Well, when it rains, it pours. Don`t get me wrong, I`m grateful. October turned out to be a pretty great month.
The month started out with my mom having surgery to remove her breast cancer. She came out of that sittin`pretty as they were able to remove it all at once and she just needs some radiation to make sure there isn`t any hiding anywhere.
Shortly after that I FINALLY got my last cheque from Metalsmiths and my ROEs from Bell and Metalsmiths arrived so that I could complete my Employment Insurance (although Ì`m STILL waiting for a decision... good ole government..)
Then I started working at Michael Hill, and this is when the fun begins..
I went to fill out the paperwork to starting working there last Friday, and on my way out the Manager from Fido mentioned they were looking for an Assistant Manager, but at this point I`m hoping to see what else the world has to offer me other than another management position in a kiosk selling cell phones.
Then on the drive home, I get a phone call from the manager at Starbucks asking me to come in for an interview on Tuesday.
The weekend passes and my first shift at Michael Hill is Tuesday morning, followed by the Starbucks interview that afternoon. My first shift at Michael Hill was pretty uneventful, and I left with the impression that I`m going to enjoy it there - so far, I`m correct :).
My interview went well, I even got a free Vanilla Bean Frappucino - yum! I checked my phone on the way home and had a text from the hubby saying that a friend of his found out the Meridian bank located in the plaza behind my apartment building is looking for a part time teller and gave me the name of who to talk to, so I stopped in and brought a resumé and am now waiting for an interview sometime this week!
Back before I started at Metalsmiths, I interviewed for a part time job at Cleo, a clothing store in the mall. The manager loved me and wanted to hire me on the spot then, but the person that had decided to leave changed her mind, meaning there was no positions available, and the Metalsmiths job had panned out (full time and better pay) so I wasn`t upset. Well today, that manager spoke to my manager Michael Hill to ask if I would be able to work both jobs, or if it would be a conflict of interest! Unfortunately, that doesn`t fit with the needs of Michael Hill, so she was told politely that he wasn`t sharing.
Well wasn`t I flattered!!
So within the month of October (and first day of November...) I have had 5 potential job opportunities. Yes, 5. One of which I`m already employed by, the others are pending more interviews.
I won`t take all of them, I may not even GET any of them (although I hope a few work out so that I have some options and some permanency in my employment after Christmas).
Wish me luck!
What I don`t understand how people can say that they can`t get a job... all you need to do is put resumés out... you can`t get a interview if they don`t know you`re looking for a job. What happens during the interview can be a different story, but that`s up to the interviewee.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
What a difference a week makes!
Wow, last blog I posted I was ready to down a 6 pack of beer and numerous Tequila Rose shots (the last time this was done, it did not end well...)
In a week, things have turned around quite nicely.
Monday started the week out with my paycheque and Record of Employment FINALLY showing up, allowing me to complete my Employment Insurance application *insert Jeopardy! theme song* now I anxiously wait for that to figure itself out, or gather, the government to figure it out... oh gawd.
Tuesday I got the great news that my mother`s breast cancer was successfully removed 2 weeks ago, and now the next step is radiation to make sure that there isn`t any hiding anywhere else *everything that is humanly possible to be crossed, is crossed!!*
Wednesday I went to the gym and that felt great since I hadn`t been there since last week.
Today (Thursday) I had a great, but busy day. Started out with a workout on the elliptical, then a quick shower and a half hour much needed massage to get a few knots out and relaxation. I met up with my mom and we went shopping in the states, and now a little self-pampering at home!!
And tomorrow, I`m going to fill out paperwork to start a part time job helping out at a jewelry store (Michael Hill) for Christmas, but starting ASAP by the sounds of it!
In a week, things have turned around quite nicely.
Monday started the week out with my paycheque and Record of Employment FINALLY showing up, allowing me to complete my Employment Insurance application *insert Jeopardy! theme song* now I anxiously wait for that to figure itself out, or gather, the government to figure it out... oh gawd.
Tuesday I got the great news that my mother`s breast cancer was successfully removed 2 weeks ago, and now the next step is radiation to make sure that there isn`t any hiding anywhere else *everything that is humanly possible to be crossed, is crossed!!*
Wednesday I went to the gym and that felt great since I hadn`t been there since last week.
Today (Thursday) I had a great, but busy day. Started out with a workout on the elliptical, then a quick shower and a half hour much needed massage to get a few knots out and relaxation. I met up with my mom and we went shopping in the states, and now a little self-pampering at home!!
And tomorrow, I`m going to fill out paperwork to start a part time job helping out at a jewelry store (Michael Hill) for Christmas, but starting ASAP by the sounds of it!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Who needs a beer??
After days like today, I understand why alcohol was invented and why people drink heavily on weekends.
My day started fine... It was a beautiful, sunny, slightly cool, fall day. I went to the gym, came home, showered and was off to do my running around.
