I'm a huge fan of Blue October. Huge as in they rocketed into my top ten favorite artists in 2006 when I first came on board with their album Foiled, after which I backtracked and picked up History For Sale - one of the best albums I've heard in years.
I fell in love with Blue October's extremely unique and nontraditional alternative rock sound. Musically the band is solid but also offset with a violin, something used to great effect in some of their best songs ("Hate Me," "Inner Glow," "Chameleon Boy"). Lyrically, lead singer Justin Furstenfeld commands his words with a distinguished singing voice that falls somewhere between Peter Gabriel and Bobby Gaylor.
With Blue October's 2009 release Approaching Normal now out, I grabbed a copy and... well, damn it.
Approaching Normal stumbles pretty hard out of the gate. To be honest, the first half of this album borderlines on being garbage, especially thanks to the whiny, miserable Justin spending time sounding like a depressed teenager who just got dumped the day before prom. Opening track "Weight of the World" sure feels heavy as an opening track, depressing the listener right away ("Well liars they leave a guilty trail / And let me tell you something people / I've been lying for fucking years"). "Say It" certainly has a catching musical hook, but stumbles with more emo-inspired lyrics that do nothing but complain about the world and failed relationships. First single "Dirt Room" is a bit of a standout, if only because it sounds like a song that was ripped from Foiled, featuring more trademark Blue October style than anything else on this disc. "Been Down" and "My Never" were slower-paced tracks that never got over the album's initial bitch-fest, so by track seven (7!!!) it's forgiveable that I actually took the album out and stopped listening to it.
Coming back a few hours later I picked up where I left off and found a bit of redemption. The latter half of the album trades melodrama for melody, and with great success. "Kangaroo Cry" switches off the complaining and drives into self-reflection, which finally begins the healing process. It's a track with pleasing melodies and a catchy chorus. Okay, so far so good. From here we spill right into "Picking Up the Pieces" - something we should have been doing since track two. While musically similar to "Kangaroo Cry," it is certainly apparent that we are heading for a more positive world. Unfortunately the next track, "Jump Rope," is so misplaced on this album it just feels awkward. Undeniably the best track on this album, "Jump Rope" is purely simple: easy music, easy lyrics, easy hooks ("Life's like a jump rope; up, down, up, down, up, down"). It's almost sick, actually, to hear Justin's miserable life drill into this fluff-piece - it's just too awkwardly placed on this album to be taken seriously. Two songs featuring "Blue" in the titles round out the album, and finally rock hard. While the healing process is apparently complete ("Thought my head was made of sadness / But my heart is mending"), it's just too little, too late at the end of the album.
It says a lot about Blue October as a band: they are never willing to settle on one sound, which produced great results on History For Sale and Foiled, but fails to provide a cohesively-pleasing album with Approaching Normal. Too many lyrics feel cheap, too many songs are stuck in emo-land, and the album saves itself too late in the game to be a standout.
I will take a couple of tracks away from Appraching Normal and give them a home on my iPod, but that first half of the album can just stay far, far away from me. Here's hoping that their next album reflects all the healing done on this one.
B3 out.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
"You Know I'm Bound to Thank You"
While I try to always use "please" and "thank you" whenever possible in order to be the nicest guy I can be in public, I sometimes overlook a lot of the little things that happen in my life, sometimes indirectly. Take for example the following people that need thanked.
Ryan O'Shea: I never had a chance to properly thank him for hiring me into the Systems Department at Meijer in 2003, but this event was quite a life-changer for me. Having spent nearly two years at Meijer as a bagger and a cashier, I was becoming extremely sick of working there (boredom, mostly). Once I was hired into Systems, I got to experience a very different kind of work and expand my knowledge of the store as a whole. I further learned management skills of all types, improved my people skills tremendously, and got to practice what I preached by working with computers all day. The Systems pay scale allowed me to earn raises rather quickly and push me above $10 an hour at Meijer, which was a major milestone for me because I was able to stay at Meijer throughout all of college and stay stable with work. Thank you, Ryan.
