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Jun
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Posted by maureen
June 7, 2007 |
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I always knew that there would be a time when I would want to go back to work and when the last of our four children was in high school I decided it was time. My decision wasn’t based purely on the need to try something new but I also really felt the need to help financial. My husband had been the sole breadwinner up until now and I knew that a little help would be enthusiastically welcomed (I wasn’t expecting big things!)
But to be honest, making the decision was easy; getting a job might prove a little harder. I hadn’t worked since we started a family and didn’t have much in the way of qualifications and no real idea about what to do. I started to search the local papers to see what jobs were available and what qualifications they were asking for. This is where things got interesting!
Speed bump #1
There were plenty of secretary type jobs but I had no typing skills. However our local technical college offered evening classes and I purchased an old typewriter (remember those antique writing machines?) at a street garage sale and spend evenings either at class or tapping on the keys at home. With a diploma in hand I felt that the world was my oyster!
Speed bump #2
Off I went to the temp agency ( I was mortified when my first interview asked me to take a timed typing test …why hadn’t anyone told me! …my nervous fingers couldn’t find the right keys. .Miraculously they called me within the week with a couple of interviews. This presented me a new problem . I had no working clothes and a very small budget. But this is America. ….the land of the sale….. and I was able to get a couple of outfits that would at least get me through the interviews. My first interview seemed to get stuck on my jobless years but I was hopeful for the second with a small family owned medical supply company.
Speed bump #3
Our four children all had after school sports activities at four different places and we only had one car! The only way to make it to the interview was if they dropped me off first and swung by to pick me up on the way home . I thought that I might have a little wait and said that I’d start walking home once I’d finished. The interview went well and I was invited back to interview with the owner the next day. I remember coming out of the building and walking down the road until I felt sure that no one would see me and then I changed into my jogging shoes for a little walk. Or so I thought! I actually walked the 6 miles homes before my ride arrived. I cannot remember how I got to the next interview but I did get the job. My husband was going to drop me off and pick me up each day , it was out of his way and we weren’t sure how we would fit all the after school sports in but sometime it’s better not to think too hard and to “just do it”
Speed bump #4
I was so excited at having a job and to bring home a pay check. In all honesty it was probably minimum wage and probable took a few weeks just to pay for the clothes but I was excited. Then the one evening I took at turn at driving everyone home and another car hit us. Thankfully, no one was hurt but it certainly seemed a case of one step forward and four steps backwards!
Of course, I’ve had quite few jobs since then. So do I regret going back to work? No, it’s been a challenge. It was overwhelming at first coping with a family and work. It took time for the family to adjust and lend a much needed hand! I remember the weekly stack of laundry for a family of six was pretty scary and trying to make sure everyone still ate balanced meals a real challenge. But the pluses far outweighed the negatives. I’ve had some challenges and make more mistakes than I care to remember. But things come full circle and now I sit at the computer tapping away at the keys and dreaming of the days when I don’t have to do the 9-5 routine!
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