Job Hunting

Recently, Tucker and I returned from our expedition to the corn fields in Iowa.  We both learned to enjoy the job (when it wasn't 98* or higher outside)  and ended up having fantastic experiences, which I will tell about in a future post.  We came home tired, tanner, a little richer, and completely fed up with taxes! (which up till this point we did not have to deal with.)  It was wonderful to walk in and see our family after our 3 1/2 week absence, and we were eager to relax from our busy trip.  We sat down to a delicious dinner, talked about our work, and prepared ourselves to lounge in front of the TV for a few hours.  My mom had other ideas, though.  After having to do mine and Tucker's dish days for the past month, she was eager for a break as well.  I could see glee appear on her face when she asked whose dish day it was and I reluctantly raised my hand.  From that moment on any pity Tucker and I had warranted vanished.  It was back to business as usual.

Dishes weren't so bad, Mom had done a load previously so the sink wasn't completely full, and I had stayed in practice while in Iowa, so it took very little time.  It was the perpetual pestering to find another job that exhausted me.  My mom and dad made a great tag team.  For the next couple of days, they would make sure to mention how expensive college is and ask where I had applied.  I have to give them credit, it's not like they were attempting to persuade me just to gain work experience.  I really did need to save up some money, never the less, after working in a corn field for a month, I really wanted a day or two to relax.  My day or two expired quickly, and on Tuesday I started my job hunt.

It was a weird experience.  I had never looked for a job before.  Ben and Becca were nice enough to tell Tucker and I about the corn field job, and after we sent in our applications we were immediately hired.   I assumed that that was how every job worked.  So, after I sent my online application to Culver's (fast food place where many of my member friends had previously worked) I thought I was set.  I basically sat back and waited for my confirmation e-mail.  When I saw the looks on my parents faces after I relayed my efforts, I surmised that I was probably incorrect.  They then told me that whenever I applied online or in person I should always make sure to talk to the manager.  Now that was awkward!  I had already applied online, so I couldn't go in and ask for another application, but my parents still insisted that I meet the person in charge anyways.  I felt ridiculous walking in to the restaurant.  I could just imagine my future conversation with the person who might be hiring me. 

"Hi, my name is Taysom.  I already applied online, but my parents said I should come in and ask if there is anything else I should do, when I already know that the answer is no, just so you could get a good look at how adorable I am, so you could hire me right off the bat! (insert cheesy grin here)." The worst part would be that this would be going on in front of customers.  Dinner and a show! How wonderful for them.

Needless to say, it went much better than that.  My parents were right, if you ask the employer if there is anything else I should do, its like a code for "would you like to hire me?"  Giving the employer two choices to say either, well the only thing that is left is to wait (aka rejection) or no that's all you needed to do, but how about you come talk with me for a few minutes about your application (success!).  I received the latter response, but I still was not hired immediately or at all for that manner.  I guess 4 months of work (because I can only work till the end of December)  was not worth paying for me to take the safety classes and training.  She did say that if my schooling situation changed that I should let her know and she would hire me immediately, but it was still a humbling blow.  Thus, my job hunt continued.  I was hit with the rejection blow from Hobby Lobby, but Chik-Fil-A, the Red Onion, and Bob Evans all asked and received an interview with me.  Plus, Chik-Fil-A already scheduled a third (and final)  interview for me next Wednesday, so hopefully that goes well.  I am also waiting to here from the school district about a possible office assistant position, but I'll have to see how that goes. 

Wish me luck!
Taysom