1.5 - How much I hate applying for things

Applying for things is hard! I am so not about putting myself out there. I am terrible at writing resumes, bad at writing cover letters, and only barely better at securing letters of reference. I am also not good at writing answers for application questions. I have great difficulty writing things that strike a balance between trite and casual. I can either write like this, or write really annoying stuff that sounds like it should be in a pamphlet for why you should vote Rand Paul. sigh. So applying for IDF, which I had started to actually care about, was especially tough.

I wrote three resume drafts and about five different cover letters. I managed to beg a letter of reference from my most recent professor (which was difficult, because she was doing a fellowship which happened to be taking place at Harley Davidson in Milwaukee and was pretty busy) and would have gotten one from Sarah except she and her fiance were finalizing the purchase of their first home. I researched and wrote passable answers for the application (sample question: Where do you disagree with the Democratic Party and why?). I got together with Sarah to practice for my interview. 

Side note: why have I never practiced for an interview before? I go into interviews flying by the seat of my pants! Like, well if they don't like my personality then they can rot. But how are they going to know anything about my personality if I'm struggling to answer their questions? So right there I learned a lot. And the questions asked in most interviews are the same, so if I can get those answers down, then I can show people a bit of who I am in the way I answer them. So obvious, but I was so unwilling to do work before. But I digress.

I went with Sarah to a networking party put on by IDF for prospective applicants to meet current board members and IDF alumni. I was terrified. How did I get so bad at shmoozing? I used to be able to charm the pants off anyone! Also I just thought (maybe for the first time?) about what that means. Hmm. Anyway, we practiced. Sarah and I actually practiced answers to what I might be asked AT A PARTY. And we practiced ways I might introduce myself or horn in on conversations. I have never felt so socially inept in my LIFE.

But as the evening progressed, I did better and better. I met an IDF alum who is now running for City Council in West Seattle, and she is amazing. If you see her name on your ballot, I urge you to vote for Brianna Thomas! I met one of my current cohort (of course, at the time, she was just a prospective applicant) there and was immediately attached (her name is Brynn, she works for the ACLU, she's smart and interesting and adorable and showed up BY HERSELF - the cajones on that one!). 

Actually I think I only met two or three people there who made it into the program. The prospective applicants included: a guy who worked for Fish and Wildlife (with an IDF alum, who wrote him a reference. He made it in), three lawyers who really seemed like they had it together and had political chops (didn't make it), two WA State legislative session aides (didn't make it), a slew of local political organizers/campaigners/dooorbellers (didn't make it). Probably 30 or more politically active prospective applicants. 

So, I felt super out of place (no political experience to speak of, although I DID post signs for Gary Locke with my Girl Scout troop in 7th grade? I think?) and totally outclassed among a group of what seemed to me at the time like shoo-ins for the program. We ducked out after Sarah had introduced me to most of the people who were important to my acceptance into the program. Stay tuned for 1.75, in which I actually finish this post.