Laura Kolpien and her brother: This is rather embarrassing. Believe it or not, Guitar Hero - the game series that has meant more to me than any other in recent memory - was a bit beyond my understanding at first. While I loved GH2 from day one and got quite good with it fairly quickly, I never did bother to read up on the technical details that the gameplay was based around. Case in point: while I was pulling off some badass hammer-ons and pull-offs right away, I didn't reailze that the game Guitar Herodesigned these into the note charts. So lo and behond LoLo herself is playing Guitar Hero with me one day and casually mentions that her brother taught her that "lit" notes are playable as hammer-ons and pull-offs. "What? Well that makes sense," I said right away. Turns out she was right: although this was a detail I would have learned in time, I was able to immediately grasp many more advanced GH concepts right away, and immediately surged from Medium / Hard difficulty songs to Hard / Expert and haven't looked back since. Now with Rock Band and its extension of GH2-based gameplay taking over my life, I sometimes think back to that moment in my life and say "thank you, Laura."
Melissa Bruno: Sure there was a lot of fighting going on between you and our parents, and sure you were more annoying than not at times, but you did eventually do what I did not: gave our parents the middle finger and moved out against all their wishes. And you didn't just do it, but you did it with all the drama and style I would expect from the Internet generation: you met someone online, found a great place to live that's a strark contrast from home, and didn't look back. You now support yourself, have a well-established life in Middletown, and are getting back on track to be your own person, not what mom and dad wanted you to be. Making your own choices despite anyone else's will is the quintessentially-defining characteristic of what defines a person, and you, my sister, have done it pretty damn well so far. While you may want to go to college one day and get a different job or move into a house, at least you know that every one of those decisions are now made by your own will and no one else's. For demonstrating independence, choice, and freedom above anything else I've done, you are an inspiration to me, and for that, I thank you.
And finally...
Lacey McDonald: Yeah, here's a name I don't mention enough on Critically Correct. While Lacey was mostly a pain in the ass to me for a long, long time after we broke up, she is essentially what defines who I am today. Lacey was my first serious relationship, my first love, and ultimately my first heartbreak. The Lostprophets said it best: "You'll never fall in love if you don't fall at all." That is, one cannot understand what he has until it is gone; one cannot experience pleasure until they experience pain. By getting my heart broken, I learned a lot of valuable lessons, particularly with regards to my role in a relationship, my own independence, and what I ultimately want out of any relationship in the long-term. I took a big fall after Lacey, but when I got back up I stood taller than before. Corny but true. Thank you, Lacey.
I'm sure there are plenty of other people that I need to thank in my life, but this is a small sampling of the kinds of things I'm beginning to really analyze and make sure I set straight before I get too old. I'll be 25 this year.
On second thought, I'm sure I'll have a lot more thanking to do as I get older.
B3 out.
Ryan O'Shea: I never had a chance to properly thank him for hiring me into the Systems Department at Meijer in 2003, but this event was quite a life-changer for me. Having spent nearly two years at Meijer as a bagger and a cashier, I was becoming extremely sick of working there (boredom, mostly). Once I was hired into Systems, I got to experience a very different kind of work and expand my knowledge of the store as a whole. I further learned management skills of all types, improved my people skills tremendously, and got to practice what I preached by working with computers all day. The Systems pay scale allowed me to earn raises rather quickly and push me above $10 an hour at Meijer, which was a major milestone for me because I was able to stay at Meijer throughout all of college and stay stable with work. Thank you, Ryan.
Laura Kolpien and her brother: This is rather embarrassing. Believe it or not, Guitar Hero - the game series that has meant more to me than any other in recent memory - was a bit beyond my understanding at first. While I loved GH2 from day one and got quite good with it fairly quickly, I never did bother to read up on the technical details that the gameplay was based around. Case in point: while I was pulling off some badass hammer-ons and pull-offs right away, I didn't reailze that the game Guitar Herodesigned these into the note charts. So lo and behond LoLo herself is playing Guitar Hero with me one day and casually mentions that her brother taught her that "lit" notes are playable as hammer-ons and pull-offs. "What? Well that makes sense," I said right away. Turns out she was right: although this was a detail I would have learned in time, I was able to immediately grasp many more advanced GH concepts right away, and immediately surged from Medium / Hard difficulty songs to Hard / Expert and haven't looked back since. Now with Rock Band and its extension of GH2-based gameplay taking over my life, I sometimes think back to that moment in my life and say "thank you, Laura."
