Archive | Work RSS feed for this section

Job Interview on the Fly

25 Jul

He left a message at 1 pm.  Saw my resume.  Wants to hold interviews this week and next.  Call him to set up a time.

I call back at 3 pm. He tells me he has to sort through all the resumes, commenting that he has so many because of the bad economy.  I reply that the open position is also an exciting opportunity.  He agrees and then begins to set up an interview time.  He asks me what days I would be free. I’m available tomorrow if he’s open, I announce.  It’s set.

Right now, I’m reviewing a list of possible questions I could encounter tomorrow.  I’ve manicured my nails. I’m grooming my eyebrows.  I’m second guessing my outfit.  What purse should I carry? Should I wear a necklace?  Will my throat still hurt this bad tomorrow?  (I caught the kids’ colds.)  The only thing I’m not worried about is getting there.  I actually scouted it out earlier tonight.

That’s about all I can do. Worry and wait until 10 am tomorrow.  That’s when I’ll be trying to convince my inquisitor that I’m the next Publicity Manager for The University of Georgia Press.
 

Tags: , , ,

Getting My Foot in the Door

22 Jul

Not 12 hours after I boo-hooed about not getting any love with my job applications, I got an email for an interview!  I will be interviewing for the position of Communication Specialist with the Broadcast and Distance Learning Department of Gwinnett County Public Schools on Thursday, July 31.

Based off the description on the job posting, it seems like something I would be good at and would like.  It’s basically producing programs for the school system’s 24/7 educational television channel and supervising video-conferencing for distance learning.

I’m just so excited to have a chance and I did it without having an “in” to help me get my foot in the door.  Every job I ever had I got because I knew someone who knew someone.  Not this time.  I just can’t even believe it!

Now, I just have to prepare!  I have a new suit and heels all ready to be worn but my brain needs a re-boot.  Luckily, Andrew has a bunch of professional advice on interviewing from his recruiters so I’m going to be reviewing all of that but when it really comes down to it, they either like you or they don’t.  We’ll see if it’s a match or not!

 

Tags: , , ,

How Things Change

22 Jul

It used to be I would wish and pray and promise I’d give things up or do something different if I could only just have that really pretty Barbie – front row seats to a New Kids on the Block Concert – my crush of the month to like me back – a bigger CD collection – to make the volleyball team…

Now, I’m about to go there for a job.  All I’m hoping for right now is a call about a job. Or an email about a job.  Any job.  Well, any job that doesn’t involve sneaky telemarketing companies disguising themselves as a real marketing firm or unwanted attention from insurance companies.

So far, I’ve applied for 9 jobs that I think I would really like. I’ve only heard back from one and it obviously wasn’t a positive response.  Here’s what I’ve got out there –

  • WXIA Mom Website Manager
  • University of Georgia Publicity Manager (I just got finished applying for this one at 3 am.)
  • Emory University Communications Specialist
  • Northeast Regional Health System Public Relations Specialist – (The first to let me know it was no.)
  • Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Website Content Manager (I just checked the website and it says my application is “under consideration.” We’ll see…)
  • Georgia Public Broadcasting Creative Services Producer
  • Gwinnett County Schools Communications Specialist/Broadcast & Distance Learning
  • Gwinnett County Public Library – Library Associate
  • Publix Grocery Stores (Andrew says they just aren’t calling because there are no openings.  I just can’t help but feel a little unhirable since they won’t even call!)

There they are.  All the ones that I can remember off the top of my head.  I’m actually really rooting for the Library Associate one.  It has great pay and benefits and I’ve always had a love for the library. Hopefully, they’ll show me a little love!
 

Tags: , ,

The Chronicles of the Unemployed

17 Jul

Week One:

  • Worry about money but then buy bread, milk and $5 in lottery tickets during an emergency grocery store run. (I just needed beer and diapers to round out the unemployed stereotype.  Oh yeah, and I just won another losing ticket.)
  • Take the kids swimming at the YMCA since we’ve already paid up for the month.
  • Canceled all unnecessary monthly expenses.
  • Play tennis and talk about taking lessons because what else do we have to do while we wait for people to call us back about jobs and maybe we should really be treating this like a nice paid vacation since we know we’ll be fine and get some sort of job anyway.

