2 months In

It has been 2 months since I started my new job, and I thought some of you may be wondering how it is working out (ok, no one is wondering but I feel like telling you anyways). Overall I love my job! It has been such a blessing and I have been able to see God's perfect plan and timing in many ways these past two months. He has granted favor with my coworkers, the ability to learn new things quickly, and a huge improvement in my health. I thought I would address a few specific things or you, so you can get a better picture of it overall.

What I spend my time doing:

• Answering questions about massages, basic fitness assessments, workouts and our Well U program.
• Checking people in for a Body Fat Composition test.
• Having to type or write names as people spell them out loud... which is not a strength.
• Washing, drying and folding sheets.
• Counting money, filling out deposit forms.
• Typing Staff Meeting minutes.
• Reconciling receipts online.
• Filing things.
• Typing labels for files.
• Organizing things.
• Sorting mail.
• Scheduling services in Meetingmaker.
• Answering the phone.
• Giving out "Fitness Incentive Card" prizes.
• Making copies.
• Ordering office supplies.

The Best parts of the Job:

• The coworkers.
• Being in a gym. I am continuously reminded to work at health.
• Being around students, it makes you feel young.
• The paycheck.
• Not having to work nights and weekends.
• Getting to organize things!

The worst parts of the Job:

• Taking care of the massage sheets!
• Taking notes at the staff meetings.
• Typing said notes after the meetings.
• It is dark when I leave!

It is a great place to work, and I am so thankful that God knows our needs better than we do!

because i just know some of you are wondering...

"how's the job??"

I know those of you who have been walking with me during this journey are wondering how the new job is going and just what i am doing and if I like it so far.... so of course I am going to share with you! I have completed two whole days of work (ha) and still like it! Heres what the last two days have consisted of:

• learned all about the services my office offers to students, faculty/staff and the community
• learned how to check people in for these services and do the paperwork.
• did some laundry, and folded it too. (surprised? we offer massage therapy, so we have sheets and towels to wash and dry... well I have sheets and towels to wash and dry) We have commercial sized washer and dryers at Preston, and they are sweet! I am pretty sure I could do all my laundry for two weeks in one load.
• went to my first staff meeting
• had orientation with hr, which means I will get paid and have benefits! yay!
• got a parking permit... but only after going to the wrong place first(apparently they got a new building and nobody felt like telling me!) and then being told I was not in the system yet as an employee... but luckily the guy had pity on me and sold me one anyhow
• began to organize my desk a little (i love organizing so much!)
• answered a few random calls... like a twenty minute convo i had with a student about getting a massage, he was clueless
• sat around... and around and around and around! they want me to take it slow and not get overwhelmed... but that is not really the way i learn best. so i am really bored right now bc i am not doing my whole job yet. but i guess we will get there someday!

Overall, I am really enjoying the environment and the people! I get to have a longer lunch break if I workout- so that way I dont have to come in early or do it after work! Yay! So, I like it and I am adjusting just fine. Getting up and getting ready has been easier than I thought it would be,of course the fact that it looks like midnight outside is not helping matters! But I am going to have to invest in some "exercise-ish" or sporty or causal clothes... everyone in my office dresses sporty and I really dont have that type of clothes (well my workout clothes are like rough you know?).

Anyone got suggestions on where I can get some cute but cheap sportish attire in bg?? (Think yoga pants and zip up fleece jackets)

Jobapalooza: Q & A Finale

Well, this is it- tomorrow morning I will be heading back to the world of employment! The house is clean, the lunches are packed and the dinner is prepped, I am officially as ready as I can be. But before I go, its time to finish up Jobapalooza with the Q&A I promised! Thanks to the FOUR of you who participated (where are the rest of you at??)! Actually it turned out good that only four of you asked questions, because this is a long long post even with just the four peps! So hope you enjoy:

What are you going to be doing EXACTLY at your new job?? (And a duplicate: What is your new job title, and what will you be doing?)

I will be the Office Associate for the Health and Fitness Lab, which is part of the IM-Rec Sports Department in the Preston Health and Activities Center on WKU's campus (That helps right? ha). I will hold down the front desk of the office, greeting people and answering the phones. I will handle the schedule, organize the office, handle deposits for the department, take minutes at the staff meeting, and do special projects for the staff in the office as needed.

