Master of what?

University it was a pleasure

Oh right I am Master of Arts. The last three months I had a full time job „studying“. Studying theories and stuff nobody needs in real life. My part-time job was job hunting. And honestly I have learned more important things while preparing for my interviews than for my exam. But anyway there was a point after weeks of complaining when I realized I had no choice but to study and read all those old unimportant books, because I need a title, a master, right? That’s why I have enrolled in college the first place. On Monday the 24^th of October there was finally THE day, the day I have wished for so long, but it was nothing special besides I am finally MA now and my family and friends are happy and proud of me. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy that it’s over too, but now the real life starts and that’s what scares me.

A Master is a job entry? Wrong! The last months I have done an interview marathon – a go-see with successful and well-known companies. In the beginning I was happy that I get so many invitations and positive feedback on my CV and applications. But after three months getting in the 2^nd or 3^rd interview round after studying for each interview, preparing for cases that need to be done during the interview and hearing in the end: “we really liked you personally and professionally but there was a candidate with more experience…” is very disappointing. Friends and colleagues of mine do internships after they graduated, because that’s the only way you have a chance to get into the big players. The Job hunt is very stressful and can be depressing. There were minutes I nearly or let's be honest I cried because I didn’t know what I should do differently.

I can feel everyone who is in a job hunt process right now. I know how hard it is receiving refusals, especially when you put so much effort in the whole application and interview processes, but I learned so much during each interview process and gained professionally and personally, that it was never a waste of time. What I have realized today is, how important it is to believe in yourself and to be who you are. That’s how I got my job offer, they told me that “there were candidates with more experience and knowledge than you, but you convinced us personally.” I believe in destiny and that everything has to be that way. In the end I got three job offers and I was the one to choose.

APPLICATION TIPS

•       CV Design
•       Detailed and professional CV
•       A perfect Cover Letter with NO spelling errors
•       A Cover Letter that includes success statistics about your work 
•       (e.g. The CTR rate and the   conversion rate have increased 50% due to ...)
•       Portfolio with work examples

DURING THE INTERVIEW

•      Be yourself
•       Be honest and friendly but don’t simulate
•       Always answer questions with examples 
•       (e.g. I am stress resistant because…)
•       Don’t put too much make-up on, be natural
•       Choose an outfit that reflects your personality

One of my best friends @Maddyritchie present me some very wise handwritten lines that helped me through my last months:

Me, my master thesis and I

Long time no see ... because of work, work, work ,work, work"

I remember the time when I got home from school and I was bored. Bored? What is that? Sometimes I miss those lazy days.

The last few weeks I focused on my master thesis and thank god finally, I see light at the end of the long-lived writing and researching phase.

You know you have studied hard, when Google ranks Google books or Springerlink to your favorite pages and Facebook backdrops on third place.

Do you know what I will love the most when I have finished my 170 sites scientific paper? Sure, I am happy that I can hack off a bold TO-DO in my list, but I am even more excited that I won’t hear this annoying question anymore:

“Ah and when will you finish your thesis?”

To the thousandth time: I do my best! I will write you a card when I am done! Happy? It’s not that I am 30 and have been studying my whole life.

Writing a master thesis is not an incredible successful thing – no not at all! It’s actually the opposite, which frustrates me even more.

Students study, research, read through tons of books, articles, spend months on one paper – most of the time just copy- or rewriting other scientists work and in the end? No one cares! Professors read if anything only half of it and that’s it. #studentproblems

The last few weeks the library was my second home, Matcha Latte my energy kick, SPSS my Facebook and more than 1000 advertisements in the Vogue my only reading.

I found out that pampering myself with a yummy breakfast bowl and a Matcha Latte is the best study motivation. 

Vienna calling

I woke up tonight at 5am because I was so excited.  It is one of these mornings when I get up in less than five seconds, because I am just happy to start the day.

No, I am not flying to New York – I am (only) driving to Vienna. Nothing special. But I can’t wait to visit my little brother’s first flat.

I remember every time he visited me in New York and Shanghai. It was always lots of fun. And no it is the other way around.

Time flies so fast, it feels like yesterday when we were playing together, dreaming about building a tunnel between our rooms or fighting over small things.

And now?

He is grown up, sometimes I feel like he is more mature and settled than I am, five years older than him. He cooks better than me, knows how to bake and if I have a question about what’s going on in our world, either it is about politics, finance or economy – he knows the best. I am really proud of him.

