Anyone Found That Pot Of Gold?

So, tonight I was on-line checking my accounts and paying bills (did you expect anything less from me, e-banking and such) and this incredible wave of disillusionment swept across my bow like toropon torpedoes from the Star Ship Enterprise. The system I am working allows me to see where I am quickly after I pay all my bills, as well as enter any transactions that haven't cleared the bank; basically your traditional ledger, just e-based. It is great to know that I will have so many dollars in the bank come a particular date next week after my bills have all posted; but horribly painful when I start to extrapulate out and realize that my mortgage payment for August will eat up anything I have saved up and won't live any room for things like my car, gas, electricity, groceries and dog biscuits for Princess Gracy.

What do you do when you realize you are less than 30 days from singing "Trouble, oh we got trouble, right here in River City..." Don't know!! Cutting costs anywhere I feel I can and getting ready to start cutting costs anywhere I fell I can't. Not fun decisions.

It is interesting to note that I have been in financially deprived situations before. I spent five years in college and not one of those years went by where I felt "liquid." The difference between those days and now, and even my time in Korea and now; RESPONSIBILITIES. Yes, yes, my parents warned me of that nasty business adults have to deal with; but like all youths.... I ignored them. In all seriousness though, in the past I could move funds around or pass on a bill for a time... but now I don't have that luxury. Late on the mortgage and a steep fine is accessed, late on the car same issue and so on and so on. Being late isn't so much the issue either since my income doesn't come close to matching my expenses. Just sucks.

The good news is that my 4 1/2 years at Fujitsu and my extreamly conservative use of vacation while I was there netted me a very possitive result. I walked away with a nice pocket of change. Add to that I started working part-time (full time whenever I can) and I delayed the effects of that horrible state of affairs known as being "broke."

If I am lucky one of those jobs described below will do more than show promise, they will show actual fruition. Let's hope so, or I will be asking everyone I meet if they have found the infamous Irish Pot of Gold.

Choices, nice to have, nice to choose

I had an interview on Tuesday, June 24th, and I believe it went well. I don't want to say much more about it until after I hear back from the company. I know that they are looking for someone that is willing to get his hands dirty, work on various kinds of projects and basically help the company to get things running as smoothly as possible. All aspects of my previous post with Fujitsu and all aspects of a job that I really enjoy. There is also the possibility of upward mobility and that is always an attractive idea.

In addition to that job prospect, I recieved a phone call today from a recuriter I have spoken with briefly a few times previously. Last week he asked if he could send my resume to a company looking for someone with Siebel and SAP experience (enterprise applications). Now I don't know a great deal more about the job, still waiting to recieve the job description. From what little I have heard it does sound interesting. The good news though is simply this, he said that the company he is trying to set me up with is interested in interviewing me this week. Now seeing as there are only two days left in the week, I don't know if that will happen; but last I heard he was just waiting to hear from them with a suggested interview date. The job and salary are interesting enough to me to want to take a look and see more of what they have to offer.

Finally I spoke with the manager of the community I am working at and he is willing to consider me for one of the open possitions that he has open at the moment. The possition would be challenging in many regards, in some ways pulling on abilities I honed at Fujitsu and in other ways requiring me to hone new abilities. Of the three jobs I currently have pending in some state or another, this would be the biggest change in direction; but not a huge one.

What is best about all of this, if it all comes together, I will have a few choices; and choices are always a great thing to have around. Not for the purposes of negotiating, I don't think it would work anyway; but choices are great to have so that when you make a choice it really is just that a choice. Good or bad in the end, you can say that you chose the event; the event didn't choose you.

The GREAT Job Search Continues

Okay, Okay, I know I haven't posted anything since late May. Well, I have been just so B U S Y that I haven't had .... Okay, so would you believe that I just haven't been able to get away from the constant ringing of the phone with job offer after job offer? Yeah, me either. Actually there just hasn't been a great deal to report from the job front. If you can call it a front, I keep finding people looking for jobs, but the jobs keep hiding. One though recently jumped out and asked if I might like an interview. Of course I said yes, do I look stupid?

I don't know a great deal about the job, and what I know of the company is limited to their . web site. I am sure after I have my interview I will learn a little more. It sounds like a very interesting business and it is deffinitely a lucrative one. One thing there will be plenty of for the next few decades are wireless towers and as long as their our wireless towers there will be a need for people to manage them in one way or another.

Stay tuned for more EXCITING details. Well, details none-the-less.

Hello From the Crypt Keeper

Hello ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to another not so exciting report from KellysWorld. Today I am reporting from "in-the-field" at a local apartment community that I have been charged with holding down for the memorial weekend holiday. Basically it is like being in charge of a large Crypt. Like any crypt, you get the occassional visitor. Unlike a crypt though, these individuals don't come baring gifts, but instead enter only for the the free cookies and lemonade. As happy as they are for this free sustenance, they aren't much for conversation. So the day just drags, drags and drags on. Yesterday this went on for 7 hours, luckily today it only lasts 4 hours. As I am being paid to watch the crypt, I guess I should consider myself lucky. "Lucky," though, can be a relative concept.

All is all it isn't a bad gig. Nine bucks and hour to watch the crypt isn't bad and of couse it helps to pay the bills. Obviously though, it is about as boring as boring gets. If not for the computer I am writing this report from, I would be ready for a tea party at the bottom of the pool. It could always be worse. At least I am not working in the crypt after mid-night.

Just 90 more minutes before I am released from the crypt.

Skilled Worker Looking For A N Y T H I N G that pays in dollars

Okay, it's been a few months that I have enjoyed the various benifits of being unemployed. I mean did you know that if you go the first movie of the day you can see a first run movie for the same price of rental from your favorite video store? How about the ability to go grocery shopping and get really fresh foods and no lines! Even at SuperTarget and Wal-Mart Supercenter! Amazing. Well, I didn't and if I had never learned this I would be three times as happy and my bank account twice as big.