Melissa Bruno: Sure there was a lot of fighting going on between you and our parents, and sure you were more annoying than not at times, but you did eventually do what I did not: gave our parents the middle finger and moved out against all their wishes. And you didn't just do it, but you did it with all the drama and style I would expect from the Internet generation: you met someone online, found a great place to live that's a strark contrast from home, and didn't look back. You now support yourself, have a well-established life in Middletown, and are getting back on track to be your own person, not what mom and dad wanted you to be. Making your own choices despite anyone else's will is the quintessentially-defining characteristic of what defines a person, and you, my sister, have done it pretty damn well so far. While you may want to go to college one day and get a different job or move into a house, at least you know that every one of those decisions are now made by your own will and no one else's. For demonstrating independence, choice, and freedom above anything else I've done, you are an inspiration to me, and for that, I thank you.
And finally...
Lacey McDonald: Yeah, here's a name I don't mention enough on Critically Correct. While Lacey was mostly a pain in the ass to me for a long, long time after we broke up, she is essentially what defines who I am today. Lacey was my first serious relationship, my first love, and ultimately my first heartbreak. The Lostprophets said it best: "You'll never fall in love if you don't fall at all." That is, one cannot understand what he has until it is gone; one cannot experience pleasure until they experience pain. By getting my heart broken, I learned a lot of valuable lessons, particularly with regards to my role in a relationship, my own independence, and what I ultimately want out of any relationship in the long-term. I took a big fall after Lacey, but when I got back up I stood taller than before. Corny but true. Thank you, Lacey.
I'm sure there are plenty of other people that I need to thank in my life, but this is a small sampling of the kinds of things I'm beginning to really analyze and make sure I set straight before I get too old. I'll be 25 this year.
On second thought, I'm sure I'll have a lot more thanking to do as I get older.
B3 out.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
"What If" I Didn't Read That?
While reading some old posts tonight, I came across this one that is so very relevant today.
*sigh*
B3 out.
*sigh*
B3 out.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
2009: The Year of (Great) Music Sequels
Does the music industry have sequels?
I hardly think of a band's second, third, fourth, fifth, or even sixth album as a "sequel" in terms of linear progression. I don't think anyone does. Sequels are continuations of a story, especially when considered with books, poems, television, film, and video games. In a more general sense, a sequel continues something previously started, and music albums generally aren't story-based media, but rather a collection of progressive works at some point in a bands career. Despite this however, I can't help but think that in 2009 we will see an explosion of incredible "music sequels."
I will cut to the chase:
If 2004's "American Idiot" by Green Day was a display of modern day political angst, then 2009's up-and-coming "21st Century Breakdown" examines what happens when fear has finally overtaken all other reason, when today's Generation Y hit their breaking point. From what I've heard of the album so far, Green Day isn't fooling around with a good thing: "21st Century" will pick up right where "American Idiot" left of musically and lyrically, although Billy Joe steps up a notch from "American Idiot" with thicker lyrics and a band who understands that they are growing musically. The effort does not go unnoticed. I will be listening to "American Idiot" repeatedly in the first weeks of May before I lead into its new big brother, "21st Century Breakdown."
Another anticipated release for me comes from quite a different band. 2006's "Carnavas" by Silversun Pickups redefined how I approached new albums. SSPU can best be described as indie rock, and they have a sound so unique it can only be all-their-own. With a lead signer with an unmistakable signing voice, a grungy guitarist, and a bassist who won't sit her ass down and go unnoticed, SSPU turned out to play a sound that was pretty different for my tastes, but "Carnavas" turned out to be one of my top-ten all-time favorite albums, no questions asked. "Swoon," releasing in April, sounds like it will pretty much pick right up where "Carnavas" left off. First single "Panic Switch" pulls a Green Day and bolts into a world teetering on the edge of breakdown, with classic SSPU lyrics that you could explore for hours at a time. Musically the song could fit comfortably with anything on "Carnavas," which makes the transition to the new album smooth as butter, I'm sure. I can't wait to get the full experience on April 14th.
There is more to look forward to in 2009: Pearl Jam re-issues their genre-defining album "Ten" in a few weeks while Bush may or may not be getting back together later this year, along with a reunited No Doubt as well. It will be a great year for music. Sequel or not.
