Back to the working world.
I’ve been job hunting for 4 months now, but some of that time I really wasn’t looking too hard I admit. A lot has been going on in that time frame, 2 birthday parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and I have been still dealing a lot with the loose ends related to my grandfathers death, spending more time with my kids than I ever had a chance to when I was working, and mostly I guess searching for where exactly I wanted to go from here. We were able to survive finically because we cut a lot of expenses when I stopped doing real estate and we have also had a lot of help from my grand mother. I have had a number of interviews with no success, and I admit I was beginning to feel a bit worthless, and depressed. So anyways, it helps to know people sometimes. I got a call from a family friend who said that she was looking for someone like me to be her office administrative assistant/receptionist. I have the skills and knowledge she knew she needed and she asked me to come in for an interview. So it was basically between me and one other person, and I don’t really know what they had going for them, but I really don’t think that I got the job because I knew her. I feel like that was just my foot in the door. So, I interviewed Monday and Tuesday with this company, and they told me that I would hear some thing by Friday. So Friday I got the call … I am finally employed again.
I guess I have mixed feelings about it because it’s a much more formal office than I have ever worked in. I have worked in casual dinning, storage (which the dress code varied but at its most formal it was still business casual), I worked at a dot com business that was a home based business so I wore what ever I wanted, and lastly I did real estate. As a agent, in real estate they really can only suggest the style since they do not actually employ you, although I tried to be business like all the time, (you had to be to get business), but I guess I still have a lot to learn. They hired me, but it was basically conditional on a more formal attire. I guess I am pretty clueless when it comes to business formal, most of the time I feel like a frumpy old maid, or a librarian. I hate to iron, and can’t afford dry cleaning. I dislike wearing make up, and hate bright colors. As much as I hate it, so much of working however is dependant on appearances, and I think that is way I may have been passed over for some of the other jobs. So my friend is taking me under her wing and giving me an informal make over to look professional. The other part was that I was too ‘shy” in the interviews. I know I’m not shy at all, but I can be reserved, and a bit quiet in interviews. I hate to talk to people I don’t know about myself and I never really learned how to be self promoting. It feels too much like bragging, and while I wouldn’t call myself humble exactly, I do think I am understated. Fact is I hate to be judged by my appearance, although I know it will happen, and I hate interviews because I never know when it’s the right moment to just be myself.
I am nervous about the job of course. While it has many similarities to things I have done before, a lot of it will be completely new to me. I hope I can keep up as promised, I know a lot will be expected of me. I’ll be working a lot 9-6 M-F & 9-1 Saturdays. That will take some adjusting to since I haven’t had a regular schedule in almost a year! The great part of RE was setting my schedule, sure a lot of it was at the whims of my client, but ultimately no one could tell me I had to be anywhere at any given time. Not that it particularly bothers me, actually it will help me prioritize the things I do in my off time. It will just take some adjusting to.
Ugghhh I’ll have to start wearing make up everyday again, and shaving my legs regularly. It’s not that I dislike either really, I’m just lazy and not really concerned with the whole girly looking pretty thing. Bite me.
I wonder how the kids will take it? While I was not working, and while I was doing real estate, my grandmother babysat everyday for me. We did it that way the kids wouldn’t go into shock when I went back to work, and because my grandmother needed her daily Aidan/Rowan fix. Even so, they still saw me a lot more than they ever did when I worked a normal job, and I think they have formed a stronger attachment to having me around. I know they will be fine, but I still worry a bit, hey I’m a mother, that’s what we do.
So now I need to get a haircut, have a bunch of suites to altered, and buy a new pair of boring shoes & conservative brightly colored shirts.
Wish me luck!