eep

Due to one thing and another, it is time for me to start looking for a job again.

This is downright scary. There's so much I either don't know or just aren't sure about, starting with what kind of work I want to do, and continuing through the questions of how much money you want to earn and think you're worth and all that. I've never been good at the money question.

I don't really want a great job. I want a routine, doing something where I accomplish something everyday. I was really very happy being a church secretary, and I enjoyed the administrative work I did while I was temping. I got to work with computers, and, in both cases, my work produced noticeable results often.

But when I go looking at the job listings online, I see large heaps of stuff that I don't feel ready for. Or, I see requirements that I just don't have. Worst is the dreaded "salary requirement".

I'm a horrible salesperson. I can be confident and friendly for an interview, but if you want to haggle over the details, I get lost.

On the lighter side...

The company that did our windows sends out monthly letters with jokes in them. This was this month's:

A little boy wanted $100 badly and prayed for two weeks but nothing happened.

Then he decided to write God a letter requesting $100. When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to God, USA, they decided to send it to President Bush.

The President was so impressed, touched, and amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a $5 bill. He thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy.

The little boy was delighted with the $5 and sat down to write a thank you note to God, which read:

"Dear God,

Thank you very much for sending the money, however, I noticed that for some reason you had to sent it through Washington D.C. and, as usual, those crooks deducted $95."

More baby steps

I signed up on the flylady mailing list. Emails, ahoy!

I am also trying to apply a little of what she says about cleaning to the panic I feel about going job hunting.

There are a couple of problems that she addresses. The first, of course, is that of having no idea where or how to start- you just get overwhelmed by the immensity of the task. The FlyLady constantly exhorts, "Baby steps, baby steps." Do one thing to get started. Then do the next.

The second problem is that once we start, we want it all to be done as soon as possible. We'll plunge in and work as hard as we can, and then burn out and give up and let things slide until they're worse than before. I recognize that feeling. I want to be able to just rush out, fill out an application or go through an interview, and have the job. I want it over with.

It's an odd kind of patience to develop. No rushing. Just one step at a time. Not too many steps at once, either. Pace yourself, but make sure to do a little something each day.

With that in mind, once I got over my first feeling of being overwhelmed, I sat down and thought about what I need to do to find a job. This is my list of things I need to have ready while hunting:

1. An updated resume.
2. A list of references. Three to five names, with addresses and phone numbers.
3. A list of where I've lived for the last five years. (Much easier than in the past! I've lived here and also across the street over the last five years.)
4. A pen for filling out forms.

So, tomorrow, I will sit down with a book we have that has step-by-step instructions to writing a good resume. That's my baby step for tomorrow. In the meantime, if anybody who knows me personally wants to volunteer to be a reference, I'd appreciate the help. ;)

Also, if I forgot anything on the list, please let me know.