B3 out.
I hardly think of a band's second, third, fourth, fifth, or even sixth album as a "sequel" in terms of linear progression. I don't think anyone does. Sequels are continuations of a story, especially when considered with books, poems, television, film, and video games. In a more general sense, a sequel continues something previously started, and music albums generally aren't story-based media, but rather a collection of progressive works at some point in a bands career. Despite this however, I can't help but think that in 2009 we will see an explosion of incredible "music sequels."
I will cut to the chase:
If 2004's "American Idiot" by Green Day was a display of modern day political angst, then 2009's up-and-coming "21st Century Breakdown" examines what happens when fear has finally overtaken all other reason, when today's Generation Y hit their breaking point. From what I've heard of the album so far, Green Day isn't fooling around with a good thing: "21st Century" will pick up right where "American Idiot" left of musically and lyrically, although Billy Joe steps up a notch from "American Idiot" with thicker lyrics and a band who understands that they are growing musically. The effort does not go unnoticed. I will be listening to "American Idiot" repeatedly in the first weeks of May before I lead into its new big brother, "21st Century Breakdown."
Another anticipated release for me comes from quite a different band. 2006's "Carnavas" by Silversun Pickups redefined how I approached new albums. SSPU can best be described as indie rock, and they have a sound so unique it can only be all-their-own. With a lead signer with an unmistakable signing voice, a grungy guitarist, and a bassist who won't sit her ass down and go unnoticed, SSPU turned out to play a sound that was pretty different for my tastes, but "Carnavas" turned out to be one of my top-ten all-time favorite albums, no questions asked. "Swoon," releasing in April, sounds like it will pretty much pick right up where "Carnavas" left off. First single "Panic Switch" pulls a Green Day and bolts into a world teetering on the edge of breakdown, with classic SSPU lyrics that you could explore for hours at a time. Musically the song could fit comfortably with anything on "Carnavas," which makes the transition to the new album smooth as butter, I'm sure. I can't wait to get the full experience on April 14th.
There is more to look forward to in 2009: Pearl Jam re-issues their genre-defining album "Ten" in a few weeks while Bush may or may not be getting back together later this year, along with a reunited No Doubt as well. It will be a great year for music. Sequel or not.
B3 out.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Songbird 1.1
Songbird 1.1 is finally out, and it rocks like mad. Get it here.
The most notable improvements are memory usage (it stays reasonable over a long period of time) and sorting (much faster now than before).
Check it out.
The most notable improvements are memory usage (it stays reasonable over a long period of time) and sorting (much faster now than before).
Check it out.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Innocence
I have been thinking a lot about a lot of concepts lately, and in no particular order, they are:
Innocence and how we can all long for a simpler time that was uncomplicated by adult issues. Aging and why the process of growing older feels incredible and threatening at the same time. Childhood and what makes me want to be young and have fun again. Individuality and what makes me different from everyone else, and how I can keep it that way. Spirituality and what my own beliefs mean to me when no one else understands them. Time and how it seems to be working against me every day.
No biggie, right? These are the things we all think about every day, I'm sure. B3 out.
Innocence and how we can all long for a simpler time that was uncomplicated by adult issues. Aging and why the process of growing older feels incredible and threatening at the same time. Childhood and what makes me want to be young and have fun again. Individuality and what makes me different from everyone else, and how I can keep it that way. Spirituality and what my own beliefs mean to me when no one else understands them. Time and how it seems to be working against me every day.
No biggie, right? These are the things we all think about every day, I'm sure. B3 out.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
College Graduate Advice
While I've been out of college for less than a year at this point, I have recently felt compelled to share my still-new experiences of life immediately post-graduation. My last year of college was quite a ride, and my life right after graduation was all the more interesting, if not worrisome. I graduated college completely unsure of myself: do I have the skills I need to impress hiring companies? Are my grades going to impact my employment potential? How long will it be before I get hired? What about paying off my loans?
These are probably typical of many graduating students, and to this end I present a few tips, opinions, and bits of advice based on my experiences in the last two years as I transitioned into a college senior, then graduated, and finally landed a good-paying job that I enjoy.