Week Two:

  • Get frustrated because the only people calling us for jobs are insurance companies and fishy marketing companies.
  • Play more tennis.
  • Check email by the half hour for possible job opportunities.
  • Tell ourselves people probably won’t contact us this week because it’s the week of July 4th and most of them are on vacation.
  • Begin a great time with our friends Julie and Chris.  They provide plenty of laughs and confidence boosting!
  • Prepared for our garage sale that was planned prior to the job loss.  Now though, it’s for more than just spending money.

Week Three:

  • You guessed it.  Play tennis. (We’re actually getting pretty good!)
  • Get excited after two legitimate companies express interest in Andrew.  One sets up a phone interview and a recruiter for the other (CSX!) called him after finding his resume online.
  • Went shopping for job interview attire with Julie and Nia “just in case.”  So far, there’s no need to remove the tags.
  • Hoped garage sale would make a lot of money for us but we only made 10% of what we could have.  Planning to have another in a few months.
  • Took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese and had a blast!  We’re pretty sure the $30 spent there won’t hurt us in the long run.  Besides, it was worth it!
  • Take Andrew’s business suit and shirts to the dry cleaners.  Stress because I told the lady heavy starch but somehow she convinced me I wanted light starch.  Will the lack of starch cost Andrew a job?!

Week Four:

  • Feel a sense of comfort when Andrew’s parents arrive for a week long visit.
  • Become bummed because no one is calling me for a job. I’ve applied for 10 positions but none in TV news. I’m just not going there until I really have to go there.  It seems that may happen pretty soon.
  • Andrew has a great phone interview with a company and they tell him they want him to meet all the big bosses for another interview. The only problem – it’s an hour and a half away from our house.  We’re not writing it off yet but yikes!
  • Another round of tennis for the budding stars.
  • Andrew prepares for an upcoming hiring conference which is how he got his first job out of the military at Best Buy.  Basically, head hunters arrange for a bunch of Fortune 500 companies to interview former military members and you’re pretty much guaranteed a job offer.  Fingers crossed for that!
  • Andrew and I go bowling and had the best time. It doesn’t get any better than two pitchers of beer, 3 games of bowling, my 5 strikes, some skee ball and a dangerous bout of air hockey. A memory I will hold close to my heart forever.
  • Waiting and hoping as we make the most of our time together.

 

Tags: , , ,

It’s just a job

28 Jun

So here it is.  The blog I’ve been wanting to write but wasn’t sure how to put it all into words.  To sum it up – due to restructuring at Andrew’s company, they eliminated his position.

Andrew. The West Point Graduate.  Andrew. The Veteran.  Andrew. The Overall Great Guy.

We know it wasn’t personal. It all came down to numbers but still, it’s all just so crazy.

We are now fortunately (if you could call it that!) living on a few weeks of severance while we both aggressively apply for job after job.  Andrew has several head hunters helping him and some of my good friends in television news are doing what they can to help build up my confidence and get me back in a newsroom.

Despite it all, Andrew and I really aren’t that worried.  We know that somehow we will be fine. We have our family.  We have our health.  We have some Spam in the pantry.  (I originally bought that as a joke a few weeks ago, now it seems it might come in handy!)

As cliche’ as it may sound, it could always be worse and we do believe that this could lead to bigger and better things for us.  Fingers crossed.
 

Tags: , , ,

Walking through the Front Door

6 Mar

During our trip back to Savannah, I stopped by WSAV and it just felt weird.  I was looking forward to visiting the station right up until I went to drive there.

It dawned on me – I have to park in the front and I have to ring the front doorbell instead of parking right behind the newsroom and using my key like I did for the majority of my grown-up years.  I’m not one of “them” anymore.  That got me thinking – should I even be going back? I mean, they are probably all busy like I always was when people would come visit and what do I really have to say to them?

I decided that since I drove there I might as well just go do it – besides I had already told Paul I would be there and I knew he would make me feel like I still belong (he even asked my opinion on a story which felt really good!). But as soon as I walked in that front door I felt the awkwardness – I could tell some people were thinking – “What in the world is she doing back?” Some people even said it to me.  I guess they were thinking “she’s free – why would she ever return?”  All I could say is I just wanted to say hi and while that is true I also wanted to see how the place was doing.

I don’t really know how to describe it but what I do know is that place was busy and felt so different to me.  Maybe it was so different because I knew I didn’t have to worry about scripts or the deadline or adding stories in at the last minute – I could be in there and just hang and I could leave whenever I wanted and then not even watch the news that night!

