Tell me more magic papers. Tell me more!

Have you ever felt oddly confident about a situation, for no particular reason?

I assure you there’s nothing currently sitting on my professional doorstep.  Yet, I can’t help but be encouraged by the direction of my entire job-seeking process.  Aside from what you’re seeing publicly with my “Hire Me, Red Wings!” campaign, there are several other opportunities that I’ve received some whispers about.  Of course, pursuing the opportunity with the Red Wings is currently my top priority, but I have the feeling this week will provide some answers as to whether or not I’ll be part of the process moving forward.  The public job listing was removed on Friday, so it’s likely make-or-break time.

It’s pretty clear how badly I want the position with the Red Wings, but I certainly won’t be starting from scratch if things don’t go my way.  I’ve already applied for a similar social networking position with the Anaheim Ducks, and am pursuing a website content management opening with the Los Angeles Clippers.  All of these positions are very public, and highly sought after by some of the best people in our industry.  If I didn’t feel like I was qualified, I wouldn’t have applied, but it’s obviously important to try and stand out among the crowd.  If things don’t play out to my liking with the Red Wings, a similar campaign for either of these other two jobs is probable.  However, I may find that a similar campaign would be better served for a less public opening.  I’ll play it by ear.

Perhaps the most surprising part about the past 30+ days is the fact that I’ve been able to discover some potential openings at local television stations.  Many of you know that I’ve worked at several local television stations, but the last time I stepped foot in a newsroom (for work) was in December of 2007.  Just from having discussions with colleagues still in the business, I’ve come to realize just how valuable the last 30 months have been and how they could shape my future.  The last time I was looking for a job at a local television station, it seemed that there was a priority on having people who could both report and shoot video.  Today, that’s a given.  Instead, it seems that local television stations are looking for people who understand the value of the web and know how to connect with viewers through social media.  In short, they’re looking for people like me.  I’ve always been quick to tell people how much I enjoyed and thrived in a newsroom atmosphere, but in the past there were other factors that drove me away from local television.  The more information I gather about how some newsrooms are functioning today, the idea of returning to local television has really grown on me.  It’s exciting, and the possibilities I’m being made aware of are very attractive.

There is still plenty to be figured out.  Ultimately, everything I’ve been made aware of to this point is strictly a possibility, and I have plenty of work to do.  Any of you who have been unemployed surely know how big a difference there is between a possibility and an actual job offer.  More than anything though, it’s hard to believe that a month has already passed.  I guess that’s a product of keeping busy and pursuing every available person in my network, while also branching out of my professional comfort zone to chat up new “friends” and tweeps.

Despite having nothing concrete, I’m oddly confident.  That’s not a bad place to be, is it?