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reikilady
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Okay...I have not worked for anybody else since 2001...Except my internship and it's more of a partnership...It's also volunteering.

I am going to a temp agency tomorrow and that gives me hope. I was a waitress for about 7 years and I've been a Reiki teacher and Intuitive Reader for 11 years.

While that pays well, the need for a steady income is important at this point.

I still have 100 hours to put into the internship and still need to make some cash along with my business.

I have an Assoicate degree in Business Administration with a Focus on Marketing....

I have limited office experience from before my children were born and a little experience with the internship.

My Excel talents are pitiful and I probably type about 25 words a minute right now. That goes up the more I do it. I can type over 40 when I practice a little.

Maybe this should have gone in the prayer forum!!!

Any advice?

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LOL!!! I am marrying someone with 2 children left to support and I am bringing a huge credit card debit. Plus I have a child to support...

You are so f u n n y!!! In a perfect world I would not have racked up those credit card bills three and four years ago...Or those student loans for the private junior college...

The child support modification is getting closer to going to court and that will help!

Promotion, Promotion, Promotion!!!!! Come on ....Promotion and lots of readings and classes.....Thank-you!!!

And...drum roll...We think it's best to have a place to live with two, yes that's correct folks, more than 1 bathroom because a 13 year old girl (masquerading as my daughter) will be living with us!!!

I love Greasespot!!!! Now I'm off to get ready to go look a place to hold our reception!!!

B.B.

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Actually, Susie, with your education and previous skills, you sound like you might be more suited for retail than office work. Have you looked into bookstores, coffee shops, music stores, and the like, especially something with a metaphysical influence? You're qualified for management. A lot of hours, maybe, but it seems like something you'd enjoy.

And congratulations on your graduation.

Oh, and that must have been Oakspear insisting on the bathroom. He'll put your daughter to shame for the time he spends primping. icon_smile.gif:)-->

Sung to the tune of Brother John:

You were primping,

You were primping,

Now you're late.

Now you're late.

Start a little earlier.

Start a little earlier.

We won't wait.

We won't wait.

Oakspear's favorite church used to sing that tune to him on occasion.

Hey, I hear Oak is having computer problems. Maybe I should let you in on a few things, since he's not here to defend himself.

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Retail would be good if I could comfortably give up nights and weekends. I wouldn't mind giving up part of the weekend.

I do readings out of our one metaphysical store and he works it alone, with our volunteer help. He steps out and I watch the phone. He has to go somewhere and Fay comes in.

Charlie in Omaha won't hire me because I live to far away.

Hmmm....Oakspear primping....H*ll, I want a second bathroom sometimes living with the 13 year old masquerading as my daughter. The imposter went to the library and she is reading!!!

Thanks for your comments!

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Okay, I'm leaning towards Barnes & Noble, or Starbucks. With their clientele, you might get some referrals for your part-time work, but you'd also have the security of company benefits. You'd have evening hours, too, though, but I say go for the security of a larger company, rather than the intimacy of a small business, mostly because of the insurance benefits (life, health), and the possibility of investing in the company, depending on how they're set up.

What about clothing stores or department stores? Anything like that appeal to you? My sister worked for years at The Limited, first as a store manager, then as a buyer. When she quit working there fourteen years ago, she had quite a bit of company stock to hold her over for a long, long time.

Hey, can't complain about a thirteen-year-old who wants to be at the library. Mine (14) had her 8th grade graduation today -- we walked into a very hot, very stuffy, very crowded auditorium and were greeted by the middle school jazz band thundering Smoke on the Water. It was way too early in the morning to appreciate the "talent." It was fun, though. The usual celebration as they gave out awards. I don't think anyone left without one. Anyway, at least you know where your kid is. Mine is off at godknowswhere with her friends.

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depending on the state you live in, good workers are hard to find. Starbuck Managers are rumored to make 90K+/yr. Bonus for keeping the store clean, customers happy etc.

Get the typing speed up to 50 ( I bet three hours per day for 7 days would put you there) and try word processing. It opens doors for learning the ins and outs of companies.

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Look into non-profits. The have lots of positions with coordinator in the title. Your experience as a "volunteer" gives you a boost and usually the work itself is quite rewarding. They also often have very flexible schedules and generous paid time off plans. The pay is generally not great.

Your emphasis in marketing might also help you get into grant writing and development.

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quote:
Look into non-profits. The have lots of positions with coordinator in the title. Your experience as a "volunteer" gives you a boost and usually the work itself is quite rewarding. They also often have very flexible schedules and generous paid time off plans. The pay is generally not great.

