PAID OFF

You are reading the writing of the newest employee of HammieCom Contractors, which is the pseudonymous name of the insulation contractor that hired me yesterday afternoon!! :) This is the same place that I interviewed at in the morning. The owner called me in the afternoon and offered me the job!

I am not making as much money as I wanted to, but I am making a better hourly rate than I was at my old job. Add into that the fact that the new office is all of 2 miles from my house, I get to wear jeans every day, and I get off at 4pm, it adds up to a lot more. Taking away the two hour commute, the need to buy professional clothes and the fact that I will never be late to karate again, and Hammie is one happy camper. I start tomorrow. I am so excited!! :)

To date, I received 14 phone calls from the resumes I sent out on Monday. After I accepted the job, I got two more phone calls for interviews which I turned down. I was at the bookstore (buying ADD and the Workplace -- trying to initiate some new skills to help manage the job from the get-go) when I got the calls and finally this lady came over and asked me what I was doing to be so in demand in the job market. I told her about the fax cover letter and she said that she was going to tell her daughter (who is looking for a job) because she couldn't believe that I got so three calls in five minutes!

Everyone is asking me what I am going to do if the country club calls and offers me the job. The way I figure it, if they wanted me that bad or if it was meant to be, I would have heard by now. It was pretty flattering to get called, interviewed and hired at my new company in the span of 24 hours. I got hired over two other people with more experience too. The owner said he liked my personality. :) I will be flattered if I do get called for the country club, and I know that I would love the job but I think that I will be more comfortable in the job I accepted. They seem laid back and it doesn't seem to be as high pressure. I am not going to be doing any event planning that I can tell but toning things down a bit will probably help me settle into getting my own company straight after hours.

Now for your viewing pleasure:



This is Zion, my youngest kitty. Isn't she cute?



This is Zion the Lion sleeping on Hammie Love's Steel Batallion game. It makes me sleepy too!



This is Neo, who is the Queen Bee of the house. She is the kitty that I rescued when she was two days old and raised in the front seat of my diesel truck when I was a delivery driver.



And this is Dozer ( aka Dodo) who is the middle "child". You can't tell in this picture but he is a TANK at 21 pounds. He is also the clumsiest and sweetest cat around.

Well, I am off to the eye doctor's. A lot of good paying $1200 for Lasik did me. Three years later and I need to get glasses. They won't be Coke Bottles though, like I had to wear most of my life. I can get cute little glasses now! And color contacts if I want them! My prescription was always so bad before that I couldn't get either. I had to have frames that looked like the Marine Corps issue ones and I was almost to the point of not being able to have disposable contacts, color ones were OUT of the question. Hopefully my insurance is going to cover it. If not I am going to have to hit the savings, which will put me a little farther away from this:



Which is the Honda TRX450R, which is the bike I am saving for...

Soon, my pet, soon. But I need to be able to see so I can work, so I can make the money to buy you!! ")

PAYOFF

The problem with trying to find a job through the newspaper want ads is that there is extreme competition to even get an interview. The companies that place ads are getting as many as 100 resumes per ad. The place I interviewed at yesterday said that they STOPPED COUNTING at 100. Standing out in the mass of paper is a difficult thing to do. I have been hanging in there, getting about a 30% return on my resume. I was told by one interviewer that my cover letter stood out because it was not only well written, but it was obviously original. I guess a lot of people are using resume builder software and the cover letters that the companies are getting are carbon copies of the other ones, with just the personal details changed.

I had been racking my brain trying to figure out how to make my resume stand out more, while still being professional. My personal deadline to find a job is coming up (October 1st) so I am really trying to push it and get some exposure.

I had a brainstorm when I was falling asleep on Sunday night and this was the result:

For emailed resumes, this is what the subject line said:

IF I AM THE 100TH APPLICANT, DO I WIN A PRIZE? RESUME ENCLOSED

For faxed resumes, this was the first line:

STOP! READ ME!

The body of both messages was this:

If your company is anything like the other places that I have been sending my resumes to, this is one of the 100 resumes that you are going to receive in response to your 9/26 employment ad.

