You're Hired!

Let's face it - the process of seeking employment is grueling. Looking for a job is almost a full time job itself, without the pay and benefits. Unfortunately, I'm at a point in my life where it's "that time again", and I've been forced to search for the next notch in my career belt. While I'm sad things didn't work out the way I really wanted them to with my current job, I am almost relieved to be on the hunt for something new. There's nothing fulfilling about working in an environment where you're under appreciated and down-right disrespected (that could be a blog post of its own).

With all of the different jobs I've had to this point, you can imagine just how many interviews I've experienced. I feel like I'm almost becoming some sort of an expert on anticipating questions and reading the reactions of the interviewer(s) to know whether or not I'm selling myself. I've also become increasingly more relaxed in interviews, which is definitely an advantage. It has been extremely beneficial to go into an interview with the mindset of, either I have what they're looking for, or I don't. Amid all of the successful interviews I've had, there have certainly been some weird questions, odd scenarios, and very memorable experiences.

I feel very fortunate to have extremely supportive parents who understand the importance of education. They never expected me to have a job while I was in school because they wanted me to be completely focused on my studies. My senior year of high school, I decided I really wanted the experience of a job. I was brought in for an interview at a local health club/gym, and I was pretty excited. When I arrived, there were several people all waiting, dressed in professional clothing. Clearly, they were not here to get sweaty in the gym, and I quickly found out we were going to be taking part in a group interview. What exactly is a group interview? Well, it is just what it sounds like. Together, all of the other candidates and I sat around a large table. The interviewers would pose a question to the group, and then it was fair game for anyone to respond. The point was to quickly identify the leaders of the pack and easily see the natural roles we all took in a group environment. So, there were some candidates who literally sat there the entire time and never said a word; there were some who were verbally jousting with everyone to try and get the first word in; there were others were extremely strategic, biding their time, letting others blurt out the first responses, then professionally agreeing or disagreeing with what had already been said and adding their own perspectives. It was probably one of the most psychologically exhausting interviews I've ever had.

One of my very first post-college interviews was for an elementary teaching position on the Oregon coast. I had provided my resume to the district as a job fair, and when I received the call, I thought they must really have liked my resume since I had never completed an application and they were asking me to drive an hour and a half (each way) for an interview. The interview was conducted by a panel consisting for two teachers, two administrators, and two additional staff members - only slightly intimidating. After the first few questions, I started to relax a little and felt pretty confident. Then, one of the interviewers asked a question....in Spanish. I sat for a moment, frantically grasping at my mere three years of high school Spanish, attempting to at least comprehend what I was being asked. No clue. Finally, I responded, "I'm sorry, I don't understand what I'm being asked." There was a brief pause, and one of the administrators asked, "You have your ESL endorsement, don't you?" Well, yes, but I'm not fluent Spanish. "We're looking for someone who is bilingual. Can you try to respond?" I was stunned. For those of you who don't know, there is a big different between an English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement and a bilingual endorsement. Yes, I had taken additional classes in order to learn best strategies for teaching students whose native language was not English, but that doesn't mean I was bilingual. The interview abruptly came to an end, and I began the long drive home with my tail between my legs.

With a career in education, I quickly learned some of the tricks. It's common knowledge that the school secretary and custodians run the school just as much as the principal and teachers. Therefore, it's important to smile and make a great first impression with anyone you come into contact with at a school site - word will get around very quickly if don't. After my first year of teaching, I had decided to move to a different school and began to dreaded job search. I was called in for an interview with a charter school. At that time, I didn't know much about charter schools, other than the fact that they were different from district schools. This particular school was housed in a strip mall/industrial park-type area with a small, fenced in playground around the back. There was an intercom and doorbell on the front door, requiring any visitors to be buzzed in. As I entered, I cheerfully introduced myself to the secretary and was asked to have a seat to wait for the principal. As I waited, I glanced around the office, attempting to look very interested in the student art on display. Eventually, a few teachers walked by. I made eye contact and smiled. One of the teachers stopped and learned toward me. "Run away. Trust me, you don't want to work here," she whispered, and then continued down the hall with the others. Before I could fully wrap my mind around what had just happened, the principal walked out and invited me into his office. To be honest, I don't even remember the questions he asked, but I do remember thinking they weren't the type of educationally-based questions I thought he should be asking. I also remember when his cellphone rang. Not only did he answer, but he stayed sitting at his desk while holding a conversation with his wife about what he needed to pick up at the grocery store on the way home. After he hung up, he offered me a job on the spot. I asked if I could have some time to think about it, then politely declined the next day.