Your emphasis in marketing might also help you get into grant writing and development.

As someone who works for a non-profit, I don't suggest you go there unless there's something that really, really, fits for you. to say the pay isn't great, is an understatement. The benefits usually suck, to be honest. I'm sticking with my job because I only need about another year, maybe less, and I can quit to be a SAHM. If it wasn't for that, I'd have peeled out of my office (which is the size of a postagestamp) a long, long time ago.

I think some of the bookstore/coffeeshop/retail suggestions are good. It also sounds like you'd do well in an art gallery or museum or artisian/craftsman type of atmosphere.

Are you well connected with anyone in these fields? Check into your connections. Even if someone says they aren't hiring at the moment, let them know you are in the market. Get your feelers out and give ol' friends, relatives, classmates, former co-workers, etc. a call.

By the way - not to derail this but - What is an intutive reader?

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My non-profit job is a breath of fresh air after 15 years in corporate hell. I guess it really does matter what field and organization.

I'm lucky- excellent benefits, flex schedule, paid personal leave and the salary isn't too bad because I kept my corporate negotiating skills sharp.

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quote:
And...drum roll...We think it's best to have a place to live with two, yes that's correct folks, more than 1 bathroom because a 13 year old girl (masquerading as my daughter) will be living with us!!!

Make sure you give her the one about 50 feet outside in the back yard (you know -- that little wooden structure with the half-moon cut in the door, with the coffee can over the toilet paper). icon_biggrin.gif:D--> icon_biggrin.gif:D-->

As for non-profits -- Chas is pretty much correct. A lot of their funding (at least up here) comes from whatever the state has available, and that doesn't lead to huge salaries. My company may or may not give us a raise (which happens once a year), depending on the finances of the great state of Minney-soda. We got a raise last year (miniscual), and this year we may not get one at all. icon_frown.gif:(-->

On the brighter side of non-profits, if you can write grants, and such -- you would be a person of more interest, and the salary for that line of work pays a lot better. And that is a 9 - 5 job as well, with no nights or weekends.

Good luck in your search!! icon_cool.gif

David

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You might try checking out the local hospitals. They hire all kinds of staff other than medical. Pay might not be really high, but you have access to all the great benefits like health/dental insurance and 401k(or 501, I forget), sick and vacation hours. I loved working for a large hospital(in their daycare.)

I had the family on my health insurance, and it was the best insurance we've ever had.

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If you're not afraid of work, if you'll show up when you're supposed to, keep a good atitude and look for extras to do for customers (and your co-workers) then many companies will be happy to have you.

If you can learn quickly then your excel and typing skills will improve. You may have to start a bit lower on the totem pole till they do, but it will pay more than watching Oprah.

Figure out how many hours (and which ones) you want to work. Starting tomorrow spend every one of those hours looking for a job, every work day for as long as it takes. Check out temp agencies, answer all the want ads that could possibly be relevant, tell all your clients and everyone you know what you're looking for.

If you've done all that and still have time left in your "work" day, then start knocking on doors of companies. But don't ask them for a job. Tell them exactly what you're looking for and ask "Can you point me to someone who might be able to help?" It takes the pressure off for them to offer you a job, or give you another name if they don't have one. Then call or go see that person.

Also check out a book called "What color is your Parachute" - most libraries should have a copy.

Good luck.

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Excellent advice!!! I am volunteering/interning for a non-profit now. Slight possibility they will hire later at $6.00 an hour for 20 hours a week. It is a fun place to work/volunteer.

ChasUfarley, please private topic me about what an intutive reader is. I wrote a big long post and then decided I would rather explain that one-to-one.

All of your ideas are quite good! Thanks bunches!

Laleo, my daughter doesn't like reading and it was just fun to say she is an "imposter" because these days I have to check and double check everything she says she is doing because she told a huge lie about being with her father in Omaha when she was really staying with a friend over night (while she was grounded for getting suspended) and hanging out downtown.

I am pleased she has decided to do some reading and with the voice of reason (Oakspear), my high power, and Mom power we will get through her being 13 and really good at telling stories.

I was glad to know where she was today.

Friends are everything to her these days.

