January 7, 2001

Did i ever mention that i absolutely detest making a resume?  Probably not, since i avoid doing it as much as possible!  There's just something about writing down one's perceived skills, talents, work history et al, that smacks of egotism to me.  

     Even trying to remember my work history became a chore this time.  First i had to remember when i actually started the jobs.  Which sounds like it would be easy right?  Except most of my employment overlaps each other, and there are gaps in between when i might have been babysitting or housekeeping instead.  Not exactly what you want to show when you are trying to emphasize how much office experience you have.  

     And what exactly did i do at these places of employment anyway?  How do you put a description to some of the stuff - does being a paperclip counter have a job description?

      i got really good at making the boss's coffee, and fighting with the photocopier and convincing the guys on shift that they should stop at the local Tim Horton's and bring me back a sandwich. What's the title for that?

     And sure i've got the usual list of things - accounts payable and receivable and payroll and all that - but those skills were learned before it was common practice to have a computer in the office.  By the time i made it to that level, i'd stopped doing any accounting and was into dispatching.

     None of these work skills were chosen by me - i didn't go to college with a master plan of being anything in particular like most people do - i just kind of fell into some pretty good jobs.  And self-taught myself what i needed to know. Really quickly. In fact i rarely made a resume because, in my case at least, the old adage 'not what you know, but who you know' worked extremely well for me.  

     1st job - grocery store (my parents knew the owner)

     2nd job - restaurant (my best friend worked there and got me in)

     (Hairdressing school and a job i actually applied for!)

     Married to the first hubster and a job in a store - (we knew the owner) - a job in a bank - (we knew the loans officer) - a job handing out food samples in a grocery store - (don't ever do this! It is boring to the extreme, but my friend talked me into it)

     i left the first hubster.  We had to sell the house.  Our real estate agent *liked* me (sometimes being female is handy) and offered me a job in the office as the bookkeeper/receptionist.  A few years later the office closed and i had a four month break. Well sort of.  i was still working in a bar. (yes i was holding down two jobs - bills had to be paid!)

     One saturday morning (severely hung over and trying to sleep it off) i get a phone call from the wife of the furniture mover who was affiliated with the real estate people.  Their bookkeeper/secretary had just quit.  Could i go work for them?

     Five years later, my best friend's hubster says the secretary/dispatcher from his office was going on maternity leave - was i interested in helping out?  Instant career change. i quit the moving company and learned how to dispatch.  This led to working for three different contractors in as many years and got me deeper into computers.

     There's a bunch more - but i'm beginning to bore myself.  i can honestly say however, that some of the best things i did were in fact the babysitting and the housekeeping.  Probably because i bonded with the people i was around.

     But there are those other sections of a resume that i detest even more.  Performance Skills.  Education.  i mean, can going to grade twelve in a small town high school really mean anything?  i wish i could put a diploma on the life skills i've learned instead - to me that's a whole lot more important, when you are out there in the real world dealing with real people in stressful situations.  i've learned how to deal with a drunk who's coming after me behind the bar that i'm working in - handling the CEO after that is a piece of cake. 'Course you don't usually need to be wielding a crowbar under the CEO's nose - but the same type of persuasive verbal weapon is sometimes necessary.

     And performance skills?  Well like i said before, i got very good at making coffee.  i even learned to get along with the other secretaries (and i didn't trust women at all back then! At least now i'm learning.) So i guess i can keep the "motivated team player" line.  

     Did i mention that i blatantly stole G's performance list?  i just excluded the line about speaking Hebrew.  i figured i can bluff my way through most of it but she's one up on me in the language department. i think if i'd not stolen her list though, i'd still be sitting here next week trying to think of things to include.  

     i guess i'll always have a hard time saying positive things about myself.        

      But why am i making a resume?  Because the tenant is MOVING OUT!

     Okay, so i'm marginally excited about this.  It's an opportunity to have more space.  (more than the current 500 sq. ft.)

     A second bathroom.  

     More of my stuff stored in the basement can now find a spot to live.  

     More of Master's paintings and general artwork can be gracefully displayed.

     No more laundry day wars with the tenant who thinks every day is hers and why do i have a problem with this?

     No more having to go outside and around the back to the outside basement stairs in the dead of winter with a load of laundry to find out the machines aren't available anyway - even if it is my day.

     A place to leave the table open and the chairs gathered round in anticipation of company.

     A back door!  A bathtub! (yes i'm clean - but we only have a shower up here)

     In order to enjoy all this however ... i'm back out into the 'real' working world.  Possibly only a part time job, so i'll be able to continue my projects here ... but i am so positive it will be worth it.  

     my only concern is that it not have an adverse affect on Himself and i and our relationship.  We've spent a year in the cozy nest we have now - and i worry that my leaving each day and not being here to make His tea and to keep each other company might somehow damage things. 

     i don't know.  Perhaps our relationship is strong enough that this will merely be another adventure to add to our growing list.  

     i do know that the high point of my working day will be coming home to Him.

Note:  i've archived the last year - see the link "2000" in the left margin :)