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Deployment Soundtrack: Beautiful Day
Beautiful Day

U2, 2001

Preview Song

So you know I have been training for my first marathon. You know that I have been considering going back to work. What you may not know is that after the last job search fiasco, I had basically decided not to look for work until after the marathon was over in late October. But I still check the job posting websites for the U.S. government and our local school district.

Not too long ago, I was looking at the school district website for jobs available at either of my kids' schools and I happened upon a job as a part time library clerk. Hmmmm. Depending on what "part time" actually means, this could work! Then I saw that the posting closed as of late July. Darn it, but since the posting was still online, maybe the job was still open. So I decided to ask some questions before I threw my name in the hat.

On that Friday, we had a PTO meeting in the library and the library clerk at the time was a friend of mine. I asked about the job. She told me that the posting was for the afternoon shift and no one had been hired. I only train for the marathon in the morning. Hmmmmm.

Monday comes and my phone at the house rings. On the other end is the principal at my older kids' school. She shared some PTO business and then to my surprise, she said, "A little birdie told me that you were considering applying for the library clerk. We would love to consider you." That afternoon, after eating lunch with Sweet Girl and Sweet Boy, I found myself in the principal's office with an appointment for an interview the next afternoon. Holy smokes! That evening, I found the perfect interview outfit and, I began to get nervous.

Tuesday afternoon, I had an interview with the principal and the librarian. They asked me the top interview question, "Why do you want this job?" In that moment, I decided to be painfully honest. They know me and my kids. Why be anything less than painfully honest? My answer was that I had been wanting to get back into the workforce, but with my husband's job and marathon training, full-time work is not for me right now, but working in the afternoon during school hours is perfect! It won't hinder my training schedule and that is of the utmost importance. Then I told them about the days that I would need off around the marathon and the couple of hours that I would need off to take Little Sweet Boy's class cupcakes for his birthday. They were undeterred.

While I was in the office, the principal called human resources to make sure that all of my paperwork was in order and it was. Handshakes and smiles as I leave.

Now I wait.

Friday afternoon at 4:30, I got a call from the school system human resources representative. I think I held my breath as she said, "I am calling to offer you the job of afternoon library clerk at Fort Riley Elementary." I accepted the position on the spot!

It has been a couple of weeks since I started, and I think things are going well!

I have had people laugh at me occasionally for getting "dressed up" to go to the school, which really means I shower, get out of my pajamas and put on clothes that match. I have also had people ask me why I stay so involved in my school. I do it because I want teachers and staff to know that I care about my kids and my school.

This time it worked out that the networking I had done by being a member of the PTO and there to have lunch with my kids regularly paid some great dividends. Think about it this way. If everyone has equal qualifications, but they know me personally and know that I care about the school, who do you think they will want on their team when it comes time to hire?

 

Strength and Courage ... sby

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