(-)

I like to have a plan.
Figure out how to make the plan work.
Carry out the plan.
Be happy.

Except this time it's not working. It's halfway through June and still unemployed. It's pretty much the only aggravation in my life, but a worthy one because I'm going to run out of dough. I've been to some interviews and never got hired. This is the most recent situation:

Two Fridays ago I had just gotten rejected from yet another job and was really bored and desperate. I was on Craigslist looking for admin jobs. I came across an ad to be a house cleaners. I was seriously wondering why I hadn't thought of it earlier. I love to clean! Obviously, I was delusional. This cleaning company was conducting interviews at 2PM sharp and it was 12:30PM. I got in the shower, got ready and went over there. I was hired right away. Everyone who I told seemed a little surprised. I called my grandpa for his birthday and he thought it was a joke when I told him. I started on Monday and cleaned bathrooms all day...something like ten toilets. On my hands and knees. I had pink cheeks, drips of sweat all over, sore feet and too many fumes in my system. I thought the first day might just be rough. They said it would get better. That night I talked to my mom and Andrew about it. Neither thought it was a good job. I considered quitting, but went back in the next day. It was even worse. We were cleaning big, beautiful houses and they weren't even that dirty, but I couldn't take it. The ladies training me were yelling me because I couldn't mop right. They were telling me two opposite things! I almost cried and told them to stop confusing me. They kept making me mop. I felt humiliated. Yes, maybe I suck at mopping but I graduated from college with two degrees. Should I really be mopping floors? Maybe the Austin job market IS that tough. We got back to the office and my "trainer" gave me my daily quiz over things like what types of products to use on what types of floor. She was reading a version of the quiz in Spanish because her English wasn't good enough. That was it. I left that day knowing I'd never go back. I love to clean my own house, but cleaning other people's messes for seven hours straight just isn't something I can do.

So even my desperate attempt at a job failed. The next day I got a call from a temp agency I'd applied to a few weeks before. They had a possible job for me. I interviewed for it yesterday. It's at a science consulting type place. I'd be a receptionist. However, after interviewing me they wanted to considering offering me a marketing assistant position. They kept telling me how boring the receptionist job would be and if I really wanted it. It seems like half the people don't think I'm qualified enough for a job and the other half think I'm too qualified. Also, no one will trust my lies that I won't leave after a few months. It is my intention to start looking for another job as soon as I acquire something temporary here in Austin. I'm such a bad liar. I think they're scared to hire me and I lied straight through my teeth. Maybe I'll get it if I was tricky and evil enough.

Today I did a one-day job for the temp agency at an educational software company. It was easy and pleasant. Just some filing, copying DVDs and packaging stuff. I'll make some money.

Overall I am doubting my plan. After the interview yesterday I don't know how I can get the type of job I want and not feel bad for lying and leaving before the end of the year. I think if I don't get this most recent receptionist job I'll just start looking for more temporary things where they won't care if I quit after a few months.

I also decided to start actively applying for journalism jobs. I can't wait to get a temporary job first. I want a reporting job right now. I've spent two months applying for jobs that I don't even consider permanent or interesting. I want to start trying my luck for a real job.

Enough gloom and doom. My (+) post coming soon.