They Liked Me, They Really Liked Me!

This might be a first. At a minimum it is the first time in a long time I've seen this. In today's mail I received a letter from an employer acknowledging they received my resume. Okay it isn't a letter asking for more information, but at least I know they got the damn thing!

One small step at a time, one small step to finally get rid of Small Town and the insanity of this job.

I need to find more want ads. If I send more resumes out will I get more letters back?

A Useful Feature.

I haven't gotten into my job search as much as I've wanted to. Life has a tendency to get in the way. I've noticed a severe lack of help wanted signs as well. It seems to me the legal job market shuts down for the summer unless the application is for well seasoned attorneys. I'm not that well seasoned and I know I'll be competing for jobs with recent grads who've passed the bar exam. Since the exam isn't for a few more months I suspect there won't be many want ads until then.

I looked at the website for Big City. It had a very useful feature. If you check the boxes for the types of employment or areas you wished to know about it will email you any future jobs for the next year. Sweet! Someone finally had a bright idea. With luck in a few months a job I'll be interested in might just show up in my email.

With luck.

Things To Be Thankful For.

As pessimistic and jaded as I am I do feel the need to be thoughtful on occasion. I must remind myself that things could be far far worse!

1. I do have a job in the legal field that pays my bills. Sure I don't like the job, the commute, the clientele, but I recall being unemployed around 2 years ago and wondering how was I going to survive and how was I going to make use of this shiny, but apparently useless degree I had. What am I thankful for, I'm now at a place where I can start planning for the next stage of my career and I have the luxury of time.

2. I have a family that loves and supports me. I may not relate to them very much but we do tend to help each other. Without their support throughout my life and especially through these past few years I would be in a far worse situation than I am now.

3. Doghound! It is obvious Doghound is in the final fall and winter of his life and is unlikely to make it to the next sunny spring day. So every time I find Doghound at my parents' home I make sure I pet him and play with him. No matter how bad a day I've had if I put Doghound in my lap and just pet him I will feel much better. I'm thankful for the fact Doghound makes me feel better so I better enjoy him for the time we have left together.

4. Thanks to the internet and eHarChemtach.com I'm dating again. Sure there are dates with no chemistry or only one of use feels something or I never want to see her again and she's still stalking me, but hey at least I'm in the market for female companionship. While I keep debating if I should hold off on dating again until I have a job with less of a commute so I have more free time at least I can write a food and coffee shop guide to Big City now.

5. The Internet. It provides me with information about things I like and the ability to describe the insaneness of humanity. While I'm not perfect I'm thankful for the fact I'm not as crazy, stupid, or useless as those people! Thanks to the internet I get to maintain my sanity.

I'm sure other people have more selfless and altruistic things to be thankful for. Eh I'll take what I can get. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Seize The Opportunity.

I'm not in an active job hunt mode, but if I happen to stumble upon something I'll take a look. I'm on one website today trying to find an address and there is a "Job Opportunities" link. I decided to click on it and discover there is an attorney position that I'm at least half way qualified for.

I think I'll fire up a letter this weekend. Why not eh?

So Much For That Idea.

I got an email today. Big City interview stated they must cancel the interview. They were unable to offer a position at this time and would keep my resume on file.

Crap!

Did the position just disappear? Did they already find someone to fill it? Did the fact I had to wait until Tuesday to interview kill my chances? Who knows. I hate second guessing things.

I honestly don't know how much longer I can last in Small Town. The hour long commute. The extreme work hours based on the work load and the fact I do the work of three people. A boss who just doesn't seem to do anything urgently. Hell the boss doesn't seem to do much of anything. The boss is burned out and in a sore need of a six month sabbatical. Fine, but that means so much of the behind the scenes workload gets routed to me. All that does is burn me out.

So much for the hope of getting out of the burden of Atlas' shoulders.

White Flag Slowly Going Up.

I'm hoping to have at least 2 years in on the job in Small Town before I go elsewhere. Given the insane amount of work we've had the past few months and the long commute I've grown exhausted over this job.

I just updated my resume. Perhaps I'll upload it to a few websites in a few days. Perhaps I might sign onto a few employment websites soon. I'm tired of being tired. There needs to be less frustrating jobs in the legal field that pay at least as well and don't involve a one hour commute.

Unemployment Is Going DOWN!

The Fabulously Gay Roommate found a job! He starts tomorrow. FGR is disappointed in that the job "is a lateral move" and very similar to his last job. I explained he's been unemployed for at least 6-7 months and he's really moving up in the world by simply having a job in his field. At worse he's holding steady and in this economy that is saying something.

Sometimes I wonder about his perspective on things. He seems rather disappointed.

In some ways I sympathize with him. I recall losing a job with one contract firm. A few months later another contract firm signed me up for the same position I was let go from, for worse hours and less money. I was happy for the money and the employment, but I knew I was going to loathe the situation. I don't know. My experience was a 3 month layoff in a mediocre economy. FGR has been out of work since June or July of last year in the worst economy since the Great Depression. Hell it took me 2 years to find work in MY NEW FIELD after I graduated!!! Perhaps he didn't hit near rock bottom like I did and doesn't realize how lucky he is. The young do lack experience.