My most recent interview experience was very interesting. The hiring manager and direct supervisor both conducted the interview, and their personalities left a lot to be desired. They both had an air of superiority about them and were almost annoyed that I was in the room. It was apparent that there wasn't a set of planned questions or even a consistent method they used for interviews, because there were several moments when they both asked a question at the same time and talked over each other. While the man seemed to be more curious about what I had to say, the woman had so many large, non-verbal gestures which told me she completely disagreed with every word that came out of my mouth. The interview was scheduled to last an hour, but from start to finish, was only about 20 minutes. I still haven't received the obligatory "we've selected another candidate" e-mail, but I have no doubt it will arrive soon. 

There's something so degrading about jumping through the hoops of the hiring process. Anyone who knows me can attest to some of the pretty amazing things I've accomplished in the realm of education. Not to be arrogant, but I truly believe any school or education-related business would be very lucky to have me on their staff. I think it would be much more suitable for all potential employers to send me their resumes and allow me the opportunity to carefully select my next move. But, instead, I will continue slogging through the monotony of schoolspring and careerbuilder ads, searching for a place to spread my expertise. At least I can hang on to the pure entertainment value of the interview experience.

I'm a loser

For the first time in a really long time, I feel confident, capable, and ready to tackle life. A big change from my last post, right? There are lots of things that I can attribute to this dramatic improvement, but the most noticeable difference is my weight. I am down to the lowest weight I've been in the last four years, and only five pounds away from my pre-wedding weight (for some reason, that seems like an important benchmark). At this point, I've lost just about 25 pounds since the heaviest I've ever been in my entire life. Ironically, the heaviest version of myself will forever be immortalized in a documentary I was part of. I think it will serve as a permanent reminder of where I never want to be again. Though it is slightly embarrassing to see myself like that, and it's very easy to use the old excuse of the camera adding 10 pounds...so do pizza and fried foods. The food choices I was making were pretty horrific, and just plain unthoughtful.
When I was younger, I was blessed with an amazing metabolism. In high school, I was extremely active with ballet. I was dancing at least two hours every day, sometimes much longer. Even then, I was not making the best choices with what I was eating. On my way home from dance, my dinner of choice was usually McDonald's. I would easily put away a quarter pounder with cheese and super size fries. With all of the dancing I was doing, I never really gained the weight I should have with these calorie-loaded meals - but imagine if I had instead eaten some grilled chicken and vegetables.
About the time I headed off to college, my body started to change. Not only had I reduced the amount I was active, but I was continuing to eat whatever I felt like eating, whenever I felt like eating it. In addition, I experienced some pretty high levels of stress and depression my freshman year. All of these factors resulted in the significant weight gain, really the first time. Like many young women, I started to have a very negative body image which resulted in dabbling with anorexia, then swinging like a pendulum into binge eating. There was actually a point when I had a jar of peanut butter under my bed which I would mindlessly eat with a spoon. It's a little astounding to think back to that point. While I've had a few other low points and difficulty coping at times, that was pretty much the bottom for me.
Last summer, I really thought we were moving back to Oregon. I had successfully navigated the interview process for a position with the Department of Education, and I was convinced the next call I received would be a job offer. When I opened the e-mail which read, "...we have selected another candidate", I was devastated. But for the first time in my adult life, I used the negative feels to fuel a fire. I slowly started to discover the difference between what I can and can't control in my life, and I started to exercise again. I really wasn't too consistent, but the fact that I had started moving helped some of the weight to begin melting away.
It wasn't until October 2012 that JC and I really started to make serious changes in the way we ate. Since I had tried the South Beach Diet in the past with some success, we decided to use that as a guide for improving our food choices. While we both have a great appreciation for delicious, decadent food and tend to eat out quite a bit, we've really started to make better decisions, focusing on moderation and portions. I'll admit, we definitely could be more committed to the diet, but we've made great progress. Ultimately, I am much more aware of what I'm eating and conscious of what I'm putting in my body than I've ever been. This is definitely a step in the right direction.
Rediscovering zumba was also a game-changer. I love zumba. It has become such an addiction, partially because of the fantastic workout, but also because it helps me connect with my inner dancer. Dancing is such an important part of how I identify myself, and it is so gratifying to have found that love again.
I feel amazing. While I know there is still progress to be made, I finally know I'm heading in the right direction. I'm figuring out what works and using it to my advantage. Ultimately, I am proud of myself, and that in itself is a great accomplishment.