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Ahhhhhh, the teen years! I was a holy terror to my mom. I remember on more than one occasion Daddy trying to reason with me and get me to apologize to my mom for something stupid I had done. I also remember her once yelling that the house wasn't big enough for both of us. Since she was sleeping with the guy paying the bills I had no choice but to tone my behavior and attitude down a bit. icon_biggrin.gif:D-->

You most definitely seem to be able to thrive in a position where you'll have lots of interaction with people. Your bubbly personality and strong work ethic will be a tremendous asset to anyplace smart enough to hire you. icon_smile.gif:)-->

Looking for a job is a full time job. I'll certainly keep you in my prayers! Remember, too, that YOU are interviewing THEM as much as they are you because you want to make sure they are "worthy" of having you work there. That attitude helped keep me from accepting positions where I would have been miserable.

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quote:
Originally posted by reikilady:

Laleo, my daughter doesn't like reading and it was just fun to say she is an "imposter" because these days I have to check and double check everything she says she is doing because she told a huge lie about being with her father in Omaha when she was really staying with a friend over night (while she was grounded for getting suspended) and hanging out downtown.

I am pleased she has decided to do some reading and with the voice of reason (Oakspear), my high power, and Mom power we will get through her being 13 and really good at telling stories.

I was glad to know where she was today.

Friends are everything to her these days.

Not so much anymore, since they're older now, but that's how my kids earned money in the summer -- by reading. I didn't give them much, maybe a few cents a page, but it sure added up. Kept them reading, too. Anyway, I kept a book list for each one, and they got through dozens of books in a few months. My only requirement was that the books had to be written at their grade level or higher.

With only having one daughter, I would imagine that the intensity of the relationship is a lot greater than if you had a houseful, which probably puts a lot of pressure on both of you to do everything "right."

Don't know if this would apply to you or not, but when I don't know where my kids are, I start calling all their friends, past and present, to track them down (which is what I did yesterday). This is embarrassing enough that they (usually) remember to tell me exactly where they are and who they're with. Yesterday, it only took a few minutes to find her, because other parents were making phone calls, too. Turned out she told her sister, who forgot.

Last summer, my youngest went through a period of hanging around downtown with kids I didn't particularly like, but who she thought were good kids, just misunderstood (yeah, right). Anyway, she kept trying to turn it into a trust issue, like it was her I didn't trust, instead of them. It was a rough couple of months that she spent with that crowd, then I finally had enough and told her the party was over. Thankfully, she listened. Maybe she was starting to see through them herself.

Anyway, let us know how the job search thing turns out. Good luck.

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I have a couple of thoughts... get a job at a hotel... whether at the front desk or in the restaurant, if you don't steal and show up for your shifts you'll be in management in 3 to 6 months...

On the other hand, if you want to brush up on your Excel and Word skills (and other office software) you can go to CompUSA (either the store or online) and purchase 3 months of "online tutoring" (I think it's about $30 or so)... you have unlimited time online for 90 days and you use their software and tutorials...

just a couple of thoughts...

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You probably already know this because you're smart, but since I've seen a lot of smart people miss it, I'll tell you anyway just in case.

By all means, when you're applying for jobs, shoot for ones you genuinely might qualify for (i.e., be realistic), and let your potential employer know that by tailoring your resume to fit the job sought. I don't mean lie about your skills or experience, but be sure to emphasize those skills/experiences that especially fit that particular job description. When it comes to resumes, one size doesn't fit all.

When I've had to hire staff in the past, I've read I don't know how many resumes that came nowhere near what we needed. Like the auto mechanic who thought he could be an editor because he "likes to read." Or the woman who tried to portray herself as a candidate for a high-level executive postion when (a) what we advertised for was a copy editor and (b) what her resume showed was that what she'd really been in the past was an administrative assistant.

On the other hand, you can "sell yourself" by being creative yet still truthful to let people know you have aptitude for certain tasks and responsibilities, even if you haven't used those skills in a previous job, per se.

Example: When I first got into editing for medical/clinical publications I was an experienced editor but had no experience as a medical editor. I said in the interview that although I hadn't edited that type of material before, I had studied Latin and a little bit of Greek and that I picked up on medical and scientific terminology easily. I was hired part-time, for three days a week, and after less than a month I was offered a full-time position.

Keep in mind that employers are investing in you, and if they're worth working for, they have your best interests in mind as well as theirs. They want a good fit. Unless the person doing the hiring has a sadistic streak, he or she doesn't LIKE to hire someone and then later have to fire that person. So giving a clear and honest picture to them will go a long way toward your getting the job.

Good luck in your search!

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Laleo: I do call the friends. Thanks for your thoughts.

Linda Z: Good idea. I am going to a temp. agency tomorrow.

Thanks for the information. This job searching into a new field and not having a lot of experience is scary to me.

You have to fly some time. Now is my time.

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