It happened. After 2 1/2 months of waiting. It finally happened. I FINALLY landed a job interview....and what's even better than that, I actually GOT the job! Hooray! I'm so thankful and relieved. I had applied to numerous jobs, turned in resume's to banks that weren't even hiring, and even desperately applied at Wal-Mart, all to the sound of deafening silence....the silence that tells you we are in a tough economy right now, and I live in a small college town.
In telling my story, I'm mostly telling it in detail for my family history aspect of keeping a blog...for my posterity. So if you get bored with the details, bare with me just this one time :)
I wrote in my last blog about hoping to hear back from on a job with a hospice company. Well, a few weeks had gone by after turning in my application, so I pretty much wrote that opportunity off, figuring they went with someone with experience in the medical industry. However, I applied for a job as a secretary at a rehab counseling center and they had called me back! I was so happy to have a call back about an interview, even though this wasn't the job I was really hoping for (which was the hospice job). This job was a piece of cake job, something I felt I could do in my sleep, and was definitely far below my skill level. BUT, it was a job. A cheap, easy job. Beggers can't be choosers.
I set up an appointment for my interview, and started preparing for it. They only were calling a few people back from the applications, so I felt lucky to be one of them. That very same day that they called me for an interview, I got ANOTHER call from the HOSPICE company! Holy cow! I all but almost forgot about them since it had been so long. I quickly felt like I had a dilemma with two interviews coming up. What would I do if one offered me the job, but I wanted to hear back from the other company first before accepting from the one? Numerous scenarios went through my head like this. After the wise advice given to me by my mother-in-law, I quickly realized I could use this opportunity of interviewing THEM for the right position for ME. They surely were interviewing other people than just me, so I could do the same and interview other companies than just one.
I really wanted the hospice job, but didn't want to count my eggs before they hatched, and would take either job just to HAVE a job at this point. However, the hospice job seemed more challenging and a better opportunity for growth...and, honestly, paid much more. But I mostly wanted the job because I thought it would be a whole new set of learning skills for me to use in my life. A great experience for me, plus having the opportunity to do something great within the community.
The morning of my scheduled interview with the secretary position (the job I didn't really want), I got up early, went over some mock interview questions/answers, got dressed, and tried to relax a bit before the interview. Thirty minutes before my scheduled interview, I got a call from the company, telling me they were sorry but they would have to cancel my interview for that morning...they had already filled the position. GET REAL! One more shot at a job, down the drain. I felt a tinge of bitterness as the feeling of not even being able to GET an interview ate at me a little bit, before I realized this just gave me more time to prepare for the interview for the job I actually WANTED. So I went right to it, and thought of all my skills/experience to draw examples on during my interview. I prepared ALL day. Before I went to bed that night, I said a prayer and told Heavenly Father how I had done all I could to prepare myself for this interview, and would he help me to speak eloquently, to say the things I needed to say to show my talents/experience, and that if it would be his will, that I might get this job. I put in the effort, and needed his help to go the rest of the way...I knew I couldn't do this one on my own.
The morning of my interview, I got up, got dressed, and rehearsed my answers. I even came up with dumb little songs to remember some of them...and even got Ryan singing them after a while :) I said a prayer again, and off I went to my interview. When I got there, I discovered that this was going to be a panel interview. SERIOUSLY. I have NEVER had a panel interview before. This made my heart jump for a minute. But I calmed my nerves, and sat at the head of the table with two people on each side of the table of me (a total of 4 women interviewers). They went around in a circle each asking a question of me...this went on for about 16 questions! But I was on top of EVERY question. No pauses, no hemming and hawing, no stupid answers. I had the best answer/examples for each question asked of me. I could tell this interview was going EXCEPTIONALLY well. By the end of the interview, they had told me that they had gotten STACKS and STACKS of resumes for this job as Office Manager (I eventually found out it was about 50 total applicants) and they had narrowed the interviews down to 12 applicants, and I was the final interviewee. I thought what a great way to end an interview session....I had slam dunked this thing! Obviously, I was very confident in how it went :) They told me that now they were going to choose a select few to call back in for 2nd interviews, and then they would choose the final candidate. I knew I would be one of the few to get a second interview. I was sure of it. I let my references know that they might be getting a call about me. Sure enough, my best friend and old manager called me up and told me that they had called her to check my references already. I thought this was a good sign since they were checking BEFORE my second interview. They were really serious about me to go that far already! My friend told me it went really well, that they said they were very impressed with me and how I carried myself in the interview, and how personable I was. My friend recommended me for the job and said she thought I would be a great fit for it.
