readjusting to employment

Thanks to all who offered advice for our situation.

Over the last week, my husband has had job interviews with two companies, a call to interview with a third company, and a real honest-to-goodness job offer...

...which he accepted.

Starting tomorrow morning, we'll be readjusting to employment by getting up an hour earlier, so he can get to work by 6:30 AM, where he'll be working on valve assembly for 9 hours a day. This is no desk job-- it's a "pull-out-the-grubby-tennis-shoes, on-your-feet-all-day" kind of job.

While most people will say that you do what you have to do to pay the bills, he decided to accept this job, because it will plug us into a different corner of our community. While we continue entertaining the idea of him going back to school, this job will introduce him to a new realm of ideas, lifestyles, and backgrounds.

But enough glorification of his new warehouse job. It's time for us to start going to bed early.

seeking re-employment

"The only people who never fail are those who never try." (Ilka Chase)

My husband is the type who is willing to knock on the door of any possible opportunity. Over the last couple weeks, we've discussed everything from looking for another full-time position to starting our own business to going back to school.

The reality is that we have a commitment to host a group of international students this summer for one month. Most full-time positions would not allow anyone to take that much time off, so my husband's been looking for a temporary job to tide us over until the beginning of the summer.

But neither of us expected Temporary Company #1 to turn down his application.

I was washing the dishes when he announced that the low point in his day was when he called Company #1, and the manager informed him that his application had been filled out unsatisfactorily and that he would be barred from applying there again for the next 90 days.

What?! How could it have been that bad?

My husband explained that the online application had included a variety of multiple-choice questions, which required him to say what he would do in various situations that may arise at work-- including employee disagreements. Ah. Maybe that's why my "fix-it-myself-and-help-others-come-to-the-right-conclusion" husband was denied this position.

Even so, the rejection stung.

...which is why I sent him off to job interview #2 this afternoon with a bit of trepidation. I didn't want him to go through that experience again. And yet-- I need to let him try. This is life for those who are seeking re-employment.

I guess we'll see how it goes.