Job Search – day 33 – trying to be light
Sorry for the lack of posts, but I’m finding that job searching isn’t leaving a lot of energy for blogging.
Here’s the update – I’m still looking. My networking is starting to work better, but it hasn’t led to anything solid yet.
In outplacement, they tell you that you have a job – finding a new job IS your day job now. I’m not finding that particularly motivating (who wants THIS job?), but it does bring up some fun concepts if you think outside the box.
Reasons that the Job of Searching for a Job is Good
- You usually have a really short commute.
- Parking at the “office” is really easy to find (for many people)
- You can bring your pets to work (most of the time)
- The cafeteria is always serving what you want for lunch (or at least what you bought)
- You get to set your own hours
- You have complete control over your schedule, and what you do at any given moment
- You are your own boss (and you are your own janitor)
- The office is not too hot or too cold, or you can fix it
Don’t get me wrong – I’d rather not have those advantages. But at least there is a tiny lighter side.
Do you have any to add? Leave a comment.
Job Search – day 25
I’m sorry I haven’t written about the job search for a while.
Last Monday, I reached the point where I was ready to launch my search. I’m now looking to use networking to gain introductions to people at a list of 70-ish companies and organizations that I’m targeting. I’ve been meeting with friends and former co-workers and family and folks from church to see who knows someone who might be able to help.
So far it’s slow going. I’ve had a few folks who have given me other people to contact, or have done so on my behalf. One person even works at a company on the list, and has talked directly to the right people on my behalf. Unfortunately, the majority of folks that I’ve talked to don’t know anybody in a company or organization on the list.
I did get a nibble yesterday gained through one of these contacts. At the urging of the HR person at that organization, I have applied on their website for a job. It looks like it would be a really good fit. Here’s hoping that it pans out.
If you would be willing to take a look at my list and see if you can help, please send me an e-mail. And thanks.
Starting as a Deacon
My journey as an active deacon is beginning again.
Last night I attended my first Board of Deacons meeting at church. This was the reorganization meeting for this year. I had also been to New Officer Training last Saturday.
I was assigned to the Prayer Team, my first choice. Last year’s deacon president preached a sermon in which she recounted her trepidation in being assigned to the Prayer Team, so I was surprised to see last night that the 3 slots were filled with people who had chosen it as their first choice, plus 2 others will join us as well.
I also volunteered to be the person who e-mails a reminder to the folks designated for coffee or greeting service each Sunday. That should be easy, as long as I can keep the schedule straight.
I wasn’t able to sign up for communion (our church uses elders and deacons to prepare, serve and clean up) – mainly because I am already assigned to coffee on communion Sunday in October and all of the preparation slots were taken by the time the sheet got to me. Maybe I’ll be able to do it in November. The last time I was a deacon the Book of Order specified that deacons could only serve communion if there was a shortage of elders, so I had only 2 opportunities to serve (one at camp, one at Triennium). This is a meaningful experience for me, so I look forward to doing it again – even if I have to sit up front at church!
The entire Board meshed well, so I look forward to a good year or three.
Job Search – day 16
Today I’m working on finalizing my Marketing Plan, and coming up with a list of companies to target for networking-related job searching. I had a nibble from one company earlier in the week but my research revealed culture issues that would make me uncomfortable there, and they chose not to interview me. That’s either a win-win or lose-lose. My resume is now up on a few job sites.
As part of the survival plan my wife and I are cutting back on spending. We got a really great supportive gift last night. Her yoga teacher gave us a gift certificate to the local Cracker Barrel (we could also have chosen Chili’s).
That is a great gift because it resolves any guilt that I might feel about eating out as recreation. We can eat at home much less expensively than we can eat out. But if somebody else is paying … it works out. Win-win. We get our expenses defrayed AND we get a reason to go out.
Thanks to all who have been praying or thinking good thoughts or helping. Emotionally I am still at a low point but feel it getting better for the first time.
Fun with Presby language
I’m sure that I’ve written before about how my wife is Catholic, and I am Presbyterian.
I’m sure that I’ve written one or two things about how Carolyn sometimes get words wrong. For example – there’s a British Comedy about people in a nursing home called “Waiting for God”. She has been known to accidentally call it “Waiting for Death”.
Today we see what happens when she intersects with particularly Presbyterian language.
A week from Sunday I’m being Installed as a Deacon at my church. You might be wondering why I’m not being Ordained – the reason is simple. I was already ordained as a deacon 23 years ago in another church. You only get ordained once to each office.
Carolyn has never seen a Presbyterian ordination or installation. Wait – I take that back. She might have seen our Associate Pastor installed, but that’s an entirely different ceremony than the ordination/installation of deacons and elders. Somehow she hasn’t been at church with me at one of the 4 or 5 times we’ve installed or ordained deacons and elders since I re-joined.
For the past couple of weeks we’ve been careful not to plan anything on that Sunday so that I can be there and she can be there. Personally I think she’ll be underwhelmed; she comes from a background where First Communion is a special service.
The terms have confused her. She started out calling it an Ordination, only to have her Book-of-Order-junkie husband correct her and tell her that it’s an Installation instead. (Side note – my father once wrote in the Christmas Letter that he was being “installed like a muffler” for his 2nd term as deacon.) Then when she was on the phone with her Catholic parents she called it an Investiture. I wanted to know if I got a pointy hat.
I think she has it straight now.
She’s also been helpful with keeping track of events. We have New Officer Training this Saturday morning (as long as Hurricane Hanna doesn’t interfere). We also have the Deacon meeting regularly the 2nd Monday of each month.
The other day I looked at the calendar. On Saturday was written “New Decon Training” and on Monday “Decon Meeting”. I asked if this was her event – after all she’s an engineer in the petroleum industry. But no, and I explained that we didn’t expect to have any issue with contamination.
I wrote in the A’s.
I’m glad that she is so supportive of my church work. I just hope she isn’t too disappointed when the ceremony is only 5 minutes long with only a little pomp and circumstance. As it should be – this is not about us, it’s about service.
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