While I feel an unfamiliar sense of relief for actually having an interview today, I am a little ambivalent. Because I know that a job won't solve all my problems. But it would solve quite a few, if I am hired. Aside from the need for consistent and meaningful employment, I felt it was a pleasant conversation. People put a lot of stock in stuffy professionalism, but in my humble and socially awkward opinion, a conversation is preferable to an interrogation.
I did have to answer the strength and weakness question, but I did what I usually do...I was honest. I wasn't out to "sell" myself in the sense of trumping myself up and making me look better than reality. Some might say I shot myself in the foot with that. We'll see.
The best part about this morning was that the two ladies with whom I was conversing really seemed to understand me. No blank stares a la store manager from yesterday. One even told me I should be a writer because of how I answered the application questions. I better be good at it by now...I've been writing a lot of cover letters and such lately. Maybe I should try to make money blogging! She said she understood my "heart," which is good. The job is in a non-profit, working with people. That's all I'll say so as not to jinx anything.
Honesty and a willingness to help people. Is that not rare these days? Or am I falling into the "sell myself" trap and latching on to a trait that I think could be marketable? I have no idea, not yet...but I do know that helping people whether in the arts, education or another type of service feels a whole lot better than soliciting store credit card applications. Asking people to add a credit card to their wallet seems like part of the problem, not the solution. Yes, you save a certain percentage that day--and every month onward, if you really want to buy that often--but many people are concerned about their credit scores, identity theft and the temptation to spend more than you have earned just yet.
I'd rather help than hinder. Not all customers are jerks who didn't pay attention in math class. The one extreme example I have is a lady who declined to apply for credit, then got a little annoyed when I continued to converse with her about non-credit things. It takes a lot of effort for me to talk to people in a comfortable manner...part of me still thinks I'd better keep my mouth shut. But I thought I might make her day by treating her like a person. Problem was, she had problems weighing on her mind, and blurted out "I'm homeless if you must know, and my husband is in jail for murder." I told her she didn't have to tell me that as I handed over her change. I'm not sorry for speaking to her (it's part of my job) but it was not my intention to make her feel bad about her situation. She's the sort of person whom I might help in the new job. Maybe in that context I'd win her over. But some people do have chips on their shoulder, and I blame society and all its pressures for that.
Yesterday my dad told me I wasn't really part of the workforce. Because of my liberal arts degree. He said I "took it the wrong way" but how else should I take it when my father calls my chosen pursuit a "problem"? He assures me I'll get a museum job when the economy gets better. So for the moment I need to starve? I do hope that teaching this fall doesn't disqualify me from the non-profit job...I told them this morning--and I think they feel me on this--that I want to keep at least a toe in the arts. A whole foot, really. I refuse to sell my soul.
No comments:
Post a Comment