Job (noun); definitions:
1) A piece of work (now there's a phrase!)
2) Anything a person is expected or obligated to do
3) The process or requirements of working
4) The execution (??) or performance of a task
Here's the story of my career. When I graduated from college three friends (Dorothy, Joy, Allison) and I moved to the capital of our state and I -on a whim- signed an apartment lease with no job or no plan. You can imagine how well my parents took this news.
Somehow we agreed to disagree, and before I knew it, move-in day had arrived. The year was 2007, and clearly, my packing was reasonable.
Katharine's winter and summer wardrobes
Once Dorothy found a full-time job in October I stepped in and babysat this precious little boy, McLean, for a few months. He and I were quite the pair and had an equal love for Cheetos and candy.
I had already started the process of job searching online at that time and one day vented to McLean's Mom about how difficult it was to get an interview in person.
I asked her if she knew anyone hiring in the area. She asked a couple of her supper club friends, one of whom said, "Well, my company isn't hiring, but you need to talk with this person. Her company has an opening." Her name was Jeannie, and the job was with a copier company.
As a favor Jeannie gave my most qualified resume (and I say that with utmost sarcasm) to her then boss, and he interviewed me. Our meeting was- I'm sure- his way of doing something nice and not because I was a serious candidate. I had been so involved in extracurricular activities in high school that I'd never really held a job, per se. Would collecting Lisa Frank stickers or beating the final Bowser match on Super Mario World be considered legitimate accomplishments to list in my Skills section?
On February 29th, 2008, I pranced into my interview with no expectations. The manager's name was Todd, and the following week I went to Greenville to interview with his boss. He was really impressed with my Nintendo skills, too. Well, not exactly, but in any event... It took several weeks by the time I was screened and my closet was ransacked for skeletons. But I had done my research on the company, and they saw something in me past the 16 pt font and extra spaces on my resume.
In the mean time I walked in Belk one day and asked if they were hiring. I applied on the spot, had an interview the next day, and was offered a job in the Accessories section before I even got back to my car. I was a jackpot for them, right? I practically purchased their entire inventory of purses, sunglasses, and jewelry. I worked there for five weeks, and when Todd's company hired me my Dad actually said, "Thank God you can't actually wear a copier."
Yep. Only because it wouldn't match my accessories!
When I started that job in May of 2008 I was more confused than the kindergartner that stumbled upon a college honors Neurophysics class...but after a few months the lightbulb was finally illuminated.
When you take a sales job you can guarantee that recruiters are going to call you on a regular basis and try everything in their power to entice you to leave. You wouldn't believe some of the job options I've come across over the years.
- Pharmaceutical sales with an emphasis in dermatology. Wow! Now, that sounds pretty impressive...until I found out that the sole product I'd be selling was anal wart cream.
Hey, there are some of my best customers!
I'm sorry, but this job just wasn't for me for a multitude of reasons. A) I can barely keep a straight face in church when something funny happens. How was I going to talk to a room full of people and discuss butt warts with a straight face? Would there be a powerpoint accompanying my presentation with animations? B) Overall, I envisioned that this job would be a pain in the rear. Next!
2. A 'Financial Reporter.' What on earth would my material be?
"And in other news, I bought two new pocketbooks last week...That's pretty much it, folks."
3. A pizza delivery driver. I must have received twenty emails a week for these jobs. I'm pretty sure the customer would be unhappy when I arrived with the cheese smashed to one side due to my driving.
"You did say extra cheese, sir. You didn't say on which side!"
Suffice it to say that I was very selective over the years and didn't entertain many of these options. Although in sales there were days that I had pulled every last hair out of my head. Catastrophes lay in every corner. Customers had issues with things that were completely out of my control. There were days when an absolute mockery was made of my sanity. There was even one day when I walked into an old customers office and asked for her. She was no longer alive. File that under #oops and #sufficientlyawkward.
But I look back, and if it were not for that job I would never have known about the recording studio in Florence. When one of my customers found out that I had a degree in music and sang in my church's Praise Band he encouraged me to call 6 + 1 studios in 2010... and look what came out of that phone call!
Fast forward to January of this year, and the 'purpose' question bothered me day in and day out. What was I, Katharine, doing with my life to fulfill His will? I struggled every day with this thought. Many, many prayers went up, and there were times when practically all I'd say was..."WHAT do you want me to do with my life, God!!!??"
Do I think that people can fulfill God's will by selling vacuum cleaners, equipment, insurance, and yes, perhaps even wart cream? Absolutely. But were any of those things MY purpose?
