Robert Downey Jr. personifies the emotions I'm experiencing on the week of my 1-year anniversary of being made redundant employment-wise, particularly as I celebrate the newest opportunity where my presence is actually wanted and needed. And again, I'm reminded of a certain phrase my dear Mom used to say (and probably still does, to this day)...

Onward and upward.

While I am grateful for the job application invites to become a pizza delivery or Lyft driver, call center representative, warehouse associate, insurance agent, receptionist, dog walker or pet sitter, day care worker, financial advisor, sales representative, machinist, and more, I remain fixated on my dream to return to a career that puts my background and education to best use. And after experiencing an extremely low emotional start this week, these words of inspiration received from Arnold Schwarzenegger (by way of Alexa's Inspire Me skill) helped remind me to stay focused on my vision, give 100%, and never stop believing that my dream will happen.

Thanks, Arnie.  I'll be back - most definitely.

Nothing can be more exciting than a week involving Salon Pampering, right? So yes, that is the plan, including fresh highlights and a stylish haircut on my upcoming itinerary. But first is an interview with #Apple, a company in which I should own plenty of stock based on all of the devices purchased for myself and family over the past few decades.  

Just think, I might be your next Genius Bar Guru... *stay tuned!*

Update 9/24/18:  After doing more research on Apple's hiring process and reading this in particular, I decided to "go in another direction" instead.  Salon Pampering is still on, though.

So much action is taking place on my job transition right now that I cannot even keep up with it blog-wise. A good thing, right?? In a nutshell, I've been acquiring new Tech Recruiters on a daily basis; my employment applications are seeing results; and I seem to be focusing in on the best search methodology in finding potential opportunities.  And really, the best part is that I can still file a weekly claim and receive an unemployment check while doing so.

Yeah, I'm doing OK in spite of the situation.

As of today, I can safely report that 12 employers are thoughtfully considering hiring me for 19 vacant job positions. And with another phone interview and an online assessment scheduled to happen this week, things are still moving forward, albeit slower than freaking molasses as my dear Grandma would so eloquently state, but without the 'freaking' part. So I'm feeling super-dee-dooper excited about all of the activity and haven't developed an inferiority complex after all, thank goodness.

On a completely non-related track, my youngest is pulling in mega-bucks with his first job ever working as a lifeguard, all while enjoying the accolades of his own personal fan club who have voted him to be one of the top Mr. King of the Pool candidates (stay tuned - he could win!) and proclaimed him to be their Zac Efron look-a-like, an observation with which I shockingly agree after seeing Baywatch images of Zac sporting similar red lifeguard trunks.

This summer just got incredibly REAL.

After applying to my first job via the ZipRecruiter app, I received this encouraging email from my new online job seeker advocate:

Hi,

I wanted to reach out to let you know that we received your application for the position at Infotech Technologies. I'll let you know as soon as the hiring manager views it. In the meantime, I found a few similar jobs that I wanted to run by you. If you like any of them, just click the "1-Click Apply" link and I'll go ahead and submit your application using the resume that we already have on file.

Last thing - if my matches aren’t quite right, you can easily update your preferred job title and/or location for me here: Improve My Matches 

Beware of job scams: Requests to cash checks, wire money, and share credit card information are all red flags. Never provide employers with personal or financial information without due diligence. Read more here. 

Regards,

Phil - Job Seeker Advocate
 
604 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401

Ok well, I responded to my new ZipRecruiter friend, Phil, who emailed me this message today (let's hope he offered valuable job-landing advice - the above image shows some of my potential job recommendations via the ZipRecruiter app):

Hi,

I highly recommend that you download the ZipRecruiter app. We’ll notify you when employers view your application, and tell you the minute a new job is posted that matches your profile so you can be the first to apply. 

Click here to download the app. 

Regards,

Phil - Job Seeker Advocate
 
604 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401

My dreams have been taking me to strange, unknown places since the recent loss of my job, and last night's experience was no exception.  As background, I once worked as an MCI long distance telephone operator while in college and would spend long hours directing phone calls for random callers throughout the USA and beyond.  The work was tedious and boring, except perhaps when the caller originated from one of the many penitentiaries that contracted MCI to handle collect calls for inmates - then things got a little messed up.

Flashback to a typical inmate-related phone call:

Me: MCI, this is operator 328. May I help you?
Inmate: Collect call to ###-###-####
Me: May I have your name?
Inmate:  Joe.
Me:  One moment please.  (dials number)
Callee (feminine voice): Hello?
Me: This is the MCI operator and I have a collect call from Joe. Do you accept the charges?
Inmate (using a feminine voice): Yes, I accept.
Callee: Wait, what? Who's calling me?
Inmate (still using that fake feminine voice): I said YES - put the *&^^%! call through!
Me: One moment while I connect you with my manager. *arrrrgghh*

So after my dream took me back to being employed at that same call center as a long distance operator all over again, I am left with this big huge booming voice screaming in my head:

OH HELL NO.

​So where was I?  Right.  Job seeking with a vengeance, sans long distance call centers, THANKS VERY MUCH.

... but nothing new to report on the job front at this point. *sigh*

Age discrimination appears to be a real thing.  Just sayin'.

Might as well, right?  Because there are only so many job applications one can submit before an escape to the sunny deck is needed.  And besides getting a much-needed warm glow from those rays I soaked up, I also managed to channel a potential employer who gave me 1.) a telephone screening and 2.) an interview opportunity with the actual hiring manager.

FIST. PUMP.