Want the Education
This might seem obvious to many people, but I've seen it all too often in college that many students don't want to be in college, they are simply there by the demands of parents, society, or both. Everything about college is optional: only a high school diploma is "required" for 99% of society, but higher education is expensive, exhausting, and entirely discretionary. If you are going to pay tens thousands of dollars a year to be educated, you better damn well want that education. I can understand kids disliking high school and pushing their way out of that as quickly as possible, but college is your individual chance to further your knowledge of the world, diversify your skill set, and open up new opportunities. If you don't want to work for this, then get out. Please. I didn't appreciate college until I was halfway through it... which told me that I needed a couple of years working out of high school to learn to appreciate what further education could do for me. Still, I stuck with it and here I am... loving my degree.
See All Those People? Socialize
If high school offers a great pool of people for you to become friends with, then college provides an ocean full of people for you to interact with. You will probably make new friends in college - that's almost a given - but what you should really be bent on doing is spreading your name as much as possible. Network. Get to know not only close, personal friends, but their friends as well. Learn the names of people in your core classes, people who probably share your similar interests. You don't necessarily have to become best friends with your peers, but make sure your face and name is recognized. It's important that, should one of your peers become a well-known in your industry of choice, you can reference them in your workplace ("Hey, John and I graduated the same class, we grouped together for a few projects before."). Of course, heavy networking is key, so knowing plenty of names and keeping in contact is pretty key.
In my personal experience, meeting lots of people throughout college helped me to become a better public speaker, as well as bettering my interactions with my peers. I'm extremely grateful for the chance to meet so many people throughout college. I would highly recommend anyone in college to take advantage of the social scene whenever possible.
Participate (When You can)
Something I never did much of, but I wish I had now: participate in extracurricular activities. While I was already bogged down with work, classes, projects, and homework, I still wish that I took the time to join clubs, use TA sessions, or go the extra mile for group projects. Participating in any activity will boost your chances to socialize (see above), and allow you to apply your current skills and classroom education to real-world situations.
Grades Aren't Make It Or Break It
While we are told that grades are everything in college, and that 4.0 is the only goal we should strive for, I've found that this isn't true. While I have seen plenty of my 4.0 peers rocket right into high-paying jobs right after graduation, I've seen plenty of 3.5 and higher friends struggle to find work, struggle to stand out, and struggle to get out of their minimum-wage college job.
I didn't graduate college better than a B-C average, with a tilt towards the lower end of that scale. So why did I land a good job just four months after graduation while some of my 3.5 friends still work at Meijer? Exactly... it's not about the grades.
While 4.0 grades are a great bullet point on a resume, I opted not to share my GPA on my resume. Instead I built a resume around what I already knew about my field, what BGSU taught me, my current skill set, and where I would like to see myself and my skill set go in the next few years. During my many conversations with hiring companies, grades hardly come up. Don't get me wrong, every employer asked me for my GPA, but did not dwell on the subject very long. Instead I was constantly drilled on my available skills, past experiences, and the type of person I am. Definitive answers to these questions are more important at a job interview than the definitive answer of "3.5"
My best advice: if you stress about your grades near the end of college, then don't stress. Do your best and be reasonable about your numbers (if you have a 0.5, don't bother reading the rest of this column, actually). Anyone in good standing with a college would be in good standing with many companies. Diversify and expand your skill set, focus on being good at many things in your area of study, and make sure you understand what type of person you are and what you have to offer a potential employer.
Lower Your Job Expectations (But Not Really)
I was told all throughout college that a computer science graduate can generally expect to start off making $55,000 per year out the door, with the numbers only going up from there.
Someone lied to me.
As an industry average, $55k is a nice, round number that sounds fleeting against a lot of other majors that see average starting pay in the range of $30k to $40k. However, that $55k figure is based upon a certain type of position with computer science, known generally as a "software developer." This grotesquely vague title doesn't begin to cover the wide range of jobs that a computer science graduate can hold, and I'm proof that this range exists.
I initially opted for that $55k figure right upon graduation. I only applied for positions that promised big paychecks and plentiful benefits. Something didn't click. I aimed a bit lower, looking at jobs between $40k and $50k. Again, no luck. Finally I pushed aside any notions about what I wanted to be worth and instead focused on what I could offer as a person, not as a payroll ID number. Yes, I ignored money for the sake of improving myself, and BAM... I got a job.
