Eric got a job offer!!
And so did I!
in the same day
Isn't that crazy!?!
After months of searching, praying, searching, networking, searching, and even at times -- despairing, we both got job offers on the same day, what are the chances?!
Well here is the story. (It isn't short).
Eric has been looking for jobs on campus.
He is doing school full time and so he was just looking for a part-time job. You wouldn't think it would be that hard. But it has been. There just aren't many jobs out there right now. He finally had an interview lined up for Friday (today). It was for a job as a BAKER for the BYU-I Food Services.
Meanwhile, I was at the Elementary School on Wednesday registering my kids. I was asking the secretary about substituting jobs, etc. The principal overheard me talking and came out. After talking about my background and experience for a minute, he said that he would love to interview me for a few different Classroom Aide positions on campus.
I didn't know what to say. I wasn't really looking for a job.
So I told him I'd call him. He said he was interviewing the NEXT day so I had to decide fast. I went home and talked to Eric. We decided that I should go ahead and try for it. It was only 15 hrs. a week and paid slightly better than the on-campus jobs he could get. Besides, his classes are all at night this semester and this is a morning job so he could watch the kids (we wouldn't have to use a babysitter). So I called and set up an interview for the next afternoon and then spent hours trying to create a resume & fill out an application. It had been 11 years since I'd looked for a job!
The interview seemed to go okay.
SIDE STORY: The only question I couldn't answer was "What is your biggest fault as a teacher?" I was stumped! Not that I couldn't think of any faults, but they weren't the kind I could admit: control-freak, have a hard time being on time, can lose patience with the kids, think I'm always right...not things you can say in an interview. In retrospect I thought of some good ones: procrastinator or clutter collector would have been fine but I was like a deer in headlights. Oh well.
Anyway, back to the story.
So Eric had his interview today. It went really well. They said they really wanted to have him, but he said he needed to discuss with his wife. I still hadn't heard about my job interview. I was getting kind of excited at the thought of working in the classroom again, but the hours for his job & my job were exactly the same. We didn't want to send the kids to a sitter (neither of the jobs pay enough to be worth that either!), and I really didn't have an offer yet either. So when they called about an hour later with a solid offer, he said yes, on condition that they could give him at least 20 hrs. a week (the original job was only for 15). The agreed and Eric took the job. Yea!! I could tell that Eric was really excited about doing this. I don't know that the idea of being a "baker" is really that appealing to him but I think he is just eager to be working again. It's not good for the ego or manhood to be sitting at home all day for too long. Also, he really liked the people he interviewed with... and he does like to bake cookies at home sometimes.
No more than an hour later, the principal from the Elementary School called to offer me a job. It was with a heavy heart that I said, NO. I explained the situation and he was really understanding. I think we made the right decision. All in all, I am very happy to still be able to be at home with the kids and I think Eric will be happier having a job, at last.
So it truly is a happy ending.
SIDENOTE: Now, if only the money were better. Eric will make in a month about half of what he used to make in a week. But I guess it's not about the money, it's about work ethic, being a provider, getting your foot in the door, networking...or something, right?
As for survival, that is where Pell Grants, student loans & proceeds from the sale of our house come in.
The Lord seems to bless us how & when we need it.
