Employment issues

LAW emailed me letting me know about a series of blog posts on milspouse employment over at Left Face. I started writing a long comment over there and decided to just post it here and maybe get some of you to go over there and comment.

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Here's my situation (and please pardon the oversimplification of somethings and the length). My husband was in the Army Reserves and deployed to Iraq. We didn't know what he was going to do when he came home since he'd given up his law practice when he moved 1500 miles away to get the unit ready to mobilize. He had no job to come home to and he was not interested in setting up his own practice again. He applied for AGR (Active Guard & Reserve). He was asked to stay in Iraq for a second deployment. With nothing from AGR, we agreed that he would stay on in Iraq and move to a different location. A few days after he made that commitment, AGR called to let us know he'd been accepted into the program. He honored his commitment and remained in Iraq. This still left us wondering what he'd do when he came home. He applied for and was accepted into the Active Duty JAG program. We knew that would mean moving every couple of years and more deployments in our future. We knew that would mean I would be leaving my job and finding new work every couple of years. We've been here at our first duty station since October and I have yet to solidify a job. We are very fortunate to be able to live off of his paycheck.

My education and work experience is diverse. I have a BSN and worked as an ER RN for three years. I have a JD and worked as a trial attorney for three years. I left law for a less stressful life as a technical writer while my husband was deployed. My last job I had for three years.

I am looking for a good paying job. I have applied for jobs with defense contractors and on post. The biggest challenge for me has been getting my foot in the door. Most of the jobs on post are not open to the public; they are for "status candidates," which is essentially someone who has previous worked for the federal government. I am not one of those people. My husband and I have heard directly from the person in charge of the Dept of Army civilian hiring that they prefer to make jobs available to status candidates because, get this, otherwise they would have to give these jobs to veterans due to the veterans preference. (Uh, that sounds a lot like discrimination of veterans.) So I cannot apply for the vast majority of positions on post. The jobs that are left are either MWR jobs or jobs that I am not remotely qualified for (I am not an electrical engineer or a computer scientist).

The second challenge is knowing how to play the game so I could get a secretarial job. I would, incorrectly, have assumed that a JD means I have graduated from high school. Not so. Since my Resumix resume didn't include that I was a high school graduate, I was rejected. Or else "you were not among the best qualified candidates" means that I am overqualified. Either way, my online resume was inadequate. I spent a looooong time with the right woman who told me that your Resumix resume needs to be packed with information. Find the job descriptions and use that to help build your resume. It is all about key words. The people doing the screening aren't thinking outside the box; we need to figure how to get in the box. (Of course, it helps to know how the game is played!)

Even though it has been 9 years since I last practiced nursing, I did apply for a nursing job on post. That requires only a license in any state. If I wanted to practice in town I would need to be licensed in this state. It would cost me about $1000 to do that. The same thing holds true for an attorney position; my current law licenses are sufficient for federal jobs. I would have to sit for another bar exam if I wanted to work in town, assuming that there was a position available. Licensing is an issue for milspouses since it is done at the state level and not all states grant reciprocity.

Since I have been here, I started doing direct sales with Tastefully Simple. It is something to help keep me busy and certainly presents new challenges for me. And it will present the same challenge of growing my business every time we move. But it is MINE, I can take it with me and grow it as much or as little as I'd like.

Last September, President Bush signed an Executive Order in an attempt to make it easier for military spouses to get jobs, or basically, become "status candidates." I have been told that will not go into effect until regulations are written to make that happen. It is April and I still haven't heard anything about this being in effect. Somewhere deep down inside, I am hoping that Mrs. Obama will do more than listen to military families and portray us as people who need the public's sympathy.

God must have other things in store for me

I am unemployed. Again. After three weeks of work, I am back home in the middle of the day. My employment was conditional and that condition was not met.

I took a long drive to clear my head. I drove out to the small border town where my father went to high school. Last time I was there was 30 years ago. Can't say that it seemed much different. It looked like many small towns I've seen across the country. Its heyday has past, but there is a spirit that is undying. Down, yes. Out, no. Like so many, the jobs may come and go, but the life goes on, struggling through the tough times. Waiting, hoping, praying, and slowing working to get back on its feet.

I called my dad while I was there. He had me drive by the old apartment house he lived in with his father and brother. Not much to look at. Weeds overgrowing the front. A fresh paint job within the last 5 years. But 50 years my dad slept there in a small room he shared with his brother.

And then I drove home. To this gorgeous 3-bedroom + den, 2-bath, 3-car garage house with gourmet kitchen, soaking tub, walk-in shower, and entire living/dining room that we don't know what to do with, all sitting on 1.5 acres with views on the mountains on three sides. I want for nothing.

So God must have another plan for me right now. I am thinking I need to take better care. Of myself, the housekeeping, my dogs, my husband (not necessarily in that order). I can work on all of that.