I didn't really lower my job expectations in this case. Yes, I'm making less money than the industry starting average, but I'm working a job that allows me to continue learning at my own pace and apply my college education in small, carefully calculated pieces... exactly what I really wanted after graduation.
Quick Job Advice
My final piece of advice is quite simple: if you haven't already done so during your final semester, begin applying for jobs that interest you the day after you graduate. It's understandable that you just finished four or five years of grueling school and that a break is warranted. You will get your break, down worry. While you wait to hear back from recruiters, managers, or HR representatives about your applications and resumes, take your break. The last thing you want at this point is to be stuck working your crappy college job for years to come. It's important that you get your name onto the desks of hiring companies as soon as possible, while you're still fresh out of school. Many companies I've talked to after graduation are more willing to hire a college graduate knowing that they are getting an inexperienced recruit. At the same time, if you're still jobless three years after graduation, you better have a damn good story to explain to hiring managers by then as to why it took to you so long to get looking.
On the other hand, we are currently in a recession as I write this, so I'm guessing some jobs will be hard to come by in the coming months or years, so don't fret. Just start applying. Over apply as well. If you find three or four companies that interest you, then apply at ten companies overall, knowing that half of those may not even be interested in you from the start. That's just the way the cookie crumbles
Final Notes
While college graduation is a time of change, it's important to get that change off on the right start. I'm still pretty new out of college, relatively speaking, but I would trust all of the above advice if I had to do it all over again.
If anyone has any questions or comments about this article, leave a comment below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
B3 out.
These are probably typical of many graduating students, and to this end I present a few tips, opinions, and bits of advice based on my experiences in the last two years as I transitioned into a college senior, then graduated, and finally landed a good-paying job that I enjoy.
Want the Education
This might seem obvious to many people, but I've seen it all too often in college that many students don't want to be in college, they are simply there by the demands of parents, society, or both. Everything about college is optional: only a high school diploma is "required" for 99% of society, but higher education is expensive, exhausting, and entirely discretionary. If you are going to pay tens thousands of dollars a year to be educated, you better damn well want that education. I can understand kids disliking high school and pushing their way out of that as quickly as possible, but college is your individual chance to further your knowledge of the world, diversify your skill set, and open up new opportunities. If you don't want to work for this, then get out. Please. I didn't appreciate college until I was halfway through it... which told me that I needed a couple of years working out of high school to learn to appreciate what further education could do for me. Still, I stuck with it and here I am... loving my degree.
See All Those People? Socialize
If high school offers a great pool of people for you to become friends with, then college provides an ocean full of people for you to interact with. You will probably make new friends in college - that's almost a given - but what you should really be bent on doing is spreading your name as much as possible. Network. Get to know not only close, personal friends, but their friends as well. Learn the names of people in your core classes, people who probably share your similar interests. You don't necessarily have to become best friends with your peers, but make sure your face and name is recognized. It's important that, should one of your peers become a well-known in your industry of choice, you can reference them in your workplace ("Hey, John and I graduated the same class, we grouped together for a few projects before."). Of course, heavy networking is key, so knowing plenty of names and keeping in contact is pretty key.
In my personal experience, meeting lots of people throughout college helped me to become a better public speaker, as well as bettering my interactions with my peers. I'm extremely grateful for the chance to meet so many people throughout college. I would highly recommend anyone in college to take advantage of the social scene whenever possible.
Participate (When You can)
Something I never did much of, but I wish I had now: participate in extracurricular activities. While I was already bogged down with work, classes, projects, and homework, I still wish that I took the time to join clubs, use TA sessions, or go the extra mile for group projects. Participating in any activity will boost your chances to socialize (see above), and allow you to apply your current skills and classroom education to real-world situations.
Grades Aren't Make It Or Break It
While we are told that grades are everything in college, and that 4.0 is the only goal we should strive for, I've found that this isn't true. While I have seen plenty of my 4.0 peers rocket right into high-paying jobs right after graduation, I've seen plenty of 3.5 and higher friends struggle to find work, struggle to stand out, and struggle to get out of their minimum-wage college job.
