UPDATE — UPDATE — UPDATE — UPDATE

The interview this afternoon went quiet well.  Though I felt the interviewer was trying more to convince me I wanted the job than she was questioning me to see if she wanted me for the position.   While I was told by the recruiter I’d be interviewing for a Campaign Manager spot … I was actually interviewing for the higher level position of Marketing Manager.  Which is fine .. but I hadn’t prepared for that job.  The good thing is she didn’t ask any of the standard interview questions … so I was still able to explain my background and fill in the holes on my resume where she did have questions.

It seems this is a new department for the network, and it’s growing rapidly {from 8 employees to about 75 in the past few months}.  It’s an exciting opportunity in a wacky yet hard working environment – I’d fit in perfectly!

Best thing – they are dressy casual!  No suits needed!

I was her first interview … she’s setting up second interviews next week … followed by an interview with the Big Boss .. and then perhaps a group thing to see how I’d fit in the team.  That’s of course .. if I’m called back.

My thank you note will be sent out tomorrow afternoon – I have appointments in the morning.

I still have the Jury Duty issue if I get called back .. I’m pretty much on-call day to day – and won’t know my schedule for the next day until noon.  It sucks .. but what can I do?

Well I’ve made myself a nervous wreck again about my job interview today. It’s pretty much a HUGE deal – with a rather large cable television network that operates out of Orlando. So I’m nervous. The industry as a whole has image issues … and I’ve been searching the internet for “Dressing for Success – Plus Sized” and other interview dressing tips to make myself appear slimmer than I actually am. I WILL be wearing the suit today, as it’s Navy Blue, it fits well, and it shows I do actually have a waist.

I’m supposed to be reviewing the “Top 10 questions to ask during an interview” right now, and researching more about the company. But I can’t seem to focus on too much of anything this morning. It’s nerves .. I know it is. And I didn’t sleep well last night. Perhaps another Caffeinated Crystal Light will wake me up a bit.

I would like this job – a great deal. It would be my return to TV doing work that I love. While I’m a pretty decent match skills wise for this position – there are a few areas I’m not familiar with – and it’s those slight discrepancies that concern me. It’s not something I could learn over night.

I’ll post an update this afternoon .. let you all know how it went. For now – just send all the positive vibes you can to Orlando! I need al lthe help I can get!

God I seriously HATE looking for a job.

As I was cleaning my office this week I found the folder I had all of the forms I had to fill out for Unemployment when I lost my job back in 2005.  The first resume I sent out was on 8/3/2005 to the Orlando Sentinel. The last one I sent out was just a few days before Jim went into the hospital on 4/21/06 – for a Marketing Coordinator position.  That was Resume #118 – out of those I had 8 interviews.

I started seriously looking again for a job in December of 2007 – this time the job search went through APril 2008.    While I sent out many more resumes … I only kept track of 18 jobs .. becasue they were the most relevant to my search.  I had 2 interviews out of those 18.

Then most recently – starting in July – I’ve sent out 27 resumes {That I kept track of} – and scored 3 interviews.

None of them have led to a full time job.  This last rejection came a few minutes ago and landed me in tears.  Out of all the jobs – this one was a perfect match.  “Your qualifications and background are impressive”  So why the heck not hire me for the job?

There’s only so much rejection someone can take .. I think I’ve reached my limit.  I can’t do it anymore.

I have a job interview on Friday!

I try really hard not to get too excited over these .. but when you consider the job market right now is on the decline .. and marketing communications jobs are so few and far between … I’m thrilled to get the call! Now the mass panic to prepare … the nerves to settle in .. the self critical eye .. the hunt for a perfect interview outfit .. etc … will all hit!

This position is with Babies “R” Us. It will combine my love of retail with my Marketing skills. After speaking with the Dist. Marketing Manager on the phone, the job sounds perfect for me. I’d be working with area doctors offices and medical centers to plan and execute New Mother and Expecting Mother education sessions. I’d also be working with four stores on their individual marketing plans .. with an emphasis on increasing their Baby Registry sales.

The downside is that there are four stores under my responsibility .. and one is in Daytona Beach. The good news is I’ll be based out of the location closest to me {I have to figure that out before Friday} … and I’ll probably only have to go to the Daytona store at most once a week. The BEST news is that the salary is exactly what I’m looking for .. and it comes with full benefits!!!

So … keep your fingers crossed for me. I’m heading out to the stores tomorrow to look for decent interview attire. I need your advice .. to wear a jacket or not wear a jacket .. that is the question! I hate the way I look in them. So perhaps a dressy blouse will do just fine? What’s your opinion people?!

I’m going stir crazy today – LOL! I made this decision last week not to go out of the house on extra trips for a couple of weeks. Now, before you start calling me a weirdo … there is a reason for my madness. If I don’t go shopping – I can’t spend money. If I don’t make extra trips in the car – I save gas money and I keep from adding to the fuel shortage. It’s also to motivate me to get some basic cleaning done around the house {hahahaha – me clean – hahahahah!} But the side effect is me going a little nutso.

I’ve been spending about 3 hours a day looking for a job online. You’d think this would be an easy task – but really I’m only finding about 1 or 2 jobs each day that I’m qualified for AND interested in. I do plan on hitting up retail stores before the end of next month … just to get me out of the house!

