It's Always Easier

 August 23, 2012
They say, “It’s always easier to get a job, when you have a job.”  Well, I have a job, and trying to get a better one (yes, I know the economy still sucks), is still NOT easy.  Getting an interview is semi easy.  I’ve worked for a small town police department for 5 years (my anniversary was this month – wohoo extra vacation), but it really is an entry level position with opportunity for ZERO growth.  As a matter of fact, shortly after I started, they did some serious rearranging and I was tasked with the duties of a senior person, and that person was then given my more minimal tasks.  That person didn’t get demoted, I didn’t get promoted.  I took the tasks and smiled, thinking it would get me somewhere.  I took Adobe Design classes hoping to help with communications and marketing, which I do for the PD, but that’s it for about $15k less a year than the person who does it for the Town.  I got my MBA in Marketing also thinking it would help.  Four years later, I’m still in the same position and the only pay increase I’ve had was a dinky COLA (I had one merit increase my first year) which I turned around and put into my flex spending account (because I’m a runner and a klutz  – I always have a medical bill of sorts).  Here is where is gets tricky.

I have a couple of wonderful friends (who are apparently better at these searches than I am) who want to help me find a better job. I have completed my application for a spiffy job.  Then I went to the temp agency…who wanted to put me in for the SAME job.  STRANGE!  I stressed the whole temp agency thing about how the company can just drop you without reason and then I left my secure job for nothing. Not that it matters, I was turned down for an interview, I’m guessing due to my lack of fire knowledge, but I work for a police department, I have a lot more basic concepts and more marketing education than required. Boo!

Now back to the PD.  I may be thrust in to the world of Networking.  Which, again, offers no pay increase for the moment (possibly eventually, but I would honestly be a hell of a lot more motivated to take it and run with it if I KNEW there was some kind of incentive to follow – the possibility of overtime doesn’t thrill me since I spend MOST of my off time working out and training with very little boredom in between).  I just don’t know how long that moment is supposed to last – I mean really…I’ve done so many other jobs that I my resume looks like a tornado because I don’t fall into any single, concentrated category.  I have NO IT/Networking experience what so ever other than setting up my wireless router with a bit of tech support.  I have apparently been a tremendous unknown asset to our IT guy …and he was leery about me being his “assistant”, but the person who advocated on my behalf explained I am self taught (true) and I can solve a lot of the dinky issues quickly.  However, a lot of these have to do with MS Office products, not really servers and cables and networks, oh my!  There is talk of being sent to the local college to take some classes…which I like that idea.  Beats paying for it out of my own pocket and waiting for tuition reimbursement (which is already exhausted this year).  Although freshly out of the MBA makes me want to burn my remaining text books and claw my eyes out with a spork.  Plus, I’m pretty sure technology will always be a high growth field.  I’m young (until my birthday rolls around next month and I start wallowing about my body breaking and my mind going).  I almost feel like trying to do this CRAZY multitask challenge that has been placed in front of me and slow down my external job search.  Then again, doing 85% of my co-workers job, helping with a hiring process that usually takes a good 70% of my time when in full swing, plus regular miscellaneous duties while attempting to shadow the IT guy over the next two months may drive me to drink (which boy, did I pick a crap time to cut beer from my diet for half marathon training!)  It’s just networking is FAR from my dream career and it would strip away the one thing I really enjoy about my job (creating pretty things like fliers, booklets and other print media).  I should also note that with my ADD and OCD tendencies, I may need to get some Adderall so I can focus long enough to find a single wire and follow it to the appropriate location…  Oh well, I suppose I should continue my research and maybe try a little bit of everything to see what tickles my fancy.  I’m just happy someone had faith in me that while I’m far from knowledgeable or experienced in this area, he thinks that I can do it and do it well.  Actually, I should explain it the way it was explained to me, “Sometimes you have to run at an electrical outlet a few times with a fork before you get it right, and you’re willing to do that.”  Hmmm…

Stripper shoe Friday may have to be more strategically planned in the near future.  I don’t think climbing a ladder in hooker heels is a wise decision.