Lucky for you, you can stop now and give me a call. I would love to meet with you and see if I could be a valuable addition to your team!

Please check out the attached cover letter and resume (which are a tad more professional than the screaming subject line -- but if you are reading this, the screaming has served its purpose!)

Thank you so much for your consideration and good luck sifting through the rest of the resumes!

Sincerely,
Hammie

I spent around an hour and a half on the computer at Kinko's yesterday, emailing 7 resumes out in between checking emails and such. I ended up getting THREE responses before I even got out of Kinko's. I ended up setting up one interview (that I went to this morning and it went great! That is with the Bridges at the top of my wish list). I faxed another 20 or so last night and when I got out of my interview this morning at 9:30, I already had two messages and I have had three more phone calls since today (and it is only noon!!) I have two more interviews this afternoon and I have two tomorrow.

So I was worried that the fax and email letters would come off as unprofessional and I thought is was a risky move, but I gambled and it paid off! I am stoked! I am sure I will be starting work somewhere on Monday!!

Yay me!

Gotta run...interview in an hour!

How Can They Miss Me If I Won't Go Away?

Yeah, I am in my old office right now. I figured I could use the computer for free to send out my resumes and check in on the blogosphere and I could help Tara out in the process. It is a good thing too because a bunch of stuff went wrong with her computer and I am actually able to help!

LadyBoss is going to write me a letter of recommendation for the country club interview tomorrow (actually, she wants me to write it and she will "embellish." How often do you get to write your own letter of recommendation?)

Sent out a couple more resumes today but the pickings were slim this week. My heart is not in it because I really want the country club job, but I am certainly not going to put all my eggs in one basket.

I went shopping this morning (what's that? I have no job? pish-posh!) and I bought a new pair of jeans -- that are a size 10. Which is, oh, THREE sizes smaller than what I was wearing two months ago! They are the kind that are low enough to show your undies when you sit down (which I HATE) but I never wear shirts that wouldn't cover that low, so I bought them. Because they make me feel skinny. :)

I am going to do my rounds and try to catch up on the other blogs!!

That's me. Hi, world!!

I got a picture phone yesterday so y'all can expect some photo-y goodness from now on.

Wednesday was my last day at work, which is why I have been so quiet lately. Even before my last day, I was super busy training the new assistant.

My last day was sort of sad. BossMan didn't even really say goodbye. He did give me football tickets, which was the trade for extra training for the new girl but they were supposed to be his 50 yard line seats and they are NOT. I wanted to throw them back at him but I want to go to the game more, so I didn't. LadyBoss sniffled and all, she gave me a nice crystal heart shaped bowl thing and a card. She is also throwing me a dinner party on the 28th, so that will be nice. Tara, my replacement, was more upset than anyone. She took me out to Happy Hour. Only a few people from the office showed. We all thought it was because people still weren't realizing that I was LEAVING because I was sort of sudden. We had a nice happy hour though and I am really glad that I met her. At least I got a new friend out of the whole deal!! :)

I had three interviews on Thursday. The first one was really cool. It lasted two hours. I met with HR and then I was interviewed by the guy who would be my boss. I could tell he would be a hard task master but also really nice. It is a good balance. The officer is also a mile from my house, which would be AWESOME after commuting an hour each way for two years. The money is not as much as I want, but I would take it because of the lack of commute. I haven't heard back from them yet, which has me a little worried, but I got a really good feeling from the boss. The only thing that I counting against me is that they wanted intermediate Excel skills, which I don't have.

Second interview was a waste of time. The lady didn't shake my hand when I met her, the toehr women in the office gave me death stares when I walked by, the interviewer talked in this pseudo whisper the whole time and then I find out the position is actually receptionist, with a little of "everybody's slave" thrown in. I was in and out in 15 minutes. Thanks but no thanks!

The third interview was here:



The place is a country club and it is BEAUTIFUL. The inside looks like a the keep of the castle. It is supposed to be the San Diegan answer to Tuscany but I think it is more medieval than that. There is even a bell tower with a working bell!! The interview was held on the patio overlooking the golf course. As soon as I read the job description (assistant to the General Manager, plan social events for the member, oversee the hiring and supervision of the concierge) I handed it back to the HR guy and said, "You can hire me now." It is the perfect job for me! The days are not so perfect because I would have to work Saturdays (severely cutting into the desert time...) but for this job, I would work 24/7. Luckily, they liked me as much as I liked them and I have a second interview with the Would-Be Boss on Tuesday at 3:00. Wish me luck!!