So now I have to finish packing, eating breakfast and get my second caffeine boost– all at the same time. #chaosqueen

Always be yourself

“Meli, dein Leben ist perfekt” sagte meine 14- Jährige Cousine zu mir letzte Woche. Ihre Worte gingen mir nicht mehr aus den Kopf.

Wer hat wirklich ein perfektes Leben? Was macht ein perfektes Leben aus? Ein Job, eine Ausbildung, eine Beziehung, Freunde,….? Warum sind wir mit nichts zufrieden, wann hat man das perfekte Leben erreicht?

Haben wir nicht alle ein ziemlich gutes Leben? Wir leben in einer Überflussgesellschaft, in der man immer nach mehr strebt und vergessen hat, das zu schätzen was man bereits erreicht hat. Visionen und Ziele sind wichtig im Leben, aber auch das zu reflektieren was man geschaffen hat.

Ich sagte zu ihr, mein Leben war nicht immer so “perfekt” und das ist es auch jetzt nicht. Aber ich habe gelernt wie wichtig es ist, sich selbst zu lieben und mit sich zufrieden zu sein, sich nicht andauern mit anderen zu vergleichen und zu messen. Die Zeit ist zu kostbar um das Leben anderer zu leben. Man darf nie vergessen, dass jeder seine Jeder seine Lasten mit sich trägt, andere größer andere kleiner.

Mit 17 Jahren stellte sich mein Leben auf dem Kopf. Nach der Scheidung meiner Eltern, musste ich weck von zuhause. Ich habe es nicht mehr ausgehalten. Ich war unzufrieden mit mir selbst, meinem Alltag und der ganzen Situation.

13 Monate USA war der Plan. Die beste Entscheidung meines Lebens. In diesem Jahr habe ich zu mir selbst gefunden und verstanden, dass ich alleine Regisseur und Hauptdarsteller meines Lebens bin. Das meine Familie und Freunde genauso wichtig sind, aber nur ich selbst mein Leben ändern kann.

Jeder schwierige Moment im Leben, bringt einen weiter und verändert. Gerade in Zeiten wie diesen, sollte man sein Leben schätzen lernen.

Wenn ich denke, dass tausende Menschen vor dem Krieg fliehen, jede Nacht um ihr Leben und das ihrer Familie bangen, andere geliebte Menschen verlieren oder von schwere Schicksalsschlägen getroffen werden, dann habe ich ein perfektes Leben. Alpträume wegen einer unfertigen Masterarbeit, Kopfzerbrechen um neue Follower oder unschlüssig zu sein, wo und was ich nach meinem Studium machen will sind Luxusprobleme.

Klar es wird immer Menschen geben, denen es besser geht aber auch viele denen es schlechter geht. Wichtig ist, dass man lernt dankbar und zufrieden zu sein.

Always be yourself

“Meli you have the perfect life,” said my 14 years old cousin to me last week. I couldn’t stop thinking about those words.

Who has the perfect life? What makes life perfect? Job, money, relationships, college degrees, friends, ….? Why is it so hard for us to be happy with what we have?

To be honest, don’t we all have a perfect life? We live in an affluent society, we always seek more and more, we forget to appreciate what we have already achieved. Visions and goals are important, but also to reflect what we have and reached so far.

I answered my cousin that my life hasn’t always been so “perfect” and it isn’t now. Although I have learned to love and respect myself, I stopped comparing with others. Time is too valuable to live for others. Never forget, that everybody carries her and his own burden, some bigger some smaller.

When I was 17 years old, my life turned upside down. After my parents got divorced, I needed a time out.

13 months USA was the plan. It was the best decision ever. I had time for myself, I started to reflect everything and I understood that it is only me who are actor and producer of my life and nobody else. Even though my family and friends are the most important thing in my life, it is only me who can change it.

Each difficult moment in our lives, makes us stronger and changes ourselves. Especially in times like these, we should learn to appreciate our life.

Thinking of thousands of people who try to escape a civil war, fight for their and their families lives, others who loose their beloved ones or get hit by blow of fate, then I have to say YES I have a perfect life! Nightmares about an undone master thesis, worries about new followers or what to do with my master degree are not even luxury problems. 

Of course, there will be always some people who have more, do better or are prettier, but lots of other who have it worse. It is important that we learn being thankful and pleased about what we have.