Job Hunting

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

If you are a company that relies on forms of pyramid scheming, commission only pay, or are willing to pay no more than 10 bucks an hour please do not apply. That being said, anyone else who desires a hard working, creative, eager young graduate please sign up here.

Job searching is one of the hardest things I have ever done. My day went like this...

Woke up, searched monster, revised resume, applied for random jobs on the internet and eventually drove out to Riverside Unified School District to try my luck at a job substitute teaching.

More or less actual conversation: (More less than anything, because they skipped straight to shooting me down)
Me: Hi, I am a bright eyed recent graduate who still believes that her University education amounts to something other than a two dollar increase at Target, or a fast track to assistant manager at Del Taco.
Her: (A chuckle that I assume means, this must be your first day looking for a job)
Me: So, I'd like to apply to become a substitute teacher. How would I go about doing that?
Her: Have you taken the CBEST? (she says with a half interested tone)
Me: No.
Her: You have the take the CBEST.
Me: Umm, is there any way around that, I'd like to start paying off my student debt before the ten year deadline...
Her: No.

Exit Unified School District. Strike One.

Enter Press Enterprise Newspaper, veritable wealth of writing opportunity? possible advertising educational job? please sweet merciful anything...?

Me and a 13 year old boy who has brought his huffy ten-speed and dog skip fill out applications in tandem. I want to peek over his shoulder to see what advantages he has on me, but he is blocking me from seeing it with his hand. He'll probably get the job anyhow because I can't aim worth beans and he didn't waste the best years of his life on a worthless degree, In English Literature.

As I'm listening to job options on my phone I discover that there are no writing opportunities (dash that dream on the rocks), the marketing/advertising job is also filled (come one, come on), but then a sales job shows up, one that I can actually live with, one that offers a chance to learn a bit about marketing and working with websites and a chance to finally have something to add to a resume. Suddenly the pleasant female voice changes to one of a scorned woman, one who has smoked and drank too much, has drooping eyebrows, has not had a date in 26 years and is frankly done with society. This voice informs me that "There are no openings." Conceding, I wish the boy luck and exit bitterly to my car. Strike two.

Strike three occurs a few hours later. I am peering over a pot of lentil soup when my phone goes off. A 714 number? Who could it be? Quickly I discover my earlier work on monster has paid off and my first job offer has come through (well my second, but I'll explain that soon). Excitedly we set up an interview for 3:15 at a "marketing company", a company who I later discover will take anyone, and won't tell you that you get paid on commission until you have the interview. No thanks. Of course they hire anyone, they don't have to pay you if you're awful. So this tragic moment turns into strike three.

So, employers, if you want someone who is willing to work hard, won't work for commission, wants to learn and doesn't buy lines like, "The path to greatness isn't for everyone," (yes, I actually had a pyramid scheme guy try that on me once, at which I didn't hold back at laughing my head off at him) than I'm your girl. For the time being I think I'll see if that paperboy will hire me as an apprentice. Looking for work sucks.

Reason # 5472 why I LOVE California

Thursday, January 17, 2008


Fresh from the backyard in January. Need I say more?

Have you ever...


Taken a picture of yourself and you know it looks awful or embarrassing or whatever, but it captures you at that moment perfectly? I was playing on my mac tonight while I was waiting for Jarom and I came up with this. I'm not wearing any makeup (for 2 days now) and my hair is a mess but it's me. And I like it. And I think that my eyes say something about me. Anyhow, since I hardly post pictures of myself I thought I'd put it on. I look awful, but like me all at the same time. Is that saying something?

Yeay!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

As far as I can tell I am a graduate (Just waiting on the grade to come through)!! Yeay!!

Tomorrow...

Monday, January 14, 2008

I am taking my American Heritage test and I am so freaked out. I have been studying for a week and feel no more prepared than I did when I started. Wish me luck that I pass, this is my last college final I will ever take (I hope). For now my stomach hurts, I feel so nervous that I feel like I'm going to be sick and my head is aching. I definitely think it would have been easier to take this through BYU. Yuck.