I didn't graduate college better than a B-C average, with a tilt towards the lower end of that scale. So why did I land a good job just four months after graduation while some of my 3.5 friends still work at Meijer? Exactly... it's not about the grades.
While 4.0 grades are a great bullet point on a resume, I opted not to share my GPA on my resume. Instead I built a resume around what I already knew about my field, what BGSU taught me, my current skill set, and where I would like to see myself and my skill set go in the next few years. During my many conversations with hiring companies, grades hardly come up. Don't get me wrong, every employer asked me for my GPA, but did not dwell on the subject very long. Instead I was constantly drilled on my available skills, past experiences, and the type of person I am. Definitive answers to these questions are more important at a job interview than the definitive answer of "3.5"
My best advice: if you stress about your grades near the end of college, then don't stress. Do your best and be reasonable about your numbers (if you have a 0.5, don't bother reading the rest of this column, actually). Anyone in good standing with a college would be in good standing with many companies. Diversify and expand your skill set, focus on being good at many things in your area of study, and make sure you understand what type of person you are and what you have to offer a potential employer.
Lower Your Job Expectations (But Not Really)
I was told all throughout college that a computer science graduate can generally expect to start off making $55,000 per year out the door, with the numbers only going up from there.
Someone lied to me.
As an industry average, $55k is a nice, round number that sounds fleeting against a lot of other majors that see average starting pay in the range of $30k to $40k. However, that $55k figure is based upon a certain type of position with computer science, known generally as a "software developer." This grotesquely vague title doesn't begin to cover the wide range of jobs that a computer science graduate can hold, and I'm proof that this range exists.
I initially opted for that $55k figure right upon graduation. I only applied for positions that promised big paychecks and plentiful benefits. Something didn't click. I aimed a bit lower, looking at jobs between $40k and $50k. Again, no luck. Finally I pushed aside any notions about what I wanted to be worth and instead focused on what I could offer as a person, not as a payroll ID number. Yes, I ignored money for the sake of improving myself, and BAM... I got a job.
I didn't really lower my job expectations in this case. Yes, I'm making less money than the industry starting average, but I'm working a job that allows me to continue learning at my own pace and apply my college education in small, carefully calculated pieces... exactly what I really wanted after graduation.
Quick Job Advice
My final piece of advice is quite simple: if you haven't already done so during your final semester, begin applying for jobs that interest you the day after you graduate. It's understandable that you just finished four or five years of grueling school and that a break is warranted. You will get your break, down worry. While you wait to hear back from recruiters, managers, or HR representatives about your applications and resumes, take your break. The last thing you want at this point is to be stuck working your crappy college job for years to come. It's important that you get your name onto the desks of hiring companies as soon as possible, while you're still fresh out of school. Many companies I've talked to after graduation are more willing to hire a college graduate knowing that they are getting an inexperienced recruit. At the same time, if you're still jobless three years after graduation, you better have a damn good story to explain to hiring managers by then as to why it took to you so long to get looking.
On the other hand, we are currently in a recession as I write this, so I'm guessing some jobs will be hard to come by in the coming months or years, so don't fret. Just start applying. Over apply as well. If you find three or four companies that interest you, then apply at ten companies overall, knowing that half of those may not even be interested in you from the start. That's just the way the cookie crumbles
Final Notes
While college graduation is a time of change, it's important to get that change off on the right start. I'm still pretty new out of college, relatively speaking, but I would trust all of the above advice if I had to do it all over again.
If anyone has any questions or comments about this article, leave a comment below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
B3 out.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Far Away For Far Too Long
Beginning tomorrow, our temperatures in the area will rise well into the 50's, and stay locked between the upper 40's and the lower 60's for as far out of a forecast as NWS can give us right now.
Simply splendid. A whole weekend outdoors? I'll take two, please. I'll definitely let everyone know what my plans are this weekend once I get them figured out. Anyone up for some deer watching in Side Cut?
B3 out.
Simply splendid. A whole weekend outdoors? I'll take two, please. I'll definitely let everyone know what my plans are this weekend once I get them figured out. Anyone up for some deer watching in Side Cut?
B3 out.
