Go Karen, it's Your Birthday!

I'm going to say it out loud for all of the internet to hear.  I turned 30 four days ago.  I promised myself I would be here by 30, though I didn't expect to call it this close.  I took the monumental day to serve as excuse to get to know some new LA friends.  Not only did I accomplish this task, but I got the chance to celebrate it with some good Chicago friends too.

While my friends were here, I took that time out to relax and regroup.  Looking for jobs is a stressful endeavor, and not just because it's annoying.  In between looking for jobs, I have to write tons of emails and answer text messages about how I don't have a job and what I'm doing to try and find one.  What comes with putting the word out that you're looking for work also opens up the floodgates of people asking if you've found it yet.  

Though I haven't yet found a job, I have found an internship.  I will be an intern at Perfect Weekend in Venice starting this Friday.  Though it is unpaid, it will provide experience and connections that will serve as a proverbial handsaw to help me break through the industry's doors of steel.  

So, while I enjoyed my birthday, I thought about what I've learned in LA since I got here, and one concept is ringing loud and clear...management.  The ringing grew louder after I listened to a podcast with a manager at Principato-Young Management.  I had an idea...maybe I should work harder to sell my consulting services.

I served as a manager in Chicago for two years until the economy fell apart.  Consulting opportunities presented themselves over the course of the last two years.  I've been walking around with business cards, touting myself as a media consultant, but I've played it down, just because I've been trying to stress that I'm looking for work.  

I never really considered management before because my eyes were looking elsewhere.  But I decided to stop and notice what was right in front of me, especially after receiving a call about some potential clients and networking opportunities.  

As of today, the plan is to continue to set up more coffee dates with industry folks and apply for jobs, but I will also be sending letters out to managers at firms all over town to start making connections and creating opportunities on that front.  I wouldn't build a website and start calling myself a manager until I have more of a foothold in the industry, but this gives me a focus beyond getting a job.  

What do you all think?  Any thoughts, ideas, questions?  This is the perfect forum to present your comments.  I  will continue to update the blog, at least on a weekly basis, and you can always subscribe to be notified of updates.