very practical update this time

[floatingleaf]

Spent well over three hours today at another employment agency, getting tested on my computer skills again and filling out a SHITLOAD of paperwork. Ah, the joys of bureaucracy... *sigh* And the funny thing is I have to go there once more tomorrow, because they need the number of my Green Card for the tax form, and I didn't have it with me (no, I cannot email the number to them or read it over the phone - I have to personally write it down on the form... lol). BUT the POSITIVE thing is that they're NOT going to ask me to call my ex-boss and get his private phone number. Verifying previous employment is enough for them. And after seeing my test results (I had moderate speed, but almost non-existent error rate) the recruiter said she can definitely find something for me within the $12-13 salary range. Which sounds perfectly fine. What almost made me laugh, though, was how amazed she seemed that I could spot every single spelling/grammar mistake within a simple text I was asked to proofread. She said it was very rare. I bit my tongue and refrained from saying what I thought on the subject ("because you Americans don't know how to spell in your own language and need someone from a different part of the world, who studied English as a second language, to do it right for you" :P). Anyway... the whole thing made me feel better about myself, regardless of whether they are actually going to find me a job or not.:D

There was one other thing I was kind of excited about; last week I got an email from a nationwide model casting agency, looking for an administrative assistant in my area - someone to enter information into their database. They had seen my resume online and thought I was a suitable potential candidate for the position. The email asked me to fill out an online application on their website, and then they were supposed to contact me within three business days. Which meant today at the latest. Well... they didn't. So much for me working in the entertainment industry.;P What I liked most about the offer, though, were flexible hours and the possibility to work either from home or their local office. Now that would be just dreamy... *wistful sigh*

Yes, you guessed it - I wholeheartedly hate the rigid "8 to 5" concept. Even though I fully realize that if I was given the freedom to work only when I feel like it, it might simply never happen...;D

And with this optimistic touch, let me finish today's ramble. I'm going to be a good girl and actually EXERCISE before bed. *gasp* Go me. I'll still be somewhat less than charming, short, middle-aged and a little on the heavy side, but at least my conscience will be clear. *snort* OK, I'll shut up now. Good night, everyone.:)

Comments

[slesia.livejournal.com]

somewhat less than charming, short, middle-aged and a little on the heavy side

Sweetheart, what THE HELL are you talking about??!!
Thank you for the middle-aged (eehhrrmm, you're just 2 and 1/2 months older than me, which makes me middle-aged as well...LOL ;)) and for the rest, stop denigrating yourself:
you're clever, well educated, open-minded, have a wider life-experience than many people (which makes you interesting and 'wiser'). Being 'a little on the heavy side', as you say, seems to be something that lovers DO enjoy (personal experience LOL), and what's this crap about you being somewhat less than charming? I personally find you very, very charming!!! I know I'm a friend, so I don't count, but STILL...

I share your experience when it comes to many English native speakers not being very good at writing in their own language (LOL), you have no idea how much fun (and despair) I have marking native speaker students' university essays...

One question.
While listing (only some of) your qualities, I was wondering: why are you limiting yourself to secretary work? Mind you, I'm a part-time secretary right now and many of my job experiences in the past have been as a secretary (so absolutely nothing against that), but I do believe you could aspire to more interesting, challenging (and better paid) kinds of jobs... [a few ideas: working for a publisher/newspaper/magazine; being a PA for s.o. that works in a sector you like; admin in unis/colleges/...].

Right, I'll mind my own business now and send you a big kiss :)
xxxSlesia

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the middle-aged (eehhrrmm, you're just 2 and 1/2 months older than me, which makes me middle-aged as well...LOL ;))

Erm... sorry.;)

Being 'a little on the heavy side', as you say, seems to be something that lovers DO enjoy

I am aware of that. The problem is that I don't enjoy myself that way. Let me put in bluntly: one look in the mirror, and all thoughts of sex vanish from my mind in a hurry. Sad but true.:/

I personally find you very, very charming!!!

Thank you, darling. I really do appreciate you saying that, even if you have no clue what you're talking about...:P

I was wondering: why are you limiting yourself to secretary work?

I do believe you could aspire to more interesting, challenging (and better paid) kinds of jobs

Since you ask, my friend, I shall tell you. I may be clever, well-educated and open minded, as you kindly point out, but I am also the worst chickenshit on the face of the planet. I have a serious phobia of having to deal with too many people/issues/responsibilities etc. I hate making (or having to answer) phone calls. The very word "challenge" makes my stomach hurt. I just want to sit quietly in a corner doing my own thing, so to speak. That's the only kind of work I feel comfortable with. Anything more outgoing or "challenging" than that puts me in a state close to a panic attack. So there you have it. I have always been like that, and sometimes I consider it almost a miracle that I am able to find any kind of employment at all, since I keep my interactions with society in general to the necessary minimum. So you would probably find most high-school kids on their first job displaying far more self-confidence and "professional demeanor" than I'll ever be capable of. Therefore I'd rather stick to what I can do without making a complete fool of myself at some point, or losing sleep because I'm scared to death. Extremely pathetic, I know. But I've been through situations like that, and decided no money is worth feeling like a cornered animal. Sometimes I have enough trouble keeping up the "mature person" facade, while the scared little girl inside just wants to RUN, or crawl under the carpet. So if I tried for a more ambitious job, the facade just might crumble and then everyone would see how pathetically antisocial (or behaviorally underdeveloped) I really am - and no one would ever hire me anymore...

Ooofff... Sorry for the angst-ridden ramble... but you asked, and I gave you a sincere, honest answer. Which is no less than you deserve.

*hugs you tight and runs off to get some sleep*

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

And now I also managed to mess up the stupid html codes, italicizing the whole text instead of just the quoted parts.:/ But since you're Italian, you should be able to figure it out.:P

/lame joke (I really need to go to bed now... lol)