As soon as we were unpacked, we began hitting the streets. Restaurants, book stores, theaters, part-time, full-time, seasonal, it didn't matter. If there was an opening, we were applying. After that, our stories diverge a bit, so I'll let Cary Anne tell you about her experience...
Cary Anne
As Spencer said, it was a difficult starting out. While it was nice to have time not working, it was starting to feel a bit like the second week of summer vacation, when I start to get a bit antsy... and bored. Before we moved, my godfather told me his sister worked at a law firm downtown and I should send her my resume. Even though I've never worked in law and don't know anything about it, I sent in my resume because...well, why not? Unfortunately, at that time there was nothing available that would work for me. However, when a new position became available my godfather's sister remembered me and sent me the information. By that time I had already interviewed at a local Barnes & Noble for a seasonal position.
After initially hearing that the law firm wanted to set up an interview with me, there was a long period of silence that worried me, so I decided to take the offer from Barnes & Noble because I love books. As fate would have it, the law firm called to set up an interview while I was in the middle of orientation at B&N. I managed to find some time to go downtown that week between my shifts at the book store. The personnel manager was super welcoming and kind. The interview went great, and early the next week I got an offer! I was so thrilled that in my excited state I went to my manager (of 5 days) at B&N to adjust my availability. Unfortunately, that didn't go over too well and I was immediately dismissed.
So, once again, I found myself on unemployment summer vacation, but I knew it was only temporary. It was only a week or so because I started as a Department Assistant for Perkins Coie just last Monday! It has been great so far; everyone has been incredibly nice. And I get to commute into the city everyday for my full time job with benefits...like a real adult! I have my own huge desk, which quickly filled up with filing to be done. I feel overwhelmed at times because I don't know anything about law and usually have no idea what I'm looking at when filing, but I'm learning (slowly but surely), and I think I'll really enjoy working there.
Now, me...
After a couple of weeks of having little success in my job search I was starting to get depressed. I had had an interview for a position at Barnes & Noble, but they ended up hiring my wife instead. (Can you blame them?). Then, Cosi called, which surprised me because when I turned in my application they said they weren't really hiring. But they offered me an interview and I went. Once there, Lindsay, the general manager, mentioned that she had a stack of applications on her desk roughly the size of The Complete Works of Shakespeare, and I gulped and tried to imagine how many others she was interviewing. Luckily, the interview went very smoothly, as I regaled her with tales of my Krispy Kreme days while playing with my tie.
Three anxious days later, she called and offered me the job. I've now been working there almost a full three weeks, and it has been great. Cosi, if you don't know, is a lot like Panera (only better in every conceivable way, of course). Sometimes I have to get up at 5am, when it's still dark out and everything is cold and quiet, so I can be there by 6:30 to give people their bagels and coffee. Then later, I take sandwich orders from business men and Northwestern girls decked out in purple. Though I'm no important office worker, like my wife, my jobs gives me the opportunity to interact with lots of people and there's free food.
Once again God has shown us that all of our concerns were silly, because just as our Chicago savings is starting to run dry, our first paychecks are rolling in. Really can't ask for more then that.
YAY! so excited and thankful for you. we need to skype soon.
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