I do have another job I am applying for later this week. And we'll just go from there.

And while I have your attention, who wants to have a Tastefully Simple Catalog Party? Seriously. Email me if you want to earn free products and our host collection. I'm still going to have FUN.

SNOW!!!

Just a couple weeks ago, I posted on Facebook how much I was missing the snow that they were getting back in Middleville. And today it is snowing at my house in Cav Canyon. And actual decent flakes and it is sticking to the ground. Sounds like last year, they closed the post when they got an inch of snow. That is one single inch. Interesting to see if they do that again.

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes yesterday. The first day of work went well. It was very nice that they had an assignment for me to work on. I love editing and learning new style guides so it made the afternoon fly by. The group I am training with right now is a great group of seven women editors. Fantastic!

Off to work

After an amazing experience with Tastefully Simple this weekend, I am off to work at a full-time day job this morning. Having been unemployed for 7 months, I am looking forward to this structure in my time and some added cash in my wallet.

Wish me luck as I will be tackling an entirely new subject matter. And I am not used to getting up this early.

Catch you later.

Got an offer!

Woohoo! I got a job offer today for full-time work with a well respected company. I should start in about a month.

Until then, it is painting, temp work when I can get it, and finishing stuff up around the house.

A bit of work and a bite at some more

Got a temp job. Transcribing a 2.5-hour hearing from a CD. They think it will take 8 hours. I think it will take maybe twice that. They need it by Tuesday. It is a 4-day weekend. Guess what I'll be doing this weekend. Of course, I have virtually no experience transcribing. But I can type fairly fast.

Got a call from the HR person at the clinic on post about an RN position. Not sure how much she read of my resume. She didn't seem to understand that I hadn't practiced in almost 10 years. Nonetheless, she wants to interview on Friday, yes, on the training holiday. Interesting to see what happens with that.

****UPDATE****
1230: Uh, yeah. I drove 20 miles to pick up the assignment and sat in their offices for an hour while they figured out what they really wanted to do. I left empty handed and drove straight to the temp agency, 35 miles. I am not a happy camper 3.5 hours after this began. At the agency they were somewhat sympathetic and offered me a job paying $9/h this Saturday. Should be simple enough.

I guess it is back to painting the smallest room with the tallest ceiling.

Keeping Busy

So I am hoping that one sure-fire way for me to get a job is to plan my life as though I will not have one.

I've been going to the local spouses' club luncheons since I arrive in October. I figured I wouldn't be able to go to those monthly gatherings every month once I got a job. Apparently that was not enough.

I started my own business with Tastefully Simple. While this should be a mostly evening activity, I am planning on going to conference, including one next month, requiring time off of any job. Still not enough.

I was hesitant to join the Protestant Women of the Chapel group on post because they meet weekly at 9 AM. To me and my working mind set, that is an odd time for a group. But what the heck, I am a protestant woman, I am not doing anything more productive most Tuesday mornings, and my relationship with God can always be strengthened. And I want to meet more people.

Not yet enough.

OK. I decided to through myself into a series of painting projects around the house. Surely, a job offer would come my way while I was up to my elbows in Kilz.

Yeah. No job offers yet. And I am still peeling Kilz off my forearms and will be for a while.

Let's see if this will work. There is a Wednesday morning Bible study group on post that I am going to check out this morning.

If this doesn't work, at least I am doing something productive and constructive and that brings in some income.

In the meantime, I am soooo happy that this great woman found her job!!

A New Vet and Another Interview

The doggies and I are off to visit the vet on post this morning. Both are overdue for a couple of vaccinations and Moo has a been growing this lump on her lip for a couple months. And a princess doggie shouldn't have a lump on her face. This is the first new vet for the doggies, but I've told them to be on their best military child behavior. They are already dressed up with their ACU bandanas on. :D

Then this afternoon I've got another interview with the last company I interviewed with, but for a different position. Sounds like it should be a good fit.

Tastefully Simple business is going well. Thank you readers who helped get me off to a good start. Now I need to work the parties and meet more people here. But I really am having a blast with it.

(No change on the status of the house in Middleville. Except that we can't pay the mortgage now.)

Catch ya later!

Christmas is coming!

Well, the in-laws have to get here first, before Christmas gets here. I am very lucky in that I not only have a wonderful husband, but I also have wonderful in-laws. They'll be here in a few hours and should be here for a week. We are planning on doing hiking and enjoying the outdoors and taking in the local scene.

I'm not done with Christmas shopping. I am waiting for enlargements to come in. (Sorry to spoil the surprise, Mom and Sister. It's OK. They usually get something I took a picture of.) I need to figure out how to wrap an AR lower. Do I find a box somewhere or do I cover every inch, trigger and all, in paper? (And Jack Bauer bought it himself. There is no surprising Jack Bauer.)

