"'Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider.

`Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, andshe went on. `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go fromhere?'

'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.

`I don't much care where--' said Alice.

`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.

`--so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation.

`Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'"

--Lewis Carroll in Alice'sAdventures in Wonderland

Hmm... so it's that time again.  Where do I go from here?

So- I've finally finished my thesis!  Whohoo! Go me.  Never thought that day would come, but it was great.  I actually finished early, and was able to help two friends proof read and another collate on day of.  I also got a steal on printing my thesis... hehe... I think they under charged me even after I double checked with them that I got three copies and not just one.  Oh well  ^__^

So now, waiting for Oral Defense which is on Saturday the 28th.  My time slot is soo late in the afternoon.  I am basically the second to the last one.  grrr... well, at least I don't have to wake up early. =)

So what else?  Well, job hunting of course!  I've seriously gotta land a job within the next month.. or else I've gotta pack my  bags and roll back to the States.  Not that that would be bad, I do miss my family & home, but ... I think I'd like to stay for a little bit longer.  So---- I've been to two career fairs and am looking also via a head hunting agency. 

First career fair was just sad sad sad.  Basically, the entire fair was geared towards undergraduate Japanese students that are returning from overseas.  So, like 98% of the jobs required native Japanese levels... and the salaries were also incredibly low.  It was a sad sad day... and I hauled my butt out to Big Site in Odaiba on a hot hot day-- in heels and a suit~! Not fun. 

Head hunting agency--seemed to have a lot of potential--at first.  After all, I heard about the company through a good friend who landed a full time Financial Analyst position at  ING Direct in Japan-- and her job requires no Japanese!  But... for me, it has proved to be very different.  Supposedly I already have a job offer, though a contract position, from a fairly prestigious IB Firm, but my head hunter has been ignoring me since I asked him about the work visa situation.  I really want to talk to his manager.  I mean, he already said they offered me the position on the phone, so in some ways, that is legally binding right?

Second career fair was a little bit more fruitful.  DISCO Career Fair-- fairly big-- where they have annual career fairs in Tokyo, Boston and Los Angeles.  Some of my MBA colleagues actually flew to Boston last year for the fair.  Anyway-- I went and visited pretty much only one Booth.  Yes, I am like that.  Definitely not interested in the shot-gun approach.  I was really lucky, interviewed w/ three people on the spot and was told that they'd like to see me again at their corporate office.  I was super excited!

The day after, a Thursday I remember,  I missed two calls from a Tokyo number.  First call I missed because I was at the Writing Center and second call I was at lunch.  Oops!  But I am sure glad I didn't miss the third call!!  It was them calling to set up a second interview with me!! She said that they'd like to seem me on Tuesday and she'll be sending all the details for me via email, by Friday, latest.  I said Thanks and I waited and waited...  Nothing came on Friday... Saturday.. or Sunday.

So of course I had to call on Monday!  The thing was... yeah, I didn't get her phone number or first name, thinking that I'd be getting an email from her right away.  Yeah.  So it was a big pain in tracking her down.  GRRR.. my fault.   Anyway, after I tracked her down, turns out that she misspelled my email, and hence the delay.   Whew~

Went in for the 2nd Interview on Tuesday-- Saw 5 managers.  Crazy I tell you.  Two of which I had to do in Japanese.. very sad sad.  The interview coordinator told me that they will have the decisions by Friday and they will let me know then.  So I patiently waited for a reply.  I must have checked my email a gazillion times starting at 9am Friday morning.  Well, nothing came and I gave up after 6pm. 

I started the routine again on Monday morning, only to be reminded that it's "Umi no Hi" -Ocean Day- national holiday so offices are closed.  Huh.  Ok... more waiting.  But I sent a follow up email just in case... cause I was suppose to hear from them on Friday!! 

Tuesday.. finally! They'd like to see me back~ and we scheduled a Friday interview--and a Tuesday interview for next week, because there is a manager that wants to meet me but is not in the country this week. hmm.... have to go back twice? I guess gotta do whatever it takes to land the job.

So.  Today.  Went in for about an hour and 15 mins.  Saw three managers.  Aye, the first manager I definitey bombed w/... was just not feeling it.  The second two went a little bit smoother.

All I can say is that this whole interviewing process is killing me.  I am always sooo tired after I get back from the interviews and I just completely knock out for at least two hours.  grrr.....

I can't wait for this to be over.

Hire me gosh dang it!!   :p

So... wish me luck on Tuesday.  I really really really want this job.... I really really really need this job... grrrr......