Several weeks ago I found an opening in Admissions at a local school and after reading the job description, decided to apply. I would be interviewing prospective students, guiding them on their career paths, etc. It seemed like a wonderful option, so I submitted my resume online.
Did you know that scientists recently discovered the origin of the 'black hole?' It's the place where online resumes go.
After a week of- surprise!- hearing nothing I decided to do my research on Linked In and see if I had any connections with their employees.
This is a box; I had to think outside of it.
I found one person from their school on Linked In, but she and I had no connections. However, when I looked her up on Facebook, we had one mutual friend in common, an AWESOME girl that Dorothy used to work for who is also an extremely talented singer. I had been to her plays before, and we had seen each other on several occasions. We'll call her Jen.
I thought it was a long shot and said so in my Facebook message, but I asked Jen if she knew this person well enough to put in a good word and just see if she could guarantee that someone would at least look at my resume. Jen's response? "I'm texting her right now!!!"
A week or so went by, and I hadn't heard anything, so I stopped by with a printed copy of my resume and put it in the hands of someone in their HR department. I was informed that they had not even scheduled interviews yet, because they had been swamped since the beginning of the year.
I kept Jen informed, and a week or so later she asked me to email her my resume, and I did. A few days later she told me that it had been given to to the president of the university. I was very encouraged.
...But the following day I got an automated 'Dear John' letter from this school saying that I did not meet the requirements, and they would not be moving forward with me an interview. "It's not you; it's me. This isn't working out for us"...and basically the kind of information you probably got in a break up letter from middle school.
Well, there's one dream down the toilet.
I was crushed. I was also kind of embarrassed. Jen had gone to all that trouble...for nothing. I almost wanted to avoid the subject, but I thought, "You know what? She went really out of her way for me and deserves to be thanked." So I wrote her a nice message.
She totally understood where I was coming with and commiserated with me on the "experience wheel of doom" AKA "you can't get this job without the necessary experience, but you can't get the necessary experience without this job" kind of thing. This was the same day that Emerson and I had been rear ended.
When it rains....
But at the bottom of her email she said, "By the way, our mutual friend wanted me to pass this lead on to you." That lead was an admissions/recruiting position with Grand Canyon University.
I received her email on an afternoon when I had just been told "no" by two different customers who had assured me that they were going to purchase equipment that month. As if I wasn't already down in the dumps enough. I read the job description and almost didn't apply, because it said 'significant' regional travel. I had already told another company "no" that wanted me to cover the entire state of SC, and I simply told them that I needed to be a 100% Mom and a 100% employee and in that particular scenario, either they or my daughter would get the short end of the stick. They understood and greatly appreciated my honesty.
But after such a treacherous day up until that point I decided that I had nothing to lose. I wrote a cover letter from my heart about seeking a position that would allow me to use my faith in the work place and ended with, "That's where your university comes in."
Based on my previous luck with online submissions I considered writing nonsense somewhere on the resume or one of those sentences you were tempted to write on a college essay: "This line is just here to see if you're actually reading..." Fortunately, I refrained.
That Saturday was Reagan and Hunter's wedding. I talked with several people from my church that weekend and told them what was on my mind and heart. They listened to me with such care and empathy and assured me that they would pray specifically about that situation. "Why do I want to go home so much?" I get asked frequently. Because of people like Becky F. and Julie F. and the MANY other people in our church family that would drop everything they had for me. I adore our church family; they've helped make me who I am. I also had a very long heart to heart with Joy that weekend, and it was much needed.
Early the next week I got a call from GCU's hiring manager about scheduling an introductory phone interview the following day. I had been extremely sick and sounded like a 99 year old frog during our call, but at least it wasn't enough to scare him away.
One of the first things he reviewed with me was the territory. It was LOCAL and in Columbia. "This is IT!" I told myself, but I have a history of putting the carriage (and balloons and firecrackers) before the horse.
We talked for 45 minutes during my first interview. He asked me many questions and really gained a clear understanding of where I was in my career, where I wanted to go, and what purpose I wanted to fulfill. He had also sold copiers right out of college! He selected me as a final candidate, and I was asked to prepare a territory plan for the following week. They gave me no outline but asked me to use my creativity. YOU'VE GOT IT! I even called some special friends from Dillon who were currently in or had completed the program, and that really added to the presentation. I worked on it as if my life depended on it...and honestly, it did in many respects.
On Tuesday, the 17th I had my interview. It was almost an hour long. He asked me detailed questions, and I felt very prepared. This had to be it for me. This had to happen. Their university and I stood for the same things! It was exactly the type of position I had been looking for! He told me that I was his second to last interview and that they were making hiring decisions very quickly for a start date of the first week in March. I would know something no later than noon the next day.