Tomorrow I will send out a million more resumes and keep hoping for the best!

*hugs* to all of you and I hope I will be back online soon!! :)

Synchronicity

I believe that there are a series of "coincidences" that happen in life that if you recognize as route markers on your path, they will guide you in the right direction. There was a ton of "signs" that led me to making the decision to leave my job.

I have three days left. My last Monday at Chicago Title. The following is my horoscope that I get every Monday in my email:

You have been trying to find a way to make your daily routine more interesting and authentically "you". This week that may mean that you take a sabbatical, to find out where you're really at. You want to know what your soul wants, and how you can find true satisfaction in your life. The New Moon on Tuesday brings a chance to start fresh and make a new commitment. Start living for you, from this time onward. Make time to listen to your dreams and inner guidance, and don't ignore this realm.

Coincidence?

My friend, Jared, wrote this and I thought it was beautiful.

I Met Myself Today
-------------------------------------------
I met Myself today
While on a deeper path to pain.
A winding road of sorrow,
In a darker wagon train.

I asked Myself some questions,
But the answers wouldn't come.
I hope one day to find them,
Or if not all then some.

But the answers weren't the issue,
I quickly came to see.
The issue was perspective,
And the perspective was on Me.

I was amused by Me,
My wit so sharp and clear.
I found some things to cherish,
To keep Myself endeared.

I found Myself a person
Not what I thought I'd be --
Sweet and evil, complicated,
Likeable and free.

So past this point I figured
I should probably keep in touch.
I kind of like Me after all,
Despite my frailties, faults and such.

So to those who've got to know Me --
For those who think they might --
I've seen a glimpse of who you see,
And I think you may be right.

6/7/2002

Jared has a website with more poems but I can't find the link. I'll post it if I find it.

T -6

Less than a week left. Things are going really well. LadyBoss took my resignation pretty well. She is sad and a little panicked about the transition but she is definitely appreciative of the fact that I don't plan on leaving them high and dry. She has actually offered to pay me a consulting fee if they need me to come in and help clarify some things for the new assistant.

I named my price at BossMan's field level, 50 yard line seats to the Chargers vs. Bucs game. To see my Bucs play live! A total dream come true!

They accepted the offer. If I consult A LOT, I am going to ask for good tickets to see Rent when it swings through San Diego. I don't really want money, crazy as that sounds.

BossMan reacted as if I had told him it was sunny outside. Basically, he didn't. He did comment on my maturity and proffesionalism, which was nice. I think he thinks that I am leaving in reaction to the blow up we had before he went on vacation. That's not why, I have been considering this since I was diagnosed, but I'll let him think that.

A lot of people (in real life and in the blogosphere) have commented on the tone of my letter. I know it seems like I am taking 100% of the blame. Part of that is to preserve the good will of my boss' for future references. I know that they weren't perfect, not by a long shot. The crux of the whole situation is that I am not the right fit for the job. We all have known it for a while but I was the one to take action on it. I have learned a lot from them, they have been very patient with some of my less admirable work habits and I do appreciate that they took a shot on me, when I KNOW that they interviewed people with more experience. I am planning on staying in touch, with them and a lot of other people here.

Call it ka, but it was time to move on.

They have 7 interviews today. I have picked all the people they are interviewing from the resumes that the agency sent over. I also gave the position a raise (without asking!). They are going to get what they pay for and they need to pay more for what they are asking. We have gotten a crop of candidates, most with degrees! I don't set my watch and warrant by college edumacation (since I have none to speak of) but I think it bodes well for a stable person to replace me. And since at least a couple are sorority girls, I know BossMan (president of his at USC so long ago) will have a good connection with them.

Then I can get the hell out and go to the beach!!

Dear BossMan and LadyBoss,
This letter is to serve notice that my last day at the Habitrail will be September 15, 2004.

