I'm hired!

[JakeandElwood]

Congrats!

 

[BNWriter]

Congrats, Joe!! Best of luck in your new job.

 

[WriteThinking]

Been there, done this.

Your post feels so familiar.

The reason you're happy, but not so/that happy is because, well, sure, you finally got something, but you're like, "So, what took so long?" and "What's wrong with me that it did?"

The questions that plaque all through a long, usually fruitless and seems-like-it's-a-waste-of-time-yet-you-have-literally-no-choice-but-to-keep-trying, even-if-and-when-you-don't-really-care-or-really-want-to-anymore? They don't suddenly just stop just because, someone, somewhere, in a job that may not even be related to what you've spent your life doing, suddenly decides to hire you.

Most people who are leaving this business are not doing so of their own free will. That means there are feelings of unfinished business, a lack of closure that, in many cases, may not ever really be resolved.

Not to mention the self-esteem and confidence issues that constantly arise, even after another job is obtained. Basically, you are a little afraid, despite the good news.

But don't be. Just consider this a fresh start and try not to look back. It's hard, especially if you never wanted to leave you former job in the first place, but make the best of things and move on.

As with many things in life, that's really all you can do. And if you stop thinking of what you used to do, and give this new venture a chance, there is good new potential for something good to come of it. Seize the opportunity.

Oh, and also, all that part-time work you've been doing? It gets to be kind of comfortable, and nice, after a while (except for the financial aspects, that is, of course), and now, well, you'll have to get used to working, every day, in nine-hour shifts (or more), again...

Reallly, there is a little bit of that...It's why people who can afford to do so can be perfectly happy working part-time. It's ideal if you can do it, and live well. But most of us can't.

 

[murphyc]

That's really cool. Congrats, joe!

 

[expendable]

Awesome. Sounds like they made a good hire.

 

[waterytart]

Score one for the good guys.

 

[SalukiNC]

Congrats Joe!

 

[Greenhorn]

Great news Joe! The university environment is a great one.

 

[BYH]

Three and a half years (minus one day; yeah, I figured it out) since I last had a full-time job, I got hired with the local big university. One day after my second interview for it, they called and offered. I start Dec. 1.

It's odd, though. I'm, of course, extremely happy that I finally have a job. But I keep feeling like I should be more excited instead of ... well, I don't know what. It's a great thing for my family, but my identity has been unemployed for so long that it's taking some getting used to. Miss L wonders what she's going to worry about now.

Last year, I told Miss L that this would be our year, but, damn, it was getting down to the nub. It has been so long, there were many times when I got discouraged — depressed even, and not just a little depressed. Like, the whole day or week or month depressed. Like, the couch was my friend. It's an emasculating thing to try and try and try, to find jobs that seem perfectly suited for you, and wind up empty. Losing your confidence can be crushing — was crushing.

During those three and a half years, I worked a variety of jobs: essay scorer for Pearson Education; online editor for Demand Media; assistant crew leader for the Census; freelance magazine writer. And I've been taking classes toward getting my graduate certificate in grant writing.

This year, I had two interviews in the same week, and I thought I had a good chance at both. For one, I was told that it was the hardest decision the department head ever had to make, and that if something comes up in the future, I'll be the first person he thinks of. That's nice, but it doesn't put food on the table. For the other, my lack of actual teaching experience might have been the deciding factor. After being shot down for those two ... well, it wasn't easy.

In the last three months, I had applied with big university for 14 jobs, from food service worker in the dorms to SID point person/writer for men's basketball (position is on hold). Some seemed a better fit than others, obviously, but the job I finally landed seemed especially perfect for my education and experience and skills.

I'm a newspaper expat, and damn glad of it. I've read the threads about another round of layoffs, of furloughs, of experienced, institutional knowledge reporters getting replaced by kids two years out of school, of Lean Dean and the Rocky Mountain News and the thousands of others who have lost their jobs. I've also read about those who found life after newspapers. And now I'm one of them, one of you.

Miss L and I got engaged last Christmas. Our daughter just turned 3. But I couldn't in good conscience actually get married until I landed a full-time job. We're hoping that a spring date where we want the ceremony works out.

I've finally come out of the darkness. The light never seemed so bright.

Joe

I'm going to cut-and-paste this anytime anyone anywhere says that job hunting is just a matter of looking and trying to find one.

Congrats to you and your family.

 

[Lieslntx]

Congrats, Joe.

I recently entered the world of academia with a college and at first I did not know what to think. However, I find now that I thoroughly enjoy being a part of higher education, even though my role does not directly impact the students' learning. I hope the field ends up being rewarding for you.

 

[HC]

Really happy for you, Joe!

 

[hmxbrown]

Congratulations. The world is changing, and so are you. All the best.