My 30th birthday weekend was that week, and I found out that Ryan had the following Monday off of school for the holiday (President's Day). I was feeling good, and also was reminded during my interview that it was now or never to take a vacation before I was logged down with a job (they had asked me in my interview if I had any big vacations planned for the year...also a good sign). Originally I was only going to fly home if I heard back that I got the job (so I would feel okay about spending the money to fly to AZ) but I said SCREW THAT! I'm going no matter what...so I booked a flight back to AZ for me and Ryan. The very next day, I got a call back from the company.............only, they weren't calling me back in for a second interview. No, instead, they were OFFERING ME THE JOB!!! Holy smokes! I gladly accepted, flew home that weekend for a fun birthday weekend with my family and friends, and came back to start work on Tuesday.
I know that I only did as well as I did, and spoke as eloquently as I did because of Heavenly Father's help since I did my part in preparing my best for it. I think this job will be such a great benefit to me in my life, and I can't wait to see how much I learn and grow from it.
What the job entails is opening up a brand new branch of Creekside Home Health & Hospice in Rexburg. There are currently offices in Pocatello and Idaho Falls. It's part of Alpine Home Health & Hospice in Utah. I will be the only person actually working in the office all day, while the nurses and therapists come in and out during the day to drop off paper work, etc. Eventually, once I get this office up and running and we start getting busy, I will be able to hire on additional office staff to take on some of the jobs that I will be doing (I will be doing the job of what 4 other people do at the Idaho Falls branch!). This is such an exciting opportunity for me as I get to challenge myself, and will be able to see my own accomplishments first hand as I watch how my large participation will help our business to thrive in this city (I handle the data entry of admitting patients, creating and keeping the patient charts, payroll, human resources, handling referrals and intakes, marketing in the local area, and also tending to ordering any office supplies/nursing supplies, planning lunches and meetings, etc). It's the job of Data Entry, Accounting, Compliance, Human Resource, Payroll, Admin Assistant, Office Manager, etc. So many opportunities here. And, the best part, I don't even feel like this is a JOB. I enjoy the work, enjoy the people, and have not felt one ounce of stress while training! It's a nice break from the financing world :) But I'll admit, it's strange to work at a place that doesn't have one single adding machine :) Not used to that...I was accidentally shipped some adding machine tape the other day from Office Depot, and the first thing I thought was,"What the heck am I going to use this for....we don't even HAVE adding machines here!" :) I'm so excited, and so grateful for this opportunity. It was a long 2 months, but it was worth it in the end. I'm having a fun time setting the office up from scratch right now (literally) and decorating it. Everyone comments how good the office looks since I got there...that makes me feel good. It changes every week with new stuff (either pictures or office supplies or furniture!). I like making it an inviting place for the nurses/therapists to come and do their office work inbetween home visits.