It was an extremely difficult decision to leave your employ. I have learned and experienced so much as your assistant and I am truly grateful for the chance you took on me. Any future supervisor of mine will have a hard time comparing to the patience, kindness, and tutelage that you two have shown me. I feel that I can no longer maintain the level of service that you require and in feeling that way, I would like to step aside and allow you to seek the type of assistant that will be more suitable to your needs.

I did want you to know that I am not leaving you to go work someplace else, at least not right away. I am taking time off to decide what I want and will pursue options that I believe will be better suited to my strengths. Now that I have a name to attribute some of my weaknesses to, I will be able to find a position that can accommodate some of my more eccentric qualities.

I will be happy to train my replacement if one is found prior to my last day. I have a copy of the ad that was used to find me and I am prepared to have it placed in the Hammie Tribune, if you so wish. If a replacement is not found in the time before I leave, I will make sure that there is copious amounts of notes and instructions to help guide them through daily activities. I will also be available to you and them by cell phone if there are outstanding questions. It is my desire to make this transition as smooth as possible.

I sincerely hope that we will be able to part as friends. I may not have been a great assistant but I am most definitely a great admirer of both of your talents, compassion and grace.

Sincerely,
Hammie

This is the letter that I am giving to my boss'. I am meeting LadyBoss for a client dinner and it will in the contents of her inbox, which she asked that I bring with me (It'll be on top, TVJ). I don't want to give it to her before the dinner because I don't want her to be upset, but I do want her to have a chance to sleep on it. I also wanted to give it to her in person. BossMan will be getting a phone call tomorrow since he is on vacation. (I talk to him daily so I won't be interrupting anything.)

Between my TRX450 fund and the two weeks vacation that I am owed, I will be able to be unemployed for six weeks. Since I REALLY want my quad, I have motivation to only be unemployed for two. I am leaving without having anything else lined up though. I feel like I need to get out and take some time for myself, even if it is only a day or two.

HammieLove had such a hard time understanding where I was coming from. Number one, he was fixated on the fact that I have worked so hard to save up for my bike and I was willing to run the risk of spending that money. I told him I would give up going riding forever to stop feeling the way I feel about myself now. I really had to PUSH to make him see that I feel like I am dying inside. To never feel like I am good enough. To know that I have changed since I started working here. There is still a bright, happy, and optimistic girl hiding in here somewhere but she is being overshadowed by the overwhelmed, frustrated, and depressed person created by the stress.

I miss her.

This is probably the most adventurous thing I have ever done and I am proud of myself for taking the leap.

I am going to find something that makes me happy. I am going to work someplace where I can smile and not have people think less of me for it.

I am stepping out and God forbid anyone who gets in my way.

*roar*

:)

Dear Mr. Man in the F250,

Next time, don’t be rude.

Is it my fault that all of the other drivers blocked the way to go straight because they were turning left to get on the freeway? Should I be sad that my little car can drive on the shoulder to pass everyone, you included, so that I can go straight? Is it wrong of me to flip a bitch after driving straight through the intersection so I could turn right to get on the freeway?

All answers point to no.

You had to be mean and block me out, even if that meant taking MY right of way and blocking the intersection illegally.

But, what’s this?

I went in the other lane? And got on the on-ramp before you? And now you have to rely on the kindness of my heart to let you merge in?

Awww, poor baby.

I don’t like rude people. I am not a rude person and I do not take it lightly when someone is rude to me.

Especially when I am late to work.

Go ahead, try to intimidate me. Try to push that big ol’ Ford in my way. Like it or not, I am not letting you in now.

Goodness! Swearing like that is NOT doing anything to improve your cause.

I think I’ll just stay right close to this guy in front of me and you will end up behind me, just as would have if you hadn’t been rude.

Except now you are angry and it is never good to start your day angry.

So what did we learn today, Mr. Man in the F250?

1. If you had a small car instead of a small dick, you would have been driving on the shoulder with me instead of sitting still in your Over-Compensationmobile.

2. Don’t be rude. Rudeness never pays.

3. Payback is a bitch, motherfucker!

Have a nice day!

Sincerely,
Hammie