I guess my visit back was worth it because I did get to laugh with some of my buddies and hug others that I’ve missed – plus it made me realize I could walk away from something I loved to be a part of without any regrets.

Tags: ,

Thoughts from an Outsider

4 Mar

I truly hope I didn’t anger people as much as television news writers are angering me now.

I don’t really watch the news anymore because usually I just end up screaming at the television – critiquing the newscast story by story – also cartoons are pretty much all I get to see during the day now and night time is reserved for our sacred shows.  The only time I ever watch the news is try to see what Atlanta traffic will be like for Andrew on his way home from work but even then it drives me nuts.

The latest incident that’s causing me to vent involves that peanut butter recall.  I like to think when I wrote a story or approved a reporter’s script – I made sure we didn’t b.s. the viewer and just told them what they needed to know without dramatics or treating them like they were idiotic freaks.  I like to think I did the opposite of what so many news people do – – – – “Now for a story that is sending fear into the hearts of mothers everywhere…”

WHAT?!?! Oh right – they’re absolutely right – as soon as I heard the report I ran to the pantry and threw cans of food out of the way searching for my peanut butter – when I discovered it had the dreaded “2111” code on it I ran screaming from the kitchen, grabbed the children, tossed them into the cars (without putting them in their child safety seats you know because there’s no time to buckle up for safety when that peanut butter is lurking inside them) and sped to the emergency room.

What makes me sick is that they generalize and try to scare people into watching – JUST TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW!

Since that really doesn’t happen anymore – I’m now not even trying to watch tv news.  Instead I look online for what I want to know – but even then I can’t escape the sensationalism – it “sends fear into my heart” every time I click on a story.

Tags: ,

My Last Friday

18 Nov

Need an ego boost?  Quit your job.

Play at Work

What a day!  It was so touching how many people said nice words, gave presents or cards or just a pat on the back to let me know I’ll be missed.  The newscast was as easy (thanks reporters and photogs) and clean as it could be (thanks to our director Jeff and production) and I was as emotional as I could be.

While I am so very happy to start this next adventure in my life, I’m also so very sad and scared to let go of the old one and the people that were part of it with me.

Much of my time there kind of blurs together but here are some of the highs and lows:

  • I started in May of 2000 – ten days after graduating college. My first duty was weekend producer and weekday assistant producer – I did that for a year and a half until I moved to the weeknight 11:00 and then about six to nine months later, the 6:00 newscast.
  • Weeks after I started, both the executive producer and news director were fired.  Both firings happened on a Wednesday – one of my days off.  I remember Anna (a producer I looked up to) called me to let me know.  She thought I must have been really doubting my decision to work there.  I was so immature and inexperienced that the seriousness of the situation didn’t sink in then. For the next few months we were babysat by the main station in our company – then Kevin was hired as news director.  He was/is an incredible boss and I feel so fortunate to have learned from him.

    • In Kuwait

  • I was spoiled during two pregnancies there. When I was expecting Nia and Andrew was deployed, I received so much support and concern from just about everyone at the station. One of our reporters, Tim, even did a story about what we were going through.

Comfy with Ginger

Another reporter there, now my really great friend Ginger, became a source of strength for me as my birthing coach.  She went through the whole experience with me – threw us a baby shower – even read weekly online updates of what I’d be going through.  Words really can’t say how much she means to me – I’m so very grateful for her friendship. Even after I had Nia and returned to work, the support from everyone continued. There were so many times I would have to have Nia at work with me – sitting on my lap as I tried to finish the newscast or as I boothed it. Ginger or Paul Rea would always be there to watch her so I could get finished.  Nia was there so much people would joke she was assistant producer.

Assistant Producer

No one ever made me feel like I was bothering them by bringing a baby to work – in fact it seem like people enjoyed it. (Even if she wasn’t so sure!)

Goofing Off

I am so lucky that I was working with such wonderful and caring people during that time – they all made me feel so loved and so happy and I never will forget all they did for our family.

