Brighter Skies

I'm not talking about the weather. Certainly not. On the contrary, it is raining here. Again. Rather, I'm talking about my job prospects, which, if any of you have followed this, were not going so well about 24 hours ago. No, all of New Zealand's businesses have not realized their folly in denying me work and have begun beating down my door in attempts to bid for my services. But I have had some encounters with some amazingly inspiring people who have started to make this whole job search nonsense seem a bit less hopeless.

I first had an interview with Kathmandu...much like the EMS of upstate New York. They specialize in everything from climbing to camping to kayaking and their products are lovely. I hope to aquire some of these lovely goods at one point or another before I return back to the states (whenever that may be). This job however is only a fixed term position meant to increase staff for their winter sale. And I've been to their sales...which are huge. So they need it. The man who interviewed me also made it very clear that working the sale in no way meant that I would be hired full time when it was over. People clearly like working at Kathmandu. However, he was incredible impressed with my resume and quick to tell me how overqualified I was for the job. The interview really wasn't an interview at all. It lasted no more than probably ten minutes and within the first 3 minutes he pretty much offered me the job. But more than offering me the job, the fact that he recognized my qualifications and specifically stated how impressed he was that I had a cultural anthro degree made me glow inside. It is the first time that anyone has looked at my resume with respect for my education and intelligence. I'm beginning to wonder whether there are a lot of employers with minor degrees out there who feel threatened by someone with a college degree. Maybe not. Who knows. Anyway...the job with Kathmandu is only for 5 weeks so I'm still considering it because it is money for the next five weeks, right? I plan to call Steve (the interviewer) before I leave for work this afternoon.

Then there's another job. I mentioned a few posts ago two specific jobs that I was holding out for and this is one of them. The job is working as the advertising features writer for the local newspaper. I recently got a letter confirming that The Press had received my application and that I would be contacted. However, it had been a week and I felt it necessary to find out what was going on. No point in holding out for a job that you have no chance of getting right? So I phoned the newspaper and they (surprisingly) connected me directly to the man in charge of the secion I applied for. I expected him to take my number and then tell me he'd call me back...and then never hear from him again. But I was again surprised (forgetting for a moment that this is New Zealand). And we actually ended up having a really nice conversation/semi-interview over the phone. In the end he rememberd my resume and that he had actually put it in the "no" pile, but said that having called him, I had done myself a favor. And after speaking with me he asked me to send him some samples of my writing (so those papers from college are coming in handy finally!) and told me he'd be in touch. Even if I don't get work with them, it's very encouraging to know that while my qualifications may or may not be in tune with what people are looking for, my personality is somewhat interesting...or good...or something like that.

You see, I've received a number of responses from people at cafes and offices telling me that I'm not qualified for their jobs. And after one receives so many of these letters or phone calls telling one that he or she isn't qualified enough to pour a glass of wine or answer a phone...well, one begins to think they just aren't that good at anything. And we tend to forget that personality and drive matters. We begin to identify...define ourselves by our qualifications and lose our sense of self-worth. But today has helped in showing me that I am a worthy person. It's reminded me that I am intelligent, I've worked hard to get my degree, to get where I am, and that if people who can't see that based on a two page summary of my (very short) professional life aren't willing to talk to me to figure it out, well that's their loss and not mine. I am understanding though that employers can't talk to everyone, but it's just difficult at times to accept so much rejection.

I hope that any of you who are going through these difficult times in finding jobs or jobs you enjoy or even good friends or a nice relationship or anything else can take something away from this post. It's hard to remember the good in life, one's worth, and the idea of doing what makes you happy when everything is just rain clouds and the word "no". Bright skies will come along for you too. Let's face it...it can't rain forever. :-)

-NMK