Job Hunt

I suppose this could be a running thing for folks in the same boat. I have been playing with the idea of a job hunt for the past few weeks. I even stumbled upon something and got an interview in December. But I didn't get that job, and I began a real hunt today. My preference would be to land a great writing job, but I'm open to just about anything.

So here's what I've applied for so far:

Coca-Cola merchandiser (read stockboy)
Staff Writer (for an obscure company one wouldn't expect to need a staff writer)
Customer Service Rep (for a major commercial printer)

I can find almost nothing that fits my skills. But Dee Dee's Doghouse has an opening simply listed as "Multiple positions." I'm scared to click that one.

By the way, what exactly is an executive housekeeper? Is that a housekeeper for someone who is in management? Or is that the person who trains the dusters?

Sears, I see, has an opening for an assistant store coach in training. Apparently, you'd be training to be the assistant to the store coach. I assume that you'd become the assistant store coach on completion of the training. Then, I suppose your ultimate goal would be to become the store coach, whatever that might be.

My personal favorite is the listing for "crew operators" posted by the company "confidential." Sounds promising.

It goes without saying that I'm bound to end up working with a bunch of assholes. So I figure I might as well send some resumes off to all of the local proctologists.

 

Is this a career job?

If so, look at CarMax if they are in your area.

I have heard Starbucks offeres good bennies.

What part of the country are you in right now?

 

I'm in the southeast. I can't sell stuff. I suck at it. I also don't do well in a fast-food setting.

This isn't necessarily a career change so much as an attempt to fill in the gap between what I was doing and whatever it is I'll be doing next year. I'll know in the next several months whether a career change is in order.

Like a lot of people around here, I went to college with a plan. I went to J-school, graduated with a 3.4 GPA, got a news job and worked my way up the ladder. Two years ago, I was an AME at a very small daily that was on its way into the sewer. I took that job because it worked with my plan to relocate. I quit and went into freelancing eight months later. For two years, I made more in the freelance world than I earned working full-time as an AME.

Now the freelance ladder has been yanked from beneath me, and the folks up top are pushing me over the edge, though it's not something they're doing by choice. With all of the turmoil, my clients simply can't feed me enough work. I might find new clients, but I can't depend on that. I have to get some money coming in before the situation reaches critical mass. Thats not too far into the future.

 

Today's updater: I applied for about 10 jobs on Monday, all of them online.

I just sent an e-mail to one editor who had given me an interview. I knew the job was filled, but I wanted to verify it. The reply was that it was filled internally and that I am "far too overqualified for that position."

Is that just a nice way of saying they think I'm a moron? Or am I actually being turned down for a job because I'm too good for the spot? I'm not sure if it makes me feel better or worse. Probably, I think they're lying, which is probably worse than if they just didn't want me.

 

I don't know, if the editor uses phrases like "far too overqualified," and you can speak and write in proper English, you might be far too overqualified.

 

Two things...

Temp for a few months. The job is usually remedial and it's a humbling experience, but the pay is generally respectable and you'll have flexibility if some freelance writing comes up.

Also, I was once told I was overqualified (is far too overqualified like when two negatives equal a positive???). I thought the managing editor was full of crap and was trying to let me down gently. Then about five months later he calls me and tells me they are hiring for a higher position than before; I got the job without them hiring anybody else and was the boss of the person who was hired over me. Anyway, turns out he wasn't full of shit. Moral of the story, you probably were overqualified.

 

I_S --

I have a good buddy who found himself in need of a job with benefits right out of school and works as a Coke merchandiser. He doesn't love it, but it's a union gig with good pay and benefits and it left his days free to watch his son. Now that his son is old enough for school he's going back to school during the day.

As I said, he doesn't love it, but it pays the bills and allows him to do other things, so it's worth taking a good look at.

Best of luck.

 

Say: I hear Jenna Jameson is looking for a job.

 

Sure, bring up porn stars. That should keep my job search on track. Idle hands...

 

I hear wonderful things about Bloomingdales' executive training program.

 

Mike, you're such a TV freak that sometimes I wonder if you realize you're not in the actual television. That being said, good reference...

 

That's not even close to the first time I've heard something like that. I saw that episode last night before I fell asleep, and I figured it was fitting.