Will you have time for meals and game nights with your friends?!?! <---I'm not joking!! Interested party! :)

YES! This job will actually free up my schedule compared to my last job (although all summer I have been "free as a bird"). The only way to do campus ministty is nights and weekends, but my new job will be a Monday to Friday, eight to four thirty job mostly. I am so excited about this change, because I will have more time for my hubby and church and family and friends!

why did you leave your last job?.....

I loved my last job (for those that dont know, I worked at the Baptist Campus Ministry on WKU's campus). It was an amazing opportunity and I got to work with such amazing students and faculty and coworkers. But that job was not very family friendly. Now, I know plenty of campus ministers who make it work great- but majority of them are men. And I may sound very conservative or old fashioned for alot of you, but I feel my husband and home are two of my most important priorities. I feel like creating and up-keeping a home that is a relaxing and rejuvenating place for my family is my responsibility (justin does help alot!). So keeping up with cooking, cleaning, shopping and quality time was a difficult task when my job required alot of nights and weekends. That was reason number 1 I felt it was time to leave and get a less consuming job.

Reason number 2 was that unfortunately my job at the BCM paid very little in monetary terms (although very well in spiritual terms!). Last year, mr.pate had three jobs because my one job didnt contribute much in money and contributed none as far as medical benefits. So I had to leave in order to let mr.pate have only two jobs and I could see him! I just hate money!

Anyhow, reason number 3 was that I really wanted mr.pate and I to focus on ministry together. With him on staff at a church and me on staff at a campus ministry, I always felt divided. I was trying hard to invest in both my college students at the B and my youth at church, and felt like I was doing a poor job at both.

I love the B so much, it is a very special place to me bc of the impact it has had on my growth both when I was a student and staff member. It was hard to leave. But I knew that for now, leaving was the best decision for my family for several reasons. My family is my first and foremost on this earth. I believe thats how the Lord wants it.

...and why did you really want this new one?

The BCM never paid me during the summers, so two summers ago I worked in the IM-Rec office. I grew to love this department. They are fun and inspire you to be healthy, which is not the case in alot of offices on campus. I love the people in this department, and already have a great relationship with most of them. So working here was an obvious fit. Because of they didnt post this job until late in the summer, I was afraid it was not an option for me (I assumed I would have a job by then- ha! naive little me). But the Lord had His perfect plans, and I am thrilled this office will be my new work home!

What do you feel that you learned about yourself through your time of not working?

I am trying to figure that out! haha! I think I will be gleaning wisdom and lessons from this season in my life for a long time to come, but I do have a few big lessons already.

I think it had to take me this long to get a job because I needed to learn to more fully rely on the Lord, understand that ALL I have is the Lord's and not mine, and how much my life needs to reflect Him at all times. If you had showed me a list of these tree things four months ago, I would have told you I knew all of this... but I was not truly living in a way that reflected these things.

Not having a job for 4 months meant mr.pate and I really had to depend on the Lord completely. During this time, the Lord brought several studies into my life that focused on money and giving (click here if you are interested). He has taught me so deeply that to follow Him means I will have radical priorities. My new job will pay me alot in my eyes (compared to what I was making), but not in the world's eyes. It is more than I was expecting. We will face many new decisions on how to budget and spend this new money. The Lord new this would be happening, and He needed to prepare my heart adequately. I spent alot of time this summer committing my head and heart to giving and spending all my money with the understanding that the Lord's Kingdom was a first priority. I know it sounds strange, but I really feel like this is one reason it had to take so long for me to get hired.

I have learned alot about myself, but more importantly I have had time to re-prioritize my life. This time was a blessing. Instead of rushing into the next job, I got time to spend with mr.pate, family, and friends. I had time to myself. And I feel recharged, refocused and ready to go back to work with a stronger commitment to me, my family and the Lord amidst it all.

And now its time to stop talking about it and go live it! If you think of anything you truly did want to talk to me about or that I didnt answer, feel free to comment or email me.

And now, your turn! Name one great things about your job! It is important not to get bogged down with the daily grind, and instead to give thanks! So leave a comment letting me and you know what you are thankful for on the job-front!