Monday, March 02, 2009
Genuine Gems: An Introduction
I am trying very hard to write on a regular basis, and in keeping with my constant desire to reflect on the past, I'm going to fire up a semi-regular feature on my blog: "Genuine Gems." Part retro-review and part self-reflection, GG works like this: I discuss in length my favorite "everythings" from my past; music, movies, games, books... anything that has influenced me and has stuck with me over the years. I intend for this to have two goals: one, allow me to write in both a critical and personal manner at once, while allowing my readership to better understand just what exactly has made me who I am today. I'll make an effort to write at least once a week, but twice a month is more likely going to the be case. Stay tuned!
B3 out.
B3 out.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
The Great Outdoors
In what is a complete turn around from yesterday's rather somber post, I find myself blogging today for the fun of it rather than for the necessity of it. I sort of want to test the waters today with a couple of random odds and ends, so let's get to it.
B3 the Naturalist
For the last four weeks I have been going to Side Cut Metropark in Maumee every Saturday and Sunday morning. These trips have been the highlight of my week: a time to escape everything else I know (I don't even take music with me); I usually leave my cell phone off. Side Cut strikes a nice balance between wilderness and convenience of location: a short five-minute drive from home gets me there, and the trails of the park are layed out in loops, so I can get plenty of walking done without having to backtrack.
These trips to Side Cut have perked my interests in local fauna and flora, and my newfound interests begin with photography. While I've been spending time researching the local wildlife of Northwest Ohio, I'm also capturing as many pictures as I can of these animals.
Preparing for Spring
While my time at Side Cut has given me a new appreciation of the outdoors in winter, I am certainly looking forward to warmer temperatures. Spring, the season of renewal, might wind up being a perfect parellel for what I'm going through right now, so warmer temperatures overall should translate into better opportunities for me to get outside and enjoy myself. What I look forward to the most is being away from my computer. While any of my friends might think I've lost it, I now work in front of a computer for eight hours a day... why should I stay stuffed inside for the other eight free hours of my day? I'm looking forward to biking the most, but honestly, any time I spend outside will be more valuable than the time I've spent inside all winter.
With that I am out of here. I have a semi-busy week of work ahead of me, so it will be crucial that I enjoy the rest of my day. B3 out.
B3 the Naturalist
For the last four weeks I have been going to Side Cut Metropark in Maumee every Saturday and Sunday morning. These trips have been the highlight of my week: a time to escape everything else I know (I don't even take music with me); I usually leave my cell phone off. Side Cut strikes a nice balance between wilderness and convenience of location: a short five-minute drive from home gets me there, and the trails of the park are layed out in loops, so I can get plenty of walking done without having to backtrack.
What I like best about Side Cut, however, is the wildlife. While generally speaking wildlife is minimal in the winter, I've still found plenty of it to enjoy. Geese are plentiful, as are smaller creatures (squirrels, chipmunks). The highlight of the park is the deer, and they are plentiful. One aclove in particular promises plenty of deer for sightseeing, and these are surprisingly calm creatures. Side Cut is a rather busy park, so I'm sure these deer have lots of exposure to humans, but I'm still amazed at how many of them gather at once, not to mention how close I'm able to get to them to take pictures. The silent moment of staring face to face with a deer or five is one that I've come to love, and I hope I can keep up this routine will into summer and beyond.
These trips to Side Cut have perked my interests in local fauna and flora, and my newfound interests begin with photography. While I've been spending time researching the local wildlife of Northwest Ohio, I'm also capturing as many pictures as I can of these animals.
Preparing for Spring
While my time at Side Cut has given me a new appreciation of the outdoors in winter, I am certainly looking forward to warmer temperatures. Spring, the season of renewal, might wind up being a perfect parellel for what I'm going through right now, so warmer temperatures overall should translate into better opportunities for me to get outside and enjoy myself. What I look forward to the most is being away from my computer. While any of my friends might think I've lost it, I now work in front of a computer for eight hours a day... why should I stay stuffed inside for the other eight free hours of my day? I'm looking forward to biking the most, but honestly, any time I spend outside will be more valuable than the time I've spent inside all winter.
With that I am out of here. I have a semi-busy week of work ahead of me, so it will be crucial that I enjoy the rest of my day. B3 out.
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