Finally!

I finally got a job... and a good one for that matter!

I am so lucky to be hired on as a lead secretary at a state agency! Which means, medical and dental, a retirement plan, sick leave, vacation time, and paid holidays. I hit the mother load! And I am absolutely grateful and content with this new position. I feel like I deserve it. I was at my wits end... and I have worked really hard.

Some staff members took me out to lunch the other day. I had the mortifying moment when they all confessed to Googling me and finding all my music recordings and videos/films, and this blog... so I suppose I should give a shout out to all of the the EAP people who may be reading this. :)

I started working this past week, December 28. Toward the end of my first day, my supervisor (who is awesome!) told me that I needed to take my "Personal Holiday" day before the end of the year or I would lose it. Since personal days do not carry over year to year. So, here I am, in my first week of my new job... with a paid day off.

NOW what am I supposed to write about in my stupid whiny blog? I have a great job... I have the best boyfriend ever... hmmmmmmm... Life is pretty wonderful! But I'm sure I'll find something to complain about soon.

2009 was an eventful year for me. Full of extreme highs and extreme lows. I think it has been... scratch that, I am positive it has been the most Bi Polar year of my life. I kind of feel like there is nowhere to go but UP from now on! I sure hope so! I see a light at the end of the tunnel! And that light just might be retirement... but for now let's just pretend that the light is 2010.

Nothing and........ nothing

Still nothing. No luck. Not one break. I spend each day searching and applying for jobs. Nothing and....... nothing.

Now it wasn't so bad before, I had some money saved up and it felt good to just not have any obligations. But it's been over 2 months since I quit my job and I am running out of money. I still do not regret quitting. Nope. I will stand by that decision forever. But... the stress and frustration of unemployment is getting to me. Everything annoys me and I just hide away in my bedroom looking for jobs online and watching whatever television show marathon is on... with the occasional guitar, crochet, or painting break. 

I don't like to leave my room because leaving it means temptation. The temptation to spend money is overwhelming. It's just a latte! No it's not. It's just mascara! No it's not. I don't have the luxury of rich parents. I'm probably a stronger person because of it, but damn, that would be a nice asset right now. I do, however, have the luxury of an extremely generous boyfriend who takes me out to dinner and pays for gas  and movies (everything!) when we hang out... so I do get to see the light of day once in awhile. And Katie bought me dinner last week and I am thankful for that! (Katie gets a shout out because she is one of the few who read this... and Kate, next time... Margaritas will be sorely needed)

I keep getting tricked, getting so close... a hiring manager will call me and ask for some more info, or one of my references will tell me they were contacted. And then... Nothing and..... nothing.

So I just got to keep on going. Maybe get a crappy seasonal job for now. Oh the holidays, I have got to muddle through somehow! For Christmas, everyone is getting home-made hats and paintings or a special song written  just for them. I hope I don't have to subject my loved ones to that. For their sake more than mine... somebody better hire me. :)

I guess you are too good for me, Wells Fargo

I really don't understand how I didn't pass the Wells Fargo initial screening process. Not that I wanted to work there. I actually have no desire to work at a bank.

But all I did was answer a little personal survey that asked questions like "Are you organized?" or "Have you worked in customer service before?" And I get this email saying that I did not move to the next screening level. Wells Fargo, you have offended me and I will now forever hold a grudge against you.

Over the past 3 or 4 months, I have applied for several jobs. I couldn't even count them. I have been looking all over western Washington and Oregon. I have only been granted ONE interview. I thought I was slumming it by applying to a bank. But the bank didn't even want me. Shit.

Hopefully I will hear back about the one job that has shown any interest in me. It would be the most perfect job I can think of. I would rock it and I would learn a lot from it. I hope I get it. I hope I get it. I hope I get it. I repeat those words in my head about once each hour of the day. Got to keep that positive energy flowing! Unless it has to do with Wells Fargo. Ef them and their effing surveys.

Recent College Grads - We are Victims

I've been unemployed for about a month now. And it's been a great month. All I do is hang out at home, job hunt online, organize things, clean, cook, bake, paint, and visit friends. Notice how exercise is NOT on that list? It's on my "To Do" list... really.

But, this is all good and fun... but my bank account is starting to get low. I am starting to get a little worried and stressed out. I need to find a job soon. But, I don't want just any job. I want a job that I will like and that is on the career path I want. 

I guess I could just get a job at a store until I find the job that I want. That's no fun.

Years ago, a bright college graduate wouldn't have any trouble finding a job. If you went to college, you were pretty much guaranteed a good job with benefits. These days, it's not as simple. College graduates everywhere are forced to work at as receptionists or at Applebees, and if they are lucky, Starbucks (because at least Starbucks has some good benefits). We are everywhere. Serving your your espresso, selling you your new sweater at Macy's, seating you while you are on a date at a fancy restaurant, making your appointments at the chiropractor, filing your documents in an office... college graduates are the new high school graduates.

We go into debt getting a higher education, and then we can't find a good job in order to pay off that  debt. And we are living our lives earning a little more than minimum wage, with no health insurance. Ages 24-30 are victims of two screwed up systems in the United States: the costs for higher education and health care.

This is sad. I don't feel like I can go to Grad School or the Peace Corps because I don't want to keep putting off this massive debt. I avoid going to the doctor as much as possible... even though I HAVE health insurance, it just doesn't really cover anything. I feel like the only choice I have is to find a job with benefits and keep paying those student loans until I am 50 years old. And that's if I don't defer my loans. If I defer them... I could be paying my student loans into my retirement.

What can I do about this? Write my congressman? I guess I could. Maybe start a petition or something. But for now I am just going to sit back and enjoy this Law and Order SVU marathon.

Screw you recession! I QUIT!

Nevermind the shallow job market, nevermind my unbelievably large amount of student debt... I quit my job. Which is actually how I wound up having my own blog. I created a blogspot account for my job, and after deleting my work blog... I still had the account. So here I am, blogging just for the sake of blogging.

I'm not in an interesting place where I can blog about unusual adventures (like my best friend, who is in Cambodia having lots of culturally awkward moments and getting hit by motos), but I am one of the many US citizens looking for a job right now. And that... could be interesting... maybe... probably not.

The job I had originally seemed like the best thing for me, and maybe it was one year ago. One year ago, I was exactly where I am now. Living with my mom in my home town looking for a real job. Working at the seasonal produce stand and pumpkin patch to make some money, watching Obama win the hearts and souls of the world, and baking and cooking all the time... it was great!

And I am very happy to be doing it again (except this time watching Obama and crossing my fingers for adequate healthcare reform). I have 2 months to work at the produce stand while I find a good job. I will not leave one job I don't like for another one I don't like. But I guess you never know what a job will be like until you take it and do it for awhile.

So what if I am an intelligent college graduate temporarily working at a produce stand? This job only pays one dollar less an hour than my "real job." And I could get more hours and live at home. I will make more money selling fruits and vegetables than with a semi-high level position with a hospitality company. Which is a blatant indicator that I was, on some level, being taken advantage of.

After outweighing the pros and the cons of a job I didn't like... I finally said, "Screw you recession! I QUIT!" (actually, I every so kindly and respectfully resigned)

And here I am... being so very selective about my next job choice. Employment is overrrated, happiness and mental health come first. Luckily, I am at an age where I can think and behave this way. Not everyone is so lucky. Sometimes you just have to stand your ground and say, "Hey, I am worth more than this, so I am not going to take it anymore." Even if it may seem impractical to others, when it comes down to it, I knew it was the right choice.

Now excuse me, while I enjoy some fresh sweet corn and peaches.