My Employment Journey

About a year and a half ago, we started kicking around the idea of me going back to work.  My home-schooling days were numbered; John was successfully navigating public high school and I was mid-way through my last year of Matthew being at home.  I decided that I would start looking for a position within the Poway Unified School District; while the kids are still in school, it seemed like a good idea to be on their schedule.  I quickly found an opening on their job board and I applied.

Yeah, I didn't get it.  I didn't realize that there is a multi-step process to being hired; two to three tests, then several in-person interviews.  Can't they just know intuitively how wonderful I am?  If memory serves, I passed the first test, but not the second.  Apparently finding a job wasn't going to be as easy as I thought.

Last summer, I found another opening that looked promising.  I applied, was selected to test, passed three tests and was one of 8 applicants (out of 200) chosen for an interview.  Nope.  Didn't get that one either.  I was told, however, that since I'd made it that far, my info would be kept on file for one year, and if something else came up, they would call me.  Yeah right. I figured I was done.

I let the subject drop throughout last fall, but after the first of this year, I figured that we really could use some more money.  My kids want to go to college.  Whatever. 

Since nothing with PUSD had worked out, I started looking at the medical/reception field.  That's where I got my start, and I've always been comfortable in that setting.  From January through mid May, I watched all kinds of job boards, applied to six or seven jobs, interviewed for a couple of them, and nothing panned out.  I was seriously frustrated.  Actually, I gave up. In fact, one Wednesday late in May, as I was running around doing my volunteer work, I actually said out loud as I was driving to the boys' school, "You know, God, I guess I'm where I need to be right now.  Nothing has worked out so I'm going to quit trying to force something that isn't there.  I'll be content for now."

My best guess is that that was exactly what He was waiting for. The very next afternoon, as I was eating some Tostitos and watching some trash TV, I got a phone call. 

There was an opening at an elementary school that is four miles from my house.  They had selected me as one of three people to interview for the position if I was still interested.


As I went to the interview the following week, I tried not to get my hopes up.  I only had a one in three chance.  When I opened the door to the office, a friend of mine from the kids' school was sitting at the front desk.  Apparently, she's in the sub pool and had been filling in at that position since the gal who worked there left.  Upon finding out that I was there to interview, she hopped up and said, "I'll go put in a good word for you!"  The interview went well and two days later I was offered the job.

And so begins a new chapter in our lives; I start tomorrow.  I'm at a school within the boys' district and therefore on their schedule, it's four miles from my home, it's part time, but it's enough hours that I receive benefits.  Seriously, it seems rather perfect.

I'm anxious and nervous and excited all at the same time.  It's going to be a bit of an adjustment.  But mostly, I feel very, very blessed.