No rest for the funemployed: Week 4

This week was a busy interview week, plus some personal stuff.  No pics to share.

• Monday

 I’ve discovered that I wake up by 7:30, even without an alarm.  Sometimes 8, but mainly 7:30.  Is that a lifetime of getting up by 7 or is that age?

Filed my first bi-weekly certification of unemployment.  Once I got the login to work, it was simple. I like this online thing—stories of waiting in line at the unemployment office hopefully are a thing of the past because if people can do it by phone or Internet, why stand in line?

Phone rang at 9:15—recruiter on an exploratory call.  Meeting scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.  Lesson: it is good that I wake up by 7:30 ‘cause I wouldn’t have wanted to sound like he woke me up.

Interview in the afternoon—that south side baseball team.:)  It is for a position that is kinda new, but not brand new; one I could put my stamp on.  It was with the HR manager, but it was an in-person meeting rather than a phone call.  It was an interesting interview and she was upfront that it could be a few weeks before she determines who they will call back for interviews with the hiring department.   I did take a few photos of the stadium; ones I won’t normally get.  But it seems unprofessional to post them during the application process.

Then off to a wake.  :(

• Tuesday

Funeral.  Beautiful day. Nice service.  Good funeral lunch (Greek lemon chicken with spinach).  Drove all over the northwest ‘burbs. (Good gas mileage on the hybrid car!)

First unemployment payment arrived in my account.

• Wednesday

 Busy day.  Had two phone interviews.  The first one was a wash; they are looking for an admin assistant rather than a paralegal who does some admin work.  Second one was  promising; interview scheduled for Friday!  Then in-person recruiter meeting in the afternoon (I no longer call them “interviews” when they are 15 minute meetings—I think to verify that I’m not a serial killer?).  On the way out, the security guard went off on a tangent about how he recently told his teenager that it was better to give than to receive, then asked what life advice I share with other people.  So I shared my favorite:  “When you are winning, shut up.”  :) He laughed and laughed and laughed!

Then happy hour with former co-workers.

• Thursday

Realized today that there are costs to being unemployed that people don’t think about. When you are home more, you use more toilet paper!

I was contacted by a potential client to edit her manuscript. Happy dance! Nothing set yet, but the prospect is nice.

Quick end of day run to the post office—purchased last of stock options from former employer (withholding tax on that is a killer, but still worth the purchase). Had to be post-marked that day or the amount would change.  Six months before I can consider selling; hopefully I’ll have a job by then and won’t need to until I am ready, but if I do...

• Friday

 On Friday I had an interview with a marketing and branding company (the one who I spoke with on Wednesday).  Interesting place; a little like the last place I worked, but a more developed/grownup.  I liked the “training” philosophy they seem to exhibit—they seem to recognize that training employees not only helps in the short term, but also the long term.

Then dinner with sis and BIL.  They are gooooood cooks. :)

•   Saturday

 Even though I had a lot of interview activity this week, new job postings were a little light.  I did find one for an admin assistant, but it sounds more like high-level project coordinating, so decided to apply for that.