 

[bigpern23]

Congratulations, Joe. Glad to hear some good news from one of our own in this economy.

 

[Shaggy]

That's great news, Joe.

I can't even get Demand Media to return my emails ... not that I'm bitter or anything.

Wow, you too?

Way to go Joe, go work your ass off.

 

[forever_town]

Congratulations, Joe! I'm so glad to hear that you're finally getting ready to work full-time again.

As many people on this board know, your story is very similar in some ways to my own. Of course, add a pinch of employer contesting my unemployment benefits and having to appeal in front of a hearing examiner here, some temp work and sports officiating there, food stamps here and a full-time position that proved to be a mirage there and you have my story.

My road from being given the axe in November 2008 and my getting hired at my current company nearly two years later also felt like a never-ending journey when I was going through it. I had many days when I wondered if I would ever work again or if I were destined to be a ward of my parents for the rest of my life.

I didn't stay in journalism. I didn't even stay in a writing-related field. I work for a bank's call center now. But I've felt as though I've gotten rewarded for the hard work I put into it. I've mentioned before that I got promoted. I received the e-mail notifying me of the promotion less than nine months after I started. I have people who've worked for the company longer than I have asking me how to do things. It definitely feels like I'm living in some kind of bizarro world compared to what so many of us are used to in journalism.

If I have any suggestion for you for the days between your getting the job offer and your actual first day at work, they include setting your alarm clock and start adjusting to your new schedule, start driving the route to work or taking public transit (whichever you see yourself doing) once or twice around the time you're going to be going in so you can have some idea of how long you're going to need to get to work, and learning as much as you can about the company that will now be calling you their employee.

All of those things helped me immensely before I started at my company. Is my job or my company perfect? No. No one's is. But like any relationship, there's no perfect employer and there's no perfect employee. Sometimes, however, a job or a career is perfect for someone and an employee is the right fit for some company.

Best of luck, man!

 

[NickMordo]

The American Dream

 

[Drip]

Three and a half years (minus one day; yeah, I figured it out) since I last had a full-time job, I got hired with the local big university. One day after my second interview for it, they called and offered. I start Dec. 1.

It's odd, though. I'm, of course, extremely happy that I finally have a job. But I keep feeling like I should be more excited instead of ... well, I don't know what. It's a great thing for my family, but my identity has been unemployed for so long that it's taking some getting used to. Miss L wonders what she's going to worry about now.

Last year, I told Miss L that this would be our year, but, damn, it was getting down to the nub. It has been so long, there were many times when I got discouraged — depressed even, and not just a little depressed. Like, the whole day or week or month depressed. Like, the couch was my friend. It's an emasculating thing to try and try and try, to find jobs that seem perfectly suited for you, and wind up empty. Losing your confidence can be crushing — was crushing.

During those three and a half years, I worked a variety of jobs: essay scorer for Pearson Education; online editor for Demand Media; assistant crew leader for the Census; freelance magazine writer. And I've been taking classes toward getting my graduate certificate in grant writing.

This year, I had two interviews in the same week, and I thought I had a good chance at both. For one, I was told that it was the hardest decision the department head ever had to make, and that if something comes up in the future, I'll be the first person he thinks of. That's nice, but it doesn't put food on the table. For the other, my lack of actual teaching experience might have been the deciding factor. After being shot down for those two ... well, it wasn't easy.

In the last three months, I had applied with big university for 14 jobs, from food service worker in the dorms to SID point person/writer for men's basketball (position is on hold). Some seemed a better fit than others, obviously, but the job I finally landed seemed especially perfect for my education and experience and skills.

I'm a newspaper expat, and damn glad of it. I've read the threads about another round of layoffs, of furloughs, of experienced, institutional knowledge reporters getting replaced by kids two years out of school, of Lean Dean and the Rocky Mountain News and the thousands of others who have lost their jobs. I've also read about those who found life after newspapers. And now I'm one of them, one of you.

Miss L and I got engaged last Christmas. Our daughter just turned 3. But I couldn't in good conscience actually get married until I landed a full-time job. We're hoping that a spring date where we want the ceremony works out.

I've finally come out of the darkness. The light never seemed so bright.

Joe

Congrats and don't look back.

 

[joe]

Thanks again, everybody.

If you have stories about how you got on your feet, or about how the process is going, I'd love to hear them.

As for me, I have another mag writing assignment to report and finish before I start my job, and I'm hopeful that I can keep that as a side job while I work full-time.

 

[OTD]

Joe:

This is great news. Congratulations!

 

[Matt Stephens]

Congratulations. This is great, and I bet it add to the excitement that you can finally tie the knot in your relationship. Kudos!

And, if it won't blow your identity or anything, what aspect of university work are you going to be in?