Yep, Another Interview

But this time it went really well!

I like this place, it’s family owned, operated, and oriented. It has a nice homey feel to it, some place I could be happy and useful and not feel like just another spoke in a great big wheel. I liked the lady who interviewed me we had a nice long chat and I was smart enough to bring my letters of recommendation with me so I could give them to her.

The ad stated they were looking for part-time clerical help but by the end of the interview she was talking about taking me on full-time to help out with the office work and to help out with their marketing. I was confused at first but I told her all about the electronic newsletter I instituted for the Union and how I overhauled that mess of a website site. We talked about social media marketing and both of us decided we’re not fans of Twitter. LOL But, this was only the second interview wherein I brought up my books and all the marketing I did for them, my own website, how I made all the book covers and all of that. I told the lady at Connecticut College about them very briefly but this lady was interested in everything I’d done for the books. So I guess maybe that will go in my favor. Let’s hope so anyway. She asked if I could help out with their website. They already have a very nice site unlike the one I walked into for the Union. I told her that I could probably do some updates on it for them and be useful to them there. I looked at it on my phone yesterday so when I got home I looked at on Ye Olde Computer and snuck a peek at the code, it’s pretty much straight HTML like I’m used to so I wouldn’t foresee many problems just doing a few updates here and there on it…ya know like removing the cell in the slideshow that’s advertising their ‘end of the year sale’. 🙂  Yeah, I can do that. I can take over or at least help out with their newsletter. I can make up graphics for their Facebook/Twitter/Instagram pages letting people know whenever something’s on sale and disseminating other news important to the company and their customers. They like to do flyers and booklets, stuff like that. I would be able to get in on those things too. They actually have PhotoShop so I wouldn’t have to use Pixlr anymore doing graphics online as I had to do for the Union. I would be able to produce better graphics for them because they have the proper tool for the job.

I’m hoping I get this job it really does seem like the perfect fit for me. A little office work. A little creative work. Yeah, that would be great.  She seemed happy when I told her that I could start right away. She has more interviews to do on Monday so she’ll let me know next week. I really hope they pick me.

In case they don’t, after I left I was close to County Hearing and Balance where I had an interview earlier this week so I went there, popped my head in the door, and let them know I was still interested in the position. They’re still doing interviews so they haven’t made a decision yet. I wouldn’t mind working there either, it would be a good job, it also has a bit of a homey feel to it.

The interviews are over for this week so that’s nice. I haven’t heard from a single recruiter today so that’s nice too. I have some breathing space for the next few days. This week has been crazy with interviews, phone calls, and emails.  Weird, huh? I go for weeks without hearing a word from anyone then all of a sudden I’m bombarded to the point I find myself wanting to hide in a hole to get away from it all. Very strange.

I would love to go back to work and get out of this house. Let’s hope they think I’m the right gal for the job.

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Interesting Doin’s on The Job Hunt

Yep, this entry is going to be another of those ‘get your favorite beverage and put your feet up’ posts.

First off, I did find out the ‘reason’ the interviewer never showed up yesterday. Ready? Death in the family.

If you didn’t read yesterday’s post you should before you decide if that’s the truth or just an excuse.

Me? I gave it a 50/50 split. It’s sort of right up there with ‘the dog ate my homework’ at this point. But…ya never know. So when the recruiter finally got back and told me that I sent back an email asking him to give my condolences to the interviewer and ‘if they’re ever in the market for a capable secretary I hope they will keep me in mind’.

Too rude?

It felt about right to me so I didn’t mind hitting ‘send’ on that one. Hey! If it is true then the secretary really dropped the ball, the first thing they should have done upon hearing the news was clear the boss’ schedule for the next 24-48 hours. I would have anyway. But then again I’m capable and efficient.

About minutes after that…..my phone and my email started blowing up and they have not stopped. I’m tired of answering my phone….I’m tired FROM answering my phone! It seem Pfizer has the same two jobs open….again. I am right at the top of the list for every recruiter from Connecticut to New Mexico for both jobs. I don’t like Pfizer for several reason and I really don’t want to work there. I don’t know anyone who is happy there since the company became PFIZER whereas, for decades it was just, Pfizer. A happy little cradle-to-grave pharmaceutical/cosmetic company across the river every local person wanted to work for.