This is when I should have noticed the big black clouds on the horizon.
Black cloud 1:
I went to the mall first, to pick up my paycheque that was 2 weeks overdue. I had been there 2 days earlier and was told by my Area Manager that they hadn`t received their Purolator shipment yet, and that it had just been shipped from their head office that day, so it would arrive Thursday at the eariest, but most likely Friday. I was told they would call me if it showed up Thursday, as the long awaited paycheque would be included in the shipment; if not, to pop by Friday afternoon.
After I didn`t get a phone call on Thursday, I stopped by today after lunch, thrilled to be done with them and to get the paycheque I had been waiting for 2 weeks for (they had sent it to the wrong store initially).
Yep, you guessed it. It wasn`t there.
I got the rep to call head office to find out *why* it didn`t show up, when the rest of the employees got theirs. I was informed that it was being mailed to me, and that they were surprised I hadn`t gotten it yet.. I walked away from the kiosk. I couldn`t stay there any more. I was ready to snap.
I sat in my car for a few minutes to cool off and then went on to my next stop. Office Depot.
Black cloud 2:
I had a few things to print out and had them on a thumbdrive. Naturally, their computers wouldn`t read the thumb drive. *deep breaths*. I leave there and head home.
Time for some lunch and to email the files that I needed printed to Office Depot instead of the damned thumb drive. Before I leave the parking lot, I call my Area Manager and leave her a message to call me.. I wanted answers.
I didn`t hear back from her for almost 3 hours, so I called her back. Got a hold of her and got another load of BS.
So, after all this... I need a beer.. or several.
(and it did actually get cloudy today when I headed out to do my running around.. Ironic.)
My day started fine... It was a beautiful, sunny, slightly cool, fall day. I went to the gym, came home, showered and was off to do my running around.
This is when I should have noticed the big black clouds on the horizon.
Black cloud 1:
I went to the mall first, to pick up my paycheque that was 2 weeks overdue. I had been there 2 days earlier and was told by my Area Manager that they hadn`t received their Purolator shipment yet, and that it had just been shipped from their head office that day, so it would arrive Thursday at the eariest, but most likely Friday. I was told they would call me if it showed up Thursday, as the long awaited paycheque would be included in the shipment; if not, to pop by Friday afternoon.
After I didn`t get a phone call on Thursday, I stopped by today after lunch, thrilled to be done with them and to get the paycheque I had been waiting for 2 weeks for (they had sent it to the wrong store initially).
Yep, you guessed it. It wasn`t there.
I got the rep to call head office to find out *why* it didn`t show up, when the rest of the employees got theirs. I was informed that it was being mailed to me, and that they were surprised I hadn`t gotten it yet.. I walked away from the kiosk. I couldn`t stay there any more. I was ready to snap.
I sat in my car for a few minutes to cool off and then went on to my next stop. Office Depot.
Black cloud 2:
I had a few things to print out and had them on a thumbdrive. Naturally, their computers wouldn`t read the thumb drive. *deep breaths*. I leave there and head home.
Time for some lunch and to email the files that I needed printed to Office Depot instead of the damned thumb drive. Before I leave the parking lot, I call my Area Manager and leave her a message to call me.. I wanted answers.
I didn`t hear back from her for almost 3 hours, so I called her back. Got a hold of her and got another load of BS.
So, after all this... I need a beer.. or several.
(and it did actually get cloudy today when I headed out to do my running around.. Ironic.)
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Moving On
Today I have taken steps to moving on with my life.... it may seem minor, but it was somewhat time consuming, and more importantly, made me recognise that 5 years of my life don`t come undone in minutes like they seemed to do on that fateful day back in June when I was told I was NO LONGER NEEDED..
I bet your wondering what I did..
About a year ago, I purchased a fleece zip up with the company logo stitched on it... big deal right?? Well for my 5 foot frame, it`s hard to find anything long sleeved that fits well everywhere. Ironically, this jacket did. So when I cleaned out my closet of all my uniform shirts (that was another freeing experience!!) I was bummed that I would no longer get to wear it. Until today, when genius struck and I figured I could just get rid of the the damned logo and simply wear it as a black fleece zip up.
This took over 3 hours to do but it was one of the last threads (pun intended) tying me to that part of my life. So now I get to decide on what I want to do with my life from here... do I go back to school - but for what???; do I stick with what I know and find a new Sales job???; do I use all the great people I know to network and find something intriguing???.... right now I`m sticking with all of the above.
I`m also using my newfound free time to work on myself.... trying to get to the gym on a daily basis, spend more time with family and friends, and what ever else I find to occupy my time.... like this blog!!! I figure, as long as I`m being productive, its not a waste of time.
I bet your wondering what I did..
