This past weekend was a 4-day holiday for me (gotta love working for American companies). Where Sunshine had to work, I spent lunch on both Friday and Monday with her. Each day we actually didn’t sit down for a meal, but instead we went outside for hour-long walks together.
On Monday’s walk, we had a discussion about my current job search and how it was going. The discussion was more me complaining and beginning to get frustrated with the whole process and her listening to me and trying to knock some sense into me.
Y’see, I only really started looking for a job about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I’ve sent my resume out to placement agencies and I have applied for about one or two jobs a day online. I’ve got five or six different websites that I visit on a daily basis while I scour my way through the junk in order to find something decent. Here is what I’m finding, though…
There are obviously going to be jobs that I have zero qualifications for. Nurses, IT, teachers…all solid positions if that is the background and education that you have.
Most of the jobs that I’m qualified for are minimum wage positions or slightly better paying call center jobs. With my education and background, I’m not sure I need to be stocking shelves at the local grocery store just yet (but I would if I had to…I’m not “above” any job). I worked in a call center environment for over five years and, while thankful for the experience, couldn’t be happier to be at a point in my life where I don’t have to do that type of work anymore.
The other type of jobs that I’m seeing are all above my experience level: “Senior” business analysts, “senior” project managers, “senior” account managers…companies seem to be looking for others to simply walk into a role and immediately begin banging out results. Well, it’s frustrating to me because I know I could do a lot of those roles with a bit more experience…but how to you get that experience when nobody is looking for a “junior” business analyst or “intermediate” account manager?
So it seems like the job prospects are “all or nothing” positions…either lower end or higher end of the pay scale. And that is extremely frustrating because I don’t see anything that is really at the level that I’m at. I suppose it’s because those people are happy to be working those jobs…as I am now, actually…so they don’t become available. I also suppose it’s because intermediate-level positions are normally hired and promoted from within a company to people who have been there for awhile and have worked their way up.
Sunshine reminded me, though, that it’s only been 2 1/2 weeks. She reminded me that job searches don’t normally end up with results in a day or two. I need to be patient and not get frustrated because I actually have a job of my own at the moment…there isn’t any real rush.
But the thing is that I believe there is a rush.
I want to be living with Sunshine and her girls. I want to try to start my new life in a new city. Knowing that we have a 90% shot at getting a place that looks like a fantastic beginner-apartment for the two of us as of August 1st makes me anxious and antsy to move.
So I told Sunshine last night that if we get the apartment, then I would take just about any job and sell my home in order to be with her. I figure I could continue my job search while I’m in her city…maybe it would be easier if I was actually there. But at least I’d be working and we’d be together and my nights could stop being so damn lonely.
I’m trying to be patient, but it’s totally a “hurry-up-and-wait” situation right now…and I’m not usually good with those.
Wish me luck, kids.