And then came the wait. Although I knew I would have less than 24 hours to wait, those were 24 of the longest hours ever...
Like, hey, will you count the number of brown spots on this granite island?
Or, will you hold my place in this line?
For. EV. ER!!!
I tossed and turned that evening worse than the night after cheerleading tryouts in ninth grade....only this was a tad bit more important.
"GO GRAND CANYON!!!"
I went about the next day as usual...going on customer meetings, carrying on conversations with coworkers, etc. but my mind was burning and my heart was racing...would I get the job!?!?
I went home for lunch (looking horrible, might I add). I was going on about three hours of sleep (thanks, Emerson) and had skipped washing my hair that morning. As the time ticked on my hope began to dwindle. Wouldn't they have called the ones they wanted to hire first? Did they mean noon Arizona time? There were about 25 of these positions across the US. The Columbia spot was the only one remotely in our region.
And then...my phone rang at 12:48. It was from Phoenix. THIS WAS THE CALL!!! I collected myself and answered the phone at lightning speed. "Katharine?" "Yes?!?" It was the HR manager, a lady with whom I'd spoken before. "How do you think your interview went?" And of course I said lovely things.
And then...as if an eight million ton gorilla was lifted off of my chest, I heard the words I'd been praying for and dreaming about. "We have some alternative candidates waiting, but we were really impressed with what you put together, and we'd like to move forward and make you an offer!"
"Pardon me while I just think about this for a few seconds...."
"Okay, I'm back now."
My. heart. stopped. It was an absolute whirlwind. Like a tornado but minus the bad feelings! Within minutes I was being asked if I wanted a window or aisle seat on the plane and what kind of hotel room I wanted for my TRAINING IN ARIZONA! Granted, I will MISS my family for 21 days like there's no tomorrow, but I had to make this decision and felt without question that it was the one for me.
Gotta go clean my desk now!
We celebrated that afternoon with a trip to Nanny and Papa's, followed by dinner at Yesterday's, one of my FAVORITE places to eat.
Other occasions that call for a meal at Yesterday's are included but not limited to: being able to tie your shoe, a day when the sun is shining, and your first sneeze. I have a feeling we're going to continue to eat there a lot.
This past week has been such a special time. Last weekend I got to see and catch up with many special friends for Megan's baby shower.
We can't WAIT for baby girl Puryear to be here!
Audrey and Emerson discussed their future career options during a playdate that evening.
I talked with so many people at church last Sunday who were so uplifting and solidified my decision!
This week I bid goodbye to so many customers and introduced them to their new rep. I had supported some of these customers since my very first year there, and I've definitely made some life long friends and connections.
We also enjoyed two mornings of "sleeping in" due to daycare weather delays.
On Thursday night Jeannie and her boys spent some time with Emerson while I celebrated with a dinner at Ale House with these awesome folks!
And CHECK OUT that cake!!!
I wonder whose idea that was...
"And 'under neat that' I want a picture of a copier."
On Friday, February 27th, 2015 (the last official day of my first job) my office went to Liberty to bid me farewell and celebrate Jeannie's Birthday.
This was my first job out of college. I stepped into that office as a twenty two year old with no real previous work history. I grew up with these people; they were there when I got engaged, got married, and had my first child. They were there for me time and time again. They've made a lasting impression on my mind and heart.
Let me tell you how much Jeannie means to me. I don't know WHAT I would have done without her all these years. From day one she took me under her wing, and we have developed such a friendship. We call each other every morning on the way to work to see who's going to beat who in our seats first. She always wins. I can't wait to continue our friendship in a new environment!
This weekend we took Emerson to EdVenture for our last family outing before I leave.
So that's my new job story, folks. I am going to be a recruitment/admissions rep with Grand Canyon University. I get to train at their ground campus for three weeks (plus a free weekend home in between), but I will still be local out of Columbia. I will be visiting hospitals, schools, fire and police departments and recruiting people who are working full time and need the flexibility of an online program for either a Bachelors or Masters degree. I am OVER THE MOON!!!
It's like winning an anonymous beauty pageant. I have no idea who the other candidates were that interviewed, but...the winner is.....
"YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!"
Shouldn't GCU play this on their home webpage or something? Everyone deserves to be this excited about their job. I'm working on my gymnastics routine for my first student presentation.
And there is SO MUCH MORE to come. For every prayer, uplifting word, and bit of encouragement you've given to me over the years, nothing has gone unnoticed, and I can't wait to return your goodness.
I can truly say that..."LIFE IS GRAND!!!!!!!"