Jobapalooza: My how the seasons change!

Welcome to Jobapalooza, where we are celebrating all things work. Why? Because I got a job!

This week has been all about celebrating getting a job, making the most of the few days I had left of unemployment, and trying to reflect on all I have learned or been blessed with during this season in my life. I took a look back at all my posts from this summer, especially those job related (you can view these here). Wow. It is crazy how quickly you forget how you felt during different times in your life.

First there was this post, about how I was both excited and sad to leave the BCM. I still am, and I have been gone for months. I am leading a dgroup there and it is wonderful to still be connected, but I miss my old job and working with Tommy and getting onto my students about going to class.

Then there was this post, about my first day of unemployment (read it, its funny). Ha! I wish the motivation would have continued all summer long! I would not still have so many projects that remain undone (and probably will for that matter) if I had still had that kind of energy by the end of the journey!

Then there were all of the tips about getting a job, cover letters, interviews, the dreaded caller ID, etc. It really was an all consuming part of my life. People would ask if I was enjoying myself, or they would look at me like "oh you have it so bad, you have free time all day everyday". THe truth of the matter was, I couldnt enjoy myself. My husband was hard at work with two jobs! I felt like I always had to be looking for jobs or working on a better cover letter or practicing for interviews, or contributing by cleaning the house or being wonder wife. It was an emotionally exhausting summer.

Then there are the things I have learned about myself through it all, like the fact that I am not good at setting my own schedule (i will only read blogs for 15 minutes... 2 hours later i get off the computer), I work better when I have a deadline (since no one is paying me to wash my windows, they just probably wont get done-ugh!), I have a natural inclination to be a hermit (once I am in the house for over 10 hours the chances of me leaving on my own accord are slim to none), and I hate lunch food. I have also learned I depend far too much on myself and my "abilities" and too little on the Lord and His Abilities. I am headstrong, stubborn, judgmental, and headstrong. But on the positive side, I take criticism well, desire to be held accountable, crave biblical community and my husband is my favorite living being.

I am still taking questions for the Q&A because I think there is still alot to glean out of this whole season of my life. But I know without a shadow of doubt that a big lesson I needed to learn, or prove rather, was that I trusted the Lord to be the Faithful Provider I say He is. As I have quoted before, and will probably quote again:

"I found Him faithful yesterday, He will not be unfaithful today." (Beth, Living Free)

And it is true... "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself!" 2 Tim 2:13

Jobapalooza: Things I will not miss about being Unemployed!

Welcome to Jobapalooza, where we are celebrating all things work. Why? Because I got a job!

Things I will not miss about being Unemployed:

• Not getting a paycheck.
• Looking for jobs. Constantly.
• Writing cover letters.
• Filling out applications.
• Job interviews.
• Having the answer the question, "Have you found a job yet?"
• Being at home all day long some days.
• Cleaning every single day, because you feel like you have to do something of value.
• Begging the Lord for a job.
• Checking and rechecking Google Reader for some new posts because I am so bored... really people, even though you have jobs and lives, cant you throw a jobless girl a bone??
• Wondering when a job will come.
• My heart racing when the phone rings, wondering if it will be about a job (it rarely was).
• Feeling like I am not contributing at home, I mean we dont have kids for me to take care of so what should I do all day long?
• Setting my own schedule, which I have realized results in me eating lunch at 2pm and not getting near enough done!
• Probably alot more, but it seems like thats enough negativity for one day.

Jobapalooza: Things I will miss about being unemployed!

Welcome to Jobapalooza, where we are celebrating all things work. Why? Because I got a job!

[Reminder to post questions for our upcoming q&a here! Thanks to all who have participated so far!]

