On the Mend and Reassessing

My wrist will not require surgery, and I will be out of the cast next week.Then onward to physical therapy! In the meantime,I have stopped actively looking for work, as I am on workers comp, and not sure if or when I will be able to return to my merchandising job.
I have been attending an employment group, which is aimed at providing support to local job seekers. It is nice to be able to get feedback from other people on resumes, job hunting, etc. Lots of talented people in the group looking for work.

I got a call today for a job interview, for a receptionist position. I honestly do not even recall applying for it. I turned down the interview, as I am not actively searching until I decide what to do about the merchandising job.

My employment group is providing us with a "webinar" on Linkedin, which will hopefully aid us in networking.

Back To The Drawing Board.....

Three weeks ago, just after a training session on my new job, I tripped and broke my wrist. I did not realize when I took the job that I would be required to store large boxes of supplies( metal hooks and plastic strips) at my home. My supervisor gave me the boxes, and told me to take them home. I got the large and unwieldy boxes into my car with no problem. However, when I got home I tripped when I removed the first box.I fell towards the wall of my house, and quickly decided to stop my fall with my hand, not my head.
I have been in a cast for three weeks, and will find out this week if I will need surgery. I am certainly re-evaluating this line of work. I have always been very fitness conscious, so this has been a real blow to me. I will not be cleared to work for several months.

A Career Field to Consider

I have not even started training in my new merchandising job ( I start this week!), but I do know that many positions in this field are willing to overlook lack of experience. A good web site where you find merchandising jobs is Narms.com. Narms stands for National Association for Retail Marketing Services. Most jobs listed on this site are part time, and many do not require experience. Putting in a year, or possibly two, in a job like this will at least add experience and references to your resume! Merchandisers typically handle ordering, stocking and maintaining of specific products at retail stores. You will actually find many stay-at -home mothers in this field, as it allows for flexible part-time hours.

Lack of Experience and the Stay at Home Mom

Lack of experience is the biggest obstacle preventing the stay at home mom from finding a job. In my personal experience, you really have to sell yourself, and make sure the potential employer knows why they would benefit from hiring you. I had one employer who did have a strong interest in me, due to my knowledge of food, especially gourmet food. (I did not pursue that opening,however, as it turned out to be just a deli clerk position). It is vital to try and find something in the job opening that fits your skills, and sell that fit to the employer.
In the case of the job which I just landed, it is a local job, so I sold the fact that I lived nearby, and I also talked about the fact that I am highly organized, which is a must for the job.

This Blog

I do intend to keep this blog up, as I do not feel that my job seeking is over. I will only be working 10 hours a week. Also, the job I will be doing does not utilize my education or past training. It is a great start, and I hope to build on it. I plan to continue volunteering at a local hospital. I am also planning to study Quickbooks software at home. Additionally, I bought a business plan for medical billing advocacy, so I will be working on that. Stay tuned!

FINALLY!!

I finally got a job! It is in the field of merchandising, and will involve going to three different local grocery stores, and stocking specific items, making sure more items are ordered, etc. It will only be for about 10 hours a week, but at least I can build some work experience, and be able to get references. I am excited! I will continue looking for part-time work for the afternoons, as well.

I was beginning to get so discouraged, with so few responses to my applications. I could not even seem to get interviews. Especially disheartening to me were the attitudes of the doctor's offices where I applied for work. I have a certificate in medical billing, have run my own business, and also currently volunteer at a local hospital, as a receptionist. Despite this fact, one doctor told me that she was hiring someone with more experience ( for a file clerk job). Another doctor had an opening for a receptionist. I called to check on the opening, and was told that he had written on my resume: "No experience". It was also discouraging to apply to so many local firms, and not get any response. One would think that being local would help. A local grocery chain ignored my application completely. Then there was Home Depot, where I spent a good bit of time on the online application. When I went into the store to follow up, I was told that all positions had been filled months ago.
I am so relieved that I will be employed!

A Wild and Crazy Summer!

So far, it has been a busy, busy summer, with two graduations, the arrival of my student who has been studying abroad for the last year, and of course, the ever-present job applications by me! I still have not found a job. I have updated my resume...again, had business cards made, and tried some new ideas for job applications. I applied for several positions at my local grocery stores, but have not received a single response.
I did get a call back for a merchandising position, and am waiting to hear more about that this coming week. However, the job would only be for 6 hours a week! My biggest obstacle to finding a job seems to be my lack of recent experience......