So I’m still not completely ready to talk about what went down 3 weeks ago.  I don’t know how to start and frankly, I have to think about all the people involved so for now, we’ll just push that to the back burner for a way future post on “Things happen that are sometimes crappy”.

That said, I don’t want to talk about something crappy, I want to talk about something awesome that happened.  I’ve been job hunting for the last 3 weeks which as anyone who’s done this knows is tedious, makes you feel like crap sometimes, and exhausting.  People, I have to say this, if you want a bachelors degree for a file clerk you are a jerk.  Seriously, not a little jerk, a mega jerk.  And maybe more than that.  If you are going to pay any employee under 30K a year don’t even bother with the degree because you know what?  It’s stupid and I’ll tell you why.   A degree does not mean this person has any applicable skills what so ever.  It meant they went to college for 4 + years, studied a subject and graduated.  At most (if it is not a degree such as IT, accounting, or teaching) they know how to do as they are told and fill out financial aid information.  I know that sounds harsh but seriously, college does not teach you how to use the sum function in Excel, it does not teach you how to consolidate reports, it doesn’t teach you how to handle an agent calling you drunk from his bathtub to wax on and on about his mother issues (true story, and it happened to me with multiple agents at multiple times.).  It teachers you one subject very well but it does not teach you skills you need to work entry level in an office.  Sorry.

OK, dude, I got side tracked, sorry.

So I have worked in the merchant services industry for the last 10 years.  It’s what my family does and what we really know.  I saw an ad on Craigslist about a position in this industry and I sent in my resume.  It was for a job I didn’t want, wouldn’t do, and wouldn’t accept.  Why then did I send in an inquiry?  Because I had the best mentor in the world who told me the most important thing you can ever do is get your foot in the door.  So I sent in my resume with a killer cover letter and got a call the same day.  Surprise?  I wasn’t.  The job is high turn over and they always need people.

I went in and met with the hiring manager for this department.  It was in the middle of a call center, it was loud, it was a little obnoxious, and I couldn’t hear.  What was worse?  The guy didn’t seem interested in hearing what I had to say.  He saw (and commented) that I was way over qualified for this minimum wage (plus bonuses) job but he didn’t really know what to do about that.  He kept talking about what the job is, the ‘probation period’ and the hours.  Finally he asked me the question I’d been waiting for.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the lowest, 10 being the highest, how excited are you about this?”

I was honest (as is in my nature).  “About this position?  About a 2 on a really good day.  About working for this company though?  A 10.  I’d love to work here and I believe my skills and experience would be an asset.”

He frowned at me and pulled out a post it before writing down “inside sales” along with a ‘?’.  People.  I don’t do sales.  It takes a completely different personality than mine to do sales.  Super sales people, people who can sell with out actually SELLING are so amazing.  You watch them work, their energy level, their poise and just think, damn.  I am not that person.  But I said nothing because I knew he was going to transfer me to another manager out of his department.  So I met with the next manager who started toward the inside sales department before I stopped him.  I told him very honestly that I am not a sales person, I’ve never actually sold anything in my life, and I have no experience/interest in sales.  The manager stared at me for a moment with a frown as if he’d been duped so I followed that up by telling him what I was.  I am a hard core ops person.  I love the operations side of the business.  I love the calls, the paperwork, and the process.

The manager now took a real look at my resume (the first I assumed), and frowned again.  He too had no idea what to do with me.  I was patient though because I am a shark among the minnows.  After a considerable silence where he flipped back and forth through the two page resume he looked at me and said that he thought there might be an opening up stairs but wasn’t sure.  He was going to talk to the management and see what they said and give me a call later that day.

I drove home feeling pretty pleased with myself.  Even if they just kept my resume on file I had just hopped up 3 pay grades in the interview process.  I went in for a job I didn’t want, was over qualified for, and wouldn’t do only to get a better interview with another manager.  I felt kinda awesome.  So I sang along (at full volume) to the greatest hits of the Violent Femms all the way home.

The moment I drove into my driveway and parked my car my phone rang.  I was expecting the manager to tell me they didn’t have a position but what I got was the president of the company calling me back for a second interview.  Hearing “I can’t believe he let you walk out the door” really is a serious boost to one’s ego.

So today I had the interview with the president & CEO and I landed myself a job.  Not only a job, but a job at the salary I expected, doing what I love to do.  A job that wasn’t advertised or listed, that wasn’t available and I got it because I kept talking.  Because in that brief moment I channeled my father in law and all his greatness and ladder hopped my way into the executives office.  I’m proud as punch frankly.  I know that I can do the job I was hired for and so much more.  My goal is to amaze their socks off and show them what 10 years of hard core experience looks like.  I want them to look at me and realize they hired a shark and be pleased with their decision.

I start Monday and I’m pretty stoked.  It will be nice to get back into the game.

And before anyone asks about the farm, it will still be here.  The extent of the duties include, letting everyone out, milking 1 goat, and putting them away at night.  I’ll have to get up early to milk Hannah but it will work and everything will be great.  I celebrated today with buying myself a real milk bucket.  Yeah, I’m a dork and I’m ok with that.