*Disclaimer...I started this entry in November or December...with one line, I'm finishing it up as though I finished it when I started. Next blog post coming up will be my current thoughts on the subject.
It is FINALLY over! Oh my was that an interesting ride! I never expected it would be this difficult to find a job. I left two great jobs to move with my husband. The first of which I would be reaching my 10 year anniversary in August had I stayed. WOW! I am old enough to have worked for 10 years! Anyway...for those that are unaware, or I forgot to mention it in a previous post...we moved to Jacksonville, FL from Norfolk, VA on July 11, 2009. I had started the job search prior to moving by updating my search criteria on careerbuilder.com, and looking at what was here. About 2 months before moving I was getting weekly emails with dozens of job postings. Most of which wanted someone already living in Jacksonville and could start right away. About a month before moving down here I either stopped getting emails or there would be 1-3 job postings. YIKES!
Okay, so it is July, we move to Jacksonville and I start looking harder for jobs. I get in contact with a staffing agency specializing in accounting. I meet with a wonderful lady who starts working on finding me a job. August 18 rolls around...and WOOPS, I find out I'm pregnant! Aaron and I had discussed the possibility of having another child, but we had financial goals we wanted to accomplish before making a decision. Little did we know there was little person growing in my belly already. But...it is still early I still continue on my job search. I am sent on several interviews through the staffing agency as well as a couple I found on my own (thank you careerbuilder.com and craigslist). All coming back to "someone internal" or "someone more qualified." BLAH Then 20 weeks gestation rolls around and I get a call from my recruiter "are you still looking for work?" My response..."um, well, kind of." And explain to her that I am pregnant and when I'm due. She seems genuinely happy for me (and as it turns out she had recently found out she was pregnant too :D). She tells me about a job, I tell her I'm interested. She says I'm already ahead of the game because every female they've placed with this company has gotten pregnant within a few months of being placed. Ha! So this was the one and only interview I went on where they knew ahead of time that I was pregnant. It was really nice not having to dress to "hide" my pregnant belly...but I still think it was a hindrance even if they don't say they won't hire me because I'm pregnant. ANYWAY...after that interview I didn't try as hard...knowing that I would have a baby in just a few short months I knew it would be unlikely to get a job while I was pregnant...especially if I couldn't find one otherwise. So while I still looked and applied for jobs that may be perfect (Hello Dr. Pepper!! I seriously applied for a job working for Dr. Pepper...how sweet would that have been!). I may have had one or two more interviews, but that was it.
Now April is here...and my sweet, beautiful Abigail is born! She is awesome! But of course she grows...like a weed...and is soon 5 weeks old! Knowing it takes time to find a job, interview and get a job I started hitting the ground running at 5 weeks postpartum looking for a job. I applied anywhere and everywhere. I hooked up with a few more staffing agencies...none of which actually helped in getting interviews. We were coming to a braking point...we had no more "extra" money coming in and we were struggling to pay bills...so I started applying for "retail" jobs (shudder). I saw that a new Panera was opening near where we live, so I applied for the job. The next morning I had call for an interview, had an interview the next day that lasted all of 5 minutes. I had the job. Woot (I think LOL). I started working for Panera and it was miserable...I was making half as much as I could be making working in an accounting position...an entry level accounting position at that! That only lasted a couple of months. And I was still looking for a "real" job. So finally one day in November I quit. My boss mumbled something about burning bridges...but I hope to never have to even put that job on my resume. I will casually mention it when a prospective employer asks me about my gap in employment...but the type of job I am looking for? I don't think they really care that I worked at Panera right?
About a week or two later I get called in for an interview for a staffing agency...only it is a direct hire position to their company! So the interview goes well and a couple days later I get called in for a 2nd interview...always a good sign! Except, well that interview didn't go as well as the first interview. The plus side was the manager I was interviewing with wouldn't be my manger as the manager for the position was out.
Well, I am pretty certain it was less than a week later that the first lady I interviewed with called me back to offer me the position! I had another interview in the meantime, however that one went horribly, horribly wrong! (I was late, couldn't call because I didn't have a number...and I'm sure she just did the interview as a courtesy since I was already there) So of course I accepted the position!! I am finally employed!
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