Temporarily Out of Order

Blog soundtrack:



Yesterday, in my job frustration haze, I told a friend that for all the effort it was taking me just to have a potential shot at a temporary job, I wondered whether it would be easier and less stressful just to get a job at Macy’s. It’s funny how things you say in jest sometimes become a potential reality.

Today, I called to reschedule a hair appointment that I had next week. My hairstylist, Donna, asked if I could come at 10:30. I said I could, and she asked me how I was doing. The floodgates of emotion opened. Poor Donna was an innocent hairstylist who happened to be in the wrong question place at my ripe time.

I try to keep the floodgates closed and remain dry and on high ground; however, every once in a while, I have to open them. I told her how I was approaching a year of unemployment and felt that if I couldn’t land a writing job soon, then perhaps I seriously needed to consider a career change.

She asked me what I was considering, and I told her that I’d love to get into the cosmetics industry. I told her I met the Tarte representative at Sephora, and she said that aesthetician was a very hot career. And, that it also might be a useful credential if I did want to try to land a job with a cosmetics company.

Donna was very supportive and gave me many positive ways to look at my situation. Many of my friends have done this for me; however, it's always nice to get a new perspective on "positive ways!" She was also thrilled at the prospect that I might join her in the world of beauty! After a 30-minute much-appreciated pep talk, I drove over to see her.

When I arrived, I told her that last week I applied for a job at Sephora that I’d love to have; however, I probably wouldn’t be considered because of my lack of experience. I told Donna that the Tarte representative also told me that I might try working at a department store cosmetics counter as a first step to getting into the industry.

I told Donna, and suddenly it seemed much more serious now than in jest, that I just might head off to Macy’s to apply for a job this afternoon. She told me I should. And, then she said, “Perhaps, they have a job in cosmetics.”

As I left Donna’s, I thought, “Damn it! I am going to Macy’s.” Ironically, even with two potential writing jobs, for some reason, I felt I’d might be happier working at Macy’s. It was as if my gut said, “Leave Donna’s, go directly to Macy’s, do not stop, and do not collect any more gloom. Everything is going to fall into place…some day.”

When I arrived at Macy’s and inquired about a job, I was instructed to use a little kiosk and apply online. I went through the application. It had the typical employment questions, the “I’m a white female” part, and then there was a “questionnaire” at the end. It was 12 pages of questions (approximately 250 total) to be exact.

I was reminded that there were no right or wrong answers, and my answers choices would be Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, or Strongly Agree. After the first page of questions, I really had to wonder what kind of psychological test this was!

I yell at people when I’m upset with them.
I believe that criticism rather than praise makes people do a better job.
My co-workers would say I’m was the one most likely to appear in a “Girls Gone Wild” video.

Okay. That last one wasn’t one of the statements, but you can see where these questions were going. I noticed that after page 6, the questions were repeated or the same question was restated in a different way. I was beginning to wonder, “Is applying for any job easy these days?”

After I finished the application process, I spoke to the HR manager, because after clicking “Submit,” an error displayed. The HR manager took a look and said, “Oh. I’ve never seen that before.” It figures; I broke the job application!

She took my name and number. I was praying that it went through, because I dreaded taking the “questionnaire” again. I thanked her, and then she said that they were looking to fill a position in Cosmetics. At that moment, I'm pretty sure an elated look came over my face, I said, "Ooooh!", maybe I even squealed softly, and then almost fell over.

On my way out, my Blackberry spoke. It was an email from Macy’s saying that my application was successful. I went back into the Human Resources office, and I showed it to the HR manager. She said, “That’s good. It went through.” Successful application submittal and cosmetics! Could this day get any better?

I called Donna. I got her answering machine. I said, “I love my hair. I love you. And, Macy’s has a job opening in cosmetics!!!!”

This last year has been difficult, joyous, and one of questioning. The questions are largely ones I’ve been asking myself on a daily basis about my life. Today, I thought that perhaps the order that my life once had was destined to be reordered.

That is, I was now really living the life I was meant to, the one that would put me on a different path to a second wonderful life. Perhaps my second life was now going to be working part-time at Macy’s in cosmetics, enveloped by scents and fashion, while I wrote my great American-British-German-Polish novel and/or screenplay. To be honest, I sense that no matter what happens in my life, the raindrops will keep falling on my head; however, it’s a very good thing that I always carry my umbrella. ♥

A License Plate I Saw in the Macy’s Parking Lot That I Really Loved Note:



Maybe it’s good to be forever lost, because then you’re always trying to find your way. Or perhaps, it is good enough just to get lost every now and then, so you get a chance every so often to find your way again.