I FOUND WORK

January 5th I start working.

I am soooooo excited. 

It's contract work.

Never thought I'd be so excited to find a job.

I think it's because I know how hard I worked to get it, and I know it'll open up more opportunities in the future.

Hopefully for one thing, it'll open up permanent employment when the hiring freeze is lifted.

With whom?

It is with a prominent university and the top employer in New Orleans.

What will I be doing?

I will be a project manager for an interior construction project.

For how long?

A minimum of 4 months.

So what did it take to get there?

Step 1 - When I was thinking of moving down here I gave all three of my parents a list of which firms I'd like to work for and told them to ask their friends if they knew of anyone connected with these firms.

I got one lead from that.

Step 2 - My dad mentioned that I was looking for a job to his high school friend and his wife I'll call D.

Nothing came of that.

Step 3 - Later on, my dad emailed the high school friend and D again.

Step 4 - Then D asked for me to send her my resume. I did.

I never heard back.

Step 5 - A week later I told my dad that D had never responded to my sending the resume.

Step 6 - He called D, and she said that I should send it again and that her email was messed up.

Step 7 - I sent D the resume again.

D finally read the resume and forwarded to another soccer mom/architect whose kids play soccer with hers.

When the architect finally responded she said, "Wow, her background is impressive. We have a hiring freeze that I can't get around, but I may be able to do contract work. I'd like to meet her."

Step 8 - One meeting was rescheduled, but we got to met November 20th for an interview. I got great feedback.

She sent me the contract forms on December 20th and I start January 5th.

The End.

I outlined this entire process to make a point.

Finding a job does not happen overnight.

This took months.

Eight times my dad and I had to be proactive to make this happen.

There are no guarantees even when your parents went to high school with someone whose wife is a soccer mom with your future employer.