Ryan is doing well at school, and recently came up with the idea (as in he figured this out YESTERDAY) that he is going to continue his schooling past his bachelors degree all the way up to a PhD in Economics! He had some very inspired thoughts come to him yesterday during school (a conversation in his mind that lasted over 4 hours at school...) that brought him to the conclusion that he should continue on to get his PhD. He's not sure where yet, but one of our good friends is going to go to Washington State University to get his PhD in Economics after he finishes up here at BYU, and they have a great program that lets you get your Masters and PhD together, and you even save a year by allowing you to count some of your Masters credits in with your PhD. That sounds appealing to Ryan...but he still wants to look at some other schools. He doesn't have a lot of wants in his life, except to be able to provide for his family and to eventually own a Toyota 4 Runner. Simple enough ;) In talking with other guys in his Econ Society Club that he goes to every Thursday, he learned that a PhD in Economics usually STARTS OUT at around $110K, you get to be the leader of the research groups, you are widely accepted as someone who is to be used as a great source of knowledge in the business community, and you can pretty much teach at any of the universities. Ryan would like to do consulting for several years after he graduates, and then would also love to teach Economics at a university some day. He's excited about this new idea, and probably more relieved than anything to just have a plan for himself. He feels like the reason he is getting a Minor in Journalism with his Major in Economics for his Bachelors is to help him with the writing he will have to do during his dissertation for his PhD. Lots of his ideas are coming together full circle now, and he's piecing them all together. I'm happy for him. But, that leaves us with more schooling after we are done here at BYU-Idaho....but I think it will be the best place for Ryan, and will put our family in the best place when he is done. And then Pam can retire :) I'm just grateful that Ryan is willing to go through all this schooling for our benefit. He's getting the highest grade in several of his classes, if not all of them. He tends to get too hard on himself about grades, but he is doing great!
We are loving Idaho more these days, as the snow is finally melting! Hooray! You can see the grass again! Although, it has been extremely windy the last several days...that is no fun. But the highs have reached the 50's a couple of days this last week...that is fabulous :) I never thought I would say that the 50's were perfect weather...but it is pretty well close to perfect! I love it! I've acclimatized to the weather a lot more than Ryan...he still shivers :) I can't wait for late spring/summer comes around. It's going to be beautiful out here...I wish I had a really great camera to take cool pictures of all the trees. That is one thing I will splurge on once we start a family...I can't wait to take really amazing pictures!
Speaking of starting a family...we are working on that....but nothing to share as of yet! I hate this part...all the wishing, and hoping, and waiting, and spending tons of money on negative pregnant tests. But it's still early, so I can't get upset about it yet....we've only been trying for about 3 months now. I have PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) which can make it a little more difficult. One of my friends out here in Idaho told me she has it too, and it took her a year and a half with her last pregnancy....BUT, she just had twins from it :) She had to start fertility treatments, but she was successful after the first month! So even if it takes a while for it to happen, I know it will eventually happen. Plus, it will probably be best to get all moved in to our house at the end of this month before I'm pregnant, cause I tend to over-do myself when moving things...I like to think I'm She-Ra! I am going BABY CRAZY though...Ryan is too. We hear the baby that lives in the apartment above us all the time, and it makes me want one so bad. If Ryan had his way, we would have twins too :) We've ended up having two different friends (one in AZ and one out here in ID) that have boy/girl twins. He thinks it's all fun and games :) Well....he can be the one that gets up in the middle of the night with both of them then... he he he...
Ryan will be done with his first semester of school the second week of April. To celebrate, we are spending a weekend in Vegas! (Easter Weekend). I've been to Vegas twice, and really don't care for it all that much. But Ryan's been dying to go for some reason (I think cause he likes CSI-Vegas...who knows) so I thought it would be fun to go since he has only a week break before he starts up his next semester of school. He loves magic, so we are going to go see Penn and Teller while we are there (they are playing in the hotel we are staying in...The Rio All Suite Hotel). That is what I am most excited for! One of my best friends, Jen, (my old roommate before I got married) now lives in Vegas with her new husband, and I haven't seen her for over a year, so I'm excited to see her! She's going to come to the magic show with us, and do my hair while I'm there (she's a hairdresser). AND, my other best friend might be meeting us out there will her boyfriend as well! So all of us will go to the magic show together. HOW FUN! I can't wait...this will be a great time.
The house is ALMOST done. It looks great. Papers get signed on March 27th, and we have to be out of our apartment by the end of the month. It will be so nice to get out of this apartment. I'll post pictures of the house when we move in.
Oh, and my new favorite game is Ticket to Ride...in case any of you cared :)
