I had recently worked more hours that I had ever fathomed, (46.5 hours one week--without overtime... isn't that illegal?), so I had abou $400 saved up. So I wasn't too worried about finding another job. In fact, it was the last thing on my mind. I had no intention of employment again until I was either really bored or really poor, whichever came first.
October came around, and I was still feeling comfortable with my bank account. Against my better judgement, I filled out an application for Staples, an office supply store. At the time I was still naive about the intricacies of a job search, so I was optimistic (or pessimistic, depending on how you look at it) that I would get a call.
I didn't. Hooray.
No matter, I still had my small fortune to fall back upon. I tentatively applied at a few other places, such as Target. But when my phone rang, it was not an HR director asking me to come in for an interview, but one of my fiendish friends asking if I wanted to go out and subtract from my dwindling pile of cash.
Along came February, and I was beginning to sweat. My account had just dipped below $100. I needed a job, soon. My old pal Richi informed me that the public library that he'd been working at for a few years was hiring. It sounded like the perfect job for me: it paid a dollar more per hour than Harkins, it was a quiet atmosphere, I would have limited interface with customers, and I'd have a buddy to screw around with when no one was looking.
I filled out an application, and lo and behold, I received a call. It seemed like Santa Claus was smiling down upon me, as I was finally going to have income again. I went in for an interview, feeling cool and confident. At the end of our discussion, Richi's supervisor took me around for a quick tour of the back area to give me an idea of what I was going to be doing.
I celebrated. This made me feel especially confident. Why would she show me around if I wasn't going to get hired? That's right, she wouldn't. My call came a few days later.
She was hiring someone else.
Naturally, I was livid. She said I interviewed well... but apparently not well enough. No need to lie to me, just tell me what the problem was, and I'll change it. How could she build me up like that just to shoot me down?
| Places I applied to before being hired: | |
|---|---|
| Target | Public library |
| Bashas' | Fry's |
| Staples | Quick Time |
| Famous Footwear | Big 5 |
| Border's Books | K-Mart |
| Eckard Drug | Radio Shack |
To make a long story slightly less long, my dad's coworker gave the me the name of someone to talk to at Sears. I went down there to apply for a cashier position. I got a call later that day for an interview. However, they didn't need cashiers. The lady who called me told me I could do MCA.
I had no idea what that was. She told me that I basically stock shelves and make the sales floor look good. I was thrilled by this--I wouldn't have to deal with customers. It would be someone else's job to point them in the right direction, or tell them they're wrong. My interview was scheduled for two days later.
I was looking pretty good the day I went down there, feeling sure that this was the right job for me. Now, when I was told I could apply for MCA, I deduced that 'M' stood for 'Merchandise'. Yet I didn't bother to ask what 'CA' meant. I guess it didn't seem like an important detail at the time.
'CA' stands for 'Customer Assisstance'. Turns out I'm going to be working with people. A lot. Talk about a kick in the shorts.
Oh well... I have a job.