Rejection

The job search has been hot and heavy since about May.  Obviously it has not been successful.  I got the rare opportunity to sit and chat with another PW last night all by ourselves (she is so very sweet and a  blessing).  She's been having some of the same troubles.  It's been painful for both of us.  She's originally from the north Lakeland area so we have certain demographics in common.  What we have both discovered in this new area that God has called us to is this....
1. It really does matter who you know (and we know no one)
2. The jobs here are scarce (unless you want to drive to the beach everyday and pay the toll to cross the bay and by the time you do all that you've made $0.00 or gone in the hole with these exorbitant gas prices)
3. Hardee County and Polk County pay a whole lot more
4. Because we both need a little flexibility due to our hubbies' schedules and our children, our choices are even narrower

I am thankful to report that we are both now employed.  Hers is a little more steady than mine.  She is appalled at the pay because it's in the same field she's been in for over 10 years and she's starting over at base pay.  That stings.

After weeks of rejection letters with statements like "thank you for applying, but we've decided to fill the position internally" or "while you are more than qualified for this position we have chosen another candidate" or hearing nothing at all.  Rejection sucks.  I've never experienced it like this before.  All my other jobs came through people I know.  So I've never really had to go on a job hunt like this one and it's been a whole new learning experience.

So last week I bit the bullet and scraped up the funds and went and applied to be a substitute teacher.  I had to pay the hospital nearly $40 for a drug test and then I had to pay the school board $75 for my fingerprinting and criminal background check.  That is a whole lot of money going out at once when you are not employed!  In today's mail I received my i.d. card (human resources had me go ahead and take the picture and set it up when I came in for the fingerprinting) and my sub packet!  I am, unbelievably, excited about it.  The only sad thing is that I've already missed one call.  This morning (I didn't yet know I had been approved) I ignored the phone figuring it was telemarketers because it was their usual time to call.  It wasn't.  Instead it was one of the elementary schools and when I called back it was too late. :(

So I'm employed (sort of.  I guess it's not official until I actually spend a day in the classroom).  And, I'm thankful.