career path since it is defined as a profession that takes publicity, advertising, and writing and uses them to promote an idea, a brand, or a website among many other things.

I completed two internships during my senior year of college. The first was at a regional branch of an amazing Boston-based advertising agency. There, I worked on the McDonald’s account for almost 8 months. After sitting next to giant posters of McFlurrys and Snack Wraps all day, I began to crave them all the time…and I still do. For my second internship, my copywriting professor hired me as his intern and I spent a semester writing copy for industrial heaters, air conditioning units, and eyeglass cutting machinery. Absolutely riveting stuff, I know.

When it came to finding my first real Working Girl job, I didn’t have to look far. In fact, I only sent out my resume to one person (after he contacted me for it), had one interview and voila! I was hired. I was really, really lucky. My current boss had given a presentation in one of my classes in October of senior year. Before he even spoke, I handed him my resume and cover letter. In the beginning of July, he emailed me out of the blue asking me if I would be interested in an interview. Ten days and one short interview later, I was a Working Girl.

My boss later told me (after a rowdy client holiday party) that I stood out to him because never before had someone given him their resume, in front of the whole class, before he even started talking. He said he couldn’t believe I had the guts to do that. Me? A gutsy girl? I didn’t think I was at the time, but it just goes to show how putting yourself out there and meeting the right people can really pay off. I think networking with people throughout all facets of the industry in which you want to work is the key to success and landing your “dream job”.

So where would I like to go with my job? Well eventually I’d like to lose the “junior” on my title. It makes me sound like a girl-scout-in-training. Despite that I feel lucky because I ended up with the job I truly wanted and hopefully I’ll get to stick with it and grow from here.

For now, I’ll just enjoy working on The Magnificent Mile and living in the thriving metropolis that is my home. Though the first few months were a tough adjustment for me (only 10 vacation days?!), I’m beginning to realize that I actually can handle the Working Girl lifestyle. 

But before you think I don't still have a little college in me, I'd like to just say “everybody’s workin’ for the weekend” has become my midweek battle cry even though I love my creatively quirky job.