It All Worked Out

Well... I got the job! Come May, I'm going to be a library clerk!

This is my best sexy librarian picture, taken six years ago. Please note Sammy's necklace that I'm wearing.

I'm so incredibly thankful and blessed, and honestly can't believe how this all happened! As I mentioned before, I had a job interview coming up. When I had the interview, I wasn't sure how it went. There were two people interviewing me, and one seemed to like me, while I couldn't read the woman who'd be my actual supervisor. The position I interviewed for was Library Assistant. I would be creating programs for teens and kids, along with going out into the community and educating people about the library. Where this library is located is a high immigrant population and many people have never been in a library before, much less know how to use a computer. 

That position seemed like something I would enjoy, but would definitely be a challenge. My last job was a lot of outreach and I was very burned out from it. It's hard to talk to people everyday and stuff useless coupons in their hands for a bookstore that the entire campus hates. But, this would be for a library and I wouldn't be selling anything.

The other big issue with that position was the start date. They wanted someone who could start sooner rather than later. Sammy and I had a trip to California planned the day after my graduation, and well, that just wasn't going to happen if I got the job. The next few weeks of school are going to be brutal as well, so even though I offered to work part time until I was out of school, that would be a nightmare. 

Anyway, I had the interview and then I waited for a call back. And waited. And waited. I was so burnt out from school that I didn't keep applying for jobs like everyone suggest I do. I just wanted to hear back from this position. It sounded like the perfect job, and one that I actually have skills for. Like I've mentioned before, Creative Writing majors don't have a lot of options out there. I've also always wanted to work in a library. All libraries are like a second home to me, and I thoroughly believe that reading makes a huge difference in people's lives. It teaches empathy and lifelong learning. It's a stress relief, and escape. And I believe that everyone can love reading, they just need to find the right book first. I really wanted this job.

After two weeks, one of my friends called me to tell me that he'd just been called to be a reference. I was thrilled, but kept my excitement down. I didn't want to jinx this. The man in my interview also emailed me telling me that my supervisor was working on some final preparations, and would be in touch within the next few days. Sammy was more excited than I was. I didn't allow myself to feel really anything.

I finally got the call last Thursday. The supervisor said that after a lot of interviews and talking with my references, they wanted to hire me as a library clerk. Now, that wasn't the position that I interviewed for, but she sounded very busy over the phone so I figured that she had just said the word wrong. I said I how excited I was to join the team, and of course I'd accept. She asked when I could start, and I said I'd prefer after graduation, but would do whatever they needed. She told me she'd get back to me on my start date. 

Well, once I told Sammy he asked one important question, had she mentioned the pay? She had not, but the job I'd applied for was more than enough. As soon as I'd gotten the phone call, I got on my knees and thanked my Heavenly Father and the biggest feeling of peace and confirmation came to me that this was the right job, so I wasn't worried about it. It'd all work out.

Well, I received an email Friday night about the position, and it still said library clerk. It also included the job description and pay scale, which was nowhere near what we needed. I panicked. Since I didn't see the email until late at night, I couldn't talk to anyone. I didn't sleep well that night, and even threw up in my mouth a little which is NOT. GOOD. Senior year of high school I threw up a few times just from stress, and I have not wanted this year to be a repeat, since the stress is even more. So far I've been good, but yeah.

In the morning after talking with Sammy and my dad I realized that I needed to find out what the pay was, and if it wasn't enough I'd have to get a job elsewhere. I was so confused since I'd gotten such a strong reassurance. I tried to stay calm, waiting until 10 when I could call. I glanced at other jobs out there, feeling disgusted with the idea of writing yet another cover letter. Sammy took me out for breakfast to distract me, and I also picked out my graduation gift, an awesome purse. (It was funny, he wanted me to get a different color because it would pop with my clothes more, but I stood my ground and got the grey.)

At 10 I called the library, pretty sure that it was over. Instead, my supervisor told me why she'd hired me as a library clerk, because she had better applicants for the Assistant job but she really liked me and my tech background and wanted me on her team. She told me the pay, which was more than what we needed. And, she said she didn't want me to start until after graduation because I needed to focus on my classes. That was the best phone call of my life. Everything just fell into place right there. That reassurance hadn't been wrong. 

I'm also glad that I received the clerk position instead of the assistant position. The assistant position had all the things from my old job that I didn't enjoy. The clerk job has none of those, and a bit less responsibility so I won't be as stressed. 

Sammy gets to go to school, I get to do something that I'll love, and still have time to work on my novel. Now I just have to decide insurance stuff, but that's all going to be fine too. I'm so excited and seriously feeling so blessed. We won't get to go to California but that's alright, we're looking for fun things to do closer to home this summer. Now, I just need to get through the next two and a half weeks of school, which will be insane. (Editing three stories, writing another story, a paper to analyze that story, editing 70 pages of my honors project, writing a paper about honors project, hour long defense of honors project, final UHL portfolio and presentation, and one test. AHH!) 

But, life is so good!