It Looks Like I’m Going to Make It
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Things are falling into place, just like I believed that they would.
Much like the last time I embarked on something that seemed bigger than I could possibly accomplish — when I moved down here without a job and had to get established so my late husband and kids could join me — there were many uncomfortable moments spent in the Waiting Place (every bit as horrible as Dr. Seuss says in “Oh, The Places You’ll Go”) where it looked like it might not happen.
I had some ideas early on that proved to be correct that worked in my favor, including about the job that I got, but this process was also pretty harrowing at times. It always gets worse before you make it.
The job
I had a strong sense that this job was going to be the one. After my second interview, I think I only put out two more applications anywhere (though I put out hundreds before this one.) I just knew this was going to be the one.
I intentionally chose to get a professional-level customer service job, even though it doesn’t pay as well as a senior writing position (which I am also qualified for.) I wanted to have time to devote to my personal writing work, which I anticipate taking up a lot more of my time in the near future.
The women I’ll be working with are all about my age. They didn’t have questions about my freelance work because I was able to explain that it was something that I’ve done on a part- or full-time basis for years to be available to my kids and my late husband. They all understood.
I was able to crack jokes with them as appropriate and they went over well. (Example: in my in-person interview, they asked what I liked to do with my free time. I jokingly said, “What free time?” which drew a chorus of laughs.) But then I said that I also was working to get better at crochet and one of the team leaders said that she was working on a crochet project of her own.
It’s a hybrid job, with two days at home and three days in the office. It’s a perfect location, so I won’t have horrendously long commutes. After 6 months, if I’m meeting the performance standards (which I expect that I will) I can work remotely from anywhere in the country.
