Thursday, September 17, 2009

Welcome to Hysteria! A Thursday in my life!

This is one of those where do I even begin kind of stories. 

But we could start here. A few weeks ago I read an article that said apply to all jobs (even the ones your not qualified for). Your odds become greater in achieving a position with the more positions you apply for.  

Or we could start here.  With President Obama's speech on Tuesday in Lordstown, Ohio...

My first reaction, was like "Okay Obama!" as I watched it on  {NBC Nightly News}.  But about an hour after got a phone call from Liberal, Kansas.  The Southwestern Times called to say they would like to schedule a phone interview for the following day.  Yes, I said.  I was literally flabbergasted. This was for a reporter position I had emailed and applied to less then 24 hours ago.  

Where is Liberal? I didn't even know!  It was just a job I applied for never thinking they would contact me or even if they did so soon.  But their ad on {JournalismJobs.Com} asked for everything I was.  And it was for everything I was looking for.  

But I soon found out where Liberal is.  It happens to be Western Kansas near Oklahoma, Colorado and closes major city is Amarillo, Texas.  It is also a 16 hour drive from Loveland, Ohio.  

My Mom had quite the reaction. But it is best if I save that for another blog post.  

The phone interview was Wednesday at Noon.  The news editor called me and asked me a variety of questions concerning past employment, my education and what I was interested to do.  He also gave me scenarios and asked about who I would interview first and what angle I would take to that particular story.  I felt so at ease and answered all the questions truthful. I just felt it went so well.  I was excited about this.  But the whole Kansas thing was a factor in the back of my mine.  As many of you know I had been in this same spot before and I mean earlier this summer. It could be I never hear from this particular newspaper again. Count it like the others as a learning process. I told myself let's just see what happens here. 

More happened.  

A bit before noon today, the publisher of the newspaper called me and invited me to Kansas personally for a in-person interview.  This phone call went very well in the sense that he explained the position a bit more to me.  I will be officially interviewing on Wednesday but arriving on Tuesday and having a follow-up interview on Thursday.  The newspaper is paying for my stay while in Liberal next week.  But if I get the position, they would pay for a  two weeks stay at a local hotel until I found housing.  And they would advance me first months rent and utilities until I got seattle.   Plus don't forget the salary is good for the location and I get full benefits.  

Now before you get all (Charlottesville area Virginia) on me.  I know this is a complete leap of faith.  But I have to say, the publisher said to me on the phone today that they don't invite people to interview in-person without seriously considering the candidate.  He said he felt this was more for my benefit with confirming that I could like living in Liberal and was at ease with working with the staff already on board. The truth is that I might be offered the position if all goes well next week.  I can determine how well it goes. 

My head was completely spinning at Noon.  It has been spinning all day since.  I am not even sure if this blog post is going to come out coherent.  But that is the back story of today.  The rest of the day has been trying to figure out how to be in Liberal next week and what to do about the Gap (my part-time job that I started on Sunday).  

Figuring out how to get there was the easy part.  

Tuesday:  Fly from Dayton, Ohio to Wichita, Kansas on AirTran Airways.  Arrive in Wichita at 12:30 P.M. and rent a car with Avis.  Drive the 3 hours from Wichita to Liberal and be there by 4 P.M. 
And then on Friday (reverse it). 

The Gap = Hard Part. I just started (this past Sunday) and am scheduled next Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday! But I did the right thing and called the store's General Manager and completely told her the truth.  I explained it all.  She was so great about it and we ended on the lines of if the position in Kansas doesn't work out to call and I would be placed on the schedule.  I just felt horrible about it but I can't not go to Kansas. This could be the break I have been waiting for.  

With that said...I am taking a leap of faith and going for it all.  I am feeling so good about this.  I am excited and want this to happen.  Everything happens for a reason. I promise to keep all my readers, friends, family and more posted on everything next week.  I promise stories, photos of Liberal and more.  

{Stay Tuned} 

P.S. I told you the life of a Boomerang Lady is never boring.  Am I right?

P.S.S. Think you have heard of Liberal? Well, it is the official home of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Not even kidding! 

3 comments:

Jamie said...

WOW! A lot has happened in such a short amount of time. That is really exciting! I hope it works out and you like the area and get offered the job. I'm excited to hear what happens!

nicole said...

Oh wow, Laura! Good luck! And good job thus far, you seem to have really impressed them!

Cheers to us! I just had a very good interview today with the company I applied for via my blog.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Lindsey Marck said...

good luck in Kansas Laura, can't wait to hear how it goes!!