Things I will miss about being unemployed:

• Having the time to sit and read books, blogs, or whatever else I want in the morning times.
• Seeing my hubby alot!
• Hanging out in Starbucks in the morning times. There is just something about having a white mocha, my bible, and the sound of milk steaming that warms my soul in the morning time.
• Having such a clean clean house.
• Being able to dwell as long as I want in my quiet times.
• Spending lots of time with my dog. He is such a cute cuddlier!
• Being able to go and see my family during the day.
• Getting to grocery shop during the weekday mornings, when no one else is there!
• Perusing the internet for new recipes or books or home decor ideas.
• Having accountability to help me fight off my materialistic nature ("no sabrina, you cant buy that because you are unemployed"... works better than "you just dont need that sabrina")
• My house- for better or for worse I love this place. it gives me a sense of peace and familiarity.
• Staying in my pj's until 2 in the afternoon.
• Being able to watch HGTV on Hulu randomly!
• My home and husband being my only responsibilities.
• Being forced to solely depend on the Lord to meet our needs. That is one really cool part of being unemployed, you are forced to depend. I hope I will remember to daily depend on the Lord, even with a job.
• There are probably plenty more, but this is what I can think about right now...

It really has been a pretty cool time in my life. I mean, a weird and rough time, but a pretty cool time too!

Jobapalooza: Work and Our Spiritual Lives: How do they mesh?

Welcome to Jobapalooza, where we are celebrating all things work. Why? Because I got a job!

I love when God brings a word to you right when you need it... do you know what I mean? Like if you have been struggling with forgiving someone and you walk into church and the sermon is on forgiveness, or if you just can't make a decision about something and He brings like five people who don't know each other but all say the same thing to you?? Anyhow, I have been reading (for like two months now) Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community. And today wouldn't you know the part I was reading had to do with work. Ha. Why is this funny? Because God just provided a job for me, after four months of unemployment. I start next week. Apparently, He had some things He wanted to teach me before I got back to the workplace. SO of course I am going to share those things with you.

Ok so in the book, he has been going through the different elements of what should make up the morning family devotion, and after he talks about prayer he starts in on how after the devotion you go to work. He says "Prayer and working are two different things. Prayer should not be hinder by work, but neither should work be hindered by prayer." It sounds almost sacrilegious doesn't it? Surely prayer is more important than work, thats what most of us are taught to believe. But is it? He goes on to point out that God has commanded that man work for six days and rest on the seventh, that God expects and wants man to work. How often do you think about your work as something God wants you to do (SAHM's I am counting your staying at home a job too)? I think we have slipped into a common thought of work being something we have to do to get money, and not work being something God wants us to do in order to sanctify us (me included in this).

Work plunges men into the world of things. The Christian steps out of the world of brotherly encounter into the world of impersonal things, the "it"; and this new encounter frees him for objectivity; for the "it"-world is only an instrument in the hand of God for the purification of Christians from all self-centeredness and self-seeking. The work of the world can be done only where a person forgets himself, where he loses himself in the cause, in reality, the task, the "it". In work the Christian learns to allow himself to be limited by the task, and thus for him the work becomes remedy against the indolence and sloth of the flesh. The passions of the flesh die in the world of things. But this can happen only where the Christian breaks through the "it" to the "Thou," which is God, who bids him work and makes that work a means of liberation from himself. pg. 70

He goes on to describe that seeing the "Thou" through our work becomes what Paul calls "pray without ceasing". That in being able to see God and work for him and not yourself or others, this is where prayer becomes an every moment thing.

"Thus the prayer of the Christian reaches beyond its set time and extends into the heart of his work. It includes the whole day, and in doing so, it does not hinder the work; it promotes it, affirms it, and lends it meaning and joy."

Have you seen your "work", whatever it may be, as a way to please the Father? Have you thought of it as a way for Him to refine you? Have you worked at your job as if working unto the Lord? I think when we see it this way, it will be easy to talk to the Lord all day about it, about what we are doing, what we are struggling with and asking for His strength and character instead of our own.

What a good lesson for me before I return to work! I will be an "Office Associate", which is a nice and new way to say secretary. It will be easy to think this job doesn't matter spiritually, but that just isn't true. This is an opportunity for the Lord to refine me, and in the process to "bring many sons to glory".

How about you, have you ever thought about this? How do you view your job? What struggles do you have with meshing your relationship with God and the place you spend majority of your day at?

Jobapalooza: The Stats

Welcome to Jobapalooza, where we are celebrating all things work. Why? Because I got a job!

The Stats:

35+... The number of jobs I have applied for this summer.

20... The number of cover letters I have written this summer.

7... The number of interviews I scheduled this summer.

6... The number of interviews I actually had this summer (I cancelled the last one).

6... The number of interviews I felt really good about this summer.

1... The number of interviews that resulted in a job this summer.

So many I cant count... The number of times I have asked and rehearsed interview questions in my head.

So many I dont want to count... The number of jobs I have looked at on the internet.

Numberless... The blessings the Lord has lavished on me.

Jobapalooza!

Welcome to Jobapalooza! What is Jobapalooza you ask? It is my week long blog celebration because I got a JOB! So what will it entail?

• A post each day about work, looking for work, being unemployed etc.
• Things I will miss about being unemployed
• Things I won't miss about being unemployed
• A look at working and our spiritual lives, how do they mesh together?
• A Q&A with yours truly (but only if you guys participate and make it happen!)

Ready to party?? Haha!

The Q&A Post:

I realize that there are probably questions you have wanted to ask me over the course of the last four months like: why did you leave your job, why didnt you go get a part time job, why did you major in that??!! etc etc. Well now is the time to ask these questions! I am mainly doing this for me, I want to reflect as much as possible over what I have learned during this whole process. So please join in and help me do that! Ask anything related to me and a job and lack there of. Come on... don't be afraid... I don't bite... I am not easily offended... Bring it on!

I will answer the questions on Saturday, so please ask before then!

Why I Love This Week

Heather, who writes at Live.Love.Laugh., does a post each week entitled "Why I love This week". It is a neat concept, starting your week off with looking at the good things that are coming instead of dreading another week. So I wanted to join in this week...

• Fall weather has finally showed up and I love it! It is crisp outside and I have turned off the air conditioner and opened windows! Yay!
• I finally have a week where I do not have to worry about finding and applying for jobs! Instead I get to spend the week enjoying myself and doing projects I want finished before I head back to the workforce.
• Mr.Pate is no longer sick (he had strep throat AND the flu last week!), so we get to actually touch and sleep in the same bed and enjoy each other!
• I get to enjoy my youth group! I have missed the last two wednesdays, so I am pumped to get to hangout with them again!
• Did I mention I have the peace of knowing I have a job??!!

What do you have to look forward to this week?

thoughts on getting a job #5

when you finally get a call letting you know you have been selected for the position you wanted all along, you need to immediately shout, scream, dance, and call your sick husband to cheer him up with the fabulous news!!!

ps.... I got a job at WKU today!!!!

What I should be thinking about... and what I am thinking about.

I am sitting at Starbucks... surprise surprise! I love this place. None the less...

I should be thinking about the job interview I have in 30 minutes at WKU. I should be going over questions in my head and my possible answers (yes this is how i prepare... dont judge). I should be focused.

I should be thinking about the talk I am giving at our youth retreat this weekend. I should be going over my outline (and finishing it for that matter) and praying praying praying. 

But what am i thinking about?

People who fall away from the faith. Friends, some dearly close and some mere acquaintances, who at one point in their lives challenged me to seek the Lord more and more each day. Friends who had their priorities straight. Friends who seemed genuinely in love with the Lord. Friends who, for whatever reason, are no longer seeking the Lord. Or who are seeking a more liberal, man made version of the Lord. It breaks my heart. 

And it makes me wonder, why?? Was it all pretending in the first place, or can our hearts really change that much? I have no answers and no judgements, it just makes me sad. I just read the blog of someone who used to be a strong Christian leader, and now believes that the Bible is cool but is not the way we learn about God. We get to pick how we learn about Him. 

I dont have time to go into this (interview, retreat etc) now, but I know I will be thinking about it. And maybe Ill share more?? For now, I am just heavy hearted for people who once were in communion with such a gracious Savior and somehow walked away from the only true love we can experience. How can that happen? 

what's in a title?

well a few moments ago i realized i had still not changed my email signatures from when my job ended. you see my email signature has read: 

Sabrina Pate

WKU Baptist Campus Ministry

Assistant Campus Minister

(270)781-3185

for the last two years. and for the two years before that it was very similar (Campus Minister Intern). but for the last 2 1/2 months this has not been my title. 2 1/2 months already? wow!! so as i sent an email about leading a bcm dgroup today, i realized the time had come... and I am now title-less. my signature is now: Sabrina Pate. thats it. 

am i upset? sad a little... but I a more upset or surprised by the fact that it is almost the end of August and I do not have a job. I think when this whole journey started I just was super naive about how long it would take to get a job... at least at WKU. (seriously, why didnt someone tell me? i would have started looking in January/February instead of waiting till april!) but alas this is where we are... August and jobless. 

And though on a moment by moment basis I do have doubts or fears, in my heart I know the Lord has and will provide. I ran across this sentence in my bible study yesterday... 

"I found Him faithful yesterday, He will not be unfaithful today." (Beth, Living Free)

And it is true... "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself!" 2 Tim 2:13

what is that all about?

ok so i haven't been blogging much i know, and its not bc i got a new job and have been busy there- but i still believe it will happen when the Lord wants it to!! i just am sick of answering the stupid question "hear anything about a job yet?" "NO! do you not think i would be screaming it from the rooftops??!!!!"... sorry, some repressed frustration getting out there, but that is not the point of this blog. i have been babysitting my fabulous niece this past week and before that vbs and before that a kitchen remodel and before that mexico and basically the last month just straight up flew by!!! 

so i have a list of things i have wanted to blog about (i can hear kristi making fun of me now for making a list of things to blog about... mocker!) and i fianlly got to catch up on some blogs this morning and was all ready to post. but i read one blog and now i am blogging about something not on the list... ha as if you really even needed to know any of this? so on to the post. 

from kelly's korner: 

"I had a post all planned out that I wanted to write about how being a mom is such a hard job and how you can feel so insecure about all the choices you make. I've had a hard time lately thinking about how us mothers are so quick to judge or make other mothers feel bad because they don't make the same choices as we do. Whether you breastfeed, use formula, are a working mom or a stay at home mom, whether you use cloth diapers, make your own food or use store bought, whether you home school or send you kids to public school.......we are all (hopefully) trying to do the best for our children and families. I think as mothers we should know we are all in the same club and try to lift each other up.........not tear each other down because we aren't all doing things the same way.

I chose to stay at home and I was blessed to be able to and I chose to breastfeed but I can tell you right now I don't think I'm a better mom than a working mom who formula feeds. I know their children feel just as loved. I just hope we do what we can to encourage other mothers - we are all running the same race."

so i am not a mother yet, but i totally know this is true. and really it is just true for all areas of life, not just parenting (although i think people are more vocal about it with parenting). and it just flat out makes me mad! MAD! Mad at myself cause i totally do this, and mad at others bc they do too! but really it makes me mad at SATAN bc he is getting the satisfaction of tearing apart biblical community.

 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

the way Christians love each other was supposed to be the defining attribute of the church. and sadly in today's world it is the opposite. the way we dont love one another is our defining attribute. and i am so sick of it! and i am sick of myself for being a part of it. 

i have no big point i guess... just that today we should all be mindful of how we judge one another and how we love one another. lets strive to love like Christ loved... with truth but with grace! 

just a general update

i feel like i have been way out of the blogging world loop lately. so here is a general update of what has been going on with me:

- i spent a week in mexico visiting my friend Karen & her hubby Heath. I went with Kristen and other than being sick to my stomach majority of the time, I had a blast. We traveled to another Mexican state and saw some ruins and some speciality crafts. but my favorite part of the whole trip was when kris, karen and I finally got to just chill by ourselves (there were several other people visiting too) and really talk and catch up! it was fabulous! oh and we saw "The Proposal" it was stinkin hilarious! 

- i almost missed my connecting flight on the way home bc of customs, i literally had to run to the plane in dallas... which meant my luggage didnt make the plane and wasnt delivered to me until 2am! 

-as soon as i got back, Justin's dad and little brother came to visit for a few days. so we of course decided to put them to work! the pate family (the twins, sheldon, kirk (dad) and i) stained our kitchen cabinets a dark walnut! we applied a gel stain and got new hardware.... guys it looks incredible! i promise to put pics up soon but we are still finishing one thing. 

-then right after they left i had a girls night at Mel's with Duke, Amanda, Eleanor and Heather! It was super fun and is just always like therapy to my soul to spend time with them. We had a giggly time trying to use my new "bumpits" in our hair and eating of course! Mel and I are officially "retired" now... at least thats what her father in-law said we should call it! 

-since then i have been at church nonstop getting ready for vbs! decorating, shopping for supplies and food, preparing lessons etc is quite exhausting. last night i went to bed at like 9:45pm! we have vbs wed-friday of this week. i am teaching the preschool area and they are so stinkin cute! 

- also this week i have had two job interviews! one with WKU and one with Southern Foods. I felt good about both, but time will tell. 

- and my thyroid levels are once again way off! i did some labwork and found out i am extremely hypothyroid again (low thyroid) which is really strange bc i have felt more energetic and better than i have in a year lately! so anyhow, they bumped my dose of medicine up and we will see how that goes. 

i think thats all i got... hopefully i be back on track to post regularly now. 

thoughts on getting a job #4

DONT LOOK AT THE CALLER ID...

Well I havent posted anything about the job search in awhile, mainly bc there has been nothing new happening to report. I have applied for many many jobs. I had a phone interview on Tuesday for a position at WKU, so maybe something will come of that?! but back to the tip...

why no caller id? bc once you have applied for a million jobs, you are really just in a waiting game. 

waiting for them to call you for an interview.

waiting for them to cal you and tell you that you did not get the position. 

waiting for them to call you and tell you they still exist and didnt get blown up by a silent bomb that no one knew about and thats why it wasnt on the news.

you get the picture... waiting.

well lately i have noticed how my heart skips a beat each time the phone rings during business hours. then when i look at the phone number and i dont know it my heart leaps in my chest! it is about a job!! yay!!!... no actually, it is the eye doctor confirming your appointment for monday. hopes shattered...

so the best thing really is to ignore the caller ID. dont get your hopes up, just answer the phone and go from there. this will alleviate any unnecessary stress on your heart and keep you from any awkward disappointed voices when you do answer the phone and it in fact is not about a job. 

thoughts on getting a job #3

i am enjoying sharing things i am learning about the process of getting a job with you (whoever you are) so i am going to share more, regardless of if you are actually finding it helpful or fun... hehe

so thought #3 is about... cover letters. 

i feel like they are the new resume. i mean i spent literally a few months getting my resume ready before i started looking for jobs, and then to my amazement i have to work just as hard at doing cover letters for every job i apply for. now i know what you are thinking, why dont you just do one and be done with it? well here are my five tips when it comes to cover letters (which i picked up by scouring the web on the subject- of course!):

1. Dont underestimate the importance of the cover letter! Most employers read these alone and then pick the resumes they will look into solely off of this.

2. Dont just copy a template offline and change the names etc! I will totally admit this is what I did with the first few. Then i found an article online which pointed out that everyone is doing this... meaning companies are seeing the same cover letters over and over again! Which leads us to number three...

3. Put some of yourself in the cover letter. I kept seeing this tip on websites and it totally makes sense, because you want them to begin reading something they havent seen all day. So think of something personal that connects you to the position.

4. Connect your strengths and experiences to the position responsibilities as much as you can. You want to be specific and straightforward, showing them that you will be great at this job. Dont write a bunch of vague and generic sentences about work in general, they want to know how you will be at their open position, so tell them.  (This one i experience first hand with council applications... when people wrote generic sunday school answers i skipped right over their answers bc i found it to be fake and pointless...)

5. Be honest. Dont try to convince them you will be a good worker if you wont. Just tell them who you are, what kind of experience you have, why you like the position and then let God do the rest! 

now i realize i am an unemployed girl who really knows nothing about any of this... but i just want to share easy to understand info along the way for anyone who is in the same boat i am. i hope it saves you lots of time googling the million upon millions of websites dedicated to this! 

do any of you have any other great tips?

job and health updates...

so just a quick update about a few things in my life.

1. Job: still unemployed (it has only been a week), though i have felt just as busy as when i had a full time job! but somethings are happening. 

i had an interview with Community Action last week and got a call for a second interview today. So this thursday i will interview with them for a second time. i thought the last interview went well, and i felt more confident than i thought i would. i usually lose the ability to think of words when i am put on the spot, but i was able to take my time and think thru good answers. anyhow, we will see how that all goes.

i have applied for a million jobs at wku, well to be more specific ten jobs (yes ten). the first several had been posted forever, so i am fairly certain those positions are either filled or frozen for now. but lately they have been adding more positions!! i get so excited everytime i check the website and there is a new opportunity to look at! i have applied for several jobs i am no where near qualified for, but i feel writing the cover letters and doing the application process is good training. 

i did get an email from the hr department at WKU this week informing me that my materials (resume etc) was being forwarded on to the office hiring that position. so thats good, it means i made it past the "there is no way this person is working for wku" round. (i have heard nothing on the other positions...) and there is a new position open that i am really excited to apply for, ill talk more about it later. (a friend told me it wouldnt be wise to give specifics on the blog until i get a job)

as tommy johnson says, "looking for and getting a job is a full time job"... i am working at it sir! 

2. health: remember all those health posts about thyroid junk and how i was feeling? (you can find them under the "health stuff" category) well i thought it would be a good idea to let you know i am feeling so much better! leaps and bounds better! yay! i have no idea if it is the new thyroid medicine, or if it is the insulin resistant medicine, but i have energy and feel much more like myself these days! Praise the Lord! 

what is funny about that is that i almost forgot to tell anyone i was feeling better. it is so much easier to complain than to give good reports isnt it? i find it annoying! 

3. **bonus update**: when i first started this blog last summer, i was doing a bible study with some friends... well we never finished it so this summer we are trying it again. the bible study is: "no other gods" by kelly minter. isnt it crazy how something you already did can challenge you so much? it goes to show i did not learn these biblical lesson the first go round i guess. so i am sure you will get to here all about lessons from that study in the next few months. 

and coming soon to pate life: a memorial day update and a stab at being crafty... stay tuned! 

 

day 1 of unemployment

here is a snapshot of my first day of unemployment:

woke up at 7:20am b/c a 75 lb dog was sitting on me.

quickly fed my dog, my cat and tommy's dog bandana (who is staying w/ us for the week).

tried to coax bandana out of his kennel (he loves that thing).

got bandana out of the kennel and down the hallway (headed outside).

saw my dog, joey, peeing on a chair! 

yelled furiously and smacked his nose.

got both dogs outside finally.

began cleaning up the little mess my dog had left me! 

finally sat down with some coffee and had some time with the Lord. 

took the dogs for a walk.

scoured frugal blogs to find deals before i went grocery shopping... turned out to be wasted time, saved no money with coupons this week.

watched a girly movie.

went to the grocery store and ran some errands.

read websites about interview questions to prepare.

went to a job interview at community action.

got home right when the hubby did! yay.

cooked dinner.

ate dinner on our patio, fabulous!

sent the hubby to work at starbucks.

cleaned the kitchen, did laundry and more laundry.

watched the season finale of one tree hill... way to go nathan (oth fans will understand).

currently surfing the net waiting for hubby to get home so we can sleep!!! 

sounds like a ton, but i swear if felt like the slowest day ever!!

thoughts on getting a job #2

this morning i had a "job screen" for a job with community action. what is a job screen you ask? i didnt have a clue either! ha! on friday morning, i got a call from community action asking me if they could schedule a phone job screen for monday morning. i said yes, still having no idea what it meant. and then this morning i waited for the call. 

a job screen is a "pre-interview" phone interview that helps the company weed thru applicants and pick the best for the position to actually bring in for an interview. they ask a series of generic questions, and are not allowed to clarify or deviate away from the questions in the screen. this is so that everyone has the exact same screening.

so i was asked questions about what kind of worker i would describe myself as, how i deal with conflict, what type of work environment i prefer etc.  

i decided i should share a few things you should always know about yourself incase you have a job interview. put these on the fridge if you need! ha!:

1. have a list of 5 adjectives that describe you handy (bc we all know that thinking of adjectives other than fun and cool is hard on the spot)

2. think up and write down a few different examples of a time you have dealt with conflict management in a previous job

3. a list of your top strengths and weaknesses... i always hate that question! 

thats all i can think of for now, but you get the point. i am definitely going to make a cheat sheet for next time!