Oh well. He'll figure it out eventually. Sometimes the only goal is to have a paycheck. In a year or two both of us can move up the job chain.

What The Legal Profession Will Evolve Into.

I try to spread the word. Don't go into law school, it isn't worth it. Too many law schools generate too many graduates and the job market simply isn't there to absorb the newbies.

To prove the point take a look at what the profession will be.*


*Yes that was Bill Nye The Science Guy.

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

He left a message on my cell phone. If a potential employer is calling back to leave a message to call him back it must be good news. Sadly I just got the potential employer's voice mail when I called back. Oh great we're playing phone tag. He was rushed when he called back, but he asked if I was still interested in the job? Naturally I said yes. It isn't as if I have any other offers. He wants me to come in next Friday for paperwork and stuff with my first official day being the following Monday.

Am I happy that I have a job offer? Yes. Am I disappointed that it's merely a part time job and one heck of a commute? Yes. Will I get good experience? Yes. Why do I sound so depressed about such good news? Simple, I've had lots of good news yanked out from me before. Will something go horribly wrong before I start? It's happened before. Will I get started working and then get screwed again in a few weeks? It's happened before. Right now I feel a cautious and weary optimism. If things go well I'll believe it when I see it. Until I start seeing positive things in my life I'm going to be weary though. If this opportunity goes through I intend to make the most of it, but I suspect it'll be a long time before I stop worrying about when the other shoe will drop.

I'm So Tired Of This.

Sorry, but the client is going with the team members they currently have. If they expand the team we'll be let you know.

Okay it wasn't phrased like that but that was the jist. Dammit give me a job even if it is a temporary position!

It's sad when the checking account gets to $64. At least there was some money in savings and a small check to deposit. How the hell can things be this bad for me?

Why Don't People Keep Their Promises?

If you're say you'll call me regardless of the outcome of the interview even though it'll be late then fucking call me. I'll settle for an email. Even if the message is, "Hey they're taking longer than we expected." I can accept an excuse if someone will just give me an excuse.

This Takes Real Talent.

"I'm sorry but the client decided to not go with all 12 members for the team so not everyone is gets the assignment."

At least that was the jist of the email. Wow I'm laid off from a job before the job even begins. That takes fucking talent. Seriously, how fucking talented am I when I can be accepted for a job, fill out the W2 and confidentiality agreement, and still be laid off 24 hours before the job begins?

What the fuck kind of luck is this?

The Final Countdown.

I'm supposed to find out today about the BIG JOB. I'm only competing against 2 other candidates. I don't see how I can't be the one most qualified. I'll get an email later today. Here's the funny thing. I'm heading to a reception dinner tonight the next state over. A friend and I are heading over this afternoon. I'll see if I can plug my laptop into the free hotel network.

EDIT: ha ha I got to the ethernet port first. Still no email though.

EDIT: Still no email. Okay this is damned annoying.

Saturday June 16 EDIT: And yet again no damned email. Come on lady how hard is it to pick the person? The wedding festivities went well. The groom's parents have a large suite and several coolers are full of alcohol due to the groom's sister. Now this is a good time all things together. I just get anxious every 90 minutes or so and want to check my email.

EDIT: The reception was a pretty good time, but still no email. *Deep sigh*

Sunday June 17 EDIT: We're checking out of the hotel. Still no email.

Finally Treated Like A Bigshot

Now this is more like it. She found my resume online. She gave me a call. It was a freakishly weird job, but so cool. I would be an attorney deployed overseas for at least a year. The amount of money in the salary would rival my classmates who graduated near the top of the class and were working BIGLAW jobs. Plus when you work overseas you don't pay federal income tax. Did I mention they would pay for lodging and a rental car? I could pay off my credit card and law school loans in that time. The job would be a dream come true on so many levels. It would be something I truly loved to do. The adventure of my lifetime.

She flew me out to North Carolina. She paid for the hotel. She interviewed me over a very long lunch that she paid for. I've only heard of stories like this. I never figured it would apply to me. It felt good :-) I thought I did okay in the interview. Only 2 other candidates are being interviewed. I like 1 in 3 odds. I think I'll finally win one.

Call In The Experts

I need help with the job hunt. This entire process is pure bullshit. The Career Services Office at school is staffed with incompetent bimbos. I think they get their job by being the wives and girlfriends of important people in higher positions. I look at their bios on the website. NONE OF THEM HAVE ANY PRIOR EXPERIENCE HELPING PEOPLE FIND JOBS! They didn't help staff law firms. They are former attorneys and former clerks for judges. Only one of them has an MBA and maybe she has a focus in Human Resources, but the bio doesn't mention what her focus was. Whose knob did they polish to get this gig? Seriously these people are supposed to help me get a job?

I went to the professional outplacement service. My career counselor seems to be a smart lady. I noted that the more I ignored Career Services' advice the better results I got (at least I got a few interviews). Career Counselor looked at the resume Career Services and laughed. She called it a piece of shit.

I have to do a lot of tests. I have to do lots of reading. I have to have my resume reformatted. I have to go through a career counseling session. I hope this works. I had to put the fee on my credit card and now my balance is almost a third higher. If this doesn't work I don't know what I'll do.