But I am really looking forward to our first Christmas together in three years. We probably went overboard getting an 8-foot tree, but we've got the space. Nice to have the house decorated. I didn't do any decorating while Jack was deployed. I think there are greens in everyroom, including the bathroom. (I just use the branches from bottom of the tree that had to be cut off to fit into the stand. I spread them around the windowsills and tuck them in the top of hanging pictures.)

So the job front. Looks like things are on hold until after New Year's Day. Not surprising. Working people are taking time off, and when they are able to get to their desks to work, they are thinking about what's in front of them, wrapping up what is absolutely needed.

No change in news on the house-selling front. It will sell. One day.

My Tastefully Simple business is going well. I had my Blast Off Party this last week. It was a great deal of fun! And while I was hoping to get more bookings, I knew the chances of that happening from the group of women there was slim. I'd already asked them. Best I can hope for is to make them repeat customers and convince them to host a party some time down the line. Thanks again to many of my readers who are now my Tastefully Simple customers. I've signed up to go to the Regional Conference in February. If you are interested in getting on my e-mail list to learn more about the wonderful, easy-to-prepare (add no more than 2 ingredients to get gourmet food) products, please e-mail me at butterfly.wife.life AT gmail.com.

So that's what's going on in my life. If I don't "talk" to you between now and Thursday, have a very Merry Christmas.

Goings On

Let's see. In the last week, I got my first sales as a Tastefully Simple consultant and scheduled my Blast Off Party for next Wednesday. I am still super excited about this opportunity to meet new people and make a little extra money on the side. Thank you to several of my readers for placing orders with me and helping me get my business started! :D

If anyone would like to be added to my e-mail list to get my TS website, please e-mail me at butterfly.wife.life AT gmail.com

On the job front, I was not selected for the job I interviewed for. That was difficult. I'm not sure, but I think I have been offered nearly every single job I've ever interviewed for. BUT after a short cry, I decided I just needed to move forward. So moving forward I am. And I have another interview tomorrow with a different company. It should be a more challenging job and thus more money. I did go to the temp agency last week. The person I interviewed with sounded like she could find something for me. I agreed to work locally for $8/hr. Uggg.

No news on the house selling front. We lowered the house below what we owe and still nothing. But who really is thinking about buying a home two weeks before Christmas? And I heard yesterday about some planned layoffs in Middleville. Uggg.

And I did meet a super special blogger last week. She is just as special in person as she is online. :D

Giving thanks

Yeah, I've been a little neglectful around here. I've been busy doing the same thing day after day. Searching for a job is the toughest job I think I've ever had. You see, our house in Middleville is still unsold. No offers have been made. And we are running out of savings to keep paying for it. We are already talking to our banks about this. This is a very depressing situation.

But I am working on looking at the bright side of things. Jack Bauer is home with me. We live in a big spacious house with gorgeous views all around. I've met some wonderful people here and the area is very comfortable, homey; I feel at place here. We live close enough to my parents that we can drive to see them, my sister, my nephew, my 99-year-old grandmother, my uncle, my cousin, and his wife later today for Thanksgiving. I even get to see my old hairstylist, who still cuts my mother and my sister's hair, to come in special on Saturday just to tackle the hair that was cute in July but needed some up keep that I have neglected. And to cover inches of gray. (I'm 36 and my temples have gone completely gray. I shouldn't have this much gray!) Of course, I am most thankful to have a loving, healthy, and supportive family.


So I am also working on letting go of what I can't control. And having a little faith that things will work out. Two signs that I needed to have faith have come into my life in the last week. First, I was at the spouses' club luncheon last week when I sat next to the woman who is in charge of employment readiness on post. I spent three hours with her yesterday learning how to make my Army civilian resume work to get a job on post. Her middle name that is part of her email address? Faith.

The second was this past Monday when I was attending a Tastefully Simple home party. I've never seriously considered doing direct sales until I came across this company. Part of the consultant's email address? You got it, faith. So I am taking a little leap of faith -- little only because Tastefully Simple doesn't require much of a buy in -- and signing up to be a consultant.

Focusing on having faith and being thankful for the abundance I already have is going to save my sanity through this difficult time.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

This is exhausting

This job search thing tiring. Everyday, I check about 15 different websites for potential jobs. I've been networking the best I can. I've been following up on leads. I even made the most of a Quality of Life event on post, talking to each and every booth to see what possibilities their companies have for employment. I did luck out by coincidence of timing to be there when a fairly high up HR guy on post was bringing lunch to his worker at a booth. He and I talked for probably 20 minutes. He reassured me that I am doing everything right, and it is just going to take some time.

I've made this job search my full time job. I've applied or otherwise inquired about some 22 jobs. It just feels wrong to not be working when that is what I am supposed to be doing here.

So I keep on doing what I can. But it is a frustrating, emotionally draining process.

And note to self, next time I'll start this process at least two months before I move.