Truly befuddled and a little disgusted from my non-interview yesterday I found myself playing a game called Which of You Bastards Can Get Me The Most Money.

It was a fun game, I have to admit. I turned down every offer for $15.00/hour and went with the one that immediately came up to $16.00/hour with benefits. Sure, Mr…..oh I shouldn’t be racists and rude here, should I? But, well, sure Mr. India….go ahead send in my resume. Of course I had to ‘sign’ with his company so I did. No one else can submit my resume for the Project Coordinator position. That was sad news to the lone Miss USA person who called me today and she was actually in Connecticut! This dude is in Michigan! But she wanted me to jump through a bunch of unnecessary hoops like going to East Hartford for an interview. None of these out-of-state companies want me to interview with them….they want me to interview with Pfizer so they can get the commission. And Miss USA insisted I download WebEx so we could ‘web conference’ for the interview.Then she asked; “Do you know what that is?”

I was very close to saying; “Yes, it’s the crap the Union signed up, paid a boatload for money for, then discovered that between the SIX states they could only do one meeting at a time. What they really needed was Skype.”

I refrained and just said; “Yes, we used that at my last job. It’s not a free service but I’ll look into getting a trial account so we can web conference” 9since that’s so important to you).

It wasn’t until after I actually downloaded and free trial of WebEx that I realized I was already obligated to another company because I thought she was calling about the Administrative Assistant position….which has also been blowing up my phone… but she was calling about the Project Coordinator job and only willing to pay the $15.00/hour.

Get this. There’s little difference between the twos job but one pays $16.00/hour (cause I demanded it) and the other $20.37/hour!

I don’t know who figures these things out. I don’t know how they come to these conclusions but if I’m going to work for PFIZER then, baby, put me in for the $20.37/hour job! 😛

Can you see me in Corporate America? Seriously. If YOU actually KNOW ME…..how’s that picture looking to you? I mean, you know I’m highly allergic to bullshit, right?

But both are 1 year contract positions so I could suck it up that long then get out and collect Unemployment again. They would look good on my resume while I look around for an actual home to call my own.

On that front…….

I scored two interviews today!

The first is for Norwich Free Academy who is looking for a secretary/administrative assistant. How funny is that? I’ve tried for months just to get an interview with the New London Public School System for an identical open position and they couldn’t even be bothered to call me….not once. The jobs there are still open. But Norwich might like to have me. Good deal. It’s a longer drive than I would like to make but it’s worth going up for there for the interview on the 26th and finding out about it.

The second interview is for tomorrow with a company in Waterford who shall for right now remain nameless.

I looked at their ad a few times and I usually don’t apply if I don’t meet one or more conditions but this time I threw it out there and they called me. Woot!

They’re looking for someone part-time but they don’t know what hours they’d like the new employee to work. However, they believe it could eventually work into full-time. They also don’t know what they’re willing to pay. BUT, hey! They’re very interested in my graphics/photography/web design experience! However, that’s not the job I applied for. I applied for….yes, of course….Administrative Assistant. I made the appointment for tomorrow then I went to their website. I’ll be happy to help the Web Master but I don’t want to take over their job.

Yesterday, before going to my non-interview I broke down and printed out an application for an Administrative Assistant position with a local town. I hate doing that. My handwriting alone disqualifies me not that they’ll ask me why it’s so bad. The reasons are; the fine muscles in my hands never developed properly and now that I’m older I have arthritis and carpel tunnel so yes, my dear, yes my handwriting sucks! But I am still well-qualified for the job. I sent that off with my resume and four letters of recommendation. The whole time I wondered why they still do it this way. Even New London does it this way. Why? What’s the point? The least any of them could do is make the Application ‘fillable’. Then people could download it, fill it out, save it, print it and send it off without it looking as though

Filled it out.

Most towns still won’t accept ‘electronic submissions’. Why? Is their virus software that bad? Look if every recruiting company from Connecticut to Alaska dealing with companies as large as PFIZER can accept electronic resumes…..the local towns should be able to do the same.

But I tossed it out there hoping the person who receives it is intelligent.

Yeah, I know; Good luck with that!

Oh well, that’s all The News That’s Fit To Print for the moment. I’ll keep you updated as we go along.