  • I had to watch so many good friends and people leave before me – something that got harder the longer I worked there. I also just had to leave quite a few people who mean the world to me. Each of them has a special place in my heart and memories and I will always wish them well and hope we stay in touch. I also thank them for all the laughter and comforting moments they’ve given me – I only hope I returned the honor.
  • The station went through so many changes during my time there- I experienced one General Manager switch, a new set, new high tech editing equipment and cameras, 3 studio controls (remember when we had to booth out of the back room of master control?!?! or how about that hole in the wall shaped like a triangle?!?!) new branding, new personalities, new breakroom, new logo…

I could keep going but I think I’ve captured enough.  There’s just one more thought I want to share though – when I first interviewed to work in the Savannah market – I could have taken a job at WTOC – the number one station here. I would have been paid more and had a larger staff to work with – but I chose WSAV.  I chose WSAV because of the people.  The moment I walked in that messy newsroom filled with a bunch of talented characters I knew it was where I wanted to be. It’s funny how some things never change.

Anchor Nia

Tags: ,

My Last Thursday

17 Nov

So today Kevin offered to take me out to lunch.  “Pick somewhere nice – you know where it’s 8 bucks a meal,” he said jokingly.

My options were endless – I could pick something that’s uniquely Savannah – I could pick something fancy and make him really pay – or I could complete my 6 years at WSAV and finish it where it all began.

I chose Applebee’s.  And it wasn’t just any old Applebee’s – it had to be the one where my first Executive Producer took me (the one who got fired like just weeks after my first day).  It was funny when I told him – he was like “really?”

We had a nice lunch – my current Executive Producer came with us and we gossiped and talked about my evolution at WSAV.  How I went from a cry-baby basically to a cry-woman with some balls.  Kevin reminded me of our two “grow some balls” conversations – it took me a few tries but I think I eventually got them.

Really though, I think more of what it was is I grew a baby.  It’s funny how much something like that can change you.  I think it’s because I had something more important to worry about and the last thing I wanted to deal with was stupid stuff at work. Little Bean (as we called her) made me put everything in perspective.  I mean I produced the newscast that won a national Murrow award while I was 6 months preggers with Nia and while Andrew was in Kuwait waiting for word of war.  I guess my job helped me get my mind off the hard parts and all of the work crap that people would complain about just seemed so trivial to me.

It even continues today – I don’t want to know what so and so said about another person or that it stinks you didn’t find out about an assignment 2 hours ahead of time – just do your job!   I’d rather be with my kids but I can’t be so I try not to waste my time away from them bitching and moaning.  Make the most of it – if something gets in your way or upsets you – put more into your performance – don’t waste energy agonizing over issues that won’t get you anywhere – instead put that energy into your work where people will notice – I know when I did that I felt my time away from Nia and Nate was well spent.

Looking back on this it seems – with the births of Nia and Nate – I essentially did grow a pair!  Thanks for making mommy tougher kids!

Tags:

My Last Wednesday

16 Nov

What a great day!  I was only there for part of it! I had to leave early so moving company people could come and look over all our stuff to give us an estimate.  Despite my half day though – I still have something to say about my time there.

Today I was stumped with how to put together the newscast.  Usually, when I know what my lead story is everything else just falls into place but today I felt like I didn’t have much to work with (that is until that one AWOL soldier barricaded himself in a house for 3 hours). What it really boils down to is that I just didn’t want to be there but I still did my best to make the cast as good as it could be and I still added breaking news to the website and sent out emails about crazy viewer story ideas.

I find it so frustrating that I care so much about not caring!  Part of me wishes I could just walk in there and not answer the phones – tell annoying reporters to grow up and do their jobs and to get a brain so I don’t have to do their work for them – rebel against updating the web just because I’m tired of being told how freaking important it is to do it – and probably the thing I wish I could let go of the most – the need to have every script the way I want it.

My half day is writing out like a whole day but I won’t have to worry about it next week!  Next week I’ll be working to keep two busy kids (and myself) alive while trying to move – finish preparing for Nate’s baptism and finding a sweater to wear over this cute dress I bought for my 10 year reunion (Ginger, remind me to ask you if you have one!)

It’s funny because today I got a small dose of what My First Wednesday as a full time mommy will be like – Nia was coloring in her room in the middle of 15 or 20 coloring books and I was standing right next to her sorting through her dresser drawers when a funny sound coming from Nia’s crayon.  It was then that I realized she had been coloring on the carpet!  Like really coloring – like putting her whole arm into it –

When I saw her I said with a gasp “NIA!”  She immediately started crying, you guessed it, “I wanna listen.”  When I asked her why she colored on the carpet she said, “Cuz I don’t want to.”

What?!?!

Let the adventure begin!

Tags: ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →