![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Hi all,
For those of youu who regularly read my LJ - some of this will be familar, but I've made so made new on-line pals thanks to White Collar I thought I'd fill you in.
In 2004, I went back to college for my second master's, this time in IT Management. My undergrad degree and first grad degree hadn't been real successful in helping me to get a job -- and I liked computers and found a great local program. I was nervous about the program - wasn't sure if I could handle it, I was afraid things might be over my head, or even that I just plain wouldn't like what I was studying or the program (which sorta' happened with my first grad degree - I finished it by sheer determination, but I had no desire to go into a Ph.d program like the majority of my classmates).
Anyway, not only did I actually like the program, much to my surprise, I actually flourished. It was supportive, not competitive, and I had few real problems with anyone. I graduated in 2006, with my Masters, DISTINCTION - which is like graduating Cum Laude.
Immediately after that I went to a real short training program and got 7 IT certifications in 6 months. And immediately after that, I was hired - as an IT teacher at a local For-profit school. For-profit wasn't exactly what I wanted, but hey, it was a job, and it was teaching. It was also part-time with no benefits, but you can't have everything.
But then, I got complacent. Yeah, my job kept me busy - and I had fannish stuff going on, but I really *should* have been both looking for a full-time job and I should have tried to keep up my skills by taking some additional classes at the local Community College. At the very least, I coulda' taken a class in computer editing to teach myself vidding (hey - it would have related to work, AND it would be fun).
But I didn't - I just worked. And I liked my job. For most of the two years - I liked it.
So in September, I was let go. No explaination. I was actually told I no longer had a job by e-mail - if you can believe that. No, seriously, it's true. Well, I had already planned on a trip to Chicago for a training seminar - my first real training seminar since 2007, and I'm in IT -- you HAVE to keep your skills up, it's not an option.
So I put off any sort of job search, 'cause like, I was in Chicago for two weeks. And after that I was studying a lot for the exams to get my certification from Microsoft. I finally, after three exams, passed for the one cert. I'm still working on the other one.
Then in December, the dog died. And later, at the end of December, my cat, Cal, died. And it was December - as in Christmas - so I was depressed anyway. So, even though I should have been looking for work, I really wasn't.
So, even tho' I lost my job in Sept. I really only started looking for work the last couple of months. I think I started updating job sites, and filling out resumes and apps in Feb. Maybe Jan.
Anyway -- I just got hired!!! I had applied to the US Census Bureau months ago. I went to an info session, and like two or three weeks later was invited to take like a real basic skills test (no, not a full civil service exam). I got a 27 out of 28, but never heard back, so I figured I wasn't going to get hired.
And, today, I just got a call. They asked a few basic questions - and then offered me the job, right there on the phone!!! I can't believe it! A Federal job. I'm really excited.
It doesn't start 'til the end of April, and it's full time but temporary (once the work's done, so is the job) but it's Federal. Which means, hopefully, I'll have an in to getting a real, full-time, GOOD job once the Census thing is done. And it's not like I don't have skills - I have lots, so once I'm in the system (and understand how Federal hiring actually works), I just might get a very good job doing *something*.
I'm so excited about this!
--Olivia
For those of youu who regularly read my LJ - some of this will be familar, but I've made so made new on-line pals thanks to White Collar I thought I'd fill you in.
In 2004, I went back to college for my second master's, this time in IT Management. My undergrad degree and first grad degree hadn't been real successful in helping me to get a job -- and I liked computers and found a great local program. I was nervous about the program - wasn't sure if I could handle it, I was afraid things might be over my head, or even that I just plain wouldn't like what I was studying or the program (which sorta' happened with my first grad degree - I finished it by sheer determination, but I had no desire to go into a Ph.d program like the majority of my classmates).
Anyway, not only did I actually like the program, much to my surprise, I actually flourished. It was supportive, not competitive, and I had few real problems with anyone. I graduated in 2006, with my Masters, DISTINCTION - which is like graduating Cum Laude.
Immediately after that I went to a real short training program and got 7 IT certifications in 6 months. And immediately after that, I was hired - as an IT teacher at a local For-profit school. For-profit wasn't exactly what I wanted, but hey, it was a job, and it was teaching. It was also part-time with no benefits, but you can't have everything.
But then, I got complacent. Yeah, my job kept me busy - and I had fannish stuff going on, but I really *should* have been both looking for a full-time job and I should have tried to keep up my skills by taking some additional classes at the local Community College. At the very least, I coulda' taken a class in computer editing to teach myself vidding (hey - it would have related to work, AND it would be fun).
But I didn't - I just worked. And I liked my job. For most of the two years - I liked it.
So in September, I was let go. No explaination. I was actually told I no longer had a job by e-mail - if you can believe that. No, seriously, it's true. Well, I had already planned on a trip to Chicago for a training seminar - my first real training seminar since 2007, and I'm in IT -- you HAVE to keep your skills up, it's not an option.
So I put off any sort of job search, 'cause like, I was in Chicago for two weeks. And after that I was studying a lot for the exams to get my certification from Microsoft. I finally, after three exams, passed for the one cert. I'm still working on the other one.
Then in December, the dog died. And later, at the end of December, my cat, Cal, died. And it was December - as in Christmas - so I was depressed anyway. So, even though I should have been looking for work, I really wasn't.
So, even tho' I lost my job in Sept. I really only started looking for work the last couple of months. I think I started updating job sites, and filling out resumes and apps in Feb. Maybe Jan.
Anyway -- I just got hired!!! I had applied to the US Census Bureau months ago. I went to an info session, and like two or three weeks later was invited to take like a real basic skills test (no, not a full civil service exam). I got a 27 out of 28, but never heard back, so I figured I wasn't going to get hired.
And, today, I just got a call. They asked a few basic questions - and then offered me the job, right there on the phone!!! I can't believe it! A Federal job. I'm really excited.
It doesn't start 'til the end of April, and it's full time but temporary (once the work's done, so is the job) but it's Federal. Which means, hopefully, I'll have an in to getting a real, full-time, GOOD job once the Census thing is done. And it's not like I don't have skills - I have lots, so once I'm in the system (and understand how Federal hiring actually works), I just might get a very good job doing *something*.
I'm so excited about this!
--Olivia