About a year ago, I purchased a fleece zip up with the company logo stitched on it... big deal right?? Well for my 5 foot frame, it`s hard to find anything long sleeved that fits well everywhere. Ironically, this jacket did. So when I cleaned out my closet of all my uniform shirts (that was another freeing experience!!) I was bummed that I would no longer get to wear it. Until today, when genius struck and I figured I could just get rid of the the damned logo and simply wear it as a black fleece zip up.
This took over 3 hours to do but it was one of the last threads (pun intended) tying me to that part of my life. So now I get to decide on what I want to do with my life from here... do I go back to school - but for what???; do I stick with what I know and find a new Sales job???; do I use all the great people I know to network and find something intriguing???.... right now I`m sticking with all of the above.
I`m also using my newfound free time to work on myself.... trying to get to the gym on a daily basis, spend more time with family and friends, and what ever else I find to occupy my time.... like this blog!!! I figure, as long as I`m being productive, its not a waste of time.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
New City = New Life?
Back in June, my husband and I moved to the big city of St.Catharines (from Fort Erie, so to us this is a big city..) to be closer to our jobs. He had just started his new job at Clark Machine as a Machinist after being laid off for almost a year, and I was happy and secure (so I thought..) at my job as a Store Manager for Solo Mobile in the Pen Centre.
I took the first week of June off to move in and get settled in our new place, and returned to work the next week, loving the fact that it only took my 1/3 of the time to get there... yay to sleeping in!!!
So I go back to work, and my Regional Manager drops a BOMB on me.... they no longer need my position. They`ve decided to change my store into a Bell kiosk (the parent company) and only need one Manager in the mall, meaning that I got the short end of the deal and the Manager from the main store gets to run both locations since he has more experience.
Now, they weren`t completely unreasonable... they offered me a lower positon, with less hours and less pay, or the option to take a Salary Continuance and stay on the payroll for a while and help me find another position in the company, with the option of finding one on my own outside of the company.
Naturally, I chose the Salary Continuance.. why not see what else life has in store for me!!
The very next day, I was walking through the mall, and walked past my ``old kiosk`` and noticed the neighbouring kiosk was looking for a Manager.....PERFECT!
I stopped and enquired, and had an interview the next day. One thing led to another, and I started my new job 2 weeks later.
Things were going well until my training period was over...then I wasn`t hitting my sales goals, had a customer complain about me, and a rep quit to go back to school.
So now, since I`m the Manager, I get to hire and train the new rep, when I myself am barely trained. That wasn`t too bad.. the knowledge to be passed along wasn`t too invloved, but I still didn`t have all the knowledge myself!!
Just before my 3 month probation period was over, my Area Manager comes in and tells me that I`m not `catching on` as quickly as she`d like and that my sales goals hadn`t been acheived in almost 2 months (along with the rest of the store..)
She was letting me go.
This wasn`t as bad as it might seem (2 jobs in 3 months..) since I wasn`t happy anyways and was planning on looking for other employment anyways.. we compromised and recorded that I quit on my dismissal papers.
So, now I`m living in a new city, with a new life in front of me, and this is my blog to share it with you!!!
I took the first week of June off to move in and get settled in our new place, and returned to work the next week, loving the fact that it only took my 1/3 of the time to get there... yay to sleeping in!!!
So I go back to work, and my Regional Manager drops a BOMB on me.... they no longer need my position. They`ve decided to change my store into a Bell kiosk (the parent company) and only need one Manager in the mall, meaning that I got the short end of the deal and the Manager from the main store gets to run both locations since he has more experience.
Now, they weren`t completely unreasonable... they offered me a lower positon, with less hours and less pay, or the option to take a Salary Continuance and stay on the payroll for a while and help me find another position in the company, with the option of finding one on my own outside of the company.
Naturally, I chose the Salary Continuance.. why not see what else life has in store for me!!
The very next day, I was walking through the mall, and walked past my ``old kiosk`` and noticed the neighbouring kiosk was looking for a Manager.....PERFECT!
I stopped and enquired, and had an interview the next day. One thing led to another, and I started my new job 2 weeks later.
Things were going well until my training period was over...then I wasn`t hitting my sales goals, had a customer complain about me, and a rep quit to go back to school.
So now, since I`m the Manager, I get to hire and train the new rep, when I myself am barely trained. That wasn`t too bad.. the knowledge to be passed along wasn`t too invloved, but I still didn`t have all the knowledge myself!!
Just before my 3 month probation period was over, my Area Manager comes in and tells me that I`m not `catching on` as quickly as she`d like and that my sales goals hadn`t been acheived in almost 2 months (along with the rest of the store..)
She was letting me go.
This wasn`t as bad as it might seem (2 jobs in 3 months..) since I wasn`t happy anyways and was planning on looking for other employment anyways.. we compromised and recorded that I quit on my dismissal papers.
So, now I`m living in a new city, with a new life in front of me, and this is my blog to share it with you!!!
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