I have been shooting out resumes with all the precision of a shotgun, but hopefully I will at least get someone's attention. I mean, don't get me wrong leasing apartments is an "intersting" job that allows me to grow my people abiliites and stretch those unused salesman muscles. OKAY --- I CAN BARELY TAKE IT ANYMORE. Actually, it isn't too bad. It all really depends on where I am working. The community I worked at last week was just increadible. Just celebrating its one year anniversary they are still working to fill up their apartments. A serious trick when you realize that their cheapest apartment runs $1200 a month and the biggest townhome goes for nearly $3000 a month. Hey when your apartment comes with extra carpet padding, ceramic tiles in the entry and kitchen, cable/phone outlets on nearly every wall, crown molding, quality wood, and of course huge bathrooms, closets and bedrooms. Still, 902 sq feet for $1200 a month is well, about the worst price to sq foot you could ever imagine. Did I mention that's more than my mortgage on my nearly 1500 sq foot home?

But I digress. IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYONE HIRING, call me. Please call me. Nothing illegal though, well, nothing too illegal.

It's Hard To Be Humble, When You Are "Over-Qualified"

Okay, what in the name of hades does it mean to be "over-qualified?" Do compaines want people that are "under qualified? Do they not want people that can not only excel in the possition they are hired into but also be able to take on additional duties and roles as the months and years progress? I understand the fear of boredom setting in and the individual walking, but it just doesn't always make sense.

For example, I am not CEO material nor am I director material. At best I am probably management material, that isn't to say I am a manager. So how can I be over-qualified for a possition that could in 6 months time turn into an assistant manager's or team lead possition? Not to say I would want the job, but how could anyone looking to hire someone not want a go-getter, get-it-done kind of person. I understand that some people are indians and some people are chiefs, but every chief was an indian before and eventually chief has to step down or be removed so another indian can become a chief.

So why am I venting? Why am I talking about indians, chiefs and over-qualification? Well becuase this job search is a process I wouldn't wish on Sadam Hussein. Well, actually for him I would and come to think of it... he is in the same predicament. Of course he walked away with a billion dollars (a dump truck filled with money) so I guess he doesn't have mortgage issues. Just smart bombs with his name written ALL OVER THEM.

I interviewed for a possition with an apartment community (don't say complex, bad... bad...) but the person doing the hiring, a very nice lady by the way, felt I was way to qualified for the possition. She did say she would keep my resume for a while and if something more "suiting" came up she would give me a call. Great! That won't buy pledge to give my kitchen table that "like new" look, much less buy beans and rice to put on the kitchen table. I spoke with my agent at the company that hires me out to Apartment Communities (remember, not complex) and they think they can get me a job on what is called an "A" property. That is where people who make salaries like my old salary and higher live. Anyway, that could be difficult because they want someone with experience.

Hopefully my agent can convince someone... 40 hours a week, every week sure would be nice. Benifits wouldn't hurt either, course those will take 3 to 6 months to get. Loosing a job... SUCKS!

Working My Brain.... Sort Of

I will say this first, working is better than not working. It should also be said that there are those that are doing work that is far less rewarding and 10 times harder to do. Working in apartments is just a gig that has serious ups and downs. Also, the weather of late isn't cooperating as it is hot and muggy. Who wants to go looking at apartments in extreamly muggy weather. My lastest community is very nice, all-be-it an older community. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable. The residents are very nice, not all of them speak English; but I haven't met a rude one yet or an overly demanding one yet. The same can not be said of some of the ritzy apartment communities I have worked at over the past few weeks. Some people feel they should be hand held from the first till the last.

Here the atmosphere is just more down to earth. The only real problem is that it is slow, very slow. I have been keeping busy with some filing and a good share of phone calls, even though some of those phone calls are for a gentlemen's club.

Yes, the cummunity I am working at now shares their name with a local gentlemen's club. So when someone is looking up the number for the club, they sometimes call us by mistake. Apparently the staff here gets calls asking if they are hiring entertainers, the menu of the buffet (buffet?) and other assorted questions. I didn't dare ask. I guess it means you have to be careful when you mention you work here, people might get the wrong idea.

All in all though, I am workign my brain to a dull point. Just not much "action" in the thinking department of late. For the regular employees they have to do some serious thinking, but for little old me... I just have to learn the floor plans and how to answer the phone. Oh, I have to remember the name of the place I am working... trickier than you might think too.

Would You Like Fries With That?

As most of you know my last job offer fell through, so I am still on the search. For the past month I have been leasing apartments as a side gig. I don't work in anyone community, but sort of "pinch hit" when a community is short handed. Earlier this week though I was asked by my temp agency if I might consider working full-time as a leasing agent. They would find me the community and then I would work for that community and not my temp agency, just like any other temp to perm situation.

As my job search isn't go so well, I agreed if they can find me a job that pays at least decently. Leasing agents don't make huge salaries, about $10 to $12 per hour. The money is made in commission, anywhere from $30 to $60 per lease. I have asked around and a good agent in an established community can make from $800 to $1200 a month in commission. In an apartment community that is "leasing up" in other words a new community, you can make a great deal of money. I heard of one monthly bonus that was in excess of $4000.

I don't know if I can get a community like that or not, but hopefully. In a normal community I am looking at a salary in the high 20's or low 30's. Not a great deal of money and could mean I would need to take on a night job, because I will be working weekends for sure.

Not a great situation, but it is enjoyable work; and it sure as heck isn't flipping burgers or saying that now famous phrase, "Would you like fries with that...."