While I’m not worried about money right now – I am concerned that I won’t get a job before my COBRA insurance runs out. If that runs out … well .. I don’t want to think about what might happen. The good news is I can get coverage for John through USF’s student policy. I did send in an application to Aetna last night … but they required a DETAILED medical history … and if they don’t deny me because of my weight I’m sure they’ll deny me because of my hypothyroidism. Perhaps I should just start putting aside that $700 a month I pay into COBRA as a health care fund. At least I’d have a little cushion in the event I do need more than routine health care.

I’m sort of excited about my weight loss progress this week. While I’m not ready to release any official numbers .. I can say I’m actually looking forward to my official weigh in tomorrow afternoon. My clothes are feeling loose again … and that is what I’m excited about! I do know that the first two weeks of a new program is where you see the best results. But I’m hopeful all the same that the rate of loss will be close to 5 pounds each week.

I found a new artist for Sounds of Sunday. I’d post it now .. but then what would I do on Sunday? She’s really good .. and the shocker is she’s only 17 years old! I found her after someone from the Capital Records Media web site stopped by my blog to read a few of the Sounds of Sunday articles I wrote. Her album is to be released soon in the States … and I think you’re all going to love her.

An update on another favorite artist of mine .. Ryan Star. Stop by his blog today and hear a sneak peek song off his new album. It’s called Brand New Day .. and if the song isn’t relevant to my life right now … I don’t know what is! It’s awesome .. and it made me cry.

Which brings me to these overwhelming hormonal emotions I’m experiencing right now. I don’t know if it’s the increase in soy – which is a natural estrogen booster – or what. But I was weeping when I watched American’s Got Talent auditions. I cry when mushy commercials come on! It’s insane! I’m going to have to walk around with a box of Kleenex .. and I’m almost afraid to drive with the radio on in the event a sad song comes on while I’m driving! Maybe it’s just a mini-blue phase I’m going through. There has been additional stress the past few weeks over finding a job … and my reluctance to actually work in a corporate environment again.

I mean really … does it make me a loser if I WANT to work retail? My dream is to own my own shop .. doesn’t it make sense that I work in a similar little shop until I know enough to actually open my own? I think I need to get my father-in-law out of my head … and stop worrying about what hubby’s family might approve of … and go for something that would make me happy. Isn’t it time I started living for myself?

ETA: I know why I’m so hyper today …. I started my higher does of synthroid this morning. No wonder I actually feel normal!

ETA PM: 1 lap around inside first floor of house = 1 minute. 2 minutes of walking = .1 miles. So 60 laps around house = 3 miles of walking.

Those who have been following the blog for a few years know that I had begun my job search in August of 2005. A quick recap … after sending out hundreds of resumes I ended up with 8 interviews … out of those 8 interviews I was the #2 candidate in 3 positions. I guess I just wasn’t quiet good enough, and that sort of rejection wears you down. By the time April 2006 had rolled around I was growing rather fed up with the entire interviewing process and was ready to crawl back to my retail roots just to get out of the house! This is when Jim was diagnosed with post-transplant lymphoma and my career search came to a screeching halt.

Following Jim’s death I did work for 6 short months at my sons local high school, but I was in such a dark place at that time, I just couldn’t bring myself to continue being there. I had won the free year on Jenny Craig – I took that as a sign to quit and get healthy.

Flash forward till today, as I sit at my computer contemplating exactly what it is I want to do. And I’m still as clueless as I was this time last year. I don’t want just any job, I want something that feels more like a family and less like a corporation. I’d love to work for a non-profit – but those jobs are few and far between. I take a look at my resume and see that I’m in an “in-between” state … too much experience to be considered as a Marketing Coordinator .. but not enough experience as a manager for any of the management positions. While I may have been Director of Marketing at my last job … the environment there wasn’t a corporate experience and I just can’t honestly say to someone I’m ready to manage a department.

So my options are to dumb down my resume or to attempt to convince employers that I really do want that Coordinator position . I can’t tell them I’m not ready for management … that would scream “I have no confidence in abilities.” I’ve come to the conclusion my cover letter should address this, by stating something about transitioning between “at home mode” back into “work mode”. I just need to find the right words to make it sound really promising!

Several people – those who have their own business – have mentioned doing free-lance or copy write work. While this might sound appealing to some, two of the key reasons for my getting a job are #1 – INSURANCE and #2 – getting out and meeting people. If I’m working from the house neither of those needs are met.

Careebuilder.com and Monster.com are where I headed this morning. I spent several hours pursuing jobs in the Orlando area posted in the past 30 days … and I came up with THREE to send my resume to. Yeah … just three. One of which is a part-time gig, two of which are for non-profits. But I’d be very happy working for any of the three companies. I whole heartedly agree with the mission of one of the non-profits and hope they look past the fact that I have no experience in Development to see I have a ton of experience in every other aspect of the job posting. But I’m once again dejected in the fact I can’t find a true marketing communications job … or any marketing position that doesn’t involve cold-call sales!!! They really need to classify marketing and sales as two separate entities!

I’m going to start a subscription to the Orlando Sentinel … just to get the want ads. I know it’s such a waste to recycle the rest of the paper … but in reality I won’t read it. I’ll be tracking every position I apply for .. and I just hope I can find something before my COBRA insurance runs out in October. If nothing comes up between now and the end of July I’ll be heading over to the Temp agencies, and the retail stores. I can’t be 100% un-hireable – can I?  God!  I have no confidence in this process … this is one of those things I hate most in the world!!