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Archive for July, 2014

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August 1st, 2014 at 03:57 am

I don't remember the last time I posted on here, so hopefully I won't repeat myself too badly. Smile

I got a full time job working at the local bus company. I got word today that I am good to go - so I start on August 4. (We had to wait for background checks.) It pays slightly better than New Mexico, has health insurance, retirement, etc. I will be part of a union, so I guess I'll have union dues.

One really awesome thing though is that there is an exercise room in the building that I can use! Plus, if I use it so many times per week, it'll earn me dress down days. Smile

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Once I had my offer letter, I started looking for my own apartment. What a nightmare. Almost every place I went was already full, or I would schedule a showing to find out a deposit had just been put down on it.

On Wednesday I saw a place - 440 sq ft wanting 450/mo. It was designed really poorly. I passed on it.

Today though I saw something that I think will work. Around 7oo sq ft, designed well, and 430/month. No stairs either. I put in an application and put down a deposit in case I'm accepted. Now it is a waiting game to see if they take me.

It isn't a sure fire thing due to not having any real rental history for five years. (2 years of grad school, 3 years living rent free at the mission school and 8 weeks living at boyfriend's place.)

If not, I am lined up to see another place Friday morning. Guess only time will tell.

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I quit my call center job on Sunday. Big Grin That was so nice at the end of my shift to say to the supervisor that I wouldn't be back. Such a relief.

Part of the reason I did that was to give me more time to ride the bus routes here and learn them. I haven't done as much riding as I'd planned on due to apartment hunting. However, with NEs help, I am feeling more confident that I can at least begin to help people figure out a good route.

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On Wednesday I went to the local mall for the purpose of going to Lane Bryant for some underthings. I got waylaid by Sear's clearance instead. I bought 7 tops and a skirt for $60. One of those tops was something I'd been looking for - a kind of shrug to replace the one I left in New Mexico. The other things were just kind of refreshing my dressy tops for work. Smile

I still need to go back for LB - NE called while I was there wanting to do a trip to Omaha, so I cut my mall time short.

Good Job News!

July 20th, 2014 at 07:02 am

Remember how stressed I was a few days ago? Well on Wednesday I had yet another job interview. I thought it had gone well, but I got the usual song and dance of them letting me know in the next two weeks or so.

When I got to the apartment I got to deal with a flooded sink and kitchen. Fun. (Plumber took care of it with 90ft of snake ... I was only two hours late for work.)

On Thursday as I was driving to my call center job I got a phone call. It was from the place I interviewed at on Wednesday! They wanted to know if I'd still be interested in the job even if I'd have to wait until August 4 for the background check to be finished.

Oh yeah!

I have no idea how much it pays, or for sure what the benefits are. I also am not positive on the days/hours. I've looked and looked for where I found the job listing, but haven't been able to locate it anywhere.

So ... how would y'all suggest I go about finding out this information without looking bad before even starting my job? Btw, it is for an admin asst job at the local bus transit company. (City government job, so I'm pretty sure I have at least health benefits.)

I'm so happy to have a full time job finally, and to have the ability to get my own apartment in the very near future!!

Stressed

July 15th, 2014 at 03:38 pm

I am really starting to feel the stress of not having found a full time job. I know I've only been here in Nebraska since late May, but I started my searching in January. I'm not worried about my money running out, because I do have enough reserves if I had to use them to last a good while, but like I said, I really don't want to use them that way.

To add to my stress, I am in danger of losing my part time call center job. I had been doing really well. However last night I got back some evaluations that are foreboding. In fact one of them could have had me instantly fired, but they gave me another chance.

What had I done that was so terrible? I had miscoded an answer to a question, which caused several subsequent follow up questions to be skipped. The bizarre thing is that I had even clarified the answers with the person. Skipping questions is cause for termination. I signed a note last night saying that I know if it happens again, I will be fired.

This job is already stressful enough for what it pays, and now my stress level had tripled. I made this mistake on a survey that took 7:30 minutes. So I'm guessing this was one where the person had made it clear they weren't interested in taking much time, so I was trying to go really fast. I went too fast apparently. Frown

The really sad thing is that on Sunday and last night I finally managed to complete enough surveys to earn more than the base amount.

I was already fearful of skipping questions before, but now I'm triply fearful. It isn't just about the money now - now I've been at this job long enough I'm going to have to put it down on applications. I *really* don't want to put down that I was fired. Especially because they call skipping questions a form of cheating the surveys - which is not what I'm trying to do at all. It's gonna make me look really bad just when I need to look really good.

All I want to do right now is eat junkfood.

Miami, Chicago and San Diego + job stuff

July 8th, 2014 at 09:20 pm

If anyone here lives in the three cities I put in the title and might be interested in completing a secret shopping project in your area, you'd really help me out by leaving a comment here with your first name - and if you use a different email for SA, then the email you'd use for work related stuff. You do need a smartphone so you can download the secret shopper app. This project pays between $100 and $140.

Thanks for helping me out if you're interested. Smile

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I had my second interview today for the admin asst job, and then also had a personality assessment. Rolleyes I asked when they plan to make a decision .... AUGUST!!! This position has been advertised for at least a month! Seriously, if people need a job, they aren't looking for one to maybe start two months later.

I gave the staffing agency another call today to keep my name fresh. Something has to give here soon.

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Last night at the call center I was asked to work the next two Sundays - I jumped at the chance. That just means 28 hours for the next two weeks instead of 24. I'll take it though, especially considering that a full time job seems to be taking it's sweet ol' time coming along!!

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I'm almost halfway to my next redemption on Bubblews. It's going much much faster this round. Big Grin

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I'm having trouble depositing my final paycheck from the school and the first check from the call center. I tried using my phone apps for both Cap One and Bofa, but neither one would accept them. They are way too long for a good picture. I checked to see if there are any ATMs here for either bank ... Nope. I'm really not sure how else to deposit the checks, other than opening yet another bank account. I really don't want to do that. Would love ideas! (This is going to be an ongoing problem with the call center checks. Previously I had my school checks direct deposited, but for whatever reason they give a paper one for the last one.)

Quick Update

July 2nd, 2014 at 10:12 pm

I'm now partway into my second week at my call center job. What can I say ... it's a job and it's money coming in.

Yesterday I had two job interviews! One was for a child services trainee position (good money and benefits) and the other is for an admin asst position to the president of a company that produces Christian materials for blind people (supported on donations only.)

I'd be happy with either one, because they both would fulfill my desire to do something that actually *means* something in the bigger picture. I'm not sure about pay/benefits on the admin job - one big benefit of it though would be a 4 day workweek. Smile

I had one of my references call me today and let me know that she'd gotten a call!! That to me is really good news, because that's the first time in this round of job hunting a reference has actually gotten contacted. So ... maybe a real full time (or close to it) job is in the cards in the real near future!!

I haven't had much Internet time lately, and most of what I have had has been spent on Bubblews. I'm already almost back up to $10 after cashing out a few days ago. I'm going to try to catch up on all of ya'lls blogs now. Smile