The Hunt

I am hunting. Job hunting that is. I have not been in the active job market for some time. I have moved around with in my current employer for the past 4 years. Before that I was with the same company for 6 years. So, its all new (again) to me. I am job hunting because I am getting married and moving to So Cal. Therefore, as our last name isn’t Trump or Gates, I must find employment. It can be overwhelming, daunting and depressing. I know some people that have been out of work for a year almost and they aren’t having much luck.

I am looking on Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com I am also looking at local, county and state government job sites. I have no college degree but I have 12+ years of customer service/admin/clerical experience in various areas including retail, and office. Face-to-face, phone and internal only. I’ve done sales, cashiering, research, agenda writing, scheduling, meeting preparation and minutes, procedure writing, training, etc. I’ve worked in small retail, large retail, major company and local government. All these things have given me many skills but sometimes I get eliminated right off the bat because “no degree”. It can be quite frustrating.

I am also amazed that some places have the nerve to offer a salary of $9 per hour and then require a college degree. As if a person with a degree would take a job that pays so crappy?? I guess someone somewhere might but I sure as heck wouldn’t!!

I am visiting So Cal again for a couple days next week as its my birthday (Yay!) :). I hope to look around for some local options while I am down there. I really am not set on any one type of job, I just want one that wont drive me crazy and pays fairly decent $. I have been spoiled in my jobs of the last 10 years. Making pretty darn good $ and good benefits. All without a college degree.

Not that I don’t want to get one. I do. I’ve even started going back and getting some classes done. But I don’t want to start up again full force until I am settled into my new location.

In the meantime, I will accept a wide variety of employment. Hopefully something fun/interesting because then I’d be more likely to stay on for longer.

Here's hoping!

Back to the hunt!!  :)

Wedding Planning (Part 1 of 1,000000000000)

SO many choices! Its hard to process sometimes. And O.M.G. (and I usually hate that saying) but WOW so many venues are SO darn expensive! The site fees! The food costs!! Can you HONESTLY tell me that it costs $350 for prime rib to be cooked and carved??!?!? I am not a platinum bride! I am a budgeted bride! My last name isn't Trump! And since when should a GARDEN cost $100,000 to rent (site fees only) for a wedding??!?!? (I WISH I was kidding!) ARGH!!!!

Ok Rant over. It is daunting but I do have great people willing to help with stuff like making favors, etc. But as my ♥ and I are paying for it ourselves, we have to be extra cautious and budget minded. If we didn't get an extremely wonderful offer of the flowers being taken care of (thank you!!!) we'd be even worse off. The light at the end of this tunnel is a fun time with friends and family and forever with my ♥! :) But let me tell you, that super small wedding in Hawaii is looking better and better! (even if we had to fly some people in!) lol!

So, I found 2 dresses from DB that I like A LOT. I am going to another big bridal store probably next weekend to try on more styles. Then I am going to bring the parental units in to see my top choices because maybe they can help me decide! (or at least give their opinions!) lol!

Oh and so begins the cake hunt! My future brother-in-law who is awesome and makes cakes for a living, has offered to make our cake. Woohoo! The only thing I need to do now is decide what I want! I need ideas!! :)

My great friend who is going to school for event planning (and is my MOH) is using me as a guinea pig for her planning skilz. (I told her she could) :) She got me the most awesome wedding planner I have seen. It is called "The Complete Wedding Planner & Organizer" and is put out by Elizabeth & Alex Luch. (the makers of weddingsolutions.com) My friend, you are a Gem!! :)

I am getting Married! Woohoo! ♥ ☺ ♥