Im Lacking Experience...just so you know...

Today let's go over the latest episode in the sitcom that is my life.

"Caroline Looks for a Job"


After 14 years of spitting out babies and mothering said babies, Caroline finds herself excited and ready to join the workforce. With no "work experience" other than being a preschool teacher for the past decade, she knows her work is cut out for her.

Setting:
Late at night in a darkened den. Caroline sits in front of laptop staring at her uncompleted resume.

The work experience section is glaringly small. Apparently, the "mom" experience is not as transferable as she had hoped. Surviving children's hospitalizations, emotional turmoil, and school struggles are now equated with "time not working." Uggh. Too bad she's so darned honest. Oh how she'd love to lie!

Setting:
Inside the conference room of a local non-profit. Other than the room being bitterly cold, Caroline feels confident. She knows the likelihood that this job will be able to fit her needs are nil.
She goes through with the interview out of curiosity.

The two people doing the interviewing are so extremely personable, Caroline feels as though she is talking to old friends. As they further discuss the job, it becomes evident to her that regardless of pay, the sporadic schedule would keep Caroline from being able to accept. She politely makes it known to the interviewers. Surprise of surprises! The Director of the nonprofit begins talking about "creating" a position that she would just thrive in. Instant Ego Boost. Interview ends with promise and agreement that Caroline would contact Director for further inquiry into "new" position.

Setting:
Inside a small, cluttered office of the direct supervisor of the position being applied for. Caroline is wearing a new dress and freshly painted toe nails. Confidence is still high from the week's earlier interview. This, however is the position Caroline is hanging her hopes on.

The supervisor begins to inquire as to why Caroline is interested in the job. A well spoken, thought out answer is forth coming as Caroline secretly tries to read the expression of her interviewer. After several minutes of discussion, the Director joins the meeting whereas Caroline is asked to repeat her earlier comments. Panic! Panic! Panic! Everything seems so much less sincere the second time around. The Director seems warm and familiar and Caroline begins to relax once again. As the two interviewers go over the job description, Caroline feels confident in her ability to successfully perform the duties in this ENTRY LEVEL POSITION.
Soon the Director begins addressing Caroline's lack of office experience. With rapid fire succession, Caroline is forced to answer no to questions asked about experience with specific functions inside an office environment. Deciding it would be a bad idea to scream out, "I KNOW I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE BUT THIS JOB ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE!!!" Caroline politely tells her new "friends" that while she has no office experience, (once again) she is an intelligent college- educated woman who will be quite capable of learning the process they have developed.
A crestfallen Caroline is walked to the door by the supervisor who tells her, "If you don't hear back from us and you want to know, feel free to call the office." Translation: when you don't get THE call from us, you can call and we will be happy to let you know the job has gone to someone else. (with experience)

Caroline sighs. Heavily.

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So here I am. Not quite jobless, as I still have my position at the preschool, but also far from being able to be self sufficient which is my ultimate goal. (not to BE self sufficient, but rather having the ABILITY to be)
Consequently, I did return to the non-profit to discuss the created position but the compensation was not even close to my lowest anticipated pay. It is such a shame. I really was quite fond of the Director. He would have been a great person to work for.

So, one place was willing to create a position for me while one place had me feeling like a complete loser. This job hunting stuff is just crazy. The idea of sitting in front of someone and being essentially judged is simply exhausting. AND...I have to keep going...