Why pride sucks, or "I should be happy to have a job at all."

[Greylock]

FWIW, I am highly educated, and intelligent. When I went looking for a second career stability, good income, and opportunity for advancement trumped my dreams.

So my junior high Spanish teacher humiliated me when she saw the name badge. Who cares. The job interests me, and within another three or four years I will be bringing in the big dough.

Check the title, RW.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Well, I think Anais is dead now. But you know what I mean.

But I'm thinking she's still be up for it, you know, after watching Henry & June...

 

[RangerWickett]

I have come out of this feeling at least that I did a good job in the interview. I sent an email thank you letter to everyone involved (real paper would have been better, true), and I called to check in a few times. I did not want to press the issue after the second interview because another friend of mine who had applied for the job was treated a little abruptly after calling them too many times.

It'll be at least a little amusing when, Monday morning, my could-have-been boss listens to her voicemail from Friday afternoon and hears me saying I'm hopefully awaiting a response. *grin*

P.S., Hitch cheered me right up. Really fun movie.

 

[S'mon]

One thing I was told by a person working in the employment department here (Oregon) said that it's a good idea to send a Thank You card after receiving an interview. This supposedly lets them know you want the job, you're 'professional', gives them an additional point of reference to differentiate yourself from others and makes it more likely that they'll contact you afterwards. I don't know how well it works from personal experience, but I've told friends who have seemed to have luck with it.

Randy

"Thank you for not hiring me"? :\

If I'd had a good interview and the interviewers treated me like a human being I would sometimes verbally (or by email) say thanks for the interview, I enjoyed it etc, but in terms of swallowing pride, spending actual money on a thank-you card feels like a step too far, for me.

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

Well, here's something to cheer you up...

I got let go from a job I wanted but at the same time, was a little uncertian about, after working at the job for two months, because of a little piece of paper that had been misfiled in 1995.

So now I'm happy.
The wife is happy.
The kids are happy.

EVERYONE'S happy.

And I get to stay home and do my favorite job...

Father and Househusband.

How's that for good news to cheer you up?

 

[Panthanas]

I guess I'm in a similar situation as well RW. I graduated on May of 2001 with a bachelors degree, its in business administration in case anyone is wondering. If you remember the economy was still booming in 2000, and early 2001...there it went. From my experiances after graduating, business admin. is the best degree to have if you want to work in retail or sell insurance. After a 2 year stint in retail, I decided I would rather saw my own head off with dental floss than do that for the rest of my life.

I quit. Decided to go back to school and get a degree in education. I currently substitute teach. Not a bad gig if they call you, but I've only been receiving calls 1 to 3 days a week. They pay $70.00 a day. I'm fairly poor right now , BUT am I happier than working in retail? Hell yes. Do my family and friends actually want to be around me again? Yup.

I guess what I'm trying to say is...keep your chin up and enjoy the good things you have right now. Its one of the ways I keep from stressing out about finacial matters. That and playing some D&D every Friday night . I'm sure things will turn out for the best in the long run.

 

[MonsterMash]

Ryan, you've got a job you don't like. And is paying you crap. And it'll drive you crazy. But you know what? It's just one more piece in the big puzzle that is you. Bad jobs are good stories.

Read some Henry Miller about his life in Paris. He had a pretty crappy job, too, and he wrote Tropic of Cancer. While having wild sex with Anais Nin. It could happen to you.

Well, I think Anais is dead now. But you know what I mean.

Anais would be kind of old for RangerWickett, IMHO.


Seriously though I've always found it easier to get a job when I've been working, even in a crap job than when I've been unemployed. My main tip would be keep looking and applying for jobs that'll suit you better than the grocery store, keep writing as that will help you feel more personally fulfilled, even if it won't pay the bills for the moment.

 

[Algolei]

I seriously DO NOT recommend the hobo trade. Everyone thinks it's easy, that any old crazy fool can succeed in the biz, but most people who try end up falling back into their working class way of life. I've seen so many sad cases, kids who think they'll be the next Steamtrain Maury or Hard Rock Kid, but within three years they're married in the suburbs and raisin' kids.

You've gotta be a little crazy to make it as a hobo. And I'm not talking funny-crazy either. Seriously, clinically, "eat a live rat"-type crazy. If all you've got going for you is a silly hat, well, you may as well just be a bus driver.

 

[MonsterMash]

"Thank you for not hiring me"? :\

If I'd had a good interview and the interviewers treated me like a human being I would sometimes verbally (or by email) say thanks for the interview, I enjoyed it etc, but in terms of swallowing pride, spending actual money on a thank-you card feels like a step too far, for me.

Got to admit this is one of those things where I'd guess there is still a cultural divide between the US and UK, as at least in UK government jobs there would be a bit of a resistance to what could be seen as canvassing for the job.

 

[howandwhy99]

I have come out of this feeling at least that I did a good job in the interview. I sent an email thank you letter to everyone involved (real paper would have been better, true), and I called to check in a few times. I did not want to press the issue after the second interview because another friend of mine who had applied for the job was treated a little abruptly after calling them too many times.

It'll be at least a little amusing when, Monday morning, my could-have-been boss listens to her voicemail from Friday afternoon and hears me saying I'm hopefully awaiting a response. *grin*

P.S., Hitch cheered me right up. Really fun movie.

Well you mentioned needing some good news, so maybe an invite to a bonafide GREAT game every 2 weeks on Sundays would be good to hear? Yes? It comes with a guaranteed ride back and forth. The other players are mostly professionals and very friendly. I imagine job advice and referrals would be simple enough. Plus, it has a very high happy happy joy joy quotient